Bee Gees walk off of interview

[Chrisk-K]

The host should have been fired. An absolute idiot.

 

[Krisfield]

Took a bit courage to walk away live on air. I guess some people might feel trapped when being attacked by the interviewer.

 

[bolophonic]

Nine minutes is a long time to sit patiently while some clown keeps interrupting you and firing off stupid commentary about your life’s work. He didn’t challenge them with any artistic scrutiny, he just kept poking little creampuff insults (“my dog liked it”) until they were fed up.

 

[roller]

Yeah, came out a few weeks ago... directed by Frank Marshall... and like Spazz noted, it's on HBO. New interview footage with Barry. Check it out.

There's a recent Bee Gees doc?

 

[telecopy]

What do you think of this interview? The host starts off practically insulting them (in a joking way), especially their music. Then he just never lets up.

The worst part is that he tries to sound like he is some kind of "special" and devoted fan because he liked their earlier music more. But he can't really do that without dissing their work.

I had to look up what "tosser" means. I don't blame Barry for leaving. You could see his mood plummeted after they were called tossers.

 

[andare]

I believe he reached his CASP...

... Clive Anderson Saturation Point.*

* I couldn't hear what either said prior to walk off, but the audience enjoyed it.

I hear someone say "it's a set up"

 

[TrevorR]

Recall watching that when it first went out... if anyone messed up on this show it was the band’s PR/booker who didn’t appreciate the style of the show or brief their client on it properly/seek their knowing approval. As others have commented, this was just Anderson’s schtick and all the guests came onto the show expecting the sarcastic, sniping interviewer treatment (including many much, much bigger stars at the time than the BeeGees were then).

If you want a modern day, US equivalent just think of the “celebrity roast” - most of which I’ve seen come across as significantly worse and nastier than Anderson’s unremitting, smug snarkiness.

I presume that the PR guy just saw “Prime Time BBC TV” and thought no further. I put any blame squarely at their door.

 

[TrevorR]

I hear someone say "it's a set up"

Nope, “it’s a format”! There’s even a clue in the show’s title... “Clive Anderson Talks Back”!

The show they clearly thought they were going on was “Wogan” or “Parkinson” which were the BBC’s prime time vehicles for cosy celeb promotional chats.

 

[BigJohnAZ]

Yeah, that's like going on Howard Stern and not expecting to be asked about back door sex, etc.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

They all were speaking so fast and interrupting each other that I think I missed probably half of what they were saying, but I really don’t get why they walked off. It seemed like really light hearted ribbing to me, much as you’d expect from any talk show host. I was expecting it to be akin to “Between Two Ferns” where it’s just deliberate insults. This, when Barry got up to leave I thought it was a joke. Seemed so too did the host lol. Shame, you should always be able to laugh at yourself, everyone else will so might as well get onboard.

 

[Claymore]

Poor choice of words by the host but I don't think he intended it to insult. Overreaction by the band in a big way.

 

[Renaissance]

I think Clive's wit and speed were more than they (Barry) could handle.

When he called them tossers it was because they called themselves that. The reference to "my dog liking it" was about the high pitch not the level of appreciation.

You can tell Barry wanted to be taken seriously in the interview. Instead he got run over by a freight train and then handled it poorly.

 

[Spidey2112]

Took a bit courage to walk away live on air. I guess some people might feel trapped when being attacked by the interviewer.

I think Barry could've take him, whilst singing 'Stayin' Alive'.

 

[fhm555]

...But even joking, he had no business even talking to them if he disliked their music that much.

...It was one thing to criticize their fashion. But to criticize their music? And he was seriously doing it, not just joking...

first rule of entertainment, you can’t please everyone.
Second rule of entertainment, don’t let critics get under your skin.
If your vision has catapulted you to a level of global recognition, being insulted by an interviewer who is known to be confrontational and abrasive is playing right into their hands and is largely perceived by fans of bullying behavior as validation of their own behavior, so be adult and ignore any passive aggressive attempt to get under your skin.
Flipping the script and frustrating someone who depends on bad reactions to their thinly veiled insults is (to me anyway) infinitely more satisfying than bitch slapping them.

 

[ElectroVibe]

I wonder how many of the interviews were scripted, back then? Maybe a general outline of questions to follow, and of course some improv for entertainment.

These days most interviews read like a play... like a structured dance, only with words.

I do wonder what their incentive was to even appear on a show like this. I might have missed it, but it didn't sound like they were in a position to promote anything, which is usually the case.

Like I said, I think they genuinely had a sense of humor, and were usually off the cuff, and that's the reason they appeared.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Wankers. That was hardly anything.

 

[Chrisk-K]

The host is nobody, and Barry, Robin and Mo are legends.

BTW, Mo was one of the most underrated bassists. I dig his bass lines.

 

[ElectroVibe]

I think Clive's wit and speed were more than they (Barry) could handle.

When he called them tossers it was because they called themselves that. The reference to "my dog liking it" was about the high pitch not the level of appreciation.

You can tell Barry wanted to be taken seriously in the interview. Instead he got run over by a freight train and then handled it poorly.

You're right basically. But what you call "wit and speed" I just view it as being a dork.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Walked off after a 9 minute interview when an interview usually lasts about that long. One word. Staged.

 

[gln1955]

Flipping the script and frustrating someone who depends on bad reactions to their thinly veiled insults is (to me anyway) infinitely more satisfying than bitch slapping them.

Bitch slapping him would have been much more entertaining.