Contexthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=houFuiYrEi0
Some reactions
And just today in The Guardian, a journalist wrote this article: Dear Robert Smith – spare a thought for us poor interviewers (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/01/robert-smith-interviewers-interview-process-musicians).
My personal opinion is that the video has been taken out of context, because people has edited just the part:
QuoteCarrie Keagan: Are you are as excited as I am?
Robert Smith: By the sounds of it, no
which indeed makes look Robert as a complete ass :)
However, those who saw the full video saw a pretty normal conversation, plus those who know Robert, are not surprised at all by his answer. After all, the reason why he made music was not because of an award (pretty obvious!). He clearly stated that in the interview: "[been inducted to the RHOF] is not something that was part of the big plan"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiplxW8QZ5Q
Besides this, I think she was genuinely excited because she indeed likes The Cure very much! If you watched the full red carpet, you would see she did not show THAT excitement to other artists. Previous to the event, she also said (https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8501463/carrie-keagan-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-red-carpet):
QuoteI've been a Cure fan for, like, my whole life, so when I meet Robert Smith I'm just gonna lose my mind
Besides this, this was a red carpet event and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a Hollywood alike event, so what was people expecting to see?
What I don't like about this whole thing is that I see lots of people jumping to judge the interviewer without even knowing her! I searched a few interviews with her and read about her and I think she knows her job very well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1RrE5HZsPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGhMC0y-E4E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMTsvL8-rVY
I think people need to chill the f*ck out and stop being hyper analytical about a f*cking interview? Shits not been done under caution and is likely to be used in court. Its two people, from different sides of the world, nothing more, nothing less.
Chemicaloverload I completely get your sentiment. The quote by Eleanor Roosevelt has popped into my mind in all this: "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." That being said, I also think that people are discussing social norms and questioning them. We're in times (have been before, too) where lots of changes are happening and social norms that were once acceptable are being analyzed and changed, such as men grabbing women's butts in public, women using their sexualities to coerce men to do things they don't want to, and a whole bunch of other stuff that relates to gender identity, sexuality, and equality. I don't support jumping on the bandwagon, don't think it was particularly funny that Robert blew off the introducer in the first moment, but I do respect that he was setting a boundary with her and appreciate that he gave the fans five minutes of words to chew on (that he's coming out again in general to talk to fans) even though the red carpet is not really his thing.
Quote from: dsanchez on April 01, 2019, 20:38:18
which indeed makes look Robert as a complete ass :)
Carrie acted, for my taste, very professional and Robert himself sorted it out after ten
or fifteen seconds. My conclusion: a 'normal' interview apart from the beginning. :cool
It surprised me to see it snowball online, but my understanding is it's because of RS's humorous response that makes for a funny moment. Any negativity towards the interviewer is a bit uncalled for ...don't we all have foot-in-mouth moments like that sometimes?
and talking of RS interviews I think this one takes the prize...
https://youtu.be/Xo-tST44cC0
Social media sort of pushes people to judge people... it gives everyone a voice, which is good and bad (cause there are is much stupidity in the world). In the end, those who criticize (the masses in Twitter and Facebook) the journalist don't know her career and those who criticize Robert (e.g. the journalist in The Guardian) don't know his career either. This is why this went unnoticed here at curefans.com at first, because Bob's reaction does not surprise to anyone in this forum.
Quote from: chemicaloverload on April 01, 2019, 21:11:58
I think people need to chill the f*** out and stop being hyper analytical about a f****** interview?
you are right. the true in all is that I had more time today than usually, so I was writing all this first world problem stuff :P
This all makes me realize I have gotten way too into The Cure again...I walked away from all this years ago. I love Robert Smith and The Cure and stand for them. I'm so happy that Robert Smith is talking to the fans again. It's been a long time. Also great to see new pictures of Mary. I think seeing her face brought me back to reality a bit, to understanding that The Cure is the art, but their personal lives just ordinary.
Quote from: MeltingMan on April 01, 2019, 22:21:30
Carrie acted, for my taste, very professional ...
Well, she seems a little over-excited, hence Robert's reply! :lol:
Quote from: dsanchez on April 02, 2019, 00:10:51
Quote from: chemicaloverload on April 01, 2019, 21:11:58
I think people need to chill the f*** out and stop being hyper analytical about a f****** interview?
you are right. the true in all is that I had more time today than usually, so I was writing all this first world problem stuff :P
I wasn't referring to you. If I was, I would of said David needs to chill the f*ck out :rofl
Also, that Guardian article was written by a crank. A journalist, in a privileged position, complaining about the privileged people they interview :expressionless:
Quote from: Ulrich on April 02, 2019, 09:48:21
Well, she seems a little over-excited, hence Robert's reply! :lol:
Yes, indeed. I think she did her best in a bumpy situation, however. :)
Quote from: MeltingMan on April 02, 2019, 12:42:41
Yes, indeed. I think she did her best in a bumpy situation, however. :)
True, the way she handled it after Robert's unexpected reply was professional indeed. :smth023
If we're talking about professionalism, is it really that professional that she begged to sit on his guitar while he played? He gave her a look that said "why would you even ask such a thing?" but replied something of the nature "it would be uncomfortable." Then she pressed on "after the show?" He appeased with an "Ok" or "alright." I've seen her other stuff and she's pretty funny, like the chapter of her book "F*ck You, Grandma," but she's just a case of rebelling from a conservative upbringing. She thinks she's so cool because she's heard of the singles album Japanese Whispers, which in America was quite popular among teens in High School, although I've heard not as well known in other parts of the world. I don't know why Japanese Whispers would be any real Cure fan's favorite album. It only has 6 songs (3 of the Cure's most well known pop songs) and definitely not their best songs, although Lovecats is one of my favorites. I wonder why this ordinary interview has exploded on social media. It makes me think there's something important going on in terms of change.
And a comment from somebody on Penny Anderson's article in the Guardian:
"The interviewer seemed to be treating Robert Smith like he was a 19 year old who just got his first record deal, not a 59 year old whose induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a mere formality after a successful career. The problem was not Smith's attitude but an interview style that was totally inappropriate for the situation."
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 17:19:31
If we're talking about professionalism, is it really that professional that she begged to sit on his guitar while he played?
Ha ha, told you she was a bit over-excited... :winking_tongue
My impression is that Robert is not the person who likes to be the "target" of over-excited "fans", this kind of exuberance is not very much to his taste. However he was polite and stayed "in control" of the situation. :cool
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 17:19:31
It makes me think there's something important going on in terms of change.
I don't think so. Just another fart which goes around the world on social media... ;)
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 17:19:31
It makes me think there's something important going on in terms of change.
I don't think so. Just another fart which goes around the world on social media... ;)
[/quote]
Oh really? You also had little faith in the R&RHoF induction voting...I think you like to be on the doubting side. You may have some Libra in your astro chart. Libras tend to be contrarian. Another reason why this fart, explosion may be happening on social media is because Robert Smith hasn't spoken to the media in so long and it's bringing out the fans.
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 17:58:21
Oh really? You also had little faith in the R&RHoF induction voting...
Indeed. Then can you show me what the voting has brought effectively? It is the
members of the HoF, whose voting did bring in the band (the voting of the fans has
maybe helped a little).
Sadly, the HoF is shrouded in secrecy about their proceedings.
I've always thought the band had its "reservations" about the whole thing - now look at the current article from Rolling Stone.
http://curefans.com/index.php?topic=9106.0
Also, btw, this topic here is
only about the reply of RS to the (silly) question by Carrie, not about the whole interview or the HoF appearance itself. Hence my "fart" comment... ;)
Can you explain to me how RS saying "by the sound of it, no" on the red carpet is sign for a change? What "change" do you expect?
Also, btw, it was lil' me who thought the new album will be a "dark" one in the typical Cure vein (now look at what Robert said about it). :)
Keagan talks about her interview with Robert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADi2knDA6Rw
Quote from: Ulrich on April 02, 2019, 18:31:18
Also, btw, this topic here is only about the reply of RS to the (silly) question by Carrie
how is silly asking a red carpet question in a red carpet event? :)
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 17:19:31
If we're talking about professionalism, is it really that professional that she begged to sit on his guitar while he played?
It's perfectly professional for a red carpet event! Or did we forget what red carpets event are like?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yeem2HonzyA
This is not Larry King talking to Palmer Joss...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFcHpamkHII&t=9s
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 17:19:31
I wonder why this ordinary interview has exploded on social media. It makes me think there's something important going on in terms of change.
Exploded simply because a famous person (Smith) embarrassed a journalist in the live transmission of a worldwide watched event. If it would have been any other less famous person and not Smith, probably no-one would have cared.
Quote from: Ulrich on April 02, 2019, 18:31:18
Can you explain to me how RS saying "by the sound of it, no" on the red carpet is sign for a change? What "change" do you expect?
I expect the change of how interviewers on the red carpet approach their interviewees. Robert Smith by making that teeny, tiny, subtle, deadpan expression set the tone for future interviews with other interviewers. This little interaction will influence the way interviews are approached for a while.
Quote from: Ulrich on April 02, 2019, 18:31:18
Also, btw, it was lil' me who thought the new album will be a "dark" one in the typical Cure vein (now look at what Robert said about it). :)
Well, Ulrich, that's what Robert Smith said, but don't you expect a pop song or two on it? They haven't even mixed it yet.
Quote from: dsanchez on April 02, 2019, 20:12:29
It's perfectly professional for a red carpet event! Or did we forget what red carpets event are like? [/quote]
My understanding of red carpet events is that they're meant to publicize the celebrity, to draw in viewers, to be seen and talked about in the news afterward. Well, it worked! Somebody up above mentioned the word "professional" so I said that if we were talking about professional....I rarely pin my eyes to a red carpet event. I don't watch TV. I'm barely involved with mainstream stuff, but since Robert Smith goes through the mainstream to communicate with fans, I bend for that. I come out of my shell when he comes out of his. My hero, my mentor of soul, my teacher of paradox.
It's not about whether we're wrong or right. It's about whether we can keep going, or my personal motto: "keep glowing."
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 23:26:45
I expect the change of how interviewers on the red carpet approach their interviewees.
... This little interaction will influence the way interviews are approached for a while.
Well, maybe, for a
little while. (Look at other red carpet examples by dscanchez.)
At least I hope it will change one thing: moderators/interviewers will be more careful about how they approach Robert Smith and limit their "exuberance" to a minimum! :cool
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 23:26:45
Well, Ulrich, that's what Robert Smith said, but don't you expect a pop song or two on it?
Yeah, that is possible, even "Disintegration" had its portion of "hit singles" on it! :smth023
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 02, 2019, 23:26:45
I expect the change of how interviewers on the red carpet approach their interviewees. Robert Smith by making that teeny, tiny, subtle, deadpan expression set the tone for future interviews with other interviewers. This little interaction will influence the way interviews are approached for a while.
I suppose under "first date" conditions Carrie would have left the scene immediately. You cannot
do this in public, but Robert knows exactly that he receives the full attention and that the interviewer
cannot "run away". Setting boundaries is absolutely OK, but even when you are not "over-excited", as mentioned before, you must be aware of his sarcasm. Look at his interviews in 2018. Again, Carrie did a perfect job. And Robert might has deserved a special "penalty" from his wife. ;)
Quote from: MeltingMan on April 03, 2019, 10:26:46
I suppose under "first date" conditions Carrie would have left the scene immediately. You cannot
do this in public, but Robert knows exactly that he receives the full attention and that the interviewer
cannot "run away".
That makes it sound like a "calculated" move, but I don't believe Robert did it that way (or to receive any kind of "attention").
I have the impression he was simply "run over" by her exuberance and replied in an honest way... (simply because he really was
not overly excited about HoF)! :cool
Quote from: MeltingMan on April 03, 2019, 10:26:46
And Robert might has deserved a special "penalty" from his wife. ;)
Ha ha, Melting Man! Maybe Mary will reward him for not being too nice.
It's funny, because I'm guessing what will come out of those milliseconds of "no" is future interviewers who do their best not to be excited with Robert Smith, or as you say, Ulrich: "limit their exuberance." What if the next interviewer began with "I totally don't want to be interviewing you, but since I have to..." LOL!!!
The question now is will Robert ever comment on this situation? Will he apologize to Carrie? Will he feel the need to appease or will he stand behind his actions? Knowing Robert he might say something like he didn't mean to offend, was just joking, although he has called out journalists in the past, has had no qualms expressing public dislike toward the things he doesn't like. I think he'd be more likely to support Carrie if people turned her into a Hester Prynne than if everybody proclaimed they liked her and thought she deserved an apology. I think it's part of his integrity to say what he believes and not feel coerced into saying things he doesn't feel or mean, such as Carrie trying to coerce him into admitting some kind of excitement over the induction that he didn't feel. I could go on...And it just occurred to me how nobody has addressed yet why over-excitement and too much exuberance might be a bad thing? Is it because it's avoiding the deeper feelings about things, trying to overcompensate for feeling sad, angry, moody, vulnerable? Carrie's exuberance and expectation that Robert would appreciate her excitement tells me that she doesn't know Robert well. I also think she may have thought "tonight The Cure is the "it" band and I'm going to make sure to get my moment with Robert Smith." She claimed that all her friends knew she was a Cure fan, but like a deep Cure fan who read about the band and listened to interviews about Robert Smith? Again, if she had, wouldn't she have known that Robert likes interviews to be mellow and isn't a fan of red carpet events and the Hollywood/music industry culture? I don't understand why she claimed to be such a big fan yet can only state Let's Go to Bed as her favorite Cure song? What's the story of her love of The Cure? When did she get into them? What stories does she have about waiting in line at Cure shows? Did she wear black and do the goth thing? Was The Cure just one band that she followed of several others? Is The Cure her favorite band? Why had she been waiting her whole life to meet Robert Smith, as she claimed? What does he mean to her? As a Cure fan, with The Cure being by far my favorite band, art, music on this earth, I can answer all these questions, share a ton of stories, find friends to support my claims of Cure obsession, teachers who remembered me changing my last name to Smith...My point is that I want proof that Carrie is a true Cure fan, otherwise I conclude she's a poser.
...or we could all just LET IT GO
There's more meaningful things going on in the world that people could be putting their energy towards.
...my thoughts anyway
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 03, 2019, 18:25:25
My point is that I want proof that Carrie is a true Cure fan, otherwise I conclude she's a poser.
Hmm. In her excitement she claimed Japanese Whispers as her favorite "album". Not many fans
do that, and we know it is actually a singles compilation. Maybe she isn't a proper fan, but the fact
alone is surprising. Come on, give her a chance! :angel
Quote from: MeltingMan on April 03, 2019, 21:50:09
Hmm. In her excitement she claimed Japanese Whispers as her favorite "album". Not many fans
do that, and we know it is actually a singles compilation. Maybe she isn't a proper fan, but the fact
alone is surprising. Come on, give her a chance! :angel
Melting Man, this was discussed on Twitter. Japanese Whispers was a hit in America. That she mentioned it tells me she's older than her Wikipedia page claims, as Japanese Whispers was popular with my older sister who loved The Cure, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Dead or Alive, et. al., and is 7 years older than Carrie claims to be. Anyway, she's only as annoying to me as Cure fans from High School who claimed to love Robert Smith and The Cure, but didn't know much about their breadth of music, just liked that they were "weird."
Anyway, there's been a request to let this go. Adios Amigos, until the next topic that grabs my interest.
Quote from: tanyasmith on April 03, 2019, 18:09:00
Ha ha, Melting Man! Maybe Mary will reward him for not being too nice being honest.
Little correction here. ;) :lol:
Apart from this, I would agree with woaw here. Let's put it to rest.