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October 02, 2009
David Letterman on how to frame a story
The David Letterman extortion story is a textbook case of how to get in front of bad buzz.
Letterman used Thursday night's show to tell the story of how a "48 Hours" producer allegedly demanded $2 million to not write a book and screenplay about Letterman's sexual exploits with women on his staff. Letterman informed authorities of the demand, and the producer was arrested.
For nearly 10 minutes on national TV, Letterman told the story with humor and pathos. It was a fairly hypnotic story, even if it was a bit tawdry. (That's television for ya.)
The story of the plot, the arrest and the motive would certainly have gotten out, all of which Letterman called "embarrassing." What's instructive here is that Letterman himself set the frame of the story. "Yes, I had sex with women," he says, which got a big laugh from the audience. Even if you think less of him, there's no denying it was a moment of refreshing authenticity.
How the conversation goes now in this Twitter-driven world now is all part of natural selection, but Letterman certainly neutralized far worse rumor-mongering that could have quickly spiraled, jeopardizing his reputation, maybe even his job.
By getting in front of the story, especially with self-effacing humor, Letterman saved a lot more face than he lost. It's a pretty good way to go for anyone or any company about to be in the hot seat.
Update: CBS removed the Letterman clip from its online site that I had embedded originally with this post, and it usually sends takedown notices to anyone who posts the clip on YouTube. It's increasingly difficult to find an online clip that isn't gone after a day or two.
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Great post. We have a hand in how we're defined. Like Letterman, we can do it ourselves with authenticity and openness or let others do it for us. There will always be others willing to help with interests far different than our own.
This really holds true in business, even when the news is not tawdry or embarrassing. It is hard work to market our software business, but it is far better that we define ourselves carefully, clearly and openly than to let others do it for us.
Great comments, Keith. To use a sailboat analogy, I'd much rather have a rudder than a paddle.
Ben, I thought this was crisis PR management at its finest. Whether or not you agree with Letterman's personal choices, this was a sterling example of how to at least take control of a potentially disastrous situation. Letterman was honest, straightforward, and had built enough trust with his audience over the years to be able to do this. Compare Letterman's style with that of a couple of politicians of late, and you have an interesting case study that every company/business could learn from.
Ben: I totally agree. It was refreshing to see candor in the face of a difficult situation. There are many of us who have preached this over the years, and yet it still seems to only happen in rare occasions. Thanks for the post.
I don't disagree that getting in front of bad news is an appropriate PR tactic. But let's face it - Letterman took that action after an extortion attempt was made - a $2 million one at that. Do you think he would admit to having multiple affairs with female employees if such an attempt hadn't been made and if a grand jury hadn't been involved? Of course not. His getting in front of things may shorten the story's shelf life, or at least divert to other bigger picture news angles, as the story eventually would be divulged. But getting in front of the issue only reveals more of his true character, which wasn't that stellar in the first place.
Funny was the way people got confused and they didn't really know if he was joking (as almost always) or telling the truth.
Anyways...I think Letterman revelead this information in a brilliant way.
What is it there to come??
We will see....
Regards,
Alex Kei.
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Michele -- You wouldn't be referring to a certain politician from South Carolina, would you? Gov. Hiking the Appalachain Trail?
Bill -- It had to have been mortifying for Letterman to do it, which is probably why so few people or companies try to get in front of bad news. It's an admission of failure.
Susan -- I don't disagree that the story adds a subtext about Letterman's choices, but you have to agree that he didn't dance around the story with semi-denials or obfuscation once it was clear that he must.
Alex -- Hard to know what comes next. Seems like interest in the story died pretty quickly, which is a testament to Letterman's candidness.
I think its great that you at least highlighted that clip, even if we cant see it. The point is to be pro-active when the PR you are getting is not good. He has learned from the past that to leave nasty impressions is not good - not good for him. It could cost him financially and in ratings.
Also, he knows people want to hear all about it. After watching McKenzie tell her terrible details, he knew coming behind that seemed awfully tame.
Dr. Letitia Wright
The Wright Place TV Show
http://wrightplacetv.com
www.twitter.com/drwright1
