Tough interview question? Learn from Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri + Andrew Garfield

By Jeff Rusack, Media Relations Manager

Did you see this? 

Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield asked about the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements in Hollywood.

Me neither, my algorithm is basically skiing and 1980s MLB highlights.

But, when Beth Cooper, JD / MBA, KNB Communications marketer extraordinaire, asked for my thoughts on how a group of A-list celebrities handled an interview  question about the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements, I was intrigued enough to click. 

The short answer is — they nailed it. They took a question ripe for failure, dissected it in real time, and diffused it with grace. 

Most people being interviewed aren’t celebrities or are sitting in a chair next to them. So, how would a person, such as a health tech, biotech, or life science leader, handle a loaded question (regardless of the topic) by themselves? One that is meant to facilitate an answer that is divisive and could potentially cause harm, not only for the interviewee’s image, but also for their company or entire industry? 

Very carefully, that’s how. End of blog.

I kid. 

Let me tell you.

You’ve just heard the interviewer's question and you’re thinking, “WTF?! This question can’t be real.” After your internal panic is over, proceed to the first step.  

Step 01: ask them to repeat themselves

This gives you the ability to do a couple of things:

• Buys you time to think about your answer
• Gives the journalist an opportunity to reconsider the question
• Provides clear understanding. Were you really asked what you thought you were asked?
  • And if that’s the case, time to remember your plan. “PLAN?! WHAT PLAN?!” Proceed to step two. 

Step 02: your plan 

“What do I say?!” Even if you have already asked the journalist to repeat themselves, you can take a beat to respond. It’s ok. You’re allowed to think. In fact, it’s encouraged. “I need to think about the right answer for that,” is a very diplomatic way of saying “I wasn’t prepared for such an outlandish question.”

Your next move depends on the question. There are several options on how to proceed: 

• Pivot 
  • Take the base of the question and find something positive to discuss. 
  • “HOW DO I DO THAT?!”
    • There’s a blog for that. Don’t you worry. 
• Refuse the question.
  • If you believe the interviewer is acting in good faith, explain why you think a question is misleading or potentially harmful. They should understand. They’ll either explain their question again in a more productive way or move on. “I’m not the expert on this topic.” Or “There are people far more qualified than I am to discuss this.” Both are polite ways of saying, “Nope, not touching that with a ten-foot pole.”
  • If you suspect the reporter is not acting in good faith, you can gracefully call them out and potentially end the interview. “I came here today to discuss [insert key messages]. That is what I’m prepared to discuss. Do you have any questions specific to that topic? If not, I’m afraid I’m wasting your time.” There might be some backlash from the journalist or their outlet for this, but if you genuinely feel the question is inappropriate, stand your ground.  

When working with KNB Communications, we vet every media opportunity first to ensure any chance of a 'gotcha' question is slim to none. 

Most interviewees will never find themselves in the exact position that Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield found themselves in. But almost all will find themselves being asked tough questions. This is a valuable lesson on how to handle them. Evaluate the question. Diffuse the situation. And either move on with the interview or move on from the interviewer.