Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
We’ve all been there—you apply for a job, get an interview and become a bundle of nerves. We never really know the questions we’ll be asked or just what we’re getting ourselves into; however, we try our best for the sake of getting the position. For Guy Goma, this meant being put on a live TV broadcast and having to talk about a topic he wasn’t 100% familiar with. The best part? It all happened as the fallout of one of the funniest cases of mistaken identity in recent memory.
Goma was a job applicant meant to be interviewed for a data support cleanser position in BBC’s IT department. On May 8, 2006, he arrived at the BBC Television Centre in London to talk to his prospective employer. On that same day, a ruling had been reached in the famous trademark dispute between Apple and the Beatles’ record label, Apple Corps. Because of that, technology expert Guy Kewney had been called upon to talk about the verdict.
However, when a producer for BBC News 24 went to the lobby to fetch the guest, the receptionist pointed to Goma. The producer had seen a picture of Kewney, but the receptionist was sure that was the expert, and there was no time to spare. When asked if he was “Guy,” Goma replied affirmatively. With only a few minutes before the live interview, the team placed him in front of the cameras and wired him with a microphone. Despite thinking it was all very strange, Goma was convinced he was being interviewed for a job.
Finally, when journalist Karen Bowerman introduced him as tech expert Guy Kewney, Goma realized there had been a huge misunderstanding. Although he was visibly shocked, he handled it gracefully to avoid making a scene. Thanks to his IT background, Goma knew enough about digital trends to give credible answers. With music downloads being a nascent topic in 2006, Goma even correctly predicted that people would be relying on the Internet to find music and other media. In the meantime, Kewney was watching it all unfold from the waiting area.
Once done with that, Goma headed to his actual job interview; but, sadly, he wasn’t hired for the position. About a week later, he once again appeared on BBC News 24, this time to talk about his experience. To this day, the Guy Goma incident is considered one of the most hilarious TV interview bloopers, and also a masterclass on doing your best when thrown into an unexpected situation.
Guy Goma went in for a IT department position at BBC, but due to a mixup, he wound up being interviewed on live TV.
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
He realized there had been a misunderstanding, but to avoid making a scene, he went on with the interview as gracefully as he could.
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
In the end, he wasn’t hired for the position he was actually applying for; but, on the bright side, he’s become a legendary part of TV history.
Photo: claudiodivizia/Depositphotos
Check out the interview below:
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