Kerry Katona: When a PR relationship is tested to the Max
October 24th, 2008 by Wendy McAuliffe
Showbiz-holics out there will have been following the PR backlash around the chaotic live interview that Kerry Katona gave to This Morning on Wednesday.
For those who missed it, the 28-year-old mum slurred her way through an interview with hosts Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton. Her strange behaviour caused a series of viewers to phone in, raising concerns over her welfare. A repeat of the interview can be viewed here on the MailOnline website.
The PR sadist in me has been keenly watching the aftermath, to see how Kerry and her publicist Max Clifford would respond.
First off, Kerry spoke out the next day claiming she had been “stitched up” by This Morning. In an interview with Heatworld, she said: “I’ll never go on that programme again, I’m extremely annoyed at how they made me look. They’re meant to be nice people and I’ve been interviewed by them many times before.”
From someone who I suspect has received plenty of media training, I’m sure Kerry was not advised to fight back in this way. Not only were her PR advisors absent prior to her stepping onto the This Morning set in an unfit condition for interview, but similarly where were they in advising her how to limit the damage done?
Today on Sky Showbiz, top story is an exclusive interview given by Kerry’s rep Max Clifford, and what’s interesting is that he doesn’t defend his client. Instead he takes the side of Phillip and Fern, denying Kerry’s claims that they made her look bad.
He says: “Kerry turned up late to the interview, she didn’t have time to be briefed, and then she was slurring. It’s understandable (Fern and Phil questioned her) - any good journalist would do.”
Max Clifford has a reputation of his own to protect, and unlike most PRs, enjoys a similar public profile to that of his celebrity clients. Rarely is a PR forced to protect their own profile over their client’s, but in my view Max’s response is questionable from a professional standpoint.
Kerry’s interview was car-crash TV, and embarrassment to any PR, but it begs the question at what point can a PR be justified in abandoning their client, particularly in a time of crisis? Arguably that’s what Max Clifford has done here. It will be interesting to see whether Kerry keeps him as her publicist.
Tags: crisis management, kerry katona, max clifford, PR, this morning
July 6th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I think max done a great job but there was only so much he could really have done without putting his own reputation on the line