Watching Michael Bay's Awkward Meltdown On Samsung's Stage Will Make You Feel Really Bad
Michael Bay is a director of action films known for big explosions, but when Samsung chose him to promote its curved televisions he was NOT. Supposed. To. BOMB on stage.
By Sadho Ram — 07 Jan 2014, 04:18 PM — Updated almost 11 years ago
Director Michael Bay has once again made audiences cringe. Although, this time it's not one of his over-the-top movies that's to blame.
The mastermind behind Hollywood blockbusters such as Transformers and The Rock showed up as a surprise guest during a Samsung presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
He strode into the spotlight of the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday to praise the company's ultra-high definition curved TVs as a technology whose time had come.
cnet.com
Hundreds of journalists and industry professionals, gathered in a Las Vegas hall for the world's biggest gadget expo, watched Bay take his position in front of a 105-in screen with bright, hyper-sharp images.
forbes.comBut moments into his pitch about Samsung's new curved TVs, Bay seemed lost for words.
"The type is all off," he explained, gesturing to an out-of-sync teleprompter at the back of the conference hall.
ninemsn.com.au
Cajoling from Joe Stinziano, Samsung's executive vice president, only made the presentation even cringier: though Bay attempted to improvise, he quickly stalled again as an awkward hush fell over the room.
“The curve? How do you think it's going to impact how viewers experience your movies?”
Bay quailed, hunched his shoulders and scuttled off stage. “Excuse me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.”
An excruciating silence descended before Stinziano, marooned, asked for the audience to applaud. A few clapped. Then the executive resumed the presentation solo.
nydailynews.comHere, WATCH Micheal Bay embarrass himself as he flees the stage during Samsung's presentation:
And as always, Twitter duly trended. But... NOT. In. A. KIND. WAY.
“Haven't cringed like that since Transformers 2,” said one commentator. “I've often wanted to walk out of a Michael Bay [in] embarrassment too. Can't blame him for seizing the opportunity,” said another.
ninemsn.com.au
While more charitable souls expressed sympathy, saying Bay suffered stage fright, if not an anxiety attack, Gizmodo's Matt Novak tweeted "Apparently michael bay thought they could just fix it in post."
Michael Bay subsequently posted an explanation on his blog. Here's his take on the matter.
Wow! I just embarrassed myself at CES – I was about to speak for Samsung for this awesome Curved 105-inch UHD TV. I rarely lend my name to any products, but this one is just stellar. I got so excited to talk, that I skipped over the Exec VP’s intro line and then the teleprompter got lost. Then the prompter went up and down – then I walked off. I guess live shows aren’t my thing.
michaelbay.com
But I’m doing a special curved screen experience with Samsung and Transformers 4 footage that will be traveling around the world.
michaelbay.comSamsung did not immediately respond to requests for comment but there was no disguising the speed with which some executives left the hall after the event
“It's too bad. I think it looked worse for Michael Bay than it did for Samsung,” said Brian Blau, a research director at Gartner who was in the audience.
Johanan Sen, a digital strategist and content development specialist, who was supposed to be at the Press Conference but missed it thinking it might be a bore, posted this on his Facebook profile:
Ok, this is kinda epic.
I skipped the Samsung PC today, because I thought it would be a bore. Only to find out via Jeff Sandhu that I missed an epic walk-off by the Michael Bay.
So I'm sitting down to dinner at Table 10 in the Palazzo after the Intel keynote. And I finally get the chance to view the Michael Bay video Jeff posted.
facebook.com
Somewhere around the second course, I get out my iPad, my Nexus 5 had trouble getting a signal, and the waitress comes over and quips, "O, are you getting situated?"
I say, "I'm just checking out this link my friend sent me. Apparently Michael Bay had a meltdown today at CES."
facebook.com
The girl sitting to my left immediately turns to me and says, "Sorry, did you say something about Michael Bay?"
Turns out the guy joining her colleague and her for dinner was the presentation coach flown to Las Vegas for the Samsung and Microsoft keynotes. She says she can't wait to ask him about it when he gets there.
Instantly, she realizes she shouldn't have said anything and we don't really talk for the rest of both our dinners. Her friend, David, joins them one course later.
facebook.com
I pay the bill, get up to leave and nod a polite goodnight.
Halfway to the escalators I turn back. "I'm sorry, my curiosity is just killing me. Have you asked him?"
She gestures a, 'go ahead.'
facebook.com
"Michael Bay," I say.
"Right, " David smiles. "It was not the teleprompter."
I pause for a split-second, mainly out of disbelief that I didn't have to do much prodding.
"It wasn't?"
facebook.com
"He's telling people that it was," David says, "but he flubbed his lines. He answered the question the presenter was going to ask him in his opening, when he first came out. He messed up."
"Huh, 'cause you know he's hard on his actors when they flub lines."
"Yeah, well he was hard on everybody backstage today too."
facebook.com