Your child was brutally murdered and their body was chopped up, stuffed in a duffle bag and thrown into the lake …
“How do you feel right now?“
How the fuck do you think they feel!? Seriously!? That’s the question you shit out of your mouth to the person who just found out their loved one died a horrible death?
I understand as a reporter your job is to get the information about a story and report it but I don’t think there is anybody watching who’s wondering if they’re happy right now! I also understand that if the person you are interviewing is not speaking, you have to fill the silence but there has to be some other question you could ask that would not seem so obtuse.
Ask the person if they have anything to say to the person responsible for this horrific act. The producer better have their finger on the censor button … but I think it would be a better question. Or … how about don’t ask them a question at all. Just report the story and let them grieve.
Part of the problem is the set up before the question by the reporter. The person the tragedy befell may have processed the incident a little bit and is coming to grips with what has happened … and then the reporter describes again in great detail what happened before they ask their stupid question and make it all fresh in their mind again.
“You’re house just burned to the ground and is a pile of ashes. You’ve lost all your belongings. All your family photos are gone forever and I was told you let your insurance policy lapse. How do you feel right now?”
Just once I would love someone to turn to the reporter and say:
“How do you think I feel you stupid mother-fucker? Are you retarded? Why would you ask me a question like that!?”
TodaysPetPeeve 