Oh, the irony: Tony on Tiger
By Matt Nippert
4:00 AM Sunday Feb 21, 2010
Broadcaster Tony Veitch is under fire after he accused disgraced
golfer Tiger Woods of trying to stage-manage his way out of trouble.
During an interview with agent and former All Black Andy Haden on
Radio Sport, Veitch criticised Woods for avoiding direct questions
from the media.
Veitch's attack, in turn, drew criticism from media commentators who
accused Veitch of doing much the same thing after his own fall from
grace in 2008.
Speaking about Woods before the golfer's public apology, Veitch said:
"The world wants answers. "He's going to be surrounded by good friends
and family for this announcement tomorrow morning. This is simply
going to be a pre-orchestrated, pre-read statement and he is not going
to front up to the questions."
Veitch was forced to resign high-profile radio and television roles
after reports surfaced that he had assaulted his former partner
Kristin Dunne-Powell.
His first public response to these charges was a press conference at
Auckland's Hyatt hotel where he delivered a prepared statement and
apology but answered no questions.
Veitch later appeared in the Auckland District Court and pleaded
guilty to a charge of injuring with reckless disregard. He has only
recently returned to air.
Media trainer and former broadcaster Brian Edwards said of the
segment: "The irony of Veitch conducting an interview like this at
all, given his own history, may have been missed by him and his
employers.
"It would be hard to think of a sports personality [who] ... handled
his mea culpa worse than Tony."
Haden said he was made aware of the ironies only after he completed
the interview, when "about 20" people called him on the phone.
Asked afterwards to comment on Veitch's first press conference, Haden
said his recent interviewer had botched it: "I don't think he
controlled it particularly well. He'd probably like to go back and do
it again, because you only get one shot."
While both Veitch and Woods had stage-managed interviews, Victoria
University senior lecturer and celebrity apology expert Sean Redmond
said the golfer's was far more successful: "Tiger was different from
Veitch. At least Tiger looked ashamed."
Veitch said during this week's radio show that Tiger would face a
"media storm" until he fronted up to media: "As soon as Tiger goes to
golf tournaments, the same paparazzi, the same tabloid reporters are
going to turn up at those tournaments until Tiger answers the
questions that I guess the salacious side of the world wants answers
to."
Radio Sport director Chris Gregory did not respond to questions
yesterday about whether Veitch's commentary and angle of questioning
was appropriate.
When Veitch was approached for comment at his Auckland home a woman
said through the closed front door: "No comment."
Veitch criticises apology
Radio Sport, Friday February 19
"It's going to be selected invitees only, surrounded by good friends
and family for this announcement tomorrow morning. Which has everyone
expecting this is going to simply to be a pre-orchestrated, pre- read
statement and he is not going to front up to the questions."
"So has his management team got this wrong? Is this the right way to
go? Because remember, as soon as Tiger goes to golf tournaments the
same paparazzi, the same tabloid reporters, are going to turn up to
those tournaments until Tiger answers the questions that I guess the
salacious side of the world wants answers to."
By Matt Nippert
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