Metro Detroiters know Charlie from his spots on Fox2 Detroit. He's a no-nonsense theatrical investigative reporter who is not afraid to get into people's faces and ask difficult questions. You either love him or hate him. And so when he spoke recently at a Friends of the Berkley Public Library event, the audience knew what to expect. And he didn't disappoint.
Charlie was a rambling and spontaneous speaker who definitely became more effective as he got warmed up. Eager to share his experiences, it was as if he didn't know how to fit it all in. But what was most remarkable to me was how he interacted with the audience. Charlie knows how to mind his manners, even when peppering his remarks with profanity. He has a gift for connecting with every person, always asking people their names. And so when one particular audience member kept yelling out to to him, Charlie just let him speak and even asked him questions about himself and his background.
The disrupter was seated toward the back, a middle aged man in a wheel chair. While event organizers were wondering whether they should intervene, Charlie signaled to them to let the man speak. And he did. And Charlie improvised.
At one point Charlie asked the man what his physical ailment was that put him in a wheelchair. I was holding my breath. It just reminded me too much of when Kanye West ordered an audience member to stand with the rest of the crowd, even though he was in a wheel chair.
But Charlie's a pro and he masterfully managed to engage with the man several different times while continuing on with his points. And when Charlie had had enough, he finally yelled out, "Stop it or I'll boot your ass out out of here!" And you know what? It worked. The crowd laughed and the man piped down.
Event organizers should always be prepared to step in and quiet a disruptive audience member. Most presenter need that assistance. If you are ever interrupted by an audience member, a direct and firm "That's a great question and I'll be happy to address that after my prepared remarks" will usually do the trick. Sometimes, an additional "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to let me finish my remarks before I can address that" is needed as well.
But if you've built up good will with the audience and have the persona of a Charlie LeDuff, you can veer away from the textbook advice and have a little fun.
I don't see anything wrong with Charlie's actions at all. When someone is being disrespectful, Charlie did a great job of putting that man in his place. While I believe that it is important to remain in control of your message and not to stray too far, there is nothing wrong with letting someone know that they are being disrespectful. In your opinion, why do you think this man in the audience would chose to come to Charlie's event yet only disrupts the speaker the whole time and disrespects him?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Charlie is a dynamic speaker and he thrives on personal contact. I think this particular audience member wanted to share the stage a bit with Charlie and this is something Charlie encourages in his presentations. After a few back and forths, I think Charlie had to move on and perhaps even interact with other audience members. I don't think this audience member was trying to be disrespectful. I think he was enjoying the moment and I think that he even enjoyed the final exchange with Charlie which told him playfully and dramatically that the give-and-take was now done.
ReplyDelete