The Negative Inference. That’s what Oscar-winning actor Robert DeNiro objected to in a recent interview, promoting his new comedy, The Intern.
With repeated negative inferences to Mr. De Niro, the interviewer exacerbated the tension, hoping to get more of a response than the actor’s trademark monosyllabic replies. And she did!
It’s a technique reporters and interviewers often use to bait or get a rise out of a subject. Mr. DeNiro didn’t take the bait, he just walked out.
But not every interview subject is the septuagenarian Oscar-winning actor, Robert DeNiro who doesn’t need The Radio Times’ for publicity. So learning how to handle this media technique is crucial.
Simply, deflect the negative (without repeating it) and bridge to the positive.