Alexei Auld is back with a brand new book available 7 Secret Sources of Inspiration: A Snappy Guide for Creative Procrastinators to grill Eugene S. Robinson (who's pushing a GoFundMe to pay for the new Oxbow album) and myself with some PR stumpers from the world of combat sports.
For the audio only version check us out on SoundCloud and be sure to subscribe to MMA NATION on iTunes and subscribe to MMA Nation on YouTube so you'll never miss an episode. This week's kerfuffles include:
- You’re WME-IMG. UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes told ESPN W she plans on retiring after “(M)aybe in a couple of fights...Three, two more.” After being blasted for promotional malpractice and failing to stand by your champ, can you afford to rectify your PR sins by backing a fighter who already has an eye on retirement? - 00:30
- You’re Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson. UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley told ESPN he was “the worst treated champion in the history of the UFC.” The reason? “If I was a different complexion, people and fans would treat me a different way.”Why should either of you care? Because you were namechecked as victims of the same racism. Days later, Woodley told Ariel Helwani that the UFC called him. Whatcha gonna do if Ari Emmanuel, and the largest talent agency in the world, calls you? - 7:43
- You’re Chael Sonnen. Two days after tapping to Tito Ortiz at Bellator 170, you tried to honor the memory of the late WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero on the Celebrity Apprentice: By cheating to win. But your teammates tattled on you to the big boss man Arnold Schwarzenegger, who proclaimed. "Chael, I know that you think this is a gray area. But, in my world, this is not a gray area. I will not tolerate cheaters in my boardroom. You're fired.” Chaelsplain to us how you keep on winning...by losing? - 16:12
- You’re Jerry Rice. As if claiming “All Lives Matter” wasn’t enough to lose credibility amongst Black Twitter, you’ve upped the ante. By wearing a Popeye’s Chicken Helmet and playing into the stereotype of a black man obsessed with finger-lickin’ chicken. Tell us how this fits in your grand PR plan: Are you angling for a spot in the Trump administration or is this your attempt at making minstrel shows great again? - 27:05
- You’re Rick Perry. When you were asked to be President Trump’s Secretary of Energy, you allegedly misunderstood what that meant. Instead of dealing with oil and gas, you’ll be responsible for overseeing our nuclear weapons policy, stockpiles, and waste. Tasks above and beyond what you’ve ever done. According to the New York Times, your “qualifications to oversee a muscular renovation, or expansion, of the nation’s nuclear weapons complex are expected to be among the chief topics of questioning” at your confirmation hearing. How do you plan to convince a skeptical Senate confirmation committee that voting for you, live and in public, if you will, may be risky bidness, but you are a nuclear Bull of the Woods. And a Cold. Bloody. Sausage maker? - 34:14
- You’re Hillary Clinton. After winning the popular vote and despite declaring a Donald Trump presidency to be a sign of the apocalypse, you stood by your man Bill and attended the Trump inauguration. Strangely, you didn’t attend the Women’s March on Washington or any of its sister marches, which many would argue were held in your honor. Instead, you tweeted support of the March, “Scrolling through images of the #womensmarch is awe-inspiring. Hope it brought joy to others as it did to me.” And later, “We have to keep the momentum.” Was that a royal “we” or do you have something else in mind? - 39:34
- You’re US President Donald Trump. During the women’s march, Madonna was not Crazy For You. The Material Girl mentioned thinking a lot about blowing up the White House, but later claimed she was just speaking in metaphor. That wasn't enough for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who yesterday told "Fox & Friends" that Madonna represents an “emerging left-wing fascism." His advice? "Frankly, the truth is she ought to be arrested for saying she has thought about blowing up the White House.” Since your presidential experience is Like A Virgin, how do you Express Yourself? - 47:11
- TEACHABLE MOMENT. You’re White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. At your first press conference for your new job, you ranted about how the press had wronged the prez on Twitter. Calling the few who bothered to attend Friday’s festivities “the largest audience to witness an inauguration. Period!” The official estimate: 250,000 Trump attendees in 2017, 1.8 million for Obama in 2009. President Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway failed to convince anyone that you were offering “alternative facts” instead of lies. What PR adjustments can your make to become a more effective parrot for the president? - 55:14
- KID NATE’S HEEL TURN - 59:18
- EUGENE'S LOST BATTALION - 1:01:43
THANKS FOR JOINING US. FOLLOW US on Twitter @eugeneSrobinson, @kidnate @alexeiauld. PLEASE GIVE THIS A THUMBS UP and leave comments on YouTube, read Eugene at Ozy dot.com and be sure and check out all three of us on Amazon.com
"We'll be back next week with another installment of If I Did It and we don't know what we'll be talking about yet because the PR mistakes have yet to be made."
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