A reader writes:
I’m able the place I do some trade occasion internet hosting and public interviewing. I don’t prepare any of the occasions, I’m only a speaker/host (I work in a associated subject too, however these gigs are freelance and paid individually.)
I had agreed to interview somebody very prestigious of their subject who was launching a brand new product. It was an enormous occasion with paid tickets, with the expectation that quotes from the interview can be used for content material, promotion, and publicity. I’ve labored with the PR firm who had been dealing with it on related occasions and it’s all been advantageous.
At this latest occasion, I turned up quarter-hour earlier than the interview, as requested. The VIP, who I’ll name Lee, arrived and appeared a bit of tipsy however in good humor (it was a night occasion in a venue with a bar so whereas being tipsy clearly is just not nice, it wasn’t like they had been morning-drinking at an workplace.) I requested in the event that they needed to go over the interview questions, they stated no and that they’d glide on stage, and appeared advantageous.
Alison, I went to the lavatory and in that point (actually about 4 minutes) Lee had downed a full glass of wine and began gulping down one other. The PR individuals had been all current and laughing away prefer it was a celebration — one in all them was the one who acquired Lee the drinks from the venue’s bar. I used to be instantly frightened this could be a multitude however Lee is an grownup surrounded by their publicity individuals who weren’t saying something, so I stated nothing. For what it’s value, there can be some allowance for this particular person to lean into some “inventive genius” eccentricity in the event that they had been nonetheless attention-grabbing and articulate, so I hoped that might be the case.
It was not.
I went on stage, gave Lee a pleasant introduction, and so they got here on stage — and it unsurprisingly and quickly went very fallacious. Lee couldn’t articulate themselves, began getting annoyed at themselves, and I might inform they had been about to begin crying. I pivoted the dialogue to some viewers suggestions on the necessity for the brand new product, early evaluations, and so on, simply to offer Lee just a few moments to breathe. As an viewers member was talking, I quietly requested Lee in the event that they needed me to wrap it up, however they stated they needed to listen to some extra suggestions. I vamped a bit of with the viewers, however I might see that Lee was not getting any extra composed and the viewers was conscious. I attempted to wrap it up as elegantly as I might, at which level Lee began audibly getting emotional, saying they’d ruined the occasion. The PR reps ushered Lee again to their resort, solely mentioning to me on the way in which out that Lee hadn’t eaten something earlier than ingesting, had been very anxious in regards to the occasion, and had a massively aggravating week.
I really feel mortified and a bit sick. I really feel like I unwillingly participated in somebody who has a ingesting concern, main nervousness, or each being shoved in entrance of a crowd once they had been in a foul state. I’ve by no means been in that place earlier than and really feel like I ought to have tried to say one thing within the three minutes we had earlier than occurring stage, or possibly ended the “interview” extra rapidly. By the point we’d began, I used to be genuinely attempting to determine how you can give the product some consideration and dialogue whereas not drawing consideration to Lee’s habits — however on reflection I believe it was so apparent to the viewers that Lee was drunk that I ought to have simply acquired them off the stage instantly, reasonably than have them proceed to take a seat on stage for quarter-hour.
It’s so apparent that Lee was not in a very good area that I can’t be indignant at them, I simply really feel unhappy for them — however I’m irritated on the PR staff for not flagging Lee’s nervousness with me and for giving them two drinks inside actually 5 minutes proper earlier than we had been occurring stage. Other than Lee’s welfare, I’m additionally frightened that I appeared unprofessional to the viewers and just like the discomfort of the occasion goes to fall on me, and, as I’m freelance, that’s an enormous deal for me when it comes to future jobs.
I’m undecided if something must be stated to the PR firm. They’re clearly conscious it didn’t go to plan for them or the product launch, so sending a message afterwards feels probably like stating the apparent?
We had additionally agreed on a charge prematurely which was on the belief that I might have a 45-minute interview with Lee, which clearly didn’t occur. Ought to I nonetheless count on the total quantity? I did all my analysis and preparation and arrived able to do my job, however I do know they didn’t get what they wanted. I don’t know what’s truthful to count on, payment-wise?
You have to be paid for the job you agreed to do. You put aside time and ready and got here able to do the work, and you then rolled with a really tough scenario very gracefully. Nothing right here warrants a discount in your charge.
In your sneakers, I’d name your contact on the PR firm and say you needed to the touch base in regards to the occasion and examine on Lee. It’ll be clear why you’re involved, and your contact ought to have some sort of commentary on what occurred that ought to naturally deliver you to extra of some extent of closure in regards to the occasion. But when for some motive they don’t do this, you may say, “That was a troublesome scenario to deal with — is there something I might have executed otherwise on my finish to clean that over? I had requested Lee in the event that they needed to wrap up early and so they didn’t so I attempted to pivot to the product, however I believe it was only a tough scenario for everybody to navigate.” That is actually nearly serving to issues really feel extra wrapped up, because it’s bizarre if nobody talks to you about it.
However from there you need to ship your regular bill and assume they are going to pay it. It could be actually crappy of them to balk at that, similar to it will be crappy in the event that they balked at paying you as a result of a VIP acquired meals poisoning on stage and needed to minimize the evening brief or anything that short-circuited an on-stage interview.