News

Michael Bay bombs, awkwardly storms off stage at Samsung CES Press Event [VIDEO]

64

Michael Bay might be a living Hollywood legend, but clearly he’s more comfortable being behind the camera instead of it. At Samsung’s CES Press Event, where they announced the Samsung Galaxy NotePro and Samsung Galaxy TabPro among other products, Bay was invited to comment on the company’s innovative new curved TV display.

And then this happened (if you don’t like train wrecks or fails…  don’t watch):

Initially I felt a bit bad for the guy and practically blushed of embarrassment just watching it happen. I can’t help but wonder what was going on in his head. Was he public speaking freeze shamed into exile? Does he just not give a blippety blip and decide to cut his losses short?

I’m sure you’ll have sarcastic responses in the comments that accurately identify the scenario. Personally, I think he was on the brink of a Christian Bale-like meltdown on whoever messed up his teleprompter, deciding it better to walk off and count to 10 billion. Regardless, Samsung did a great job rebounding and turning an otherwise awkward experience into a successful CES show.

Rob Jackson
I'm an Android and Tech lover, but first and foremost I consider myself a creative thinker and entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for ideas of all sizes. I'm a sports lover who cheers for the Orange (College), Ravens (NFL), (Orioles), and Yankees (long story). I live in Baltimore and wear it on my sleeve, with an Under Armour logo. I also love traveling... where do you want to go?

Samsung announces Galaxy TabPRO tablets!

Previous article

AT&T, T-Mobile launch tons of new 4G LTE markets

Next article

You may also like

64 Comments

  1. Ouch . . .

  2. Epic Fail … Fail is epic LMAO

    1. Maybe. But what he managed to say spontaneously, however bad, was better than this comment where you had time to think before you typed.

      1. People are getting up in arms about a simple FAIL gag.

        Y so serious

  3. So awkward. lol

  4. Reginald Barclay lives…

    1. TNG reference FTW

  5. i foresee a good episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway in the near future

  6. Definitely awkward, but watching this makes me wonder if maybe he might have had a stroke just then? Michael Bey has done thousands of interviews and appearances, that I can’t see something as small as the prompter being messed up, causing him to go off stage…kinda scary, actually.

  7. That’s such an odd fail moment, considering they asked him a question that seemed to be a pretty obvious one for a freaking hollywood-grade director.

  8. This looked like a classic case of anxiety disorder (panic attack).

    1. Maybe he saw an asian guy carrying an air conditioner in the back of the room. lol

      1. asian guy + air conditioner? … I dun get it.

        1. I dont’ get it either, and I am asian…

        2. He was attacked in Hong Kong while filming by a guy swinging an air conditioner as a weapon.

  9. Well I think there’s something we can all take away from this….and that is that the next time he needs to use a teleprompter, that someone needs to Ron Burgundy him.

    1. “I’m Ron Burgundy ?” LOL

  10. OK so he had a brain fart which turned into blank thought.. no body is perfect..this dude still creates some dope a$$ movies…

    1. That was my thought. Most of the people armchair commenting negatively on this probably couldn’t touch Michael Bay with a 100 foot pole creatively (I include myself in the non-creative pool).

      He had a bad day, blew it, allowed Samsung to recover gracefully rather than impede them with 10-15 excruciating minutes of stage fright. In the end, he did the right thing. Time to move on.

      1. Sorta,

        But you have to wonder why he couldn’t just wing a seemingly decent answer. For example, I have NEVER heard of the curve, although I think I get the concept from the curved phone displays. Let me answer this question (again with NO knowledge):

        Question: How is the curve going to help reach your viewers?

        Zafferty Bay: Outside of being at an IMAX, this thing is the closest you can get to being on the set. The technology in this thing was DESIGNED to pull you in, and directors like me will use that to our advantage. Expect to see movies you may have seen already, in a whole new light when watching them on the most beautiful display you can own.

        I mean – no one would have blinked at that answer. Why couldn’t he just..bullshit a little? Because to be honest, it’s insualting to me that he couldn’t answer simple questions about products hes supposed to have a relation to.

        1. I sometimes wonder if the famous person advertising the product even really cares/truly knows what they’re selling. For instance, did Robert Downey Jr. actually use (or even like) any of HTC’s products before/during/after all those promos, in his daily life? Or when done with a shoot/media appearance, did he go back to using his iPhone, S4, whatever?

          1. I can say no to that…idk if you heard….maybe Google it..but Alicia Keys and Blackberry parted ways after 1 year contract…she was seen numerous times in public using an iPhone…Then again..you do see Lebron James in photos using the Galaxy Note 3 as it is big enough for his hands…in tabloids…you may see JayZ using iPads and IPhones inspire of the Samsung collaboration he had….its a hit and miss with celebrity endorsements… money talks…but we all know bulls$hit talks…

      2. Jesus Francis lighten up. It’s just some light-hearted rubbing. No one said he can’t make movies

        Exaggerate much?

        1. Ribbing…. light-hearted rubbing is something else entirely.

          1. Auto correct, but I’m sure you knew what I was talking about.

            Some of you act like I just kicked your dog or slapped your mother for talking about his Fail moment, lol.

          2. Indeed ! lol

    2. He used to make great movies like Bad Boys 2 but lately? No. And he’s also about to ruin TMNT.

  11. The problem with teleprompters is that after you are used to them, you’ve forgotten how to deal without them.

  12. Damn I cringed during that

  13. That wasn’t that bad. I was expecting a melt down. He just calmly walked off stage.

  14. “but clearly he’s more comfortable being behind the camera instead of it.”
    He is a/the camera?

  15. I would have invited Peter Jackson and his 3D technology using 4K cameras… at least this guy in bringing a lot of debate about image projection.

  16. I guess that means he’s really not impressed with the innovative new curved TV display, lol!

  17. They kept his words at Bay. I am sure Samsung will keep his paycheck too. lol

  18. Almost felt sorry, then remembered Transformers 3.

    1. Oh nice. I see my original comment’s been deleted. Bit of criticism from a long-time reader to Phandroid taboo now? Is this North Korea? My original reply to Mr. Colbert here, to paraphrase: I feel sorry for readers having to endure more of the same tired “exclusives” on tech news outlets like this one:

  19. the problem with u is that ur a spammer and a fu¢king waste of comments.

    1. Gotta admit the avatar was fun to look at for a few seconds though

  20. “No, don’t be sorry, just think for one fűckin’ second!”

  21. The only thing he was tag teaming was waiting for him backstage.

  22. Que the sad trombone

  23. This just makes clear (if it wasn’t before) not to buy products based on celebrity endorsement. Why even get on stage?

  24. I would have liked to have seen a melt down. He was not very well prepped for this if he couldn’t talk through the loss of a tele-prompter. I’m thinking he had no idea what he was going to be doing and showed up 2 minutes before he went on. It was probably very wise for him to walk off.

  25. That’s actually kind of bad considering it is the type of question where in reality he really shouldn’t have been using cues of any sort.

    1. These kinds of marketing presentations are ALWAYS pre-written. Show me someone who’s really “winging it” on stage at a major media event, and I’ll show you someone who’s doing it wrong.

      1. Actually a lot of people have the ability to wing it, and they do a good job, because they clearly know exactly what they do, and “why” they are doing it.

        True, Bay is not a “performer”, but still. Back in the day, most professionals could have handled a teleprompter fail.

  26. Samsung always has the most cringeworthy press conferences and keynote events

  27. It honsetly looked like something was wrong with him, maybe something personal or health wise? I don’t think it should be joked about, that seemed like something just wasn’t right..

    1. agree

    2. Yes, let’s all take your word on it.

  28. Thats what happens when you get a teleprompter with Sprint…

    1. Now THAT’S Funny….!!!!!!!!!

  29. Looks like I’ll be seeing him in a few fail videos on YouTube.

  30. Clearly the guy was about to lose his cool and didn’t want to turn into the screaming tyrant he usually is on his sets. Much better to just walk off stage than have THAT version of him making the rounds today.

  31. For me it is another example of I want your money and I don’t really know what I am selling you, but believe me it is worth every dime…..kinda like Congress

  32. Prime example of companies hiring red carpet people to market things they never seen or touched in their life. They get paid to read a script or a teleprompt.

    1. Wish I could just walk out of the room at work when the computer running power point stops working. Better yet, I wish people would look around and think I did the “honorable” thing as opposed to going off on a childish rant that somebody F’d my powerpoint presentation up right in front of a bunch of the company executives.

      Hollywood, where you’re given an ovation for managing to hold it together as well as a seven year old.

  33. It wasn’t that bad, but man he could have EASILY BS’d his way through that! Oh well whatever. He’ll be waiting for his check LOL

  34. Cocaine is hell of a drug

  35. He had to poop. We’ve all been there.

  36. This is why I like John Legere – people with real chutzpah, opinions and a hint of a spontaneous personality are in short supply anywhere in the vicinity of corp world.

    It’s also why Samsung events are frequently among the worst I’ve seen – people mouthing poorly thought out stiff-sounding propaganda (e.g., last year’s “Broadway extravaganza”) that’s supposed to be entertaining or indicate genuine enthusiasm where none exists.

  37. Looks like a classic panic attack. And he did the right/best thing for himself by walking off stage. Panic attacks are no fun for anyone

  38. Samsung threw him a Curve he wasn’t ready for!

  39. Not sure it was the “teleprompter’s” fault. I would bet that Mr. Bay didn’t rehearse. I also heard he went off script, which can be a teleprompter’s worst nightmare-especially if the person didn’t rehearse. I work in events and see it all the time. It’s usually the hot shots-CEO’s, celebrities etc. who think they have it down. Unless you present a lot, chances are you’re going to bomb out without rehearsal.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in News