A hot mic, sometimes referred to as an open microphone or (in
aviation
Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' include fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air aircraft such as h ...
) a stuck mic, is in general an apparent error in which a
microphone
A microphone, colloquially called a mic (), or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publi ...
is switched on or remains on, especially without the speaker realizing.
A special case of hot mic is the microphone gaffe, in which the microphone is actively collecting and transmitting sound gathered near a subject who is unaware that their remarks are being transmitted and recorded, allowing unintended listeners or viewers to hear parts of conversations not intended for public consumption. Such errors usually involve live broadcasting in radio or television, and sometimes material is recorded and played back via media outlets. Such events can cause embarrassment for the person or organization involved, sometimes resulting in serious confrontations and employment termination.
Notable microphone gaffes
Television broadcasts
*In 1999, during a
cricket test match between
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
, Australian
Scott Muller misfielded a ball and a voice was heard saying, "Can't
bowl
A bowl is a typically round dish or container generally used for preparing, serving, storing, or consuming food. The interior of a bowl is characteristically shaped like a spherical cap, with the edges and the bottom, forming a seamless curve ...
, can't throw." Teammate
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne (13 September 1969 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian international cricketer whose career ran from 1992 to 2007. Warne played as a right-arm leg spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batter for Victoria, Hampshire ...
was suspected, but a cameraman confessed.
*On 22 June 2000, Australian newsreader
Marie-Louise Theile was recorded as calling her husband an "arsehole" during what she thought was a commercial break on ''
Ten News
10 News First (set to rebrand as 10 News on 30 June 2025) is an Australian television newscast, produced by Network 10. The network's flagship news program airs at 5PM on weekday evenings covering local, national and world news, including sp ...
'' in
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
.
*During television coverage of the
2000 Canadian federal election
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 37th Canadian Parliament, 37th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister of Canada, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal ...
, a
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...
producer covering
Stockwell Day's campaign was heard on-air making a gratuitous comment about the breasts of
Juliana Thiessen-Day, candidate Day's daughter-in-law. His words were cut off mid-sentence: "This is Logan Day's wife. I've never met her, but apparently she's got tits that'd stop a—" The producer was forced to apologize.
*After a defeat for
Chelsea F.C. in April 2004, former British
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
manager and commentator
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Frederick Atkinson (born 18 March 1939) is an English former football player and manager. Nicknamed "Big Ron", he was regarded as one of Britain's best-known football pundits in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Nicknamed "The Tank" during his ...
said of Chelsea defender
Marcel Desailly
Marcel David Desailly (; 7 September 1968) is a French former professional Association football, footballer, who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. During a successful career at club level, lasting from 1986 to 2006, Desailly won se ...
: "He is what is known in some schools as a fucking lazy thick nigger." The microphone was open to some countries in the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
, with UK broadcasts having already finished. Atkinson was forced to resign his position at
ITV and left his role as a columnist at ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' by mutual agreement.
*In September 2005, during a filming of ''
Access Hollywood
''Access Hollywood'', briefly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was create ...
'',
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
and
Billy Bush
William Hall Bush (born October 17, 1971) is an American radio and television host. He is a member of the Bush family, a nephew of former president George H. W. Bush and cousin of former president George W. Bush and former Florida governor Jeb B ...
had "
an extremely lewd conversation about women" where Trump said "when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything ... grab them by the pussy".
When ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' broke the story during the
2016 presidential election, in which Trump was the
Republican nominee, several dozen Republicans renounced their support of Trump.
*A series of technical problems on 9 March 2006 forced
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%).
ESPN2 was initially ...
to switch from its ''
SportsCenter
''SportsCenter'' (SC) is an American television sports news broadcasting show broadcast by ESPN. Originally anchored by Chris Berman, George Grande, Greg Gumbel, Lee Leonard, Bob Ley, Sal Marchiano and Lou Palmer, it premiered on Septem ...
'' broadcast to that of ''
ESPNews
ESPNews (pronounced "ESPN News," stylized ESPNEWS) is an American multinational digital cable and satellite television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hear ...
''. Caught unprepared by the move, ''ESPNews'' broadcaster
Danyelle Sargent struggled for words, forcing fellow anchor Robert Flores to finish her sentence. After the broadcast cut to taped footage, Sargent was heard exclaiming "What the fuck was that?"
*On 8 August 2006,
Network Ten
Network 10 (commonly known as the 10 Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global's Paramount Networks UK & Australia, UK & Australia division and is o ...
sports commentator
Dean Jones said "the terrorist has got another wicket" when Proteas fielder
Hashim Amla (the first player from a Muslim background to play
test cricket
Test cricket is a Forms of cricket, format of the sport of cricket, considered the game’s most prestigious and traditional form. Often referred to as the "ultimate test" of a cricketer's skill, endurance, and temperament, it is a format of i ...
for South Africa) caught
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara (; born 27 October 1977) is a Sri Lankan former professional cricketer who represented Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2015. A former captain in all formats. He was born in Matale, Central Province. In first-class cricke ...
during a match between South Africa and Sri Lanka. Jones claimed he thought the microphone was off and made prompt formal apologies, but was dismissed from his post.
*On 29 August 2006, U.S. news channel
CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
was broadcasting a live
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
anniversary speech from President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
when the microphone of anchor
Kyra Phillips was left on. Around 90 seconds of her casual conversation with another woman was broadcast over CNN's coverage of Bush's speech. During the conversation she discussed her husband, whom she called "a really passionate, compassionate, great, great human being," and her sister-in-law, whom she called a "control freak." CNN apologized to viewers and the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
.
*In August 2007, Australian journalist
Kerry O'Brien, presenter of the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...
's ''
The 7.30 Report'', was recorded criticising his production staff for a mishap with the
teleprompter while a story was running.
*On 12 May 2008, as a live news
teaser was played,
Sue Simmons was reportedly heard angrily exclaiming to a co-worker (later revealed to be
Chuck Scarborough), "What the fuck are you doing?" She later apologized on-air for her inappropriate language.
Simmons has said she was attempting to get the attention of Scarborough, who was preoccupied with his computer, but did not realize her microphone was still on.
*On 14 August 2008, actor
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine ( ; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perf ...
was interviewed on
Fox News
The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
when he was asked about the secret to his longevity. Laughingly Borgnine responded "I don't dare tell you," but then leaned over to whisper into the ear of his interviewer, but the whisper was caught by the microphone; "I masturbate a lot."
*On 2 March 2009, footage of Dutch news anchor
Eva Jinek asking whether to loosen another button on her shirt (which might reveal too much of her
cleavage
Cleavage may refer to:
Science
* Cleavage (crystal), the way in which a crystal or mineral tends to split
* Cleavage (embryo), the division of cells in an early embryo
* Cleavage (geology), foliation of rock perpendicular to stress, a result of ...
) right before a broadcast, while muttering and shouting mild curses in both English and Dutch, was accidentally leaked to and spread on the Internet. She exclaims "Yeah, boobies!" at one point, continuing with, "Mother of God. Yeah, if you have it, flaunt it!" and citing her mother who might tell her: "I can see your breasts!" She responded the next day, saying she was not annoyed nor embarrassed by the leaked video.
*Veteran
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British broadcasting of sports events, subscription sports channels operated by the satellite television, satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television ...
presenters
Richard Keys and
Andy Gray made remarks that a female referee would not understand the complex
offside football rule. This controversy led to Gray being fired and Keys resigning.
*During a National Football League (NFL) game on 18 December 2011,
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
offensive lineman
Harvey Dahl was assessed a penalty for holding, prompting him to exclaim, "I know you didn't call me for holding! That's not fucking holding!" The remark was picked up by the open microphone of official
Jerome Boger as he was announcing the holding penalty, and was heard by the stadium and the television audience. Dahl was given an additional penalty for
unsportsmanlike conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct (also called untrustworthy behaviour, ungentlemanly fraudulent, bad sportsmanship, poor sportsmanship or anti fair-play) is a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport's generally accepted rules of sportsmans ...
, but was not fined by the league.
*During an NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts in 2012, during a play that produced a penalty flag, referee Tony Corrente was heard over the loudspeakers of Lucas Oil Stadium saying to a fellow official "that was goddammit!", leading to play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan making a public apology on-air, saying "he didn't know his microphone was on."
*After the
ABC's 2014 New Year's Eve telecast of the Sydney fireworks had finished, host
Julia Zemiro was caught saying "Oh, thank God".
*During a telecast of the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
,
CBC CBC may refer to:
Media
* Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico
* Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster
** CBC Television
** CBC Radio One
** CBC Music
** ...
commentator
Byron MacDonald was caught making an off-hand remark to a colleague discussing the result of the
women's 4 × 200 m freestyle swimming relay, stating that a Chinese swimmer "went out like stink,
nddied like a pig." MacDonald and the CBC apologized for the incident.
*In 2020 during a game between the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
and
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
, American broadcaster
Thom Brennaman was caught on air calling an unidentified city (which was later revealed to be about
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
) "one of the
fag capitals of the world." Brennaman apologized on-air and left the broadcast in the middle of the second game of the doubleheader; the apology later became an
internet meme
An Internet meme, or meme (, Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''MEEM''), is a cultural item (such as an idea, behavior, or style) that spreads across the Internet, primarily through Social media, social media platforms. Internet memes manif ...
after Brennaman suddenly interrupted himself to
announce that Reds player Nick Castellanos had hit a home run. Jim Day provided commentary after the top of the fifth inning, and Brennaman was suspended after the game's end.
*On 12 January 2022, a leaked
Seven News
Seven News (stylised 7NEWS) is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rating in Australia.
National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in South Eveleigh, Sydney, while its flags ...
video showed Australian TV presenter
Rebecca Maddern saying that "Whatever way you look at it,
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Новак Ђоковић, Novak Đoković, separator=" / ", ; born 22 May 1987) is a Serbian professional tennis player. He has been ranked as the List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players#Weeks at N ...
is a lying, sneaky, asshole. He got a bullshit fucking excuse and then fell over his own fucking lies" in relation to the
2022 Australian Open vaccine and visa controversy.
*On 19 October 2022, during a live broadcast of an episode of ''What Does It Mean'' on Russian news channel
RBC-TV, defense expert
Ruslan Pukhov told a TV host that "Everyone knows they
ronesare from Iran but the government doesn't admit that" even before being asked to comment on official Russian authorities' denial of the Iranian origin of the
Shahed 136 UCAVs used in Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
. Pukhov also used the catchphrase "the arse exists, but the word doesn't!" from a
famous Russian joke to emphasize the absurdity of this situation.
Political
*At the height of the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
in 1984, U.S. president
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
was about to appear on a radio interview and, as a
soundcheck
A soundcheck is the preparation that takes place before a concert, speech, or similar performance to adjust the sound on the venue's sound reinforcement or public address system. The performer and the audio engineers run through a small po ...
, said "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever.
We begin bombing in five minutes." The comment, while not actually broadcast, did eventually spread via rumor around the world before the audio itself leaked. The moment was even acknowledged by the Soviet government, who expressed their contempt at the joke.
*On 16 February 1988,
NBC Nightly News
''NBC Nightly News'' (titled as ''NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas'' for its weeknight broadcasts ) is the flagship daily evening News broadcasting#Television, television news program for NBC News, the news division of the NBC television network ...
anchor
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John Brokaw (; born February 6, 1940) is an American author and retired network television journalist. He first served as the co-anchor of Today (American TV program), ''The Today Show'' from 1976 to 1981 with Jane Pauley, then as the anch ...
was finishing up an interview with incumbent
vice-president
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
George H.W. Bush following Bush's victory in the
New Hampshire primary
The New Hampshire presidential primary is the first in a series of nationwide party primary elections and the second party contest, the first being the Iowa caucuses, held in the United States every four years as part of the process of cho ...
that day before interviewing Kansas senator and Senate Minority Leader
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 – December 5, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. He was the Party leaders of the United States Senate, Republican Leader of th ...
. Bush closed the interview by wishing Dole and his fellow Republicans good luck in the upcoming
Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday is the United States presidential primary election day in February or March when the greatest number of U.S. states hold primary elections and caucuses. Approximately one-third of all delegates to the presidential nominatin ...
contests. Brokaw then turned to Dole - who following his win in the Iowa caucus the previous week had been slammed by the Bush campaign as being willing to raise taxes - for a response only for Dole to blurt out, "Yeah, stop lying about my record". Dole's campaign never fully recovered; as he would only win a handful of contests in his native Midwestern region before dropping out after the Illinois primary, while Bush would go on to win the Republican nomination and ultimately the general election.
*On 16 February 1993, U.S. president
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
snapped at an aide "Listen, goddamn it. Come here. You can't do that. You can't take me out here with a mayor and a congresswoman and push them back" after a member of his staff tried to prevent District of Columbia Mayor
Sharon Pratt Kelly and Congresswoman
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes Norton (born June 13, 1937) is an American politician, lawyer, and human rights activist. Norton is a congressional delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she has represented the District of Columbia since 1991 as ...
from joining the president walking to a porch for a photo opportunity with construction workers.
*In 1993,
British Prime Minister John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...
, after an interview with
ITN
Independent Television News (ITN) is a UK-based media production and broadcast journalism company. ITN is based in London, with bureaux and offices in Beijing, Brussels, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, New York City, New York, Paris, Sydney and Washin ...
political editor
Michael Brunson, forgot about the recording equipment. He said it was pointless expelling Eurosceptic
Cabinet members as "we don't want another three more of the bastards out there."
*Following the
1994 State of the Union Address, Ohio congressman
Martin Hoke was preparing to be interviewed for a live broadcast for a local
Cleveland
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
television station. After being outfitted with a microphone by a female producer, Hoke remarked to another congressman that "She's got ze beega breasts" in a mock
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
accent. Although not broadcast live, the remark was recorded and was the subject of a report by ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' the following day.
*In 1997,
Prime Minister of Canada
The prime minister of Canada () is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons ...
Jean Chretien was overheard at a
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
summit in Madrid while talking with his counterparts from Belgium and Luxembourg saying that U.S. politicians would all be in jail if they worked in Canada or elsewhere, as they all sold their votes.
* Just before a campaign speech during his
2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush described ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reporter
Adam Clymer as a "major league asshole" to his running mate
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American former politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He has been called vice presidency o ...
, whose response ("big time") was also audible. The media reaction was intense, with news stations repeatedly broadcasting it and the ''
New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative
daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'' running two pages about the incident.
Bush said of the incident: "I regret that a private comment I made to the vice-presidential candidate made it onto the public airwaves. I regret everybody heard what I said."
*During a televised debate between U.S. presidential candidates George W. Bush and
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...
during the 2000 presidential campaign, Gore's sighs (in response to some of Bush's statements) were heard through Gore's live microphone. In regard to the incident, Gore was quoted as saying "Both the governor and I have learned lessons about when the microphone is on, and when it's off."
*On 11 March 2004, following a satellite address to the
AFL–CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a national trade union center that is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 61 national and international unions, together r ...
, U.S. presidential candidate
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
turned to one of the union workers he was standing near and said "Oh yeah, don't worry man. We're going to keep pounding, let me tell you—we're just beginning to fight here. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group of people I've ever seen." Although being removed by an assistant at the time, Kerry's microphone was still live and captured his statement. His words were presumed to be directed at his political rivals, the
U.S. Republican Party and U.S. President George W. Bush. Kerry spokesman David Wade later claimed that Kerry was indeed aware that his microphone was recording and was not referring to Republicans in general but to their use of "crooked, deceitful, personal attacks over the last four years."
*In 2005, French president
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...
was heard criticizing British cuisine to Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, saying "The only thing that they have ever done for European agriculture is mad cow disease" and "You can't trust people who cook as badly as that." He was also heard criticizing
haggis
Haggis ( ) is a savoury pudding containing sheep's offal, pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), Mincing, minced with chopped onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with Stock (food), stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the anima ...
, saying "that's where our problems with NATO come from", and that British food was the second worst "after Finland".
*In February 2006, then-Premier of the
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Aus ...
state of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
Morris Iemma, referring to the recently appointed CEO of
Cross City Tunnel said at a
Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting during a break with Victorian Premier Steve Bracks "Today? This fuckwit who's the new CEO of the Cross City Tunnel has ... been saying what controversy? There is no controversy,".
*On 1 July 2006, a technician did not turn off the audio feed during a closed-door lunch between
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza "Condi" Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist serving since 2020 as the 8th director of Stanford University's Hoover Institution. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served ...
and
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov amongst others. Journalists, on listening to the 20-minute broadcast, referred to the conversation as "bickering" about the
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
i aid programme.
*On 17 July 2006, a private conversation, afterwards known as "
Yo, Blair", between U.S. president
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
and British prime minister
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...
at the
G8 Summit in
St. Petersburg was picked up by a nearby microphone. Bush told Blair he hoped the UN would "get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's all over" (referring to Syria's influence over and support of Hezbollah in the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon), and that by doing so, the crisis would be over. This was reaffirmed by the suggestion to "get Kofi
nnanon the phone with
asharAssad and make something happen." He also stated that Condoleezza Rice would visit the area.
*On 19 October 2006, during an official meeting with Israeli prime minister
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert (; , ; born 30 September 1945) is an Israeli politician and lawyer who served as the prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009.
The son of a former Herut politician, Olmert was first elected to the Knesset for Likud in 1973, at th ...
in
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
, Russian president
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
was overheard praising Israeli president
Moshe Katsav
Moshe Katsav (; born Musa Qassab; 5 December 1945) is an Israeli former politician and was the president of Israel from 2000 to 2007. He was also a leading Likud member of the Israeli Knesset and a minister in its Cabinet of Israel, cabinet. He ...
for raping ten employees of his office.
*Before a Fox News interview on 6 July 2008, a live microphone picked up
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson (Birth name#Maiden and married names, né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American Civil rights movements, civil rights activist, Politics of the United States, politician, and ordained Baptist minister. Beginning as a ...
whispering to a fellow guest: "See,
Barack
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. Ob ...
's been, ah, talking down to black people on this faith-based. ... I want to cut his nuts out. ... Barack, he's talking down to black people" in an apparent response to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's recent speeches on values.
*In March 2010,
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
described the
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and informally as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...
as "a big fucking deal" to President Obama, which was picked up by the microphones.
*On 28 April 2010, British prime minister
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he was Chancellor of the Ex ...
was caught on microphone
describing an encounter with a female voter as a "disaster" and called her a "bigoted woman".
*In June 2010, US Republican Senate nominee from
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
Carly Fiorina
Cara Carleton "Carly" Fiorina (; ; born September 6, 1954) is an American businesswoman and politician, known primarily for her tenure as chief executive officer (CEO) of Hewlett-Packard (HP) from 1999 to 2005. Fiorina was the first woman to le ...
criticised the hair of her Democratic opponent,
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Sue Boxer (née Levy; born November 11, 1940) is a retired American politician, lobbyist, and former reporter who served in the United States Senate, representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United St ...
when she did not realise her microphone was on during an interview for
CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
. There was popular question as to whether this was staged as an attempt to undermine respect for Boxer, or whether it was an honest mistake.
*On 8 November 2011, a private conversation between French president
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa ( ; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. In 2021, he was found guilty of having tried to bribe a judge in 2014 to obtain information ...
and U.S. president
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
was overheard criticizing Israeli prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...
. Sarkozy branded Netanyahu as a 'liar' and Obama expressed his displeasure with having to deal with Netanyahu on a regular basis.
*On 26 March 2012, at the tail end of his 90-minute meeting with the outgoing Russian president
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev (born 14 September 1965) is a Russian politician and lawyer who has served as Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia since 2020. Medvedev was also President of Russia between 2008 and 2012 and Prime Mini ...
, President Obama said that he would have "more flexibility" to deal with controversial issues such as
missile defense
Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception, and also the destruction of attacking missiles. Conceived as a defense against nuclear weapon, nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic mi ...
. He was heard telling Medvedev, "On all these issues, but particularly
missile defense
Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception, and also the destruction of attacking missiles. Conceived as a defense against nuclear weapon, nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic mi ...
, this, this can be solved but it's important for him
ladimir Putinto give me space." Medvedev told the president in English, "Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you..." and President Obama continued his statement with, "This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility." Medvedev responded saying, again in English, "I understand. I will transmit this information to
Vladimir." (See also the
US missile defense complex in Poland.)
*On 11 September 2015, Australian immigration minister
Peter Dutton shared a joke with Prime Minister
Tony Abbott
Anthony John Abbott (; born 4 November 1957) is an Australian former politician who served as the 28th prime minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and was the member of parli ...
, referring to a late meeting as running to "
Cape York time", and when Abbott replied that "We had a bit of that up in
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
.", Dutton responded with "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have water lapping at your door."—a reference to
sea level rise
The sea level has been rising from the end of the last ice age, which was around 20,000 years ago. Between 1901 and 2018, the average sea level rose by , with an increase of per year since the 1970s. This was faster than the sea level had e ...
in the Pacific islands. Social services minister
Scott Morrison
Scott John Morrison (born 13 May 1968) is an Australian former politician who served as the 30th prime minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party and was ...
then drew their attention to the boom microphone above their heads.
*On 25 July 2017, following a
United States Senate Appropriations subcommittee meeting, Maine senator
Susan Collins
Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7, 1952) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Maine. A member of the Republican Party, she has held her seat since 1997 and is Maine's longest-serving member of ...
was caught making disparaging statements about Texas congressman
Blake Farenthold
Randolph Blake Farenthold (born December 12, 1961) is an American politician and lobbyist. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, Farenthold co-hosted a conservative talk-radio program before beginning a career in po ...
. Collins, talking to Rhode Island senator
Jack Reed, asks him if he heard about Farenthold wanting to challenge her to a
duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people with matched weapons.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and later the small sword), but beginning in ...
. Reed asserts that the congressman did so because Collins "could beat the shit out of him." She then goes on to call Farenthold a "fat guy, he huge" and "so unattractive, it's unbelievable" and references a photo of the congressman at a costume party in pajamas next to a "
Playboy bunny
A Playboy Bunny is a cocktail waitress who works at a Playboy Club and selected through standardized training. Their costumes were made up of lingerie, inspired by the tuxedo-wearing Playboy rabbit mascot. This costume consisted of a straples ...
." Farenthold had previously apologized to Collins for his comments about Collins, and the senator, in turn, apologized to Farenthold for hers.
*On 4 December 2019, at a reception at
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
after a
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
leaders summit in
Watford
Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne.
Initially a smal ...
, Britain, Canadian prime minister
Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau (born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025. He led the Liberal Party from 2013 until his resignation in 2025 and was the member of Parliament ...
, UK Prime Minister
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
, French president
Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...
, Dutch prime minister
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte (; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th Secretary General of NATO, secretary general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, prime minister of the Neth ...
, and
Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950) is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of King ...
were caught mocking and laughing at US president
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. Due to the loud talkative environment, what was audibly caught on camera was only a few seconds of footage from the long-lasting conversation but what was heard was Johnson asking Macron "Is that why you were late?" and Trudeau responding making fun of Trump's "impromptu" press conference earlier that morning in which Trump criticized Macron, "He
acronwas late because he
rumptakes a 40-minute press conference off the top." Trudeau further added, "You just watched his
rumpteam's jaws drop to the floor." The comments from Trudeau, who appeared very animated during the conference, prompted laughter from the other world leaders and later caused a media frenzy, leaving many to speculate what else was said about Trump. Trump was photographed afterwards appearing upset upon learning the news and later responded by saying "He's
rudeautwo-faced... I find him to be a nice guy, but the truth is I called him out on the fact that he's not paying 2%
f national GDP towards defenceand I guess he's not very happy about it." Trump later had his own hot mics saying it was funny how he called him "two-faced".
* On 22 April 2020,
Vaughan Gething
Humphrey Vaughan ap David Gething (born 15 March 1974) is a Welsh Labour Co-op politician who served as First Minister of Wales from March to August 2024, and served as leader of Welsh Labour from March to July 2024, making him the first blac ...
, then the
Minister for Health and Social Services
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care () is a cabinet position in the Welsh Government, currently held by Jeremy Miles since September 2024.
The minister is responsible for the running of the NHS Wales, National Health Service in Wal ...
in the
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government ( ) is the Executive (government), executive arm of the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of Cabinet secretary, cabinet secretaries and Minister of State, ministers. It is led by the F ...
, was caught swearing about fellow Labour Member of the
Senedd
The Senedd ( ; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, Its role is to scrutinise the Welsh Government and legislate on devolve ...
Jenny Rathbone during a
virtual session of the over
Zoom. After Rathbone had asked the Minister a few questions about the Welsh Government's response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, he failed to mute his microphone as he told an unknown person, "What the fuck is the matter with her?".
Some undisclosed Labour MSs contacted by BBC Wales said they were also "very angry" over Gething's actions.
*On 2 June 2020, while asking Bronx
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. if he could speak at a news conference, New York Representative
Eliot Engel was caught telling Diaz that "if I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care" about speaking at the event. The comments were criticized by Engel's primary opponent,
Jamaal Bowman. Bowman later defeated Engel in the primary election.
*On 21 August 2020, at a virtual
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
hearing about the
2020 United States Postal Service crisis, Senator
Tom Carper
Thomas Richard Carper (born January 23, 1947) is an American politician and former military officer who served from 2001 to 2025 as a United States Senate, United States senator from Delaware. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), D ...
, apparently speaking to an aide, said "fuck, fuck, fuck," while his microphone was unmuted.
*On 14 September 2021, during a session in the
Parliament of Singapore
The Parliament of Singapore is the unicameralism, unicameral legislature of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the President of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made ...
where
free trade agreement
A free trade agreement (FTA) or treaty is an agreement according to international law to form a free-trade area between the cooperating state (polity), states. There are two types of trade agreements: Bilateralism, bilateral and Multilateralism, m ...
s and
CECA were being debated, the
Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
,
Vivian Balakrishnan was caught referring to
Non-constituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai as "illiterate" in a private conversation with his colleagues. Balakrishnan also questioned how Leong was able to enter
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution (RI) is an independent educational institution in Singapore. Founded in 1823, it is the oldest school in the country. It provides secondary education for boys only from Year 1 to Year 4, and pre-university education for both b ...
. Balakrishnan subsequently apologised to Leong in private for the remarks.
* On 16 September 2021, during a session in the
Brazilian lower house of Congress, federal deputy
Igor Timo called the president of the Chamber of Deputies,
Arthur Lira, a "son of a bitch". Attending the session remotely, and not realizing his microphone was recording, deputy Igor said "He won't let me speak again. What a son of a bitch." After the president asked who said that, deputy Igor went on to congratulate a fellow deputy for her work.
* On 24 January 2022, Fox News White House Correspondent
Peter Doocy asked U.S. president
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
if "inflation is a political liability in the midterms". Biden, not realizing his microphone was still on, sarcastically responded "It's a great asset — more inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch." Biden subsequently apologized.
* On 9 August 2022, following a
hustings
A husting originally referred to a native Germanic governing assembly, the thing. By metonymy, the term may now refer to any event (such as debates or speeches) during an election campaign where one or more of the candidates are present.
Devel ...
event being held during the
UK Conservative Party leadership election, candidate
Liz Truss
Mary Elizabeth Truss (born 26 July 1975) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022. On her fiftieth da ...
and host
Tom Newton Dunn were both picked up on their microphones, with Truss apologising for attacking the media during the event, and Newton Dunn replying with "it's cheap, and you know it".
* In September 2022,
president of South Korea
The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (), is the head of state and head of government of South Korea. The president directs the executive branch of the Government of South Korea, government and is ...
Yoon Suk-yeol
Yoon Suk Yeol (; born 18 December 1960) is a South Korean politician and former prosecutor who served as the 13th president of South Korea from 2022 until Impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, he was removed from office in 2025. The shortest-serving ...
was caught on a hot mic allegedly calling members of the
US Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
"idiots" during a conversation about US president Joe Biden's plans to increase the American contribution to the
Global Fund, a move which would require Congressional approval. A presidential spokeswoman denied that Yoon had made any reference to either Biden or the US Congress and that he was instead discussing South Korea's
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
.
* In December 2022,
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The prime minister of New Zealand () is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Christopher Luxon, leader of the New Zealand National Party, took office on 27 November 2023.
The prime minister (informally abbreviated to P ...
Jacinda Ardern
Dame Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician and activist who was the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She was ...
was caught on a live microphone calling
ACT New Zealand
ACT New Zealand (; ), also known as the ACT Party or simply ACT, is a Right-wing politics, right-wing, Classical liberalism, classical liberal, Right-libertarianism, right-libertarian, and Conservatism, conservative List of political parties i ...
leader
David Seymour "such an arrogant prick" after answering a question he had asked during a session of Parliament. Ardern's office later stated that she apologised to Seymour.
* On 11 July 2023, a video of the
Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore
The speaker of the Parliament of Singapore is the presiding officer of the Parliament of Singapore. The speaker is nominated by the prime minister before being appointed by the Parliament. The speaker is also second in the presidential line o ...
Tan Chuan-Jin, then-
Member of Parliament (MP) for
Marine Parade GRC who also resigned from both Parliament and the ruling
People's Action Party
The People's Action Party (PAP) is a major Conservatism, conservative political party in Singapore and is the governing contemporary political party represented in the Parliament of Singapore, followed by the opposition Workers' Party of Singap ...
, muttering the words "fucking populist" on 17 April 2023 during the debate on the president’s address in the
Parliament of Singapore
The Parliament of Singapore is the unicameralism, unicameral legislature of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the President of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made ...
became viral, in his reaction to a speech made by
Workers' Party
Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...
Member of Parliament (MP) for
Sengkang GRC Associate Professor
Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''.
In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a position ...
Jamus Lim
Jamus Jerome Lim Chee Wui (; born 1976) is a Singaporean politician, economist and associate professor. A member of the Workers' Party (Singapore), Workers' Party (WP), Lim has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Anchorvale di ...
. Speaker Tan had uttered the vulgarity after Lim spoke about the need for an "official poverty line" to help the poor and disadvantaged, as Lim advocated for equal opportunities for education, healthcare and employment for all.
* On 4 September 2023, following an interview with
ITV about the closure of school buildings due to
concerns over the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, British
Secretary of State for Education
The secretary of state for education, also referred to as the education secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department for Education. ...
Gillian Keegan was caught on a live mic remarking "does anyone ever say you've done a fucking good job because everyone else has sat on their fucking arse and done nothing?" before adding "Any sign of that, no?". A Downing Street source criticised the comments as "completely wrong" and Keegan later apologised for the "off-the-cuff" remarks, stating that they were caused by her irritation at the reporter and were not directed at anyone in particular.
Other
*
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...
, about to go out in front of her largest ever concert audience in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
in 2001, allegedly complained about the organization of her entourage, saying, "Don't tell me that they're just letting the audience just fucking stand out there like that. Oh my God! This is retarded." Her record company denied that it was Spears' voice that was broadcast to the 170,000 in attendance at the
Maracanã.
* In March 2005, British King
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
(then the Prince of Wales) was heard saying, "Bloody people. I can't stand that man
eferring to BBC News royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell">BBC_News.html" ;"title="eferring to BBC News">eferring to BBC News royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell]. He's so awful, he really is." He was heard to say this while posing for photographers with his sons in Klosters, Switzerland.
* On 4 November 2010, radio host
Don Imus
John Donald Imus Jr. ( ; July 23, 1940 – December 27, 2019), also known as Imus, was an American radio personality, television show host, recording artist, and author. His radio show '' Imus in the Morning'' was aired on various stations and di ...
was caught on a hot mic mocking an advertisement for the charity
Kars4Kids during a commercial break, calling them a "moron" and telling them to "go to hell". Imus apologized the next day for the gaffe.
See also
*
Media relations
*
Media strategy
*
Public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. Pu ...
References
{{reflist
Broadcasting
Humour