Odd News
BBC names "wrong Guy" in interview mix-up
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-17 11:43
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He was Guy Goma, a graduate from central Africa, who had gone to the BBC's News 24 studios for a job interview.
Goma sat down in the BBC reception and waited to be called for the interview. A producer greeted him, led him to a studio, seated him on a stool and clipped a microphone to his lapel.
A business presenter then introduced the clearly startled Goma as the editor of a technology website and asked if he was surprised by computer company Apple's victory in a trademark dispute with The Beatles' Apple Corp.
He gamely answered, and grappled with two more questions about music downloading, before the flustered presenter thanked him and moved on.
It emerged only later that he was the wrong Guy, and that the producer mistook him for Guy Kewney, the real technology website editor.
Kewney, who watched the interview with astonishment at reception, said the mix-up was hard to explain because BBC staff had seen his picture in advance. Kewney is white and Goma is black.
The BBC apologised to Goma and invited him back to the studio on Tuesday for a follow-up interview.
"(It was) very stressful," said Goma, whose first language is not English. "When I was on set already and we started already the presentation, I couldn't stop ... so at that time I said 'keep going'..."
The BBC has yet to say whether Goma got the job he applied for, as a data support cleanser.