Frost-Nixon, the LurkyMcLurkerson version: "Mr Nixon, about Watergate" - "It's all in the past, David… We should restrict questions to the subject of the big cheque I'm getting for this… and my new LP of Banjo solos."

True, and that is a fair criticism. Although I'd be interested what topics spring to your mind that are more interesting than his scandalised private life and subsequent public meltdown(s).

Hah, no… According to YOU the only time when it is appropriate for an interviewer to address an interviewee's scandal is if it involves paedophilia, apparently…

If I filled my wall with examples of me demonstrating blatant holes in Internet posters' reasoning, I'd have no room for my windows.

"Oh dear Mr Saville… Let's not talk about the scandalous rumours touching your personal life - let's talk about your time on Top Of The Pops and Jim'll Fixit!" - Best interviewer ever, according to you…

It's embarrassing for all present, in that it's always uncomfortable when someone goes "that elephant in the room, is he with you?"

Faustian pact is quite apt. The publicists want the product to be shilled; the actors want to fulfil their contractual obligations as quickly as possible; the interviewers want to get the most unique, interesting and incisive piece they can.

Journalists and the news agencies they work for have no business trying to get interviews with famous people, and via questioning get unique and newsworthy insights into that celebrity's thoughts and life? Ah, no… That's pretty much their job. What ISN'T in their job-description is pre-emptively snubbing interview…

Hijacking a promo tour? Hah, yeah… A nationally televised news agency must've been as welcome on a promotional tour as a fart in a submarine! I bet they had to blackmail the publicist into letting RDJ have prime airtime while he is "contractually obligated to promote his movie".

Yeah, I bet the publicist felt hoodwinked that a televised national news agency somehow managed to slip their way into getting an interview. Clearly the people in marketing were saying to themselves "national television exposure? What a waste of time, what we want is a lot of credulous bloggers to shill to." I…

Because hard news programs do interviews with celebrities that don't involve shilling their latest project *all the time*? Because news shows don't refuse to give interviews to celebrities in some noble attempt to save the publicists time, presciently aware of the fact that the interviewees won't play ball and give…

Ok, hit me with your non-Marvel-related list of questions that are uniquely interesting when asked of RDJ then… Don't get me wrong, I'd be quite happy to listen to RDJ talk about his take on Easy Rider; or who he'd cast in a new Ghostbusters movie; or what his favourite John Hughes movie (not Ferris Bueller!) is -…

They don't just allot the interview segments to anyone who turns up with a camera and a mic. Murthy got the interview *because* he represents a nationally televised news agency; and the publicists and marketeers wanted a piece of that pie. If he'd been "Johnny the blogger who just wants to sell Avengers 2" he'd be…

That's what Channel 4 news is, duh. You think they got an interview because they just randomly turned up with a mic? They got it because they're one of a handful of national news agencies, and the people in marketing want a slice of the pie.

And there's a place for shilling the latest Hollywood novelty; and a dedicated hard-news programme isn't it…

"Handled himself very well"? He said "Make no mistake, this is a commercial for my movie". He basically told everyone else watching that he's intentionally wasting their time by hijacking a news agency to sell a product; which goes directly against both the principles of the news agency in question and Offcom rules…

Technically RDJ's publicists picked the wrong agency to use as a vehicle to sell their film. They might want to reach serious national news has; but that means tiptoeing very carefully around the promotion of the film which cannot be the topic of said interview. A mistake Tarantino makes as well…

A "hack"? You do realise KGM is not a film correspondent and the channel 4 news is not a film or celebrity gossip agency? That Offcom rules prevent C4 news from promoting the films and as such he's not allowed (nor supposed to) do tedious puff-pieces on whatever project a celebrity is there to sell? The "context"…

Hands are somewhat tied to a degree; C4 is a news program, they're not allowed to overtly publicise a film. Which is at odds with what the publicists want and why RDJ was there. What else is there to talk about on a news show which can only tangentially mention the movie? He tried to ask him about politics, got a…

The Ayoade one seems kinda interesting:
From KGM: http://blogs.channel4.com/g…