The Wrong Guy

In our classbook, unit 10C, we're going to learn about somebody called Guy Goma. This is the information I've found about him.

Guy Goma (born c. 1969) is a business studies graduate from Congo-Brazzaville who gained international fame when he was accidentally interviewed live on BBC News 24, a UK television news station, on May 8, 2006. There has been talk of a movie regarding his story.

Goma was waiting in the main reception area of the BBC Television Centre in West London to be interviewed for a position as a "Data Support Cleanser" in the Corporation's IT department. At the same time, Guy Kewney, a British technology expert, was in another reception area, known as Stage Door, preparing for a live television interview on the subject of Apple Computer's court case with The Beatles' record label, Apple Corps. The producer who was sent to fetch Kewney, however, was told that Kewney was in the main reception area. When he got there and asked the receptionist in person where Guy Kewney was, she pointed to Goma, even after being asked if she was sure that this was the right person.

The producer had seen a photo of Kewney, but only had five minutes before the live interview was due to take place. So he approached Goma and asked him if he was Guy Kewney. Hearing his first name but perhaps believing "Kewney" to be a mispronunciation of his last name, Goma answered in the affirmative. Goma was led to the News 24 studio. BBC staffers put on makeup, and he was ushered to the television studio, where he was seated in front of the cameras and wired up with a microphone. Although believing the situation to be highly unusual, he prepared to do his best for what he believed would be his job interview.

When introduced by interviewer Karen Bowerman as Internet expert Guy Kewney, Goma became visibly shocked as he finally realised the serious misunderstanding that had taken place. Now aware of the fact that he was on live television and not wishing to make a scene now that the interview had already begun, he simply played along, doing his best (in heavily French-accented English) to answer the interviewer's questions about the Apple Corps v. Apple Computer case and its ramifications for the music industry. Apart from the facial expression at the start, the interview seemed fairly believable to many viewers, particularly those unfamiliar with Kewney. In the meantime, Kewney, still in the waiting area, was himself shocked when he saw Goma interviewed in his place (though he was not able to hear the audio).

Twenty minutes after the interview, Goma was given his job interview, which lasted ten minutes.

As soon as the mistake was detected the BBC recorded an interview with Kewney for later broadcast, which was never shown. The BBC instead brought in an alternative pundit, Rupert Goodwins, for the next live slot on the topic.

After Goma's interview was broadcast, it was mistakenly reported (even by the BBC itself, on Radio 4's Broadcasting House) that Goma, who moved to England from Congo in 2002, was a taxi driver. In fact, he does not drive a car.

Soon after his appearance, there was some speculation that Goma was in Britain illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa, and that he might be deported from the country. On 25 May 2006, it was announced that celebrity publicist Kizzi Nkwocha had begun representing Goma and that Goma's apparent visa problems had already been resolved three years earlier, allowing him to live and work in the UK indefinitely.

Goma was not hired for the IT job.

This is the interview on BBC:

Karen Bowerman: Well, Guy Kewney is editor of the technology website Newswireless.Goma: (Goma's face goes through four distinct expressions in under five seconds[citation needed]: shocked realization; blind terror; philosophical resolve and finally determination to do his best.)KB: Hello, good morning to you.Goma: Good morning.KB: Were you surprised by this verdict today?Goma: I am very surprised to see...this verdict to come on me, because I was not expecting that. When I came, they told me something else and I am coming. "You got an interview," that's all. So a big surprise anyway.KB: A big surprise, yeah, yes.Goma: Exactly.KB: With regards to the costs involved, do you think now more people will be downloading online?Goma: Actually, if you can go everywhere you're gonna see a lot of people downloading to the Internet and the website, and everything they want. But I think it is much better for the development and...eh...to inform people what they want and to get the easy way and so faster if they are looking for.KB: It does really seem to be the way the music industry's progressing now, that people want to go onto the website and download music.Goma: Exactly. You can go everywhere on the cyber cafe, and you can take...you can go easy. It is going to be an easy way for everyone to get something to the Internet.KB: Guy Kewney, thanks very much indeed.


If you want to watch and listen to the interview click here