Was Paxman correct, McCanns "collaborated with them when it was convenient"?

[G-Unit]

I still wonder why Gerry McCann had a meltdown when Jeremy Paxman said the McCanns had collaborated with the media when it was convenient.

253

[Brietta]

I still wonder why Gerry McCann had a meltdown when Jeremy Paxman said the McCanns had collaborated with the media when it was convenient.

I wonder why you use the description "meltdown"? ... I certainly didn't see one.

[G-Unit]

I wonder why you use the description "meltdown"? ... I certainly didn't see one.

What was so funny about Paxman saying 'you collaborated with them when it was convenient to you, didn't you?' Or was that not really a grin?

They did indeed collaborate with the press, and Gerry McCann doesn't deny Paxman's suggestion. He suggests instead that they were 'trying to get information into the investigation'. Via the UK press?

[Robittybob1]

I still wonder why Gerry McCann had a meltdown when Jeremy Paxman said the McCanns had collaborated with the media when it was convenient.

Well I don't see a meltdown then at all.  Even when he was called naive he recovered and answered the question.

[John]

I still wonder why Gerry McCann had a meltdown when Jeremy Paxman said the McCanns had collaborated with the media when it was convenient.

The devils advocate hit a nerve possibly thus the reaction?

[Erngath]

I still wonder why Gerry McCann had a meltdown when Jeremy Paxman said the McCanns had collaborated with the media when it was convenient.

Was that a meltdown?
Really?

[Venturi Swirl]

Why should the parents of a missing child have to collaborate with the media when it isn’t convenient for them to do so, out of interest?

[Brietta]

Was that a meltdown?
Really?

Paxman does have a unique interview presence and I would describe this one with George Galloway as more of a 'meltdown' on the part of both interviewer and interviewee. 

In my opinion the interview given by Gerry McCann was just a normal interview conducted with civility on the part of both interviewer and interviewee. 

I wonder why it is described as a 'meltdown' when quite clearly in my opinion it can't be described as such by any stretch of the imagination.

[John]

Why should the parents of a missing child have to collaborate with the media when it isn’t convenient for them to do so, out of interest?

But that's the whole point surely, the parents or family of a missing child should not initially involve themselves in any media collaboration unless under the direct auspices of the police who are in charge of the investigation?  The police are best placed to deal with the media, not parents or immediate family who are in any event emotionally involved.

[John]

Paxman does have a unique interview presence and I would describe this one with George Galloway as more of a 'meltdown' on the part of both interviewer and interviewee. 

Love it   

George    1
Jeremy    0

[Carana]

But that's the whole point surely, the parents or family of a missing child should not initially involve themselves in any media collaboration unless under the direct auspices of the police who are in charge of the investigation?  The police are best placed to deal with the media, not parents or immediate family who are in any event emotionally involved.

In a country with an organised police media strategy, I'd agree.

In Portugal, it's not the police who make press updates, officially.

And, in this case, the first story to come out in Portugal was "a badly told story", whether or not the McCanns were aware of it at the time. And the coordinator was dealing with his own arguidoship that day.

[G-Unit]

The devils advocate hit a nerve possibly thus the reaction?

I'm glad someone else can see the reaction. I thought it was just me who thought a mirthless grin wasn't exactly what I would have expected.

If you play devil's advocate in a discussion or debate, you express an opinion which you may not agree with but which is very different to what other people have been saying, in order to make the argument more interesting.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/devils-advocate

In my opinion Gerry wasn't expecting Mr Paxman to express anything but wholehearted support for him and his wife against those nasty journalists.

[Venturi Swirl]

I'm glad someone else can see the reaction. I thought it was just me who thought a mirthless grin wasn't exactly what I would have expected.

If you play devil's advocate in a discussion or debate, you express an opinion which you may not agree with but which is very different to what other people have been saying, in order to make the argument more interesting.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/devils-advocate

In my opinion Gerry wasn't expecting Mr Paxman to express anything but wholehearted support for him and his wife against those nasty journalists.

I’m sure Gerry was only too aware of Jeremy Paxman’s reputation as a fearsome and merciless interviewer and was not expecting Paxman to cluck and nod sympathetically throughout the interview.

[Carana]

A bit of a non-issue, IMO.

Paxman is hardly known for a soft interviewing technique. I would have thought that Gerry was aware of that and was waiting for a potentially awkward question.

I can understand his question as the McCanns were complaining about irresponsible reporting, and Paxman was pointing out that they themselves had sought out the media (albeit to help publicise her disappearance).

[Robittybob1]

I still wonder why Gerry McCann had a meltdown when Jeremy Paxman said the McCanns had collaborated with the media when it was convenient.

8

Gerry explains why he used the media.  He is a very intelligent person and he could see the opportunity of using the media to help find his daughter.