A case of mistaken identity leads to an unexpected interview
In the world of media, Super Bowl week is a time when interviews with athletes are in high demand. It is not uncommon for non-local athletes to appear on shows outside of their home market. However, sometimes these interviews do not go as planned.
During this year’s Super Bowl week, the hosts of the nationally simulcast show “Boomer and Gio” booked an interview with Randy Moss. However, there was a slight mix-up – it was not the Randy Moss they were expecting.
One of the show’s hosts, Gregg “Gio” Giannotti, questioned the show’s producer, Al “Dukes” Hughes, about what the interview with Moss was about. Hughes, who had booked the interview, mentioned something about horse racing. This immediately raised a red flag for Gio.
“Are you sure this is the right Randy Moss?” Giannotti asked.
“Is there another Randy Moss?” replied Hughes, seemingly unaware of the mix-up.
As it turns out, there is indeed another Randy Moss – a horse racing analyst for NBC, who coincidentally used to work for the NFL Network and covered several Super Bowls. The show’s producer, Hughes, pleaded for this to be a joke, hoping that the booking was not for the “wrong” Randy Moss.
Realizing the mistake, Gio exclaimed, “This is horrible. You booked the white Randy Moss!”
Hughes felt deceived, blaming the person who pitched Moss for being “misleading.” He emphasized the importance of clarifying that they were not referring to the legendary football player Randy Moss.
“In all fairness, this person needs to say, ‘Just to be clear, this isn’t take-the-top-off-the-defense Randy Moss,'” Hughes expressed, affirming that he had no problem canceling the appearance. He added, “You can’t talk about the NFL, NFL Network, and then bring in a horse racing Randy Moss. That’s so misleading.”
Gio confessed that he now regretted asking about what Moss was promoting, as he was curious to witness everyone’s reaction to “the white Randy Moss” showing up for the interview.
“If someone like me, a white-balded guy, showed up and claimed to be Randy Moss, I’d be met with confusion,” Hughes joked. He wondered how many other people had mistakenly booked this Randy Moss, thinking they would be getting the famous number 84.
Hughes also shared some insight into his conversation with Moss’ representative, acknowledging his own part in the mix-up.
“I looked at my emails,” Hughes explained. “They asked, ‘Do you need a headshot and bio?’ And I replied, ‘No, we know who Randy Moss is. We’re all good.’ ‘Do I need his bio?’ No, he was a great receiver. I responded, ‘We all know who Randy Moss is.'”
To add to the irony, Gio, a dedicated fan, had brought a photo of himself with Moss from a previous encounter in Turks and Caicos.
This booking mishap serves as a reminder to always double-check the details and avoid assumptions when interviewing guests.
