Apparenty, Mantyhose Didn't Lend Itself to Mancow Ridicule...

Well, now that 3 days have passed since my radio interview on The Mancow Show--and it has not aired--we can safely assume the worst about what happened. It's nearly unavoidable to assume that my answers simply did not lend themselves to ridicule and mockery. Unfortunately, rather than air the interview as it took place, Eric Muller simply canned it.

Powered by Podbean.com

I was interviewed on Tuesday morning (Oct. 27) via phone, around 8:10am Eastern Time. I had taped it on a digital recorder, but inadvertently erased it, so I can't upload the audio, unfortunately. However, going from memory, Eric started out by offering the backhanded compliment about how brave I must be for coming on the show to be interviewed about men's pantyhose. He then went on to ask why I was doing it, as well as about the 'mantyhose' in general.

In answering, I first said I wanted to clarify some issues that have been associated with this whole thing since the flurry of press activity in the U.K. last month, following the launch of the men's legwear line in a London department store. I said that what we're doing at ACTIVSKIN was very different than how the British press have tried to portray this trend. Men who are wearing our legwear are all about practical, functional benefits of the legwear--not wearing flashy prints combined with mini-kilts, and adopting silly-looking styles. I said the men's legwear trend is about men wearing legwear in a completely masculine setting and how many 'regular guys' have been buying ACTIVSKIN over the past 10 years and the trend seems poised on a 'tipping point' that is becoming more readily accepted by many. During the interview, he did give me ample opportunity to give the website addresses for both ACTIVSKIN and The Nylon Gene blogsite.

At the time, I appreciated him providing me that opportunity--that is, until I've come to realize he had decided to can the whole interview, and not even air it. I downloaded the audio file for the entire morning show to make sure for myself, but it is most definitely not there. Nor did it air the next day either. The interesting thing is that I counted at least five different 'teaser' lead-ins he did leading up to our conversation (which was taped, BTW) including one that said he would be "minutes from now". Yet, the interview never aired. I wonder what listeners thought when the promised 'mantyhose interview' never materialized?

When I inquired about this in an email to my show contact, he reminded me that they had originally said it may be aired live, or taped for later. Of course, I assumed that would mean later in the show--especially since the website even listed me by name as a guest, with a mouse-over notation that read, "Manty Hose" (see picture at right). In any case, given that it's now Friday and the segment has not aired, I think it's apparent that I proved unable to be manipulated into mockery by the Mancow.

I've now been interviewed a number of times on radio, as well as TV, so I have some basis for comparison, and I think the staff of the Mancow Show should be ashamed of the way they treat guests on their show. This is the sort of thing you would associate with going on The Jerry Springer Show. I was fully prepared to answer questions that were hostile, and after listening to his show for a few days prior, I assumed he would attempt to poke fun at me and what I was representing. As I've written elsewhere, I figure I need to be ready to 'walk into the lions den' if I'm going to be the point guy for men's legwear. However, it seems rather cowardly to simply can the interview in such an abrupt way just because he found it difficult to make sport of me.

It shows a complete disregard of the value of my time that I spent preparing for this interview, responding to their requests for extensive information, talking points, etc. We even sent them a free sample of ACTIVSKIN legwear to try out! Mancow represents the worst elements of 'entertainment' media today.

Probably the most ironic aspect of all this is what Mancow said just before the interview, on an unrelated item. He said,

"... it doesn't matter what you say. I'm tellin' you, it doesn't matter what you say--people are gonna hate you. So don't worry about it. To thine own self be true."

Thanks for the advice, Mancow...