You'd think this would be elementary, but if you're being interviewed, don't antagonize the questioners for no reason. One of the most contentious radio interviews I ever heard was on a classic rock station in the early '90s. Two co-hosts were interviewing a photographer of famous musicians; he'd written a book but didn't sound overly eager to promote it.
The author set the tone by saying, "I didn't even know we were going to be doing the interview." His tone was cavalier, and he made it all the more pretentious by slipping in and out of an English accent.
His disdain for the interviewers was also apparent. Affecting a stereotypical top 40 DJ voice, he said, "I don't know what it is that makes me think all you guys sound alike."
"I don't know what it is that makes us think all authors look alike," one of the DJs fired back.
After the interview, the DJs blew off steam.
Responding to the author not knowing he was scheduled for an interview, one DJ said sarcastically, "Oh, we just got your name out of the phone book!" He also mocked the fake English accent, while the other DJ mentioned how obnoxious the author had been. One of the DJs concluded the segment, saying that a book "you will not want to buy is..."
I'd never heard a DJ pan an author's work on the air after an interview, but under the circumstances, I couldn't blame him.
