The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014 is currently underway over in Las Vegas, giving the industry’s big players a chance to flaunt their wares and drum up publicity for the coming year. With so much shiny new tech on show, it will be difficult to pick an overall winner, but Samsung’s presentation earlier today with special guest world-famous director Michael Bay will no doubt go down as most memorable, though not as the South Korean company might have hoped.
There to discuss Samsung’s gorgeous new 150-inch curved TV set, the Transformers director fluffed his lines and promptly marched off stage, leaving executive vice president Joe Stinziano with little left to do but ask the audience to thank Mr. Bay for coming, prompting one of the most awkward rounds of applause in CES history.
Stumbling over his words from the outset, Bay came to a halt and audibly sighed just a few minutes into the presentation. There was then an awkward pause as he turned his back on the audience and rows of cameras capturing the event.
“The [teleprompter] type is all off, sorry,” the director somewhat irritably remarked a moment later before attempting to pick up where he left off. “We’ll wing it right now.”
Stalling but trying to remain upbeat, Samsung’s Joe Stinziano asked Bay to give his thoughts on the new TV set – the device that he had been hired to help promote at the event.
“I try to take people on an emotional ride and, um…” Bay began before stalling for a second time.
“The curve?” Samsung’s spokesperson suggested, gesturing to the glimmering TV standing directly behind them, “How do you think it’s going to impact how viewers experience your movies?”
But Bay was already gone.
“Excuse me. I’m sorry,” he muttered as he strode off stage-right.
As a director, it is perhaps understandable that Mr. Bay should feel more at home behind the camera than in front of it, but following this performance and, as tech site Engadget notes, an embarrassing incident during an LG presentation in 2009, perhaps he should stick to making movies rather than getting involved in corporate events from now on?
Here’s the full video:
Video/images via YouTube
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