Ady has been a journalist in Indonesia, his motherland, for four years. We spent a good time talking about the journalist life for the whole noon. Ady gave me his embarrassing moment of doing interviews when he was a journalist for just one month and both of us agreed that: it is really a good start to the journalism career, seriously.
He sat in front of me, holding a mark, began his story:” I became a journalist in July 2005 and was assigned the first interview in August 2005. You will never imagine what happened during my first interview.”
“My interviewee slapped me on my check in front of ten journalists and some guests. That is how I began my journalism career.” He told me this breaking story but with a gentle smile. He did not get rage when saying this.
His first interviewee was the army governor of Indonesia named Jakarta, a tough man with bad temper because of sickness. Ady stopped Jakarta when he came out from a ceremony event. Following exactly what his senior editor told him, Ady asked Jakarta:” what if people think you are a pro-status quo?” At the very moment, Jakarta replied no words but a slap in front of all journalists and guests- Ady did not tell me whether it was painful or not because obviously that was not the point. Embarrassment was. Almost at the same time, all the other journalists and guests there stepped back with great astonishment. The body guard of Jakarta soon came to Ady, said:” Please don’t mind. He is sick. Please don’t mind.”
“I am not angery.”Ady said,” it is understandable that he is sick.”
The embarrassing thing did not finish then. The whole procedure was captured by a television station’s camera and presented on the screen in the evening. When saying these, he neatened his scarf and shook his head slightly.
“Wow, that is really a special start of your journalism career.” I laughed, “I am sorry to hear that story. Such awful thing is not supposed to be your first interview experience.”
“No, no, actually I learnt from this very interview.” Ady interrupted me with his arms. Then he drank some water and explained to me,” you know, I should have done some research myself rather than stuck to every question that my editor gave me. If I have done that, I would have known his political stand and his personality. Maybe the interview would turn to be a different end.”
What a lovely and fast-learning new journalist he is, in my opinion. With this beginning, Ady easily tackled quite a lot of un-expecting moment of his later interviews. He found a way to grow up: learn by failures. So in this way, this slap is worthwhile in terms of Ady’s journalism career.
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