In the world of live broadcasting, producers and TV hosts try to minimize the risk of something going awry—such as asking their guests to turn their cell phones off or put them on silent mode.
Those who do not comply risk being caught in very awkward situations, as Ben Stein found out for himself during a TV appearance on Wednesday night.
The Ferris Bueller's Day Off star was speaking to Trish Regan on her Primetime show on Fox Business, when his phone rang soon after the host had asked him a question.
Stein briefly looked at his handset as it started ringing at a loud enough volume to be heard by viewers, but instead of turning it off or at least muting it, he simply carried on talking in the hope nobody noticed.
If Regan did register that Stein's phone was ringing she did an admirable job of not letting it show, and nodded thoughtfully as he gave his opinion on the criticism surrounding Attorney General William Barr's handling of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
The attorney general has come under scrutiny for his decision not to charge President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice when he published a four-page letter summarizing the Mueller Report.
The summary suggested Mueller had not found sufficient evidence for the attorney general to conclude Trump had conspired with Russia in the lead-up the election.
While Mueller revealed he had found at least 10 possible cases of obstruction of justice, Barr ruled there was not enough evidence to charge the president. The decision attracted strong criticism, including from Mueller himself. The attorney general was cited for contempt of Congress by the House Judiciary Committee on May 8.
Stein dismissed the criticism of Barr, suggesting the attorney general should be hailed as a hero instead. "I think the Barr stuff is going somewhere great," Stein said while viewers were being serenaded by his ringtone.
"The Barr stuff is going somewhere incredibly great. The Barr stuff is going to uncover there is a willing to undo the [2016 presidential] election and to destroy the will of the American people and to destroy the constitution.
"The Barr thing is probably the best thing that any attorney general has ever done. Mr. Barr is going to turn out to become a hero of heroes."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more
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