Interview Comparison: Barack Obama and Princess Diana
As the President of The United States, Barack Obama came to speak on this talk show to
consolidate his ‘nice guy’ persona in a comical manner. As you would expect, Obama
himself is the topic manager, guiding the host to what is appropriate to ask him and
henceforth, talk about. Obama does this not in the typical way, but by incorporating an
informal register and lexis choice to share personal experiences at The White House,
“really cute young son… looked like Harry Potter.” This not only allows the audience to
be a part of the action and therefore achieving his aim of being approachable, but also
uses allusion to household children’s literature. Comparatively, in Princess Diana’s
interview, her goal is to inform the general public about false rumours originating about
her marriage and personal life. Instead of doing this in a colloquial setting like Obama,
Diana is in a formal interview set-up, with her interviewer acting as topic manager. We
can see that at points Martin Bashir asks Diana about inappropriate subjects, “Would it
be your wish to divorce,” to which their dialogue quickens, representing a growing
tension. This formal, negative atmospheric register also reflect how Diana feels about
her in-law’s family, “The establishment,” suggests a cold front consequent to her
treatment by the Royals. In conclusion, Diana’s interview presents as almost awkward
compared to Obama’s easy-going, friendly appearance.
As the President of The United States, Barack Obama came to speak on this talk show to
consolidate his ‘nice guy’ persona in a comical manner. As you would expect, Obama
himself is the topic manager, guiding the host to what is appropriate to ask him and
henceforth, talk about. Obama does this not in the typical way, but by incorporating an
informal register and lexis choice to share personal experiences at The White House,
“really cute young son… looked like Harry Potter.” This not only allows the audience to
be a part of the action and therefore achieving his aim of being approachable, but also
uses allusion to household children’s literature. Comparatively, in Princess Diana’s
interview, her goal is to inform the general public about false rumours originating about
her marriage and personal life. Instead of doing this in a colloquial setting like Obama,
Diana is in a formal interview set-up, with her interviewer acting as topic manager. We
can see that at points Martin Bashir asks Diana about inappropriate subjects, “Would it
be your wish to divorce,” to which their dialogue quickens, representing a growing
tension. This formal, negative atmospheric register also reflect how Diana feels about
her in-law’s family, “The establishment,” suggests a cold front consequent to her
treatment by the Royals. In conclusion, Diana’s interview presents as almost awkward
compared to Obama’s easy-going, friendly appearance.
