PRs are quick to defend their position as credible, valued counsellors and nine point nine times out of ten they are absolutely justified in doing so. Public relations is an immensely powerful communications tool when used properly.

Problem is, there’s always a lowest common denominator. This morning, I received this from King World Wide Communications.

‘MUSIC MOGUL SISTER HAS HOMECOMING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AFTER BEING SHOT IN LOS ANGELES
Famous Los Angeles Hip Hop Mogul ”The Games” sister Sherani Taylor aka ”BFLY” will speakout for the first time after violently being shot. She was recently released from the hospital and will be treated to a family and friends homecoming on Wed. February 4, 2008 – 11am at Roscoes House of Chicken and Waffles located at 5006 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.

KING WORLD WIDE COMMUNICATIONS

contact Todd Scott 516-312-6573

This was such an utterly appalling release that I had no moral choice but to call Todd to ask him why I received this note. I was particularly keen to find out two things. Firstly how and why he expected me, in Sydney, to rock up to Roscoes House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles to hook up with BFLY and check out her bullet wounds. And secondly, how bad being ‘violently shot’, as opposed to just being shot, actually was.

To his credit Todd was enormously apologetic, blaming the fact that he had ‘borrowed’ a friends media list. The ‘violently shot’ bit was beyond him. It was about then that I lost the will to live. So I encouraged Todd to look up the word ‘targeted’ in the dictionary – something he instantly confused with his hip-hop client’s use of the term – and I left him to it.

You can only hope that the Recession has its benefits.