Ambush Quote by Mike Wallace
“What's an ambush interview? You walk up to a fellow who you want to talk to, and he hasn't been - he hadn't been willing to talk to you before. You've sent him letters, and you've tried to talk to him on the phone. So you walk up to him on the street and ask him a question - that's an ambush?”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Television journalism, 1970s–1990s
An ambush interview is a surprise, unscripted questioning of someone who has previously refused or avoided contact, aiming to elicit candid responses.
In simple terms: Surprise questioning of a reluctant person.
Key Takeaway
Use surprise to get honest answers.
Themes
journalism
ethics
interview techniques
Mood
tensive
critical
Type
ethical
strategic
When to use this quote
- political campaigns
- press conferences
- street interviews
- investigative reporting
Key Concepts
media strategy
power dynamics
public persuasion
Questions to Reflect On
- Is surprise more effective than consent?
- How to balance urgency with respect?
A Different Perspective
May breach trust and provoke defensive reactions.
![“What would things been like [in Russia] if during periods of mass arrests people had not simply sat there, paling with terror at every bang on the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but understood they had nothing to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of…” quote by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/231/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn-671_ambush_what-would-things-been-like-in-russia-if_384396.jpg)
