Even Bribes Can Be Funny When You Rationalize It

Work continues to prevent me from writing about the topics I want to write about so today’s article is a pointer to some terrific PR humor…


Yesterday’s Dilbert made me laugh out loud as I went to read the strip after receiving an unusually large number of PR’s. I have to hand it to Scott Adams; it takes a sharp mind to convey what would otherwise be a good 30 minute conversation in three sentences. And having run across more than a few PR agents like the one in this comic strip, I can say that Adams’ humor doesn’t rely on excessive exaggeration.

Share and Enjoy: Dogbert, the PR agent

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

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