The Interview Seen Around the World

Aug. 1, 2007 -- It's an interview that will live in infamy. You'd have to be living under a rock if you haven't seen the notorious "What's the Buzz" episode hosted by Merry Miller.

Leaked to the Web, the interview has taken the media world by storm, popping up on YouTube, Gawker and VH1's "Best Week Ever," to name a few. Millions of people have seen Miller in one of her first attempts at a television career, and the businesswoman has skyrocketed to instant stardom as a result.

ABC News Now is taking the opportunity to introduce you to Merry Miller, to delve deeper into exactly what happened during that "What's the Buzz" interview that went so famously off-track.

Many people are wondering how such a seemingly inexperienced person ended up as a host of a segment on a national cable news network. Miller had worked as a booker for ABC News' late film critic Joel Siegel, and the beloved host of "Popcorn" introduced Miller to ABC News Now before he died.

"[Joel and I] always laughed that I would look good on air, and I said, 'I'm behind the scenes! I'm a business person!' but I tried it," she said.

Miller had watched Siegel conduct his celebrity interviews and had even interviewed some celebs herself in her former position at the Learning Annex. ABC News Now decided to give her a shot at hosting an installment of the entertainment show.

Miller was set to do a live satellite interview with Academy Award winner Holly Hunter about her new TNT show, "Saving Grace." During these types of interviews, hosts and stars appear to be able to see each other, but in reality, they are usually looking into a camera. They rely on ear pieces called IFBs to hear each other during the interview.

Unfortunately for Miller and unknown to the crew, her IFB failed before she began speaking with Hunter. Another host might have known to alert the crew about the problem and delay the interview while the technical issues were worked out, but the inexperienced Miller gamely tried to speak with Hunter without hearing her responses.

"I couldn't hear her, and it's very hard to talk to somebody like that," Miller said. "I give credit to Holly Hunter. She was a pro, a class act. She saved the interview."

The technical problem explains the awkward delays and stumbled speaking but doesn't shed light on the most talked-about part of the interview, when Miller directed viewers to another news network's Web site for further coverage.

"It was just a blooper, it happens. Why do football players fumble sometimes? It was a disaster," she said of the network misidentification.

Message boards and bloggers have spared no expense in lambasting Miller in front of the entire online world. One viewer went so far as to call her the "worst host ever."

"It's hurtful, the outcome. It's extremely embarrassing," Miller said.

But Miller said she learned a lot from the experience.

"The power of the Internet is so [great]," she said. "I'm involved in some online ventures, and my gut had told me that [the Internet] was the future of the world [and this proves] that viral marketing has really kicked in. I'm going to take this phenomenon that I created and drive it somewhere."

The Miller interview has inspired many people to think that they can do a better job hosting one of our shows. If you'd like to give it a shot, log on to www.abcnewsnow.com (yes -- that is the correct site!) and submit your audition tape for the chance to be selected as a guest host on "What's the Buzz."