I found the Bob Dylan press conference video recently and decided to start a list of my all the coolest press conferences.
Here ya go:!
Music
Bob Dylan San Francisco Press Conference (1965)
Bob Dylan’s 1965 San Francisco Press Conference was iconic.
Celebrity attendees included poets Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, music promoter Bill Graham, Singer Mary Ann Pollar, Gary Goodrow, Larry Hankin (played “Kramer” in the Seinfeld “Making the Pilot” episodes), Dylan Biographer Robert Shelton, reporter Jonathan Kott (he later interviewed Dylan for Rolling Stone) and Robbie Robertson and other members of The Band.
Dylan was playful and evasive — check out some of these exchanges:
Question: “Why is there no picture of you on ‘Another Side of Bob Dylan’?”
Answer: Dylan joked, “I didn’t have a camera.”
Question: “Do you think of yourself primarily as a singer or a poet?”
Answer: Dylan playfully said, “Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know.”
Question: “What do you think of people who analyze your songs?”
Answer: He humorously responded, “I welcome them with open arms and my bank account also welcomes them.”
Question: “How many protest singers are there?”
Answer: Dylan replied wittily, “About 136.”
Question: “Why do you perform?”
Answer: Dylan replied vaguely, “I’ve got nothing else to do.”
Question: “Do you think of yourself as a musician?”
Answer: Dylan responded evasively, “Sometimes, in the bathtub.”
Watch the Bob Dylan Press Conference for free on YouTube by clicking the embed above or visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPIS257tvoA
Grateful Dead Press Conference After Marijuana Arrest (1967)
The Grateful Dead taking a stand on weed drug laws (after their recent arrest for possession).
Co-Manager Danny Rifkin is the one reading the statement.
The Dead also use the opportunity to push back on the media and police’s discrimination against hippies and the counter-culture movement.
Watch the Dead press conference for free by clicking the YouTube embed link above or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0x6w5ikXKY
Michael Jackson Neverland Statement Denying Sexual Abuse (1993)
MJ released this video after Evan Chandler, a dentist and screenwriter in Los Angeles, accused Jackson of sexually abusing his 13-year old son Jordan.
The press statement included:
- Denial — He firmly denied the allegations of improper conduct made against him, calling them “totally false” and expressing his desire for a quick resolution to what he described as a “horrifying experience.”
- Treatment for Pain Medication Dependency — Jackson revealed he had been undergoing treatment for a dependency on pain medication, initially prescribed for severe pain after scalp reconstructive surgery.
- Media Criticism: Jackson accused the media of manipulation and jumping to conclusions.
- Humiliating Examination: He shared his distress over being subjected to a dehumanizing examination by police, including photographing his body for evidence of the skin condition vitiligo.
- Impact of the Ordeal: He described the examination and the overall ordeal as the most humiliating experience of his life.
- Dedication to Helping Children: He spoke about his lifelong efforts to help children globally and his emotional connection to their well-being.
The Beatles Press Conference at JFK Airport (1964)
The video is horrible quality but it’s an epic moment in music history:
The Beatles have just landed in America (literally…at JFK Airport).
It opens with someone in the crowd saying “Let the feasting begin” (which is perfect!).
Questions/Answers include:
Question: “How do you find America?”
Answer: (Ringo Starr) “Turn left at Greenland.”
Question: “Are you a little embarrassed by the lunacy you cause?”
Answer: (John Lennon) “No, it’s great.”
Question: “Why does your music excite people so much?”
Answer: (Paul McCartney) “If we knew, we’d form another group and be managers.”
Question: “What do you think of Beethoven?”
Answer: (Ringo Starr) “Great. Especially his poems.”
Question: “Are you going to get a haircut while you’re here?”
Answer: (George Harrison) “I had one yesterday.”
Question: “Do you think you’re better than Elvis Presley?”
Answer: (John Lennon) “No, we don’t. We love Elvis, we used to be very big fans of his, still are.”
Politics
Richard Nixon’s Resignation Speech
It’s 1974, and the Watergate scandal is in full swing. Enter Richard Nixon, the man of the hour, about to drop the biggest plot twist in political drama.
There he is, in the Oval Office, cameras rolling, ready to hit the world with a newsflash that’s about to break the ’70s.
“I must put the nation first and peace-loving folks need their peace.” So, he’s stepping down, making history as the first U.S. President to ever peace out of the White House before time’s up.
Nixon’s speech? It’s a mixtape of regret, a dash of defiance, and a sprinkle of that old-school Nixon resilience.
He’s reflecting on his wins, owning up to his not-so-great moments, and basically saying, “I’m out, but keep the spirit alive.”
And just like that, he drops the mic on his presidency. In the world of political jaw-droppers, this one’s a classic.
Bill Clinton Denies Having an Affair with Monica Lewinsky
Rewind to ’98. Bill Clinton, the man in charge, steps up to the press podium.
It’s game time in D.C., and the air’s thick with rumors about him and Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern.
Clinton’s there to set the record straight. He’s facing a squad of reporters, and it’s like the final round of a heavyweight media showdown.
The question on everyone’s mind: Did he or didn’t he?
So, Clinton, with all the seriousness of a guy who knows the world’s eyes are glued on him, drops this line:
“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.”
Straight to the point, no beating around the Bush (pun intended).
It’s like watching a quarterback throwing a Hail Mary in the last seconds of the Super Bowl. High stakes, high tension.
This press conference goes down in history, not just for what was said, but for what unfolds later.
Spoiler alert: It’s a roller coaster.
Thanks for reading!
-Rob Kelly