Cabbie stands in as computer expert

Have you ever been caught up in a dream that turned rapidly into a nightmare? This, no doubt, is how taxi driver Guy Goma (left, BBC photo) felt when, through a case of mistaken identity, he found himself seated in front of a live BBC studio camera, and introduced as technology expert Guy Kewney.

It happened about a year ago. Kewney was supposed to be interviewed about the lawsuit between The Beatles' Apple Corps and Apple Computer over the use of an apple symbol. Instead, he watched in astonishment as someone else was interviewed.

How the mistake happened is not clear. Goma is black and bald, while Kewney is white and bearded. However, they both share the same first name, so Goma must have misunderstood and actually raised his hand when the studio assistant called for Kewney. The look on Goma's face when he is introduced on live TV as someone else is really quite priceless. And now that the nightmare is rolling, Goma gamely tries to brazen his way through the interview, with less than impressive results. The interviewer doesn't seem to get it at first; it looks like the director alerts her through the earphone and she soon cuts away to another expert.

Ah, the perils of live TV. You can read an article about the incident here, which includes a transcript of the interview and the actual video link. For maximum enjoyment, I suggest you read the article before watching the video (a Windows Media file).