This Promo Photo Is Absurd

In late May, NBC will air an exclusive interview between Brian Williams and Edward Snowden. It was conducted over the course of several hours in Russia, and it’s the first time the NSA leaker has been interviewed by American media. That itself is big news...but the Internet, being the Internet and all, instead focused its attention on the ridiculous, meme-ready promo image NBC released to promote the interview. And we can’t really blame it, as it’s a doozy of a picture.

The picture features Williams and Snowden seated across from one another in what looks like a study, and everything about it is bizarre. Williams is rotated in his seat with a dead-serious expression on his face, staring into the camera with a hapless expression on his face, as if to say, “Well, if it isn’t you, the viewer.” Snowden, who looks Photoshopped into the picture, is oozing confidence and casually stroking his chin like Bond villain. Both interviewer and subject look vaguely villainous, as if they’re in cahoots with one another and have just successfully ambushed the audience. If anything, it looks like Snowden, not Williams, is running the show.

You’ve got to wonder if NBC knew what it was doing in staging such an “unintentionally” hilarious photo. The denizens of Twitter quickly went to work, providing both comedy to the Internet and free publicity to NBC.

The interview airs May 28th, but let's be honest: There's no way it'll live up to this image.

Image: NBC