first...for the first time! :)

the media player doesn't work.

Her accent isn't entirely convincing :P

hahaha, Andy is hilarious.

Although Roddick did get tense as soon as the question regarding his love life was posed (see tapping finger)...I felt that this was classic Roddick. Nothing more, nothing less

Oh God. I thought Andy handled that superbly. He has a very funny, pointed sense of humor. That woman was a certifiable psycho. I think we can count on her not getting into any more pressers.

Andy did great, you could tell he was in an akward spot. I am surprised she wasn't, um, silenced before the one minute mark...

Bahaha, this was great.

Now, get us a clip from Rogi's presser, if you can.

As an English girl I'm surprised anyone actually thought that was an English accent!

jejejeje, absolutely hilarious. Andy did really handle the situation very well! wonderful snese of humour !!!
Vamos Rafa

I can fake an English accent better than THAT.

My speakers have just stopped functioning. Roddick's expression is nevertheless priceless.

To the point: The gravity of the "dilemma" of whether Roddick is a down to earth American boy or an impatient, sarcasm dripping, wisecracker escapes me. Why should an "answer" be even remotely interesting? The commentator seems to suggest that Roddick is both. Genius.

There's nothing really revealing here at all. All individuals have different sides to their personality. The fact that you can have quiet moments, doesn't mean you cannot be an obnoxious dick in other circumstances, although here Roddick is okay. It's on the court when things aren't going well when he can go a bit over the top.

You can never know what any individual is really like if you only ever see them in press conferences or at other public media venues when they are on their best behaviour. You have to see how they behave when no one is looking or when they lose emotional control. That's far more revelatory than what they say in a press conference. Press conferences only show you individuals when they are wearing their press conference hat.

Roddick's behaviour on the court or when he's upset is more revealing than when he's answering humdrum questions in an interview. He's your standard American wannabe alpha male, loud and obnoxious at times, with adequate wit and intelligence, but a walking cliché nevertheless. Like most he'll have his vulnerabilities and a sensitive side, but also takes pride in showing his machismo. Had he gone to college and not become a tennis player, I'm sure he would have fit quite comfortably into frat boy spring-break mode without any problem. To me there's no contradiction, people have different sides, some more hidden than others.

If that was an English accent, I am the Pope. Sounds more like Chinese.

Andy is ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.....teachers would have him pumped full of Ritalin if they got him in theri classroom. ADHD gets manageable without meds as people get older, but it never goes away in most cases....this is clearly a case of Andy working hard to stay cool and focused in the conference....then being blind-sised by this ridiculous woman.....and his ADHD coming to the surface.....as if he doen't have enough to warry about....He must have girls throwing themselves at him all the time...which makes for a difficult and dangerous existance when you are in the public eye like that.....but that's the way girls are nowadays

Japanese I thought?

omg i was have a rubbish day untill i saw this , total brillance!!!!!

too funny... andy is cracking me up, still he tries to hold that look from his face : "WTF is she asking, i'm a pro tennis player ??" priceless :D

sometimes i wish some journalist could pick up all the worst and more stupid questions ever asked to a sportman/girl and put it on a column paper !!

we could laugh on for weeks !

glad to read your pieces kamashi :D

Hmm... Andy just seems to be rolling with the punches, so to speak, and I think handling the situation quite well. It's embarassing for him, but he doesn't go for the jugular and embarass the woman (which he obviously could have done, esp. at the beginning when it wasn't quite clear if this was a joke or someone who is seriously inappropriate). The whole mother's skirt thing is him pretending to be the lothario that she's implying that he is. But that's only a moment's act, and then he just tries to play along but wrap it up at the same time.

Why all this agnonizing about Andy's character anyway? It's hardly like he's a rapist (see NBA) or hired a hit man on his pregnant girlfriend (see NFL). It's not even like he's that obnoxious (see just about every other wealthy, pampered athlete). I think people are just looking for something to gossip about.

Thanks Kamakshi for this wonderful clip- I thought Andy handled it rather well considering. I was hilarious. Not sure about the bit about the mother though! Keep it up - this is the best site for news on Indian Wells.

MarieJ -

There is a thread like that on MTF, insane comments by commentators or journalists. I'll go find the link (it's about a 200 pages long...)

Great clip... I won't forget that either. Andy handled it well.

Love Andy! Really American.

LOL Andy's reaction is priceless even if I can't hear half of the woman's question(s). What was she trying to say?

Funny on both sides. He's definitely a frat boy though.

Andy is at his humorous best on the love question.

Awkward turtle!

Since Roddick didn't go to college (and pledged), he technically can't be called a frat boy, even if he wanted to be one!

Yet another brilliant video from the Roddick files. How can anybody not like this guy? He is exactly what this sport needs. Thank you so much for uploading the video. What a keeper!

--But the whole thing was revealing when it comes to the range of his personality and how people can view him so differently.--

You nailed it.

lol loved it! Roddick doesnt have a phony bone in his body. I'll take his hilarious "frat boy" act over Federer's "Let's talk about how fantastic I am" self important humorlessness any day, any time. Roddick press interviews are always do-not-miss.

That was funny stuff...but I still don't like him.

Flippin Andy.....Gotta Love Him!!! =0)

Classic Roddick. Whether on or off the court, he is always fun to watch. It's nice to see some personality especially on the court. Tennis doesn't need more Borg-like stoicism, but more on the edge of control emotion. If you don't think he is infectious, you need to go see him play Davis Cup Live.

Question. The press here seem to really love Andy with his quick wit and all...but how is he viewed with the foreign press - or rather - the non-English press? Do they understand him in the translation? Or does he just come across as a crazy American? I'm just curious to know because everyone (including myself) say Andy gives the best press conferences...but we only see the "English" side. When the press interviews foreign players, most not only give pressers in English, but in their native language, and 3 or 4 other languages as well... But most "Americans" can only give it in English. So I wonder how the 'non-English' press reporters think of Roddick when a lot of it has to be 'translated' to other countries?

I take my hat off to Roddick for being funny and witty and all, but I also take my hat off to players like Federer, Djokovic, Safin, and others who have to do so many press conferences in other languages - yet sit patiently to answer the same questions over and over.

andy roddick is brilliant. thank god for him and novak djokovic, always keeping the press and fans on their toes!

so that reporter wasnt really a reporter she was just a fan who crashed the interview room? rotfl!! what a great practical joke!

his reaction is hilarious! he could never be an actor!

Seems I'm the exception here, but I find Andy's outburst a little ugly.

I just don't get it, why all this shouting and the aggression ? I'll have to agree with the ADHD comment above, or the ones who say Roddick is a bully.

Yes, it's not meant to be taken seriously, but the actual joke is in Roddick's words. He was spontaneously witty, self-deprecating and as always handles the words well. So the shouting and mock aggression was not just unnecessary, it was weird and a little disturbing.

And by the way, I didn't mind the skirt comment at all, I thought it a was funny line and he was just playing along to the reporter's comments.

I'm just glad this fool is back in the winner's circle. Jimmy Connors was not the boost he thought he could be for Roddick. Too bad Brad Gilbert had to clown and get booted by Andy. That was the ticket to a second major for A-Rod.

A straightforward answer such as "Thanks for your concern but none of your business" would have been good for any polite person. But we know Roddick needs to release his inner jerk every chance that he sees to come across: Some think it's just his competitive spirit (on the court) or sense of humor (at the presser) and some think it's that he's just another jerk who happens to be a successful athlete.
Then, asking the "reporter" what she ate that morning would be enough for dealing with the situation while somewhat satisfying his need for ridicule.

Were his whole comments and acts funny?
Not at all. Did he made fun of her? Yes, with his third grader your mama comments. Does one requires another. Of course not, at least you are smart enough.
Bully/jerk worship is nothing new (it's probably everywhere in some type and form) but its (growing?) spread around u.s. and blatant nature of it gets tiresome.

oh come on YP...that reporter was completely out of her tree; judging from the clip you'd think she'd either come straight from cocktail hour, an espresso drinking contest, or some other occasion that impaires one's ability to ask appropriate questions at a press conference. She got what she gave, and roddick was able to wrap it up quick, avoid the question (not surprising), and have some fun with it. Yes, the comment about the mother's skirt was toeing the proverbial line, but the reporter's antics crossed it. Given the circumstances, he handled it pretty well. It's okay to think these things are funny, because they are.

Posted by Scarbo 03/15/2008 @ 4:43 AM

There's nothing really revealing here at all. All individuals have different sides to their personality. The fact that you can have quiet moments, doesn't mean you cannot be an obnoxious dick in other circumstances, although here Roddick is okay. It's on the court when things aren't going well when he can go a bit over the top.

You can never know what any individual is really like if you only ever see them in press conferences or at other public media venues when they are on their best behaviour. You have to see how they behave when no one is looking or when they lose emotional control. That's far more revelatory than what they say in a press conference. Press conferences only show you individuals when they are wearing their press conference hat.

Roddick's behaviour on the court or when he's upset is more revealing than when he's answering humdrum questions in an interview. He's your standard American wannabe alpha male, loud and obnoxious at times, with adequate wit and intelligence, but a walking cliché nevertheless. Like most he'll have his vulnerabilities and a sensitive side, but also takes pride in showing his machismo. Had he gone to college and not become a tennis player, I'm sure he would have fit quite comfortably into frat boy spring-break mode without any problem. To me there's no contradiction, people have different sides, some more hidden than others.

Listen "Scarbow", your comment sucked and why dont you suck it! Thats right, you heard me, and after 5 beers I know who the idiot is, and its not me!

agree 100% with yp!

That was so funny,Andy's great!He handled it really well & played along.
Lots of luck to him for IW,hope he can continue his brilliant form.

hahahahaha, thats great. The guy is totally funny. All this talk about him being obnoxious frat boy is really low imo. For what I know, he may fit certain mentality (I cant say much, all Ive ever seen is from movies ala "Nerd" some decade ago), but critisizing some one over it is wrong. He looks like good person, and that basically is all that matters.

That is genius. Love Andy's response. By the accent I'd say she's Scottish. I cant believe they ejected her. She really brought out some life in him.

That is genius. Love Andy's response. By the accent I'd say she's Scottish. I cant believe they ejected her. She really brought out some life in him.

"Had he gone to college and not become a tennis player, I'm sure he would have fit quite comfortably into frat boy spring-break mode without any problem."

But this is a worthless counter factual. Roddick DID become a profession tennis player and that entails a truly astounding amount of self-control and dedication, far more than most of us could imagine. As he himself has pointed out, he's never had the time to run around getting drunk and partying. That's a choice he made and frankly, it says a lot more about him than some people's pathetic attempt to imagine alternative realities that better fit their stereotype of what a big American guy in a baseball hat should be like. There are plenty of players on the tour who are far bigger jerks to everyone from umpires to ball boys (Clement, anyone?) and less able to control their appetites (Nalbandian?). Hell, Mac and Vitas G. were drunk and on coke through the 80's (as were many other players) and nothing Roddick has said on court comes close to what Connors and Mac would say. I've never been a big fan of Roddick's game, but this frat boy thing is solid BS and always has been.

And anyone who thinks he was being overly aggressive in his response to that insane "reporter" really doesn't get sarcasm.

I find it a little disconcerting that while most of you here took Andy's reply in the light-hearted and humorous spirit it was clearly intended, some didn't feel it was appopriate.

In my opinion, he could have chosen between two courses of action. Either to get indignant, ruffled and even mad that someone was asking him such a personal question or to see the humor in it and make a joke of the whole thing as he did.

His response was gracious and funny. I didn't see any real aggression in it, he was just very evidently playing along in kind rather than to embarass this lady as he obviously could have. In fact he may have even been grateful for this moment of light relief and the media certainly lapped it up. So ;let's give the guy a break.

she was South African, i think.

and Andy comes off to me as a jerk. that whooping, your mama-in-mini-skirt-cooking- eggs-stuff is nasty. that some readers see his response as "witty" or "gracious" i find even more worrying.... the thing i feel is that Andy is smarter, funnier, and more decent than his recent behaviour demonstrates....

Can't we joke around anymore? And what's the frat-boy disdain REALLY directed at? Lighten up.

Can't we joke around anymore? And what's the frat-boy disdain REALLY directed at? Lighten up.

I think the balance is not "all-American good guy or wisecracking frat boy" but "wisecracking frat boy or boorish jerk."

I agree with FoT as to wondering how his sense of humor translates. Andy likes to wind-up, play along and push the joke to the next level, energy-wise, which strikes me as very a American (also very Australian) sense of humor.

"the situation required some serious improvisation". WTF? All Roddick had to do was say, 'I don't want to talk about that sort of thing' not act like someone who just flunked out of clown college.

End of the day it just illustrates that Roddick handles humour the same way he handles volleys - without any real sense of what's appropriate for the occasion and absolutely no real touch or finesse.

I like this , I think it helps Roddicks image if anything , most playas so damm boring in their interviews thats half of tenni's problem ..

Roger is great playa but its not what folk remember ..

Yes, its true most playas are neutered now and would rather moan about their matches ..

I think ROddick did good job here, its pity Fed and Rafa couldnt lighten up now and again too .

Seriously people - you really need to lighten up.

This was nothing more than a little break in the boring snooze-fest press conferences where the same dull questions are asked over and over again. This video is classic Andy having fun and not taking everything so seriously. He made some jokes, had a laugh and brightened the mood.

And taking it further, at least Andy is one player who is gracious in defeat and always gives props the player who beat him unlike some players (see Federer v. Murray - Dubai). Not to mention all the great things he does to help kids with his charity.

Andy is a player who is needed in this sport, one who's talented, witty, fun and a self proclaimed "good quote." Take a page from his book and relax a bit people!!

Andy Roddick is a disgrace to US sports.

It's hard to believe people try to aruge about humor as if it's objective. Say how you it affected you and that's that. He wasn't funny to me.

But he was funnier than almost all of these comments were, to me. What does it matter?

Sam

William I can not believe that you said he is a disgrace to US sports. Although Roddick is know to have a temper on the court I think it just shows how passionate he is about the sport and his game. Also his work and charity off the court make him ONE of the greatest athletes in todays society where all they are concerned about is how much more money they can get.

Andy and Novak are a couple of breaths of fresh air in a mostly humorless era of sportsmen. A little personality goes a long way nowadays and it shows in Andy's interview. That's Entertainment with Andy!
A little less Borg and Sampras and a little more Nastase and Roddick please. (But forget McEnroe - where Nastase was a nice guy who acted up and acted crazy while putting on a tremendous athletic display, Johnny Mac was a talented jerk who only showed some likability as a broadcaster.) I'd watch Roddick in a first round match before I'd watch a finals with some of those generic stiffs playing each other.

Andy is smart and handsome plus a noble minded person too so lets forgive the all american boy for his 'nasty replies and on court tempers' - as some find it!
secondly, an unworthy press conference cannot make one neglect all what he has done for American Tennis (remember - he was the last american to win a grand slam on the men's side) and his contribution to social welfare that people call him a disgrace to U.S. sports

Andy, that was pretty funny. You realy now how to handle the presure

I don't know what to think of Andy. I'm sure people, either like him, hate him or are just confused. I am confused. Sometimes I feel has though he's just an immature guy who doesn't know how to handle himself under pressure. Other times I feel has though he's just another pro who's trying to make it out on the tour. Not to mention he has a lot of pressure on him. With Jimmy Connors out of the picture, a surprising loss to Tommy & the question about American tennis's downfall must get old after a while. Some may say he's an arrogant fool who is too spoiled but tries to be humble. Other's might argue he's just like any other American guy. He can be cocky when he wants to be. But he really is nice. It's hard to judge someone based off of his tennis, press conferences and who he dates. We may never understand him or know how he really acts when a camera's in his face. What I do know is that he really needs to calm down and not get worked up over little things. He needs to learn how to deal with the stress better. It's all about balance. It can be a real struggle being on the tour and all. But we can also look at someone like Roger who has controlled himself on and off court. Not to mention he has far more pressure then Andy. Not only does he have to obtain his squeaky clean image, but also try and get more slams then Pete, win the French open and stay number one. I think that's a little worse then the way Andy has it. Andy also has to remember that athletes need to always be at their best. Yes their people too. Their gonna make mistakes. But he also has to realize that when you go pro you have almost the whole world watching you. He needs to be prepared for that. I think he acted better when he was seventeen then he does now. Anyways, I am all for Andy. Has an American I 110% support him. It's just a matter of him finding some balance in his hectic life. I don't think you all should be saying such negative stuff about Andy. I'm sure you've all behaved worse then him. You all have no room to talk.

It never ceases to amaze me how little a sense of humor then general public can have, or how underdeveloped their sarcasm detectors can be. Andy was fantastic given the circumstances. He couldn't have handled it better. There was no aggression; he was role playing for everyone's amusement. LIGHTEN UP FOLKS.

-- It never ceases to amaze me how little a sense of humor then general public can have, or how underdeveloped their sarcasm detectors can be. Andy was fantastic given the circumstances. He couldn't have handled it better. There was no aggression; he was role playing for everyone's amusement. LIGHTEN UP FOLKS. --

Sean, you're asking too much of the stiff, bitter, humorless Federer fans who are completely threatened by charismatic players like Djokovic and Roddick who know how to joke around and have a good laugh. Anything that takes the focus off of their Princess Roger turns them angry little children.