On Friday (March 4), Times Now anchor Rahul Shivshankar shared a light moment with Daniel McAdams, US foreign policy commentator and the Executive Director of Ron Paul Insitute. The development comes after a video of the news anchor, yelling at a Ukrainian journalist by mistaking him for McAdams, surfaced on social media.
“I am delighted to welcome back Mr McAdams on popular demand. I am sure you are aware that you have become somewhat of an instant cult figure here in India. And for many hours, you were the top trend across the nation. The most impressionable thing was that many in my country had even changed their Twitter display picture with your image,” he said.
The Times Now anchor informed, “This is a McAdams moment for them, not bad for a man who did not even get to speak a word. In a sense, Mr McAdams, you have come very close to emulating a certain legend who moved the nation without speaking a word (sometimes for days at an end). So there is power in silence and I am learning that.”
“Welcome back Mr McAdams, on popular demand …”, @RShivshankar welcomes Mr McAdams on #IndiaUpfront
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 4, 2022
WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/e7TXKiOLtl pic.twitter.com/eOgy1v7B7k
“For the opportunity, of course, of bringing some joy in these grim times to the world, I and my show producer are thankful to you. Indeed, what would we be without you today, Mr McAdams?” he remarked.
“But, I promise not to stand in your way tonight and so begin by asking you my first question,” he concluded.
The Background of the ‘McAdams’ meme fest
In a video that went viral on social media on Thursday (March 3), Rahul Shivshankar was seen reprimanding Bohdan Nahaylo, the chief editor of Kyiv Post, for the absence of US military intervention in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
But as the Times Now staff had mislabelled the guests of the show, and had switched the names of Bohdan Nahaylo and Daniel McAdams. On the screen, the words Daniel McAdams, Head, Ron Paul Institute was written on the video frame of Bohdan Nahaylo, and McAdam’s frame had the name Bohdan Nahaylo, Chief Editor, Kyiv Post. What followed was a hilarious comedy of error.
When the anchor lashed out at the US foreign policy commentator, he mistakenly used the name Daniel McAdams repeatedly. “Mr McAdams, Mr McAdams, if you are so concerned about the Ukrainians, then, get off the fence and put boots on the ground. Don’t lecture us here in India, okay? I am not going to hear you lecture,” Rahul Shivshankar was heard as saying. As Bohdan Nahaylo continued to interrupt Shivshankar, he continued to shout back at him with the name McAdams, both infuriating and puzzling the real McAdams.
“If you have any problems, then, go and tell Mr Biden who flashes his fancy credentials. Don’t play the cat’s paw for the West here… You ask those Afghans what they have gone through, falling off planes. Because you dumped them. You ask the African nations because you dumped them. You ask the millions of Iraqi citizens because you dumped them,” the anchor continued.
Craziest 2 minutes of TV news ever, with opposing guests on the Ukraine war hosted by Indian TV. the ending is a MUST watch.🤦 pic.twitter.com/1USI8bjHif
— Sk Boz, PhD 💙 (@skbozphd) March 3, 2022
Without realising that he had mistaken Bohdan Nahaylo for McAdams, Rahul Shivshankar emphasised, “You people and your colonial agenda has wrecked the South, wrecked the East. Don’t sit here and lecture us Ms McAdams.” McAdams was trying to correct Rahul Shivshankar, but his voice was drowned in the shoutfest of the other two.
After some time, the real ‘Daniel McAdams’ had enough, and he intervened by saying, “I’m not talking. It’s the other guy who’s talking! Dear host, I haven’t said a word yet. I don’t know why you’re yelling at me…I am Mr McAdams and I haven’t said a word, so stop yelling at me!” To this, the anchor said, “I am not yelling at you, I am talking about Mr McAdams”, and then came the big moment of revelation for Rahul Shivshankar, as Daniel McAdams replied, “I am Mr McAdams, I am Mr McAdams.”
“OK, Sorry, I got that confused”, this what the anchor could say after the embarrassing gaffe on air. The case of ‘mistaken identity’ had sparked off a laugh riot and meme fest on social media.
Netizens took a dig at Times Now anchor over his faux pas
One Akshay Alladi complimented, “Haha, nicely done! Sporting – both by the now famous Mr. McAdams, and by Rahul Shivshankar.”
Haha, nicely done! Sporting – both by the now famous Mr. McAdams, and by Rahul Shivshankar 😀 https://t.co/PuvQdDyLAb
— Akshay Alladi (@akshayalladi) March 4, 2022
One user described how the real ‘McAdams’ must have felt while trying to draw Rahul Shivshankar’s attention towards him.
Anchor Rahul Shivshankar yelling at Mr. Mcadams
— Samyak Gajbhiye 🙋🏻♂️ (@InMyOwnConceit) March 4, 2022
Mr. McAdams: pic.twitter.com/3jdKaeIbsA
“I promise that from today I will never participate in Tv debates on Indian media because it is too risky, now they want me to change my name from McAdams to Makhanlal,” tweeted a parody account of the Executive Director of Ron Paul Institute.
Mc adams replied to Rahul Shivshankar😁 pic.twitter.com/y1xMXR42xx
— SELENOPHILE 🌝 (@Mohs_inbashir) March 5, 2022
“I am the Mr. Mcadams of my house. My whole family yells at me for no reason,” wrote one user.
I am the Mr. Mcadams of my house. My whole family yells at me for no reason.
— _udtapunjabi (@_udtapunjabi) March 5, 2022
Another user thanked the Times Now anchor for taking revenge for white people, failing to differentiate people of colour. “Proud of Rahul Shivshankar for confusing one white man with another. They have done that to us forever,” he said.
Proud of Rahul Shivshankar for confusing one white man with another. They have done that to us forever. 🤣🤣😆
— K M (@KanwarMarwah) March 5, 2022
It is evident from the reappearance of Daniel McAdams on the PrimeTime show of Rahul Shivshankar that he did not take things to heart and instead dealt with the faux pas sportingly.
