I had originally started to post this as just another SNL clip about the ongoing slow-motion Tiger Woods soap opera. But then I preceded it with some observations on the whole situation. And I started thinking that there are some incredibly interesting new ideas and opportunities for PR professionals or companies. I mean, it’s becoming more obvious that Tiger Woods had probably built up a very solid traditional PR machine around him to tailor this clean public persona to project an image that would appeal to the widest possible base. Translation? Big endorsement bucks from the likes of Nike and Accenture.

So here’s what I’ve been trying to point out: Once the first cracks started to show up, his entire facade came down so quickly that I don’t think anyone had any idea of the depth of the story and how widely it spread in such a short period of time. And it looks like his traditional image team simply weren’t prepared to deal the always-on concept of Twittering and Social Networks. The moment something happened, it was already being sent out and discussed all the way on the other side of the world minutes later, satisfying a global appetite for village gossip. Some of the famous seem to go through crises with Teflon; nothing sticks to them long enough to catch on unless they want it to. Others who have still managed to maintain their public personas over the years now run the risk of hitting rock-bottom very quickly if they’re unprepared for bad news. I wonder just how many agencies or professionals have moved in on this new field now? Or is it a completely new opportunity for some early adopters? Maybe an opportunity to discuss an absolutely new business?

Anyway, here’s my original post from RobertinSeattle:

I know, I know. Maybe everyone should let up on Tiger Woods. But he didn’t just lie to his wife and family about his “transgressions” even while he spent megabucks to keep his secrets hidden from his fans and the general public.

Why is this significant? Because it now appears that his entire public persona was carefully developed, perpetuated and protected by a well-oiled – and completely planned – sub-industry funded out of his millions in revenues just to generate even more millions. While I’ve gone so far as to defend the man’s raw talent in golf (and I’m not even remotely a golf fan myself – in fact, my closest friends and family know I personally HATE golf), this issue has nothing to do with his talent.

I see this entire drama as the public disintegration of a massive fraud. Remember the outrage at Bernie Madoff late last year as one defrauded investor after another started to come forward and confess to being duped? In short order, the trickle became a flood and then hit a tipping point where the dam finally broke. It was like a train wreck that everyone has to slow down to look at while driving by. And Tiger Woods’ situation continues to actually get worse with each passing day. The blond cuties keep piling up (what is it – 14 now?!!) and the stories get more lurid. In a word, it was all a LIE. (Not the golf term.)

We were all lied to for years and it was intentional. So in retrospect, what would it really have hurt had this young and talented golfer simply revealed himself as a philandering playboy and not gotten married in the first place? Would it have really hurt his image? Probably not. With his talent, it would have been more likely he would have found himself an equal number of sponsors who would have embraced the edgy Tiger Woods and he wouldn’t be facing the problems he’s facing today. It’s hard to know which of his PR geniuses and personal handlers advised him to take on this squeaky clean persona but it’s sure time to come clean and drop the act. And maybe hire a whole new crew that knows how to deal with social networks and the Internet.

It’s clearly obvious his old team has no clue on how to deal with any of this! Somehow I don’t think the old happily-married-star story is going to stick any more.

Originally posted on RobertinSeattle.