Interview interrupted by 'flying penises' … sure, it was in Second Life, but still

Thirty years of conducting interviews and not once have I had one interrupted by flying penises.

Of course, I have yet to conduct one in Second Life, the much-hyped "virtual world" where interviewers and interviewees are apparently at the mercy of airborne members, according to this story on C/Net about an interview with Second Life superstar Ailin Graef.

Unfortunately, as the interview was commencing, the event was attacked by a "griefer," someone intent on disrupting the proceedings. The griefer managed to assault the CNET theater for 15 minutes with -- well, there's no way to say this delicately -- animated flying penises.

It's not clear why the griefer attacked, but Anshe Chung (Graef's avatar) is controversial to some Second Life residents for reasons such as inflexibility on land pricing, the signs she has placed in many areas of the virtual world that are visible to anyone flying overhead and her ability to get many residents to sell their land to her.

Chung refused to continue the interview in the CNET theater but agreed to go on in her own space. Once restarted, the interview was attacked again, and the protester even managed to crash the entire server on which Chung's theater is held.

Not to blame the victim -- especially of something as heinous as an attack of flying penises -- but does anyone else smell a publicity stunt here? I sent an e-mail to the reporter to see if the thought at least crossed anyone's mind and he replied: "I really can't comment on this. I'm sorry."

Not sure what to make of that.

In the meantime, I'm doing all of my interviews in the real world, thank-you very much.