Australia’s foreign minister has given what’s believed to be the first-ever political interview with emoji-only answers. The image that Julie Bishop picked to depict the Russian president was not at all ‘smiley’.
The interview - an exchange of text messages, with Bishop required to stick to images instead of verbal answers - was done by the online news resource, Buzzfeed.
The minister was apparently approached with an offer to try the
unconventional type of interview as she is herself an avid user
of emoticons on her Twitter account.
Sometimes, as in her Christmas message, she uses them and nothing
else.
❤️❤️
— Julie Bishop (@JulieBishopMP) December 24, 2014
“The foreign minister accepted the challenge [of an emoji
interview] in the spirit in which it was offered to her,"
her spokeswoman said, according to AFP.
Foreign policy questions can be answered pictorially, the
interview shows.
Relations with the US and China were described by Julie Bishop
with happy smileys and thumbs up.
Australia’s top diplomat was however hardly diplomatic when asked
to describe President Vladimir Putin with one emoji. The reply
was a red angry face.
Lolwut?! Australian Foreign Minister @JulieBishopMP does an all-emoji interview http://t.co/KYf4xvcHsopic.twitter.com/FUN2Jfg4u5
— Wouter van Cleef (@WvanCleef) February 16, 2015
Bishop was kinder to her prime minister, Tony Abbott, portraying
him as a running man, referencing his addiction to fitness.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to Bishop,
could best be illustrated with a picture of a mobile phone.
READ MORE:Australian PM Abbott’s leadership to be tested in party room vote
An expressionless smiley with a straight line for a mouth was the
minister’s answer to the question of whether she wanted the post
of prime minister.
She was also asked some non-political questions, which revealed
her guilty pleasures are high-heeled shoes and donuts, she keeps
herself fit by running and her favorite emoji is a winking
smiling one blowing a kiss.