Talk show guest praised for refusing to continue interview until host pronounces her name correctly

A talk show presenter's attempt to correctly pronounce the name of Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, a lawyer and activist, has garnered widespread appreciation on social media. The incident took place during Dr. Shola's appearance on the British news channel, Jeremy Vine Extra.

The presenter, Dawn Neesom, initially struggled to say the guest's name correctly and openly admitted her mistake, inquiring, "Could you please help me with the correct pronunciation of your name, Shola?"

Following the host's repeated unsuccessful attempts, Mos-Shogbamimu expressed her dissatisfaction, stating, "This is terrible, especially for a presenter." She then explained that her surname could be pronounced phonetically.

Despite Neesom's continued struggle, she made a slow attempt to pronounce her guest's name before giving up, jokingly saying, "Shola, welcome to the show!"

However, undeterred by the situation, Mos-Shogbamimu insisted that the interview could not proceed without her name being pronounced correctly. She asserted, "No no, you will say my name - now read it phonetically."

The exchange was captured on video and shared on Twitter with a caption that read, "Auntie Shola said we're not moving on until you pronounce my name right." The post gained significant traction, amassing 6.6 million views on the social media platform.

Numerous users commended the lawyer for advocating for the accurate pronunciation of her name. One individual remarked, "Who is the presenter? This is so unprofessional. Fair play to @SholaMos1 for insisting she at least try and pronounce it correctly."

Another person related the incident to their own experiences in school, stating, "The disrespect was real in school. They’d make up names for you because they couldn't pronounce your last name."

Because as a professional this is the sort of thing you establish *before* the show if you have any respect for your guests. I am glad Ms Shola stood her ground https://t.co/1cqZNqkVdJ

— Bolu Babalola 🍯&🌶 (@BeeBabs) May 10, 2023

This marks the second occasion when Mos-Shogbamimu has called out hosts for their lack of effort in pronouncing her name correctly. In January of last year, she insisted that Kate Garraway, the presenter of Good Morning Britain, take the time to learn the correct pronunciation of her name.

After a few unsuccessful attempts at saying Mos-Shogbamimu's surname, Garraway gave up and requested that the guest introduce herself. However, the doctor urged her to make an effort, stating, "I'm not going to let you get away with that. Read it phonetically, pronounce it as you see it."

Eventually, the presenter managed to articulate the name accurately, receiving a round of applause from the guest. Garraway humorously added at the end that she also struggles with pronouncing the name "Smith."

"Just so you know, it's nothing to do with anything else. I just struggle to get my words out most mornings," clarified Garraway.

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