I'm Rachel Martin, host of Wildcard from NPR.

I've spent years interviewing all kinds of people,

and I've realized there are ideas that we all think about,

but don't talk about very much.

So I made a shortcut, a deck of cards with questions that anyone can answer,

questions that go deep into the experiences that shape us.

Listen to the Wildcard podcast only from NPR.

A messy breakup, a controversial social media post, getting caught on camera doing something

unsavory or criminal. When high-profile

people or companies face a scandal, they call people who can help them weather the storm and rehab

their image. Enter the crisis communication specialist. You walk out there, read the statement I wrote for you,

you get to remain a U.S. Senator. This is really happening.

It is. And it's happening to your family, your staff, your friends.

All any of them want to hear right now is how profoundly sorry you are, how ashamed you are,

and how you're going to work to regain their respect and their trust.

Like the work of Olivia Pope and the TV series Scandal,

Crisis PR is the practice of shaping public perception and reputation during a crisis,

and it's a vital tool for maintaining people's reputations in today's digital landscape.

Today, three crisis communications specialists pull back the curtain

on a little-known part of the PR industry that deals with scandals,

crises, and controversies. It's the latest installment of our AskA series where we speak to people

about the work they do and why it matters. You're listening to the 1A podcast. I'm Jen White.

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