"Transformers" director stalks off stage at Samsung event

Movie director Michael Bay speaks at the Samsung press event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. (AFP/Robyn Beck)

LAS VEGAS: Autobot warriors in "Transformers" films stand firm in the face of pressure, but the director of the blockbuster action films bolted when a teleprompter failed him at a Samsung press event.

Michael Bay joined a Samsung executive on stage on Monday to extol the wonders of a new curved 105-inch ultra high-definition television at this week's Consumer Electronics Show.

He got as far as saying that he got to dream for a living and that his job was to "take people on an emotional ride" before being forced to go off script. He stumbled at the prospect.

Samsung executive vice president Joe Stinziano prompted Bay, albeit to no avail, by asking his thoughts on how the curved television screen might enhance viewing.

Bay said he was sorry and then stormed off stage in an apparent huff, prompting one of the hundreds of journalists in the packed audience to quip that it "must have been a Decepticon sensor."

"Transformers" fans know the Decepticons as the fearsome enemies of the Autobot heroes, sentient robots that can convert into any of a wide array of vehicles.

"Wow! I just embarrassed myself at CES," Bay said in a post at his website michaelbay.com.

"I got so excited to talk, that I skipped over the Exec VP's intro line and then the teleprompter got lost. Then the prompter went up and down - then I walked off. I guess live shows aren't my thing."

Bay referred to the new curved television as "awesome" and said he has put "Transformers" footage in a special screen experience that will be used to promote the sets around the world.

Unfortunately for South Korea-based Samsung, Bay's melt-down became the highlight of the press event, and may unintentionally mar the introduction of the curved television.