Not brilliant at all if the reason Woody put Burke on the DP show was to get in front of a story CBS didn't have. No defamation attorney worth his salt would have voluntarily put someone who had never given a public interview before on national TV knowing he was planning a libel lawsuit shortly. Wood must have been concerned about getting something out first. Granted, Burke was likely an involuntary public figure regardless, but you never know how a judge might rule and there's a chance he could have been considered a private figure. Not now. Thanks to his DP interview Burke is now a full-on public figure. And this is potentially devastating to his defamation suit.
The CBS special was in the can before DP ever sat down with Burke. It was a pre-emptive defence. Nonetheless, when I said brilliant I was only referring to the flashlight smokescreen.