This isn't a great example to me. I doubt the interviewers would disagree that the actual code in MVC runs at the "application tier". I think they were just trying to elicit the idea that the model defines interaction with the database and that the view defines interaction with the browser client. That there is some relation there between MVC and 3-tier architecture. The Wikipedia snippet that disputes any relationsh…
The article really rubbed me the wrong way. It feels like the writer was insanely judge mental of interviewer, immediately thinking that he was so much smarter than the guy that he was afraid to embarrass his future boss. All this confirmed by a brief moment if body language? Give me a break.
Sorry if my article gave you a wrong vibe.