Favorite Awkward and/or Contentious Celebrity Interviews

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 6:07pm

I'm not exactly sure what went wrong during this conversation between Michael Parkinson and Meg Ryan, but it brought out a side of her that I hadn't seen before. She's a lot more intelligent than I suspected.

Part 1 - http://youtube.com/watch?v=rWEdi4uf7Eo
Part 2 - http://youtube.com/watch?v=1qSvLJlsWh8

[morosco]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 6:48pm

Madonna vs. Letterman 1994

[lusciouslace]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 7:34pm

That was really interesting. I read a lot of the comments on that site and it seems that most people concur that he was mostly in the wrong in his style and approach in the interview. However, I do think she looked like she was on the defensive right from the start. Several times she made faces like, "You've got to be kidding me!?!" Lots of uncomfortable pauses. I do think she sounded intelligent, but she was being defensive, too. It felt, to me, like something might have happened prior to that show or she knew of his reputation and was harboring a bit of hostility. Actually, I thought they were both being a bit hostile. Interesting.

I've seen plenty of awkward or weird interviews, but the first one the comes to mind is from back in the day. I think it was when the first Mission Impossible movie came out in the 90's. MTV's Kennedy was interviewing Martin Landau (sp?) and she asked him what his connection to the movie was. He was totally insulted that she didn't know his history with it and the exchange was really hostile. I don't know if you can still see this anywhere...but it'd be worth looking into...

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 7:48pm

Oprah and Barbara Streisand

[BwayLover]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 8:08pm

If anything, it's Barbra. Two A's.

ETA - And I think Meg Ryan was totally obnoxious to Parkinson.

Updated On: 12/28/07 at 08:08 PM

[nitsua]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 8:08pm

She was born Barbara.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 8:36pm

Thanks for reminding me of Kennedy's interview with Landau, luscious. I remember seeing it the first time it aired. I think I was peeking through my fingers by the end.
Kennedy vs Landau

[LaurenB]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 8:42pm

"I'm not exactly sure what went wrong during this conversation between Michael Parkinson and Meg Ryan, but it brought out a side of her that I hadn't seen before."

It brought out a side of him that I hadn't seen before. Usually he's jovial and charming. I don't care for Meg Ryan, but I thought she handled herself well and he came off as a jerk.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 12/28/07 at 11:43pm

Definitely the first one, where the girl confuses John Cusack with Kevin Spacey, and the second, where Merry Miller makes a total fool of herself while interviewing Holly Hunter, even getting the network she works for wrong.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXF8Lhvjqa8
2. http://youtube.com/watch?v=FbpUwx_YLGc

[blueroses]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 12:14am

Stuttering John interviews Chevy Chase:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=evt0ux_YUuI&feature=related
Updated On: 12/29/07 at 12:14 AM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 12:18am

Tom Cruise berating Matt Lauer.

[blueroses]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 12:37am

Sandra Bernhard and Madonna on Letterman:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=7y-qp_Y23iY&feature=related

[blueroses]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 12:45am

I love Sandra! Watch Elisabeth Hasselbeck go nuts when she says Laura Bush looks medicated:

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2745255

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 2:46pm

Jewel and Kurt Loder from 1998:
'It's a type of casualty.'

[blueroses]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:00pm

Courtney Love, Madonna and Kurt Loder:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=uEsQHenUdo8

[scott68]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 3:09pm

Not too contentious, just painnnfully awkward. My favorite part is after "Grey Gardens" when Isaac says, "Oh, that was just like poetry!" and you can FEEL Rufus wincing.
Isaac Mizrahi interviewing Rufus Wainwright

[RadiGal2]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:37pm

Hands down for me was a watching a totally baked Dave Chappelle not giving a friggin thing on Oprah- not sure what she was looking for but he was not giving one inch, however the icing on the cake only came if you saw the thoughtful and insightful interview he did with Anderson Cooper a few days later.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 5:41pm

umm scott, Issac Mizrahi interviewing ANYONE qualifies as awkward. Didn't he molest Scarlet Johannsen (or someone) at the Oscars last year?

[lusciouslace]

Posted: 12/29/07 at 6:42pm

Thanks for finding that link MrMidwest! I remember watching that and just cringing.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:35pm

No problem, luscious.

Anyone remember the episode of Regis & Kathie Lee when Howie Mandel was filling in for Regis and he made that crack about Halle Berry's car accident? He said something like, "She ran right into me in the hallway, didn't even say anything, and walked away." She was mad when she came out to be interviewed.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 3:50pm

Streisand & Mike Wallace

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 3:54pm

Infamous: Crispin Glover on Letterman

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 6:29pm

Jim Carrey on Jonathan Ross is the strangest thing I've ever seen. I feel uncomfortable just watching it, and I feel terribly sorry for Jonathan Ross:

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=482Ub5rQWAc
Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS_vgvvsZRU&feature=related
Part Three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Str6N8F2UY

It really makes me wonder if Jim Carrey was on any illegal substances at the time, or if he has some sort of social disorder.
Pretty much any interview of Daniel Radcliffe ends up going very, very odd as well.

[javero]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 6:50pm

Omarosa vs Wendy Williams. Wendy posted a commentary at her website in which she admitted that Omarosa actually wanted to "whuup her azz".

It was a real biatch fest.
Omarosa vs Wendy

[EVIE]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 12:18pm

WOW! That Crispin Glover interview was terrible.