In retrospect, these celeb interviews are hard to watch. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable interviews with celebrities that are now uncomfortable to watch considering changes in public attitudes or controversies that now surround either the interviewer or interviewee.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Yeah, it was weird.
00:02 [SIGHS]
00:04 Ew.
00:05 I'm embarrassed.
00:06 Can we--
00:07 Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:10 And today, we're counting down our picks
00:12 for the most notable interviews with celebrities
00:15 that are now uncomfortable to watch,
00:17 considering changes in public attitudes or controversies
00:20 that now surround either the interviewer or interviewee.
00:23 You say you're from New York.
00:24 You're from Long Island?
00:25 Yeah, grew up in Long Island.
00:26 [CHEERING]
00:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:30 Number 10, David Letterman.
00:32 The 2021 documentary framing Britney Spears
00:36 sparked online discussions about the media's treatment
00:38 of female celebrities.
00:40 Amid that backdrop, former Late Show host David Letterman
00:43 came under fire for some of his past interviews.
00:46 Arguably, the most disturbing occurred in 1998,
00:49 when he interviewed actress Jennifer Aniston, who's
00:52 promoting her film, Object of My Affection.
00:54 It's not as bad as I think people assume it is.
00:57 But you know, there's always those odd--
00:59 those odd encounters.
01:00 During their conversation, Letterman suddenly
01:03 approached a visibly uncomfortable Aniston
01:05 and sucked on a strand of her hair.
01:07 What are you doing?
01:08 [LAUGHTER]
01:10 What are you doing?
01:12 [LAUGHTER]
01:13 He then handed her a tissue to wipe the saliva off.
01:17 The veteran host was also taken to task
01:19 for a 2013 interview with Lindsay Lohan,
01:21 where he ambushed her with several
01:23 inappropriate questions, leaving her to tear up at one point.
01:27 You can't make a joke of it.
01:28 I just want to--
01:29 I just--
01:29 That's so mean.
01:30 I don't-- I'm not joking.
01:31 No, you're not doing that.
01:31 We're not doing that.
01:32 Number 9, Jussie Smollett.
01:35 On January 29, 2019, Empire actor Jussie Smollett
01:40 reported that he had been the victim of an alleged hate
01:42 crime in Chicago.
01:43 Smollett claimed that two men had attacked him
01:45 in the early hours of the morning
01:47 while yelling racial and homophobic slurs at him.
01:50 Dozen detectives are pursuing new leads,
01:53 including grainy photos of two persons of interest.
01:56 When authorities launched an investigation
01:58 into the alleged attack, several inconsistencies in Smollett's
02:01 story began to emerge.
02:03 On February 14, the actor discussed the incident
02:06 in an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts,
02:08 expressing that he was, quote, "pissed off"
02:11 at those who doubted his story.
02:12 How can you doubt that?
02:14 Like, how do you-- how do you not believe that?
02:16 It's the truth.
02:17 However, less than a week later, it
02:19 was revealed that Smollett had indeed
02:21 staged the attack, leading to his criminal indictment
02:24 for filing a false police report.
02:26 Now, a grand jury on Tuesday indicted Smollett
02:29 on six counts of disorderly conduct.
02:31 Number eight, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
02:34 Back in 2004, celebrity twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
02:38 were still teenagers when they appeared
02:40 on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
02:42 During the interview, Winfrey brought up
02:44 reports that Mary-Kate had been dealing
02:46 with an eating disorder.
02:47 Ashley immediately came to her defense,
02:50 stating that they didn't care about what
02:51 was discussed in the tabloids.
02:53 I know there's a new rumor that's recently surfaced
02:55 has really upset you, right?
02:57 You know, the one about eating.
02:58 Yeah, you know, people are going to write
03:00 what they want to write.
03:01 However, Winfrey interrupted Ashley
03:03 with an inappropriate question about their weight,
03:06 leaving both sisters visibly surprised.
03:08 What size are you, by the way?
03:10 Size?
03:11 Yeah, I was like--
03:12 I'm not sure.
03:13 I eat girls, and you know.
03:14 Oh, that's so interesting.
03:16 [LAUGHTER]
03:19 This was particularly disturbing,
03:20 given the fact that the twins were minors at the time,
03:23 and Mary-Kate would seek treatment later that year
03:25 for an eating disorder.
03:27 When the interview resurfaced in 2021,
03:29 Winfrey faced intense criticism for her handling
03:32 of the situation.
03:33 How horrified Mary-Kate and her sister Ashley
03:36 were when they were asked that question,
03:38 and then for Oprah to laugh about it.
03:40 Number seven, Ashton Kutcher.
03:42 In 2023, Hollywood couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis
03:46 came under fire after writing letters of support
03:49 for their former co-star Danny Masterson, who was
03:52 convicted of sexual assault. Subsequently,
03:55 one of Masterson's accusers shared a clip
03:58 from a 2003 episode of Kutcher's show Punk'd,
04:01 where he made a seemingly predatory comment
04:04 about actress Hilary Duff.
04:05 This remark made by Kutcher, who was 25 at the time,
04:08 raised significant concerns about his behavior.
04:11 That we're all waiting for to turn 18.
04:14 The backlash on the actor further intensified
04:16 after another clip from a 2002 interview
04:19 on the Rosie O'Donnell Show resurfaced.
04:22 In it, Kutcher gleefully admitted to participating
04:24 in a bet with Masterson to French kiss Kunis on screen
04:28 without her consent, even though she was still a minor.
04:31 - So I was like, okay.
04:33 Then Danny goes and goes, dude, I'll give you $10
04:35 if you French kiss her.
04:36 - Number six, Ellen DeGeneres.
04:39 Talk show hosts have always found creative ways
04:41 to get the scoop on the lives of their celebrity guests.
04:44 But Ellen DeGeneres seemed to have crossed a line
04:47 in a 2008 interview with Mariah Carey
04:50 that left the singer extremely uncomfortable.
04:52 - People are saying that you're pregnant.
04:55 There's rumors.
04:56 - Don't discuss that.
04:58 - In a bid to confirm pregnancy rumors,
05:00 DeGeneres offered Carey champagne
05:03 and pressured her to drink it.
05:04 Carey, who looked a bit uneasy,
05:07 initially tried to fend her off,
05:08 but eventually appeared to take a small sip.
05:11 DeGeneres interpreted this as confirmation
05:13 and proceeded to celebrate.
05:15 However, in 2020, Carey disclosed that she wasn't ready
05:18 to share the news at the time
05:20 due to a previous miscarriage.
05:22 Tragically, she lost the pregnancy shortly
05:24 after the controversial interview.
05:26 - But she says she didn't enjoy that moment.
05:29 - Number five, Matt Lauer.
05:32 The Me Too movement led to the downfall
05:33 of several industry heavyweights,
05:36 including longtime Today host Matt Lauer.
05:39 Lauer was fired by NBC in November of 2017
05:42 after allegations of quote,
05:44 "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace"
05:47 came to light.
05:48 Following his dismissal,
05:50 a peculiar 2009 interview
05:52 with actress Sandra Bullock resurfaced.
05:54 Bullock was there to promote her film, "The Proposal,"
05:57 only to be bombarded with remarks about her nude scenes.
06:00 The major thing that's changed since you were here last?
06:02 - Yes.
06:03 - I have now seen you naked.
06:04 Lauer displayed an unsettling excitement
06:06 at the thought of seeing the actress naked,
06:08 even adding that the image had become his screensaver.
06:12 You're naked for most of this movie.
06:13 - I assume.
06:14 (laughing)
06:15 - Many found this disturbing,
06:17 especially in light of his sexual misconduct allegations.
06:20 At the end of the interview,
06:22 Lauer asks Bullock to return soon,
06:24 an invitation she instantly declines.
06:27 - Sandra Bullock, come back more often.
06:28 - No, not after this interview.
06:30 (laughing)
06:31 - Number four, Ben Affleck.
06:33 In the wake of the Me Too movement,
06:35 many began to re-examine past behavior of celebrities
06:39 that was once normalized.
06:40 Enter actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck.
06:43 In October of that year, actress Hilary Burton alleged
06:46 that Affleck had groped her during a 2003 appearance
06:50 on MTV's "Total Request Live."
06:52 - Yeah, he pulled that move.
06:53 - That's his move, yeah.
06:54 - Following this allegation,
06:56 the actor issued a statement apologizing
06:58 for his inappropriate behavior.
06:59 Shortly after, another video resurfaced
07:02 from a 2004 interview with Canadian journalist
07:05 Anne-Marie Lozik.
07:06 In it, Affleck tightly embraces Lozik
07:09 and makes suggestive comments about her body.
07:12 - You know, you should work at Fox here in LA.
07:14 You blend right in, they would love you.
07:16 - At first glance, it appears highly inappropriate
07:19 and raises questions about Affleck's behavior towards women.
07:22 According to Lozik, however, it was all an intentional act
07:26 for the cameras to boost ratings.
07:28 - It was strictly for the cameras while the cameras were on.
07:31 While they were off, it was actually very proper
07:33 and we talked about many things.
07:35 - Number three, Britney Spears.
07:37 In 2003, shortly after her high-profile split
07:40 from Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears sat down
07:43 with veteran TV presenter Diane Sawyer.
07:46 During the interview, Sawyer asked Spears a slew
07:48 of questions that would be uncomfortable
07:50 for anyone to answer, let alone a 21-year-old.
07:53 - Is it an addiction?
07:55 - Is it an addiction?
07:56 No, I don't think it's an addiction.
07:59 I think it does put me, like, it makes me happy.
08:02 - Among other topics, she grilled her
08:03 about the breakup with Timberlake
08:05 and also seemingly defended a statement
08:07 by then First Lady of Maryland
08:09 who said she would shoot Spears if given the opportunity.
08:12 - Oh, that's horrible.
08:13 - Well, she-- - That's really bad.
08:15 - Because of the example for kids
08:16 and how hard it is to be a parent.
08:18 - Needless to say, the now-infamous interview
08:20 felt more like an interrogation.
08:22 At one point, the singer even broke down in tears.
08:25 The clip ignited a wave of criticism directed at Sawyer
08:28 after it was featured heavily in the 2021 documentary
08:32 Framing Britney Spears.
08:34 - And yet he's left the impression
08:36 that you weren't faithful,
08:39 that you betrayed the relationship.
08:42 - I think everyone has a side to their story.
08:46 - Number two, Danny Masterson.
08:49 Who knew late-night talk show host could predict the future?
08:52 As earlier mentioned, Hollywood actor Danny Masterson
08:55 made headlines in 2023 after he was convicted
08:58 of sexually assaulting two women in the early 2000s.
09:02 He received a prison sentence of 30 years to life
09:04 for these crimes.
09:05 Masterson's sentencing led to the discovery
09:08 of an old clip from his 2004 appearance
09:10 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
09:12 When asked about his lack of a Long Island accent,
09:15 the actor's response was an uncomfortable joke
09:17 with a vulgar undertone.
09:19 - Like my friend, Bodhi Elfman, he always teases me
09:21 and he says, "Hi, my name is Danny Masterson.
09:23 "Would you like to touch my balls?"
09:24 - Perhaps sarcastically, O'Brien quipped
09:27 that Masterson's day of reckoning would soon come.
09:30 It may have taken nearly two decades,
09:32 but that statement ultimately came to fruition.
09:35 - I've heard about you.
09:36 (audience laughing)
09:37 And you'll be caught soon, I know you will.
09:39 - I will.
09:40 - Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
09:43 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
09:46 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos
09:48 or all of them.
09:49 If you're on your phone, make sure you go
09:51 into your settings and switch on notifications.
09:54 - Number one, Bill Cosby.
09:58 Disgraced actor and comedian Bill Cosby
10:00 has faced dozens of sexual assault allegations
10:03 throughout his career.
10:05 Many of his accusers claim that Cosby drugged them
10:07 before committing the despicable acts.
10:10 These allegations may not come as a surprise,
10:12 considering that in a 1991 interview
10:15 on CNN's Larry King Live, Cosby seemingly alluded
10:18 to spiking people's drinks.
10:20 Speaking with King, the comedian made a joke
10:22 about Spanish Fly, a drug used as an aphrodisiac.
10:26 - We will still be searching for Spanish Fly.
10:30 - Cosby talked about dropping the pill in a lady's drink
10:33 as a means of having one's way with her.
10:35 Even King joins in on the topic,
10:37 concluding Cosby's lewd joke with, "She's yours."
10:41 We'd say it's a disturbing clip,
10:43 but even that seems like an understatement.
10:45 - And the girl would drink it and she's yours.
10:47 - Hello, America.
10:49 - What other celeb interview do you think
10:51 needs a reassessment?
10:52 Sound off in the comments.
10:54 - Was it all right?
10:54 I mean, was it hard to do?
10:56 No, it just happened.
10:58 (upbeat music)
11:00 (upbeat music)
11:03 (upbeat music)
11:05 (upbeat music)
11:08 (upbeat music)
11:11 (upbeat music)
11:13 (upbeat music)
11:16 (upbeat music)