We're STILL talking about these iconic interviews! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most memorable, culturally-defining, and/or unforgettable interviews of the 2000s.
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00:00No, no fun stories?
00:01Yeah.
00:02I mean, I'm sure it's something fun happened.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable, culturally
00:10defining and or unforgettable interviews of the 2000s.
00:14Do you really know?
00:16Do you really know?
00:17No, you know.
00:21Number 10.
00:22Howard Stern warns Conan O'Brien Late night with Conan O'Brien
00:27Years before Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien's late night feud, Howard Stern showed up on
00:32the latter's program to dish out some knowledge.
00:34The king of all media arrived seemingly from the future to deliver the late night host
00:39a dire warning.
00:40You were kind to me back then, though.
00:42It has absolutely worked out.
00:44I'm proud of you.
00:45And then I read in the paper that Conan is going to replace Jay Leno, thank God.
00:51Stern doesn't mince words about Leno, saying that the Tonight Show presenter won't leave
00:56his job quietly.
00:58It's quite an insightful comment, considering the 2010 scandal.
01:02Whether you like him or not, the radio personality predicts some of the ensuing conflicts with
01:07both humor and honesty.
01:09And it said that Jay wanted that job so bad, he would hide in closets and listen in to
01:15the NBC executives talking about his fate, and he wanted the job from Letterman.
01:20It wasn't the first or last time that he'd air out his opinions about the subject, either.
01:24The interview might have seemed normal in 2006, but it later became an unexpected look
01:30at the future of talk shows.
01:32I don't see this guy leaving and letting you walk in.
01:34And I'm concerned about you.
01:36You're concerned?
01:37What about me?
01:38This is a big effort.
01:409.
01:41Jiminy Glick Interviews Mel Brooks
01:43Primetime Glick
01:44From the minds of Martin Short, Jiminy Glick exists to mock the worst aspects of celebrity
01:51interviewers.
01:52The character welcomes comedy icon Mel Brooks for his Primetime Glick segment.
01:56You're often included on the list of all-time great comedians.
02:00How did that happen?
02:03And what have you done?
02:05Rather than suck up to the comedian, Glick gets personal with hilarious and condescending
02:10questions.
02:11Short's performance underneath the suit couldn't be funnier in one of his greatest roles.
02:16Even the filmmaker gets to crack a joke that almost breaks the host.
02:20What scares Mel Brooks?
02:22Olive oil.
02:23There are many things that, you know, if I came upon them, would frighten me.
02:31With a straight face, the performer even asks Brooks outrageous things about controversial
02:35topics.
02:36Both men come together with tremendous improvisation skills, elevating the press junket concept
02:42into an art form.
02:43It's this time for Mel Brooks to knock the knocks, it seems.
02:47Oh, I don't know.
02:49I think they're rude.
02:50I guess.
02:51I guess.
02:52This has been absolutely so much fun.
02:55Number 8.
02:56Ellen Traps George Clooney – The Ellen DeGeneres Show
03:00During her tenure as a talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres had trouble getting an interview
03:04from George Clooney.
03:06Have people been informing you every step of the way of what we've done?
03:09Informing is not really what I would call what my office has been doing.
03:12Uh-huh.
03:13Complaining.
03:14I see.
03:15No, they couldn't be.
03:16They were a little concerned when the marching band came.
03:19His nearby offices became the largest of a series of pranks to lure him to the studio.
03:25After several attempts, DeGeneres finally pulled out all of the stops.
03:30She enlisted two legendary Cincinnati Reds players to entice Clooney out of hiding.
03:34Maybe we go over there and play catch.
03:35No, we're just going to play catch.
03:36No, we're just going to play catch.
03:37I don't think she's there, really.
03:38You don't think she's there?
03:39No, I don't think she came in tonight.
03:40I really don't.
03:41Go over there?
03:42Yeah, I'll just go over there.
03:43Alright, I'll go.
03:44At the very least, her dedication to the bit has to be admired.
03:51The result was an amusing adventure and a fun showcase of the guest's sense of humor.
03:55I don't know about that bait.
03:56It was great bait, wasn't it?
03:57It was good bait.
03:58Yeah.
03:59It was just this level of the Chippendales.
04:04With all of his charms, the actor makes the wait well worth it.
04:08The star shares memories of his childhood and keeps the segment light with his likable
04:12demeanor.
04:14Did you try out for the…
04:15Yeah.
04:16Really?
04:17I only lack talent.
04:187.
04:19Craig Ferguson Interviews Desmond Tutu
04:20The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
04:23Despite having one of the silliest talk shows around, Craig Ferguson still invited Archbishop
04:28Desmond Tutu for an interview.
04:30The result was one of the host's finest moments.
04:33Tutu referred to the comedian as crazy, but in a positive way that opened the door for
04:38their incredible discussion.
04:40How do you find the ability for truth and reconciliation?
04:45One of the important things to keep remembering is that evil is an aberration.
04:55That is why you get upset.
04:56The two injected humor into a serious discussion about activism, injustice, and the state of
05:02the world.
05:03Ferguson's incisive questions prompted the guest to unleash his wisdom about forgiveness.
05:08And that's why we say there actually is no future without forgiveness.
05:16It's no wonder the presenter won a Peabody for this segment, highlighting his ability
05:20to draw laughs and deep thoughts.
05:22This underrated program elevated itself to legendary status with this unlikely appearance.
05:28Important for people to be able to tell their story.
05:34Have you found out how powerful telling one's story can be?
05:416.
05:42Paris Hilton Talks Jail
05:44Late show with David Letterman.
05:46With her famous friends and reality shows, Paris Hilton was seemingly everywhere in the
05:512000s.
05:52This also included a stint in jail that overshadowed this David Letterman interview.
05:57Which do you prefer, New York City or Los Angeles?
06:00I like both.
06:01I like the weather in L.A. better, but I love New York City.
06:03New York City's exciting though, isn't it?
06:05I was born here, yeah.
06:06Yeah, good for you.
06:07How'd you like being in jail?
06:08While the celebrity wanted to talk about her other ventures, the comedian turned the appearance
06:13into an embarrassing interrogation.
06:16Hilton was an easy target for jokes given her high-profile status and wealth.
06:21Have your friends treated you differently since you've been out of the slammer?
06:25No.
06:28People think that I was really strong and that I went through it.
06:30She later stated her discomfort with the segment, but it's clear she wanted to escape
06:34the topic right away.
06:36We're not surprised, considering the host's fixation on her legal troubles.
06:41Whether you laughed or were left feeling awkward, this interview perfectly captured the hotel
06:46heiress' hold on the media.
06:48Did you make any friends while you were in jail?
06:50I'm not answering any more questions about that.
06:52No more questions about jail?
06:53I'm here for my clothing line and my movie and my perfume.
06:55I'm not here to talk about that.
06:57Number 5.
06:59Tom Cruise vs. Matt Lauer
07:00Today, on his press tour for War of the Worlds, Tom Cruise was more vocal than ever about
07:06his love life and personal beliefs.
07:09Because you're telling the real story, where does it leave them to go?
07:13Yeah, but here's the point.
07:14I don't even get into that game.
07:16I'm just living my life, man.
07:18This included his views on everything from Scientology to his thoughts about Brooke Shields'
07:23handling of her postpartum depression.
07:25Scientology is something that you don't understand.
07:28It's like, you could be a Christian and be a Scientologist, okay?
07:33Scientology is something…
07:34So it doesn't replace religion.
07:35And it is a religion because it's dealing with the spirit.
07:40The actor got aggressive with Today host Matt Lauer about psychiatry and prescription drugs,
07:46sharing his strong stances with viewers.
07:49It's completely strange to see a movie star arguing about Ritalin on a morning show.
07:54Here's the problem.
07:55I don't know the history of psychiatry.
07:56I do.
07:57Aren't there examples and might not Brooke Shields be an example of someone who benefited
08:02from one of those drugs?
08:03All it does is mask the problem, Matt.
08:05The segment might be one of the more uncomfortable moments in Cruise's career, showing him in
08:11a more hostile light.
08:12It certainly didn't help his reputation during one of his most controversial years
08:16of his fame.
08:17She doesn't understand the history of psychiatry.
08:21She doesn't understand in the same way that you don't understand it, Matt.
08:244.
08:25Diane Sawyer Grills Britney Spears – Primetime
08:28During the early 2000s, Britney Spears was one of the most famous singers in the world.
08:34This also made her fodder for tabloid coverage regarding her relationship with Justin Timberlake.
08:40You broke his heart.
08:42You did something that caused him so much pain, so much suffering.
08:49What did you do?
08:50Diane Sawyer questions the pop star about her personal life and cultural influence,
08:55painting the vocalist in a negative light.
08:58The performer does her best to push back against questions regarding her status as a role model.
09:03I'm not perfect.
09:04I make mistakes every day, honey.
09:05I know.
09:06But I want to be a good person for me, but I think it's a huge pressure to think that
09:10you have to take the responsibility to be this role model.
09:14You could easily point to this as one of many times the media was unfair to her.
09:19In hindsight, the segment looks even worse given everything that Spears went through.
09:24It's both infamous and iconic in its own way, as it charts one of the peaks of the singer's
09:29career.
09:30What happened to your clothes?
09:31Well, I have on clothes now.
09:32I know.
09:33But what's this about?
09:34No kidding.
09:35What is it about?
09:36What is it about?
09:37Yeah.
09:38It's about doing a beautiful picture.
09:413.
09:42Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman Late Show with David Letterman
09:46Sporting long hair and sunglasses, Joaquin Phoenix shocked audiences with this appearance
09:51on The Late Show with David Letterman.
09:53Very nice movie.
09:54And you don't see movies like this much anymore, and I was so gratified to see it.
09:58And you were terrific in the film.
09:59I really enjoyed your work.
10:07He also appeared to be somewhat aloof during the experience.
10:11With the host both amused and confused, Phoenix said he was going to be stepping away from
10:17acting.
10:18But you're not going to act anymore?
10:19No.
10:20Why is that?
10:21I don't know.
10:28The entire segment was surreal when it first went viral in 2009.
10:33When the actor later explained it was all made up for a film, the whole thing morphed
10:37into a bizarre piece of sketch comedy.
10:40The actor managed to fool everyone in an entertaining and strange chapter of 2000s
10:45pop culture.
10:46And it sounded great.
10:47So is that the kind of music you're interested in?
10:50No, no, I do more hip-hop music.
10:54Hip-hop music?
10:55Um, that's a joke.
10:592.
11:00Whitney Houston and Diane Sawyer Primetime.
11:04Whitney Houston sat down with Diane Sawyer to talk about her career.
11:08It was far from a puff piece.
11:10The interviewer delved into Houston's life, health, and personal demons.
11:15With the singer on the defensive, Sawyer pressed the star about her weight.
11:20Is she sick?
11:21And how sick is she?
11:22I am not sick, Diane.
11:25I am not sick.
11:26Let's get that straight.
11:27I am not sick, okay?
11:31It's clear throughout that Houston was taken aback by the intense questioning.
11:36When the conversation turns to drugs, the vocalist famously says one quote that helped
11:41to immortalize the segment.
11:43This appearance highlighted the many personal demons that likely followed her until her
11:48untimely death.
11:49I like to think of I had a bad habit.
11:56Which can be broken.
11:57While the interview could be considered intrusive, it also reiterated that even the most successful
12:03people suffer behind the scenes.
12:05I'm not the strongest every day, but I'm not the weakest either.
12:09And I won't break.
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12:261.
12:28Tom Cruise on Oprah – The Oprah Winfrey Show
12:31Few talk show appearances have taken on a life of their own quite like this one.
12:36Tom Cruise appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show with more energy than ever, showing excitement
12:41about his love life.
12:42Something happened to you.
12:43Something happened to you.
12:44I'm in love.
12:48The actor was hyperactive in an interview that included jumping on the couch.
12:53This particular move came to epitomize Cruise's overexposure in the media, with his relationship
12:59and behavior taking center stage.
13:02We've never seen you behave this way before.
13:04I know.
13:05Have you ever felt this way before?
13:09Some thought it was a bizarre display of emotion, while others just turned the moment into a
13:14meme.
13:15It arguably became Winfrey's most decade-defining interview, with even her Whitney Houston and
13:21James Fry talks taking a backseat to this segment.
13:24Do you agree with our picks?
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13:54And as always, thanks for watching!
13:55We'll see you next time.