Top 10 Unpredictable Celebrity Interviewees
top 10, list, top 5, celebrities, celebs, interviews, celebrity interviews, talk shows, mel gibson, kanye west, kristen stewart, tom cruise, bruce willis, tim heidecker, eric wareheim, russell brand, charlie sheen, billy bob thornton, andy kaufman, weird celebrities, odd celebrity behaviour, unpredictable celebrity interviewees, watchmojo,
Script written by Q.V. Hough
Like a ticking bomb, you never know when these guys will go off. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Unpredictable Celebrity Interviewees.
For this list, we’re focusing on the stars that often confuse interviewers through odd behavior or responses. We’re excluding celebrities like Robert De Niro, who usually appears to be only vaguely present during interviews, but is consistent with his demeanor.
Known for his reclusive ways and extremely bizarre public persona, this comedic performer made each interview a must-watch. With David Letterman often asking the questions, Andy Kaufman thoroughly confused audiences through an unorthodox approach to comedy, instigating feuds and always conveying a slightly detached aura from the present. Then again, the hilarious “Taxi” star reportedly practiced meditation to ease his performance anxiety, which demonstrates that he wasn’t actually out of touch at all, but playing a perpetual prank on his audience. Unfortunately, Kaufman’s 1984 death only added to his reputation, and sadly, he never returned for a final bow.
Undeniably an actor’s actor, and perhaps even the victim of media toxicity at times, this man has been known to not give a frack. For one, Billy Bob married Angelina Jolie as she was blossoming into a star, and when such a well-documented relationship fails, and you’ve already been married four times, well, people are going to have questions. Of course, Thornton had earned criticism for veering towards pretension, most notably during his 2009 interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio One program Q, in which he took offense to questions that touched on his acting career, as opposed to only his music. In general, if Billy’s having a bad day, he’ll let you know about it.
When you’re the son of a Hollywood star and essentially born into the movie industry, well, a certain amount of unpredictability comes with the self-promotion. For Charlie Sheen, he’s long been a wildcard, but in the digital age, he’s the King of bizarre interviews. And yes, we’re talking about the infamous “winning” sit-down with “Good Morning America.” By now, the public has been offered a few clues into Charlie’s erratic behavior, but over the years, media outlets essentially jumped on board the Charlie train, seemingly disinterested in the effects of his inevitable crash.
He’s a rock star of comedy, mainly because he looks like a rock star and played one in the movies. To be fair, however, Russell Brand clearly has some brains, and the media is reminded of that when they make the decision to book him for interviews. The topics of conversation often involve drugs, politics, and revolution, but that’s not to say that Brand doesn’t have a few tricks up his sleeve. It’s easy to place him in a box, yet time after time, he confronts the media elites who apparently believed they had the comedian all figured out.
If you’re even vaguely familiar with the eccentric comedic antics of these two special personalities, well, you can expect a strange interview pretty much all the time. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are the guys behind a series called “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!,” so when such creative individuals are placed in the interview chair, it’s only natural for them to perform, usually asking weird questions and sometimes just not talking at all. As a result, the unprepared interviewer will have a seriously difficult time with these two, but for someone willing to play the game, the interviews can be extremely entertaining. In essence, Tim and Eric play sad clowns for the benefit of our entertainment.
This action star has gained the reputation for sharp rebuffs and stone-cold bluntness in his recent years, and in no better place is it shown than in interviews. He knows it, and sometimes plays up his persona. Of course, someone like Zach Galifianakis is paid to ask strange questions, but for everybody else, Bruce can appear like the disappointed father that wants you to know how stupid your questions actually are. He won’t provide a full meltdown, no, just a curious demeanor complemented by well-timed retorts. A true professional of unpredictability.
So, here’s a guy who’s both self-aware and entirely clueless when it comes to his offbeat 21st century interviews. Of course, there’s the Oprah interview, in which Tom Cruise gushed over Katie Holmes in a desperate plea for… well, something. But when it comes to more serious topics like scientology, Cruise has no qualms about getting serious, in a very confusing fashion, most notably to a slightly shaken Matt Lauer on the Today Show. All in all, when Mr. Cruise speaks, you just nod your head and make sure the cameras are rolling.
As the star of the blockbuster “Twilight” franchise, this brunette beauty must have known what she was getting into, even if she wasn’t exactly prepared for the media firestorm to follow. Most often, Kristen Stewart seems actively present during interviews yet not entirely going with the flow. Unsurprisingly, this has led to some criticism, as K-Stew easily slides into the role of detached actress that’s not quite sure what all the hype is about. J-Law plays it to perfection, which only highlights the more strange appearances of her fellow megastar. It’s not that Kristen Stewart isn’t savvy, but just rather unpredictable.
Everybody knows that a Kanye West interview will ALWAYS be predictably awkward. And that’s because Kanye hasn’t decided if he’s THE genius of the past 200 years or maybe just THE genius of the 21st century. There’s a lot going on with this guy, from his viewpoints on fashion to his erratic Twitter tirades. And as a result, the subsequent interviews are primed for awkwardness – but they don’t know what kind of awkwardness. Kanye’s the Senior VP of millennial meltdowns and let’s be honest, we all fuel the fire. But what a beautiful experience it is to discover what exactly bothers Yeezy from interview to interview.
No honorable mentions this time around!
So, there are fun ways for celebrities to maintain an unpredictable persona, and then there’s Mel Gibson. In the YouTube era, he represents the awkward and sometimes scary side of passive-aggressive celebrities, as he will smile away even though it’s clear that he’s seconds from pulling the proverbial sword. Sure, Mel Gibson can be pleasant when all is good and well, it’s just that when he must explain his behavior, he only makes matters worse. And so, even when the most basic of questions are asked, Mel can find a conspiracy and proceed to unload his beasts of burden.
Do you agree with our list? Which celebrity do you think is the most unpredictable? For more explosive Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
Top 10 Unpredictable Celebrity Interviewees
Like a ticking bomb, you never know when these guys will go off. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Unpredictable Celebrity Interviewees.
For this list, we’re focusing on the stars that often confuse interviewers through odd behavior or responses. We’re excluding celebrities like Robert De Niro, who usually appears to be only vaguely present during interviews, but is consistent with his demeanor.
#10: Andy Kaufman
Known for his reclusive ways and extremely bizarre public persona, this comedic performer made each interview a must-watch. With David Letterman often asking the questions, Andy Kaufman thoroughly confused audiences through an unorthodox approach to comedy, instigating feuds and always conveying a slightly detached aura from the present. Then again, the hilarious “Taxi” star reportedly practiced meditation to ease his performance anxiety, which demonstrates that he wasn’t actually out of touch at all, but playing a perpetual prank on his audience. Unfortunately, Kaufman’s 1984 death only added to his reputation, and sadly, he never returned for a final bow.
#9: Billy Bob Thornton
Undeniably an actor’s actor, and perhaps even the victim of media toxicity at times, this man has been known to not give a frack. For one, Billy Bob married Angelina Jolie as she was blossoming into a star, and when such a well-documented relationship fails, and you’ve already been married four times, well, people are going to have questions. Of course, Thornton had earned criticism for veering towards pretension, most notably during his 2009 interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio One program Q, in which he took offense to questions that touched on his acting career, as opposed to only his music. In general, if Billy’s having a bad day, he’ll let you know about it.
#8: Charlie Sheen
When you’re the son of a Hollywood star and essentially born into the movie industry, well, a certain amount of unpredictability comes with the self-promotion. For Charlie Sheen, he’s long been a wildcard, but in the digital age, he’s the King of bizarre interviews. And yes, we’re talking about the infamous “winning” sit-down with “Good Morning America.” By now, the public has been offered a few clues into Charlie’s erratic behavior, but over the years, media outlets essentially jumped on board the Charlie train, seemingly disinterested in the effects of his inevitable crash.
#7: Russell Brand
He’s a rock star of comedy, mainly because he looks like a rock star and played one in the movies. To be fair, however, Russell Brand clearly has some brains, and the media is reminded of that when they make the decision to book him for interviews. The topics of conversation often involve drugs, politics, and revolution, but that’s not to say that Brand doesn’t have a few tricks up his sleeve. It’s easy to place him in a box, yet time after time, he confronts the media elites who apparently believed they had the comedian all figured out.
#6: Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim
If you’re even vaguely familiar with the eccentric comedic antics of these two special personalities, well, you can expect a strange interview pretty much all the time. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are the guys behind a series called “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!,” so when such creative individuals are placed in the interview chair, it’s only natural for them to perform, usually asking weird questions and sometimes just not talking at all. As a result, the unprepared interviewer will have a seriously difficult time with these two, but for someone willing to play the game, the interviews can be extremely entertaining. In essence, Tim and Eric play sad clowns for the benefit of our entertainment.
#5: Bruce Willis
This action star has gained the reputation for sharp rebuffs and stone-cold bluntness in his recent years, and in no better place is it shown than in interviews. He knows it, and sometimes plays up his persona. Of course, someone like Zach Galifianakis is paid to ask strange questions, but for everybody else, Bruce can appear like the disappointed father that wants you to know how stupid your questions actually are. He won’t provide a full meltdown, no, just a curious demeanor complemented by well-timed retorts. A true professional of unpredictability.
#4: Tom Cruise
So, here’s a guy who’s both self-aware and entirely clueless when it comes to his offbeat 21st century interviews. Of course, there’s the Oprah interview, in which Tom Cruise gushed over Katie Holmes in a desperate plea for… well, something. But when it comes to more serious topics like scientology, Cruise has no qualms about getting serious, in a very confusing fashion, most notably to a slightly shaken Matt Lauer on the Today Show. All in all, when Mr. Cruise speaks, you just nod your head and make sure the cameras are rolling.
#3: Kristen Stewart
As the star of the blockbuster “Twilight” franchise, this brunette beauty must have known what she was getting into, even if she wasn’t exactly prepared for the media firestorm to follow. Most often, Kristen Stewart seems actively present during interviews yet not entirely going with the flow. Unsurprisingly, this has led to some criticism, as K-Stew easily slides into the role of detached actress that’s not quite sure what all the hype is about. J-Law plays it to perfection, which only highlights the more strange appearances of her fellow megastar. It’s not that Kristen Stewart isn’t savvy, but just rather unpredictable.
#2: Kanye West
Everybody knows that a Kanye West interview will ALWAYS be predictably awkward. And that’s because Kanye hasn’t decided if he’s THE genius of the past 200 years or maybe just THE genius of the 21st century. There’s a lot going on with this guy, from his viewpoints on fashion to his erratic Twitter tirades. And as a result, the subsequent interviews are primed for awkwardness – but they don’t know what kind of awkwardness. Kanye’s the Senior VP of millennial meltdowns and let’s be honest, we all fuel the fire. But what a beautiful experience it is to discover what exactly bothers Yeezy from interview to interview.
No honorable mentions this time around!
#1: Mel Gibson
So, there are fun ways for celebrities to maintain an unpredictable persona, and then there’s Mel Gibson. In the YouTube era, he represents the awkward and sometimes scary side of passive-aggressive celebrities, as he will smile away even though it’s clear that he’s seconds from pulling the proverbial sword. Sure, Mel Gibson can be pleasant when all is good and well, it’s just that when he must explain his behavior, he only makes matters worse. And so, even when the most basic of questions are asked, Mel can find a conspiracy and proceed to unload his beasts of burden.
Do you agree with our list? Which celebrity do you think is the most unpredictable? For more explosive Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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