Top 10 Celebrity Interview Meltdowns
Well, these stars sure lost their composure… and on television no less. From Mel Gibson to Joan Rivers and Kanye West, many stars have given explosive, shocking or just plain bizarre interviews. WatchMojo is counting down the most infamous celebrity outbursts during interviews.
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Top 10 Celebrity Interview Meltdowns
Another Top 10 Cringiest Celebrity Interview Walkouts
Well, these stars sure lost their composure… and on television no less. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Celebrity Interview Meltdowns. For this list, we’re focusing on memorable public celebrity meltdowns that took place during - or shortly after - an interview. Some are explosive, others are just plain bizarre, but they all clearly went off the rails.
#10: Mel Gibson
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This man is known for his filmmaking, his acting and his unfortunate public image. Four years after his 2006 arrest for drunk driving, Mel Gibson returned to the spotlight with the film “Edge of Darkness.” During a promotional interview with WGN’s Dean Richards, Gibson appears pleasant at first but takes offense when his past is consistently brought up. Richards' line of questioning is fair, yet Gibson plays dumb and becomes increasingly frustrated. In the final moments, he doesn’t hide his feelings, even getting an insult in before the cameras stop rolling.
#9: Crispin Glover
Back in 1987, this at the time up-and-coming actor appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman” to discuss his new film “River’s Edge.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t Crispin Glover who showed up, but rather a maniacal individual in a wig. Letterman tries to roll with it, even as the actor begins rambling about the critics and challenges him to an arm wrestling match. When he throws a karate kick however, Letterman calls it quits and walks off. Some have speculated that Glover was in character as Rubin from “Rubin and Ed,” however that film wasn’t released until 1991, nearly four years after this bizarre and unforgettable appearance.
#8: Quentin Tarantino
Krishnan Guru-Murthy of England’s Channel 4 received a big surprise when this “Django Unchained” director shunned his questions about violence. It’s no secret that Quentin Tarantino has made some of the bloodiest films of the past 25 years, but in this interview, he gets heated up when asked about the real-life implications. When the interviewer chuckles, Tarantino lights him up with a verbal assault. Between his overall body language and the daggers in his eyes, it’s clear that Tarantino is dead serious. Quentin started the interview with a cool demeanor, but the Tarantino train sure derailed quickly.
#7: Billy Bob Thornton
In 2009, this actor appeared on Canada’s “Q” radio show to discuss the music he makes with his band, The Boxmasters. Unfortunately, when his film background is mentioned, Billy Bob Thornton gets rather worked up. For almost half of the 13-minute interview, Thornton delivers cryptic answers while his bandmates try to get through the painstaking ordeal. Even though Thornton’s undeniable fame brought them a certain amount of attention, Thornton makes it more than clear that his fame shouldn’t be discussed. This was a passive-aggressive meltdown for the ages.
#6: Joan Rivers
Just two months before her 2014 death, this comedian, actress and television personality clashed with CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield. The host confronts Joan Rivers about her sharp-edged fashion criticism, suggesting that her comedy has no boundaries. Rivers stays composed as Whitfield smiles and keeps pressing, but the latter's tone changes significantly when animal rights are brought up. Of course, Rivers was known for being tough, even in tough situations, so it’s not immediately clear whether she’s being flippant or actually getting heated. Rivers makes things crystal clear before long, however, by delivering an extensive rant about her career before abruptly ending the interview. Didn’t anyone tell Whitfield that you don’t mess with Joan?
#5: Kanye West
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Over the years, this musical artist has given us numerous meltdown moments to choose from. But perhaps the most bizarre one came in 2013 on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Kanye West was already upset because of a previous skit, and he used the ABC platform to have a man-to-man discussion about ego, the fashion world and his public image. It’s a revealing interview that gives us insight into how Kanye sees himself, but it’s also an absolute trainwreck, especially when Yeezy compares himself to Jesus Christ and reminds everybody once again that he’s a “creative genius.”
#4: Paula Abdul
In 2008, this “American Idol” judge promoted Season 6 on Seattle’s Q13. After the first question, Paula Abdul seems confused and disoriented, as she delivers a bizarre answer before giggling and waving her arms around. If there happened to be a legitimate technical problem, then you might expect Paula to acknowledge that, but she just keeps swaying back and forth, even after a commercial break. The hosts try their best to guide Paula, but her slurred speech, strange demeanor and Seattle insults suggest that’s she not quite “there.”
#3: Tom Cruise
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In 2005, this American actor sat down with NBC’s Matt Lauer to discuss “War of the Worlds,” and his life in general. Future wife Katie Holmes smiles away, and Tom Cruise seems genuinely content. But when Lauer begins prying into his personal life and scientology, the drama begins. When speaking about psychiatry, Tom takes a patronizing tone and his facial expression changes drastically. Lauer pushes back, and so does Tom, but only one of them appears to be visually MAD. By the end, Cruise essentially slaps Lauer on the wrist for challenging him, all the while pointing his finger and melting down like only he can.
#2: Chris Brown
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In 2011, this pop star’s “Good Morning America” appearance began with a smile, but he ultimately left angry and shirtless. The interview itself is brief, with Robin Roberts focusing mostly on Brown’s past and public image… rather than his new album. On camera, Brown stays focused and even performs a song. Backstage, however, he reportedly threw a cooler and broke a dressing room window. This interview came two years after pleading guilty to assault charges, and Chris Brown was clearly not pleased that his past kept catching up with him. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Farrah Fawcett Donald Trump
#1: Charlie Sheen
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The Internet went wild in 2011 as one of Hollywood’s most polarizing celebrities experienced a rather public meltdown. During an interview with ABC’s Andrea Canning, Charlie Sheen explains that he isn’t bi-polar but rather “bi-winning” and has “tiger blood.” Canning later inquires about Sheen’s relentless partying, and Sheen actually suggests that he makes Frank Sinatra and Keith Richards look like “droopy-eyed armless children.” From beginning to end, Sheen seems to celebrate his obvious meltdown, leading many to fear for his physical and psychological health.
