Top 10 Most Shocking Talk Show Walk-Offs
#10: Kim Richards “Dr. Phil” (2002-)
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In 2015, Real Housewife Kim Richards came on Dr. Phil’s show to talk about her battle with addiction and recent arrest. She admitted that she had broken her sobriety but didn’t quite seem ready to accept help despite her childrens’ insistence. Richards became increasingly agitated and emotional as she bargained the terms of her potential treatment. Ultimately, she became too overwhelmed and walked out, while Dr. Phil and her kids watched her leave in stunned silence. It was an emotional interaction, to say the least. Apparently, she subsequently contacted the host to accept his help, but on her terms once more. Later on, it was reported that the reality star had checked herself into rehab.
#9: Gary Coleman “The Insider” (2004-17)
This late actor made headlines back in 2010 when he was arrested for what was widely reported to be an outstanding warrant relating to a domestic altercation. So when he appeared on “The Insider,” things got heated pretty quickly. Coleman didn’t respond well to attorney Lisa Bloom’s relentless interrogation and became increasingly agitated, eventually raising his voice and cussing out his interviewer. The hosts tried to intervene, but he was so wrapped up in his rage that it fell upon deaf ears. It got so hostile that it was almost a relief when he eventually stormed out.
#8: Christine O’Donnell “Piers Morgan Live” (2011-14)
If you agree to be interviewed, you probably shouldn’t be surprised when you’re expected to, you know, answer questions. But we guess former Republican Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell didn’t get that memo. O’Donnell was already well-known for her out-there opinions. But apparently, Piers Morgan asking about her stance on gay marriage was just a step too far. She tried to dodge the question and repeatedly called out the television personality’s rudeness. Her efforts to end the interview, claiming she had somewhere to be, were surprising yet hilariously awkward. We’ll give her this, there aren’t too many people who can garner overwhelming support for this otherwise fairly divisive British interviewer.
#7: Paris Hilton “Good Morning America” (1975-)
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Back in the ‘00s, Paris Hilton redefined celebrity culture. She has subsequently become known as “the original influencer.” Of course, that pool has since widened, leaving ABC reporter Dan Harris to question her relevance during an interview taping for “Good Morning America”. This prompted the star to give brief responses, scoff, and look off-camera. When the reporter asked her if she wanted to wrap up, she got up and left. The most surprising part was when Hilton gracefully gave the reporter a second chance. After discussing the matter with her publicist, she returned with a well-crafted answer to his earlier question. Astonishingly, they even hugged it out! Fans saw it all play out afterward on “GMA,” and it was a rollercoaster of emotions.
#6: Kelsey Grammer “Piers Morgan Live” (2011-14)
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The typically unflappable Piers Morgan was astounded when he discovered that his interviewee had fled the building. Apparently, the “Frasier” star was triggered after seeing a photo of his ex-wife in the program’s intro. He had reportedly requested that they show his current spouse, Kayte, instead. So he left before the interview even got underway. Morgan called the behavior “shockingly unprofessional” and later revealed that Grammer had quite an explosive reaction backstage before exiting the CNN studio. However, the actor’s rep tried to pin the blame for the incident on Morgan. We can only imagine the awkwardness when Piers told the audience that his guest had gone M.I.A. Needless to say, Grammer wasn’t invited back.
#5: The Bee Gees “Clive Anderson All Talk” (1996-99)
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If you’re going to interview one of the most successful music trios of all time, maybe don’t use the opportunity to make jabs about their career. Things were already a little tense because of that, but Anderson pushed it over the edge with a joke about their “forgotten” hit. That was the final straw for Barry, who decided to end the interview there and then. He was quickly followed by Robin, although Maurice lingered for a moment before deciding to side with his brothers. Only he struggled with his microphone, making the now elongated awkwardness even more excruciating to watch.
#4: Shannon Tweed “The Joy Behar Show” (2009-11)
Things were already pretty sour when this interview began. Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed were clearly caught in a lover’s dispute, and to say the tension was rife would be an understatement. However, it all boiled over when Simmons made a joke that hit a particularly sore spot given his history with infidelity. Tweed removed her microphone and slowly made her way off of the set. The craziest part is that Simmons then had the audacity to try and blame Behar for apparently setting him up. The story has a surprisingly happy ending, with the pair eventually tying the knot!
#3: Nicholas Brendon “Dr. Phil” (2002-)
He’s best known to “Buffy” fans as Xander Harris. But Brendon appeared on “Dr. Phil” in 2015 to discuss his mental health, battle with addiction, and arrests. However, he quickly became upset with Dr. Phil McGraw’s line of questioning, especially after he said he could smell alcohol on him. Clearly, that — and Dr. Phil’s claim that Brendon had been to a bar the previous night — was a step too far for the actor. So he quickly got up and walked away. He released a statement on Facebook afterward, explaining that he wasn’t willing to expose “the darkest parts” of himself on TV for the sake of ratings. He returned a few months later, ready to clear things up.
#2: Prince “The View” (1997-)
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Okay, we know, Prince was a colossal idol, and you couldn’t be faulted for losing your cool in his presence—especially if his visit was a total surprise. But if you’ve somehow secured time with Prince, you might want to keep it together long enough to ask him the most pressing questions. Well, that’s clearly easier said than done, because Sherri Shepherd simply couldn’t keep herself together while in such close proximity to the legend. He humored her at first, but seemingly drew the line when she shared her saucy lifelong dream in front of the entire audience. It all happened so fast that we could barely even fathom what had just happened before he disappeared.
#1: Whoopi Goldberg & Joy Behar “The View” (1997-)
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We talk a lot about guests leaving, but you know things have gotten really out of hand when it’s two hosts doing the storming off. Disgraced political correspondent Bill O’Reilly held some controversial views on plans for a mosque to be built a couple of blocks away from ground zero. This sparked a heated discussion, with tensions running high, but then he said this. At that point, co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar decided that they’d heard enough and left the set. After O’Reilly offered some form of apology, they returned, and the conversation continued. But we were still left stunned by their epic walk-out.