When Rihanna sits down tonight with Diane Sawyer on '20/20', it's sure to be one of the biggest interviews of the year. But will it go down as one of the biggest interviews of all time? Over the years, the celebrity interview has become one of the staples of the entertainment industry. Make a huge mistake? Go on the 'Tonight Show' and humbly plead forgiveness. In need of a reputation makeover? Talk to Oprah and shed a tear. Need to generate instant headlines? Letterman is your man. When celebrities open up, crazy things seem to follow, so whatever happens tonight, chances are people will be talking about it tomorrow. In order to help Rihanna prepare, then, we thought we'd give her (and you) a refresher course in some of the most infamous interviews of all time.
Of course, Rihanna isn't doing an interview to rehab her image; that task was left to her rightly vilified ex Chris Brown, who appeared on 'Larry King Live' with both repentance and a bow-tie ensemble he borrowed from Archie Andrews.
Tom Cruise has had so many crazy interviews in recent years that it was difficult to narrow it down to just one. But while his appearance on 'Today' is legendary, it was prompted by the need to explain his antics on 'Oprah Winfrey'. So by default, the couch episode trumps all.
Perhaps the most famous act of celebrity contrition came back in 1995 when Hugh Grant, fresh off his prostitution scandal, appeared with Jay Leno, who spoke for America when he asked "What the hell were you thinking?"
Whitney Houston makes her first appearance on our list thanks to her infamous 2002 talk with Diane Sawyer, which immortalized the phrase "crack is whack". Truer words have never been spoken, Whitney.
It's not just movie and music stars that turn to the media in times of crisis. One of the most famous interviews in television history took place in 1992, when presidential candidate Bill Clinton appeared on '60 Minutes' to emphatically deny reports of infidelity. Hmm.
Perhaps more than any other celebrity, Farrah Fawcett lived her life in the spotlight, opening up to cameras about every detail of her life, even the iffy parts. She vaulted back into the spotlight in 1997 thanks to a wacked out interview with David Letterman.
1993 was an up and down year for pop legend Michael Jackson. He started off strong, appearing in this full length special with Oprah Winfrey, which briefly rekindled interest in his career. The effect was undermined, however, by the child molestation charges that followed later that summer.
Britney Spears has had enough unwanted media attention in her life, so she probably didn't need to be grilled by Matt Lauer. Yet it was this exact topic that finally caused her to break down. Wow, that's pretty meta.
David Letterman has had more than his share of uncomfortable interviews, locking horns with everyone from Madonna to Joaquin Phoenix to Crispin Glover. Our favorite, though, is this complete dismantling of Paris Hilton, which was so thorough we actually started to feel bad for her.
Our trip through the annals of celebrity interviews wouldn't be complete without a return to Whitney Houston. Seven years after damaging her reputation almost beyond repair with her Diane Sawyer interview, Houston turned to a higher power to help rehabilitate it: Oprah Winfrey.
I agree with Patricia! I dont think Tom acted that outrageous either....look at those women, losers. I have met Tom several times, and he is great!So nice and fun. And I didnt jump around like those women. He was having fun...as he said it was a moment....People love to find fault with him because he has so many wonderful things in his life.
Who dose Whitney think she is, she is no better than you or me. If her mother goes to her house and slaps her with a court injuction that is Whitney's hard luck. Now Whitney wants her daughter back, I cannot say that I hope she never gets her daughter back because I have been slaped with a court injution too. I have strighten up ever since then and Whitney needs to do the same. Like I said in the beginning of this little comment that Witney is no better than you or me.
I feel David Letterman was a complete Ass Hole to Paris Hilton and I cant beleive that Paris just did not walk right off the show. Paris I don't know how you kept your composure but you are a class act, I truly don't know if I would have handled someone treating me like that, especially on national tele. Wow...David Letterman is a real Jerk! Paris,, Good luck in all you do and I was really sorry to watch you go through that jail ordeal but even more so to watch David Letterman make fun of what was a very painful and humiliating time for you and your family. Get some Manners Daid Letterman!!!!
The Tom Cruise interview wasn't really weird. Just demonstrated what we all know. Tom Thumb is nuts. Why anyone would pay to watch him in a movie I will never understand.
Ok, I just watched all those video clips & I must say, they could have chosen much more incriminating clips of ALL of those celebs.
David Letterman is known to be a LETCH with his women guests. His satire humor is hilarious that's WHY WE ALL LOVE WATCHING HIM,...but some of us would not necessarily want to suffer through being in the uncomfortable guest seat. He has been known to make the women guest stomp off stage in the past. He has become more refined in more recent years.
Farrah was on David Letterman's Show immediately after getting BOTOX injections, because she was terrified that the doctors disfigured her! The swelling was horrifying & she was even having trouble speaking at the time. As she was mumbling out her fears of never being recognized by anyone ever again, David started asking her, "You're Farrah??!!!" Farrah replied, "Yah!!" David repeated the question a couple times sounding very unbelieving, "YOU'RE FARRAH???!!!! Farrah repeatedly answered, "UH-huh?! That's what I mean! I can't believe what they did to me!!! What if this doesn't go away???!!!! What am I gonna do???!!!!" That was probably the funniest show he ever did, but I also could understand WHY Farrah was worried, but she was really jumping the gun on that one.
And, poor Britney Spears! Seriously! That poor girl has been the center of Media Feeding Frenzies constantly!! There is a huge differance between being in the limelight,...& being stalked, harassed, the victim of vehiclular assault or road rage to get a photo opportunity. The media has run block & tackle on that girl for far too long. If she was not raised "dealing with it" the papparazzi would NOT HAVE THE NERVE to actually create such a constant annoyance that someone might almost drop their baby because there is a croud around them constantly snapping off the camera shutters. The fact that she ended up loosing custody of her babies as a result of all those d!ckhead$ $talk!ng her is in-excusable about the media.
The woman sitting next to Bill Clinton is his wife Hilary Clinton. I'd love to know why some News guy thinks he should have any clout to try to get someone to talk about an afair in front of his wife on camera!! That guy was an a$$hole & a 1/2. Wow. Big surprise. Bill Clinton, (or any & most probably ALL politicians), have cheated on their wifes. Why would anyone be ignorant enough to think they have the right to get him to admit it IN FRONT OF HIS WIFE ...ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!!! What a freak the news caster/interviewer is!!! Are we supposed to believe that THAT GUY never cheated on his wife & IS AS PURE AS THE DRIVEN SNOW!!!? GET REAL!!!
Someone should have told Michael Jackson that Slumber Parties are usually scheduled to victimize someone; Tell scary stories Beat someone up in a pillow fight Get the dirty gossip in True or Dare Games Cut someone's gorgeous long hair OFF, because a boy likes her instead of the fat one with acne. Try to get someone drunk for the first time. there's a long list of Nightmares that adolecnt girl's & boy with try to inflict on others during Slumber Parties. And, really what age would be a good age to have your children sleeping at someone else's house??!!! When they are under 10yrs. old,...or over 10yrs. old????!!!! NEVER!!!! That's when!
I don't get why tom's jumping was "overdone" Comedians like jim carrey do it all the time, exaggerated stuff. it is obvious tom did it to show off his love for katie holmes to his ex-wife. what better way than to do it on national tv on the most watched show? cmon people!
why is everyone blasting tom cruise on here? he is good looking and a great actor! the rest is his business so all should mind your own business--look in the mirror and ask yourself--what can i do to improve myself! you would then have less time to poke your nose in others private affairs! he seems like a nice enough guy to me---SO BACK OFF---
Uhhh No... I'm not wrong. And I can also be confident in saying that although I have never met you....you sub-consciencely feel worthless about yourself too,, your tounge or rather in this case your finger tips are like a razor. Lets face it you cant say one true nice thing about any one. Any way I'm done.
Karenann. My, my, you're quite the armchair psychiatrist. And as is the case with many psychiatrists, utterly wrong in your diagnosis. Quite a sweeping statement to conclude one cannot say anything nice about anyone based on comments about 3 people in a world of over 6 billion. Quite the over-generalization to say the least. When I speak of someone nice, nice things are said, but I will not kowtow to your opinion and speak lies when those being spoken of are guilty of exactly what I stated. I notice you did not once attempt to refute any of that vicious pack of facts I stated about the pedophile, the cult member and the airhead. You'd rather just make unsubstantiated sweeping statements.
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I agree with Patricia! I dont think Tom acted that outrageous either....look at those women, losers.
I have met Tom several times, and he is great!So nice and fun. And I didnt jump around like those women. He was having fun...as he said it was a moment....People love to find fault with him because he has so many wonderful things in his life.
Reply
Who dose Whitney think she is, she is no better than you or me. If her mother goes to her house and slaps her with a court injuction that is Whitney's hard luck. Now Whitney wants her daughter back, I cannot say that I hope she never gets her daughter back because I have been slaped with a court injution too. I have strighten up ever since then and Whitney needs to do the same. Like I said in the beginning of this little comment that Witney is no better than you or me.
Reply
You forgot Joaquin Phoenix's Letterman interview.
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I feel David Letterman was a complete Ass Hole to Paris Hilton and I cant beleive that Paris just did not walk right off the show. Paris I don't know how you kept your composure but you are a class act, I truly don't know if I would have handled someone treating me like that, especially on national tele. Wow...David Letterman is a real Jerk! Paris,, Good luck in all you do and I was really sorry to watch you go through that jail ordeal but even more so to watch David Letterman make fun of what was a very painful and humiliating time for you and your family. Get some Manners Daid Letterman!!!!
Reply
The Tom Cruise interview wasn't really weird. Just demonstrated what we all know. Tom Thumb is nuts. Why anyone would pay to watch him in a movie I will never understand.
Reply
Ok, I just watched all those video clips & I must say, they could have chosen much more incriminating clips of ALL of those celebs.
David Letterman is known to be a LETCH with his women guests. His satire humor is hilarious that's WHY WE ALL LOVE WATCHING HIM,...but some of us would not necessarily want to suffer through being in the uncomfortable guest seat. He has been known to make the women guest stomp off stage in the past. He has become more refined in more recent years.
Farrah was on David Letterman's Show immediately after getting BOTOX injections, because she was terrified that the doctors disfigured her! The swelling was horrifying & she was even having trouble speaking at the time.
As she was mumbling out her fears of never being recognized by anyone ever again, David started asking her, "You're Farrah??!!!"
Farrah replied, "Yah!!"
David repeated the question a couple times sounding very unbelieving, "YOU'RE FARRAH???!!!!
Farrah repeatedly answered, "UH-huh?! That's what I mean! I can't believe what they did to me!!! What if this doesn't go away???!!!! What am I gonna do???!!!!"
That was probably the funniest show he ever did, but I also could understand WHY Farrah was worried, but she was really jumping the gun on that one.
Reply
Oh no. Let him stay in the closet. He will give the movement a bad name.
Reply
And, poor Britney Spears! Seriously! That poor girl has been the center of Media Feeding Frenzies constantly!!
There is a huge differance between being in the limelight,...& being stalked, harassed, the victim of vehiclular assault or road rage to get a photo opportunity.
The media has run block & tackle on that girl for far too long. If she was not raised "dealing with it" the papparazzi would NOT HAVE THE NERVE to actually create such a constant annoyance that someone might almost drop their baby because there is a croud around them constantly snapping off the camera shutters.
The fact that she ended up loosing custody of her babies as a result of all those d!ckhead$ $talk!ng her is in-excusable about the media.
Reply
The woman sitting next to Bill Clinton is his wife Hilary Clinton. I'd love to know why some News guy thinks he should have any clout to try to get someone to talk about an afair in front of his wife on camera!! That guy was an a$$hole & a 1/2.
Wow. Big surprise. Bill Clinton, (or any & most probably ALL politicians), have cheated on their wifes.
Why would anyone be ignorant enough to think they have the right to get him to admit it IN FRONT OF HIS WIFE ...ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!!!
What a freak the news caster/interviewer is!!! Are we supposed to believe that THAT GUY never cheated on his wife & IS AS PURE AS THE DRIVEN SNOW!!!? GET REAL!!!
Reply
Someone should have told Michael Jackson that Slumber Parties are usually scheduled to victimize someone;
Tell scary stories
Beat someone up in a pillow fight
Get the dirty gossip in True or Dare Games
Cut someone's gorgeous long hair OFF, because a boy likes her instead of the fat one with acne.
Try to get someone drunk for the first time.
there's a long list of Nightmares that adolecnt girl's & boy with try to inflict on others during Slumber Parties.
And, really what age would be a good age to have your children sleeping at someone else's house??!!! When they are under 10yrs. old,...or over 10yrs. old????!!!!
NEVER!!!! That's when!
Reply
Oh my God that is so funny!
How is Joaquin Phoenix not on this list? That interview with Letterman was so bizarre and so funny.
Reply
I don't get why tom's jumping was "overdone" Comedians like jim carrey do it all the time, exaggerated stuff. it is obvious tom did it to show off his love for katie holmes to his ex-wife. what better way than to do it on national tv on the most watched show? cmon people!
Reply
why is everyone blasting tom cruise on here? he is good looking and a great actor! the rest is his business so all should mind your own business--look in the mirror and ask yourself--what can i do to improve myself! you would then have less time to poke your nose in others private affairs! he seems like a nice enough guy to me---SO BACK OFF---
Reply
KarenAnn: What's a Dave? Never heard tell of him.
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You must be David Lettermans friend? Right?
KarenAnn. Wrong again, Letterman is a faithless jerk of a loser. Whoever says both says both sides in an interview can't be worthless?
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Uhhh No... I'm not wrong. And I can also be confident in saying that although I have never met you....you sub-consciencely feel worthless about yourself too,, your tounge or rather in this case your finger tips are like a razor. Lets face it you cant say one true nice thing about any one. Any way I'm done.
Karenann. My, my, you're quite the armchair psychiatrist. And as is the case with many psychiatrists, utterly wrong in your diagnosis. Quite a sweeping statement to conclude one cannot say anything nice about anyone based on comments about 3 people in a world of over 6 billion. Quite the over-generalization to say the least. When I speak of someone nice, nice things are said, but I will not kowtow to your opinion and speak lies when those being spoken of are guilty of exactly what I stated. I notice you did not once attempt to refute any of that vicious pack of facts I stated about the pedophile, the cult member and the airhead. You'd rather just make unsubstantiated sweeping statements.
Reply
Oh my goodness you are so intelligent. Like I said..... I'm done.