We love a good celebrity interview, but what happens when it all goes horribly wrong?
We’ve rounded up 10 of the most awkward celebrity interview moments of all time – and there are some true MVPs in there, from Mariah Carey to Britney Spears and of course, Kourtney Kardashian.
Get comfortable and get ready to feel decidedly uncomfortable...
Kesha: "He didn't hug me."
In 2017, an awkward encounter between Kesha and Jerry Seinfeld went viral after the singer asked the actor whether she could give him a hug and he refused.
The incident took place on the red carpet of a charity event in Washington, DC. Kesha approached Seinfeld and asked for a hug.
"No, thanks," he told her, before adding after she walked away: "I don't know who that was."
In a 2023 interview, the musician explained that she owned DVDs of Seinfeld and carried them "around the world internationally" while on tour to watch for comfort.
"Then, I get to the f**king charity event, and I got really excited because he brings me peace and love and all things good in the universe, and then he didn’t hug me in front of cameras," she when appearing on The Best Show with Tom Scharpling podcast.
"It was the most depressing and hilarious, but also so sad — it was, like, the saddest moment of my life."
Demi Lovato: "I like mugs."
In 2020 while promoting her album ‘Confident’, Lovato was asked by an Energy NRJ journalist, “What’s your favourite dish?”
By “dish”, they meant meal, but Lovato went to... crockery.
“I like mugs, because they’re very comfortable in your hand,” she replied, before going into further detail, “They hold hot things that you don’t have to touch. You know, coffee or hot tea.”
After the interview went viral, Lovato tried to play the “it was a joke” card, but we’re not sure. Heck, who hasn't made a conversational gaff before?
“For anyone who actually thinks I misunderstood the ‘favourite dish’ question – you clearly don’t get my sense of humour,” she tweeted.
Mariah Carey: "I don’t know her."
Mariah Carey is the undisputed queen of the awkward celebrity interview and seemingly loves to leave reporters scrambling.
Case in point: In the early noughties, Mariah was quizzed about her thoughts on alleged arch nemesis Jennifer Lopez, to which she replied, “I don’t know her”. The clip is iconic – as was her justification for it almost two decades later.
In a 2018 interview with Pitchfork, the 'Hero' singer insisted she wasn’t throwing shade, but gave another very trademark Mariah clap back. "I really was trying to say something nice or say nothing at all. I really was.”
Shailene Woodley: "Well, you should probably eat."
We still can’t work out why Jamie Lee from The Pete Holmes Show quizzed Big Little Lies actress Shailene Woodley about her hunger levels on the red carpet. "Are you hungry right now?" Jamie asked, to which a stern Woodley replied bluntly, "Not at all."
The actress was wearing a gorgeous olive-green look that showed a glimpse of midrif, and was that the reason for this random question.
"Really?! I'm so hungry," Lee replied – to which the actor suggested, "Well, you should probably eat."
The cringe factor was real, as was Lee's need for a burger.
Dakota Johnson: "You don't have to see it. Jeez."
It was 2015, and Dakota Johnson was Hollywood’s new It Girl off the back of her role in borderline soft-porn flick Fifty Shades of Grey. She was standing alongside her famous mother Melanie Griffith on the Oscars red carpet when things got seriously awkward with ABC’s Lara Spencer.
When Spencer asked Griffith whether she had seen the R-rated film, she said, “No. Maybe one day."
Griffith then went off on a little tangent: "I don't think I can; I think it would be strange. She's a really good actress; I don't need to see that to know how good she is."
We get it. It would be tough seeing your daughter having kinky sex on the big screen – but Johnson was fuming.
"No, I don't think so, I think it's fine," she responded. "I think that one day you can see it, I think so."
And then came the awkward silence... followed by Johnson snapping, "All right! You don't have to see it. Jeez. I'm like, 'You can see it,' and you're just like, 'No.'"
On live TV.
"If she tells me to see it, I'll see it," a flustered Griffith replied.
Britney Spears: "Pepsi’s Pepsi."
Britney Spears schooled CNN’s Tucker Carlson in 2003. The pair sat down for a chat where they discussed everything from politics to a tabloid article about Spears cradling her stomach after a big lunch.
“You’ve worked with Pepsi for a long time. Candidly, just between you and me, how much Pepsi do you think you drink on an average day?” he asked.
“I really do like Pepsi, I really do,” she replied, a little confused – as were we – by the question.
“What’s your favourite kind of Pepsi?” he asked.
“What’s my favourite kind of Pepsi? Pepsi’s Pepsi?” she replied. Love you, Brit!
Rihanna: "Do my tits bother you?"
In 2014, Bad Girl RiRi rocked a risqué gown smothered in Swarovski crystals for the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards. She shone bright like a diamond (or... crystal) that night, and so did her wit.
When a reporter suggested she might get into a little trouble because of her outfit choice, Rihanna quipped, "Do my tits bother you? They're covered in Swarovski crystals!"
Oh, snap!
Mortifying for the reporter, magnificent for our girl RiRi.
Angelina Jolie: "Get in the pool."
In 1999, Angelina Jolie celebrated her Golden Globe win for Gia by jumping into the Beverly Hilton pool, as she'd promised in her post-win press conference. What Access Hollywood producer Jeremy Louwerse didn’t expect was for her to pull him in with her.
He asked if he could interview her, and she said, “Get in the pool”. No more than two seconds later he was in that pool with Jolie – mic, phone and all.
"When I walked into the office the next day, I got a standing ovation," Louwerse laughed.
Kourtney Kardashian: "Umm, what?"
One of our favourite all-time awkies moments came from Kourtney Kardashian. In 2023, the incident has been branded “iconic” amongst her famous friends, but in 2016, it was a little mortifying, TBH.
The eldest Kardashian was doing an interview with Today Extra’s David Campbell and Sonia Kruger when Campbell quizzed her about her sister Kim being held at gunpoint in Paris.
When he asked, "How is Kim doing?" she suddenly froze on the spot. The mum-of-three tried to play it off as a technical issue, however the palm trees in the background continued to sway... Oh and the blinking gave her away.
“I think she’s blanking me. She’s totally blanking me,” Campbell said, poking fun at the reality star. When the “issue” was resolved, Campbell got an, "Umm, what?" in reply.
Listen to The Spill, Mamamia's entertainment podcast. Post continues after audio.
Justin Bieber: "I like that laugh."
@bieberfverr Justin Bieber famous “I like that laugh” @Justin Bieber #justinbieber #justin #bieber #beliebers #justice #justicetour #foryou #parati #bizzle #kidrauhl #justinbieberfan #justinbieberedits #viral ♬ sonido original - Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber was 17 years old when he turned the tables on entertainment reporter Maria Menounos.
Menounos mentioned to Justin in the 2011 interview that then-girlfriend Selena Gomez wanted to cut his hair, after which she broke into fits of laughter.
“I like that laugh,” Bieber said, smirking, before mimicking the TV star.
“That’s my evil laugh,” she said.
Cringe? Yes, we did.
Feature Image: YouTube.
This article was originally published on June 13, 2023 and has since been updated with new information.
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