13 Hall of Shame Moments from Talk Show Guests and Hosts
The late-night talk show is a simple format: Host greets their audience, monologue, bit, guest number one, bit, guest number two, stand-up comedian/musical act, host hops into a coffin until the sun goes down for the next day’s show. It can get formulaic right down to the interviews, but those formulas are in place for a reason.
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Over the years, several talk-show guests and even the hosts themselves have engaged in some shameful, embarrassing or eye-popping yikes-level behavior, which is why today we’re embarking on a journey of talk-show moments to induct into our Comedy Hall of Shame...
Donald Trump Gets His Hair Rustled on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’
As he was on the campaign trail, Trump chatted with Fallon in an awkward interview in which Fallon tussled Trump’s lemon-flavored combover like he was a childless man trying to connect with his girlfriend’s preschool son.
Jimmy Kimmel Gets Called Out for Not Coming to Tyler Perry’s Party
As soon as Perry sat down to talk to Kimmel, he immediately asked Kimmel why he didn’t come to his party to celebrate the opening of his new studio. Kimmel did his best to redirect, but Perry refused to let it go, culminating with Perry revealing that he sent Kimmel a personal video invitation.
Casey Affleck Getting Fighty on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’
Affleck seems as awful at being a talk show guest as he seemingly is at being in charge of a movie set…
Joaquin Phoenix Being Weird on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’
As part of the critically panned I’m Still Here, a mockumentary that Affleck directed (and subsequently got him #MeToo’d) about Phoenix quitting acting to become a rapper, Phoenix sat down with Letterman to have the most meandering interview possible so he could have the footage for that movie. Clearly, it paid off, as you all remember the movie I’m Still Here and not this bizarre display of “art.”
Conan’s Vocabulary Snuck Up on Jennifer Garner on ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’
During an interview to promote Daredevil, Garner dressed down O’Brien for using the word “snuck,” claiming that it wasn’t a word. Not to be out-dickmoved, O’Brien obtained a dictionary to showcase that “snuck” was actually a real word as Garner grinned in embarrassment. Luckily for her, it wasn’t as embarrassing as Daredevil — or Elektra, for that matter.
Joaquin Phoenix Being Called ‘Cher’ on the Set of ‘Joker’
For some reason, Kimmel got outtakes and behind-the-scenes Joker footage from director Todd Phillips to show Phoenix frustratingly defending Cher, as a crew member had called him that as an insult during production.
Letterman Sucks on Jennifer Aniston’s Hair
Seriously, what the hell, Dave?
Kimmel Roasts Jay Leno Over O’Brien’s Exit from ‘The Tonight Show’
During the 2010 hullabaloo regarding Leno retaking the reins of The Tonight Show from O’Brien, several other late-night hosts sided with their orange-haired colleague, including Kimmel. Why Kimmel was asked to be on Leno’s aptly named The Jay Leno Show is a mystery, but there is no doubt the booking agent got fired after Kimmel continually pelted Leno with venomous jokes about Leno’s part in Conan’s early Tonight Show departure.
Abel Ferrara’s Insane Appearance on ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’
In 1996, director Abel Ferrara appeared on O’Brien’s show and admitted that he’s more “used to being on the other side of the camera.” He was right. Very, very right.
Madonna and Dave’s Big Mess on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’
Have you ever seen Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The play/movie about a young couple watching an older couple bicker at each other and feeling uncomfortable the whole time? In this interview, the young couple is the audience watching this train wreck.
Bobcat Goldthwait Sets Leno’s Desk on Fire
Self-explanatory.
Andy Dick Paws at Ivanka Trump on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
A clearly impaired Dick first attempts to pet Ivanka’s legs as Kimmel tries to interview and intervene. Then Dick wants to sloppily kiss Ivanka, leading Kimmel, with a grin somehow big enough to cover his “JESUS CHRIST, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” feelings, to have Dick carried out by security as the band plays.
Crispin Glover Nearly Kicks Dave in the Face on ‘Late Night on David Letterman’
This now-iconic interview is so bizarre that it forced Letterman to walk out on it entirely.
