# Post your WTF? talk show moments here **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791 "2008-12-26T23:37:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/21 "2008-12-27T02:15:49Z")
I saw that episode of _Hot Properties_ when Hulk Hogan choked Richard Belzer into unconsciousness and Belzer fell to the floor splitting open the back of his skull. That was pretty weird. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/22 "2008-12-27T02:41:42Z")
Here’s the [Kristin Stewart](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC7XFSWlFR8) clip. Looks like a nervous 18 year old kid. An appearance on Letterman has to be a nerve wracking experience for seasoned performers. She’s but a senior in high school. I’m thinking she needs to mature a little bit and get more comfortable in her own skin - and working in front of a camera without the benefit of a director and script. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/23 "2008-12-27T03:39:32Z")
One of the strangest guests I’ve ever seen was the father of a California teenaged girl who lost an arm to a shark while surfing. I believe it was on Greta Van Susteren. The girl seemed really dense. I’ll give her a pass for that, since she was just a kid. What was really weird is when they went to a camera shot of the father & daughter sitting side by side. Both were looking toward the camera, but the father was mouthing every word his daughter was saying. It was as if all the answers were rehearsed, and he didn’t realize he was on camera. Van Susteren isn’t really a talk show. (I’m not sure how to classify that one.) As far as stupid things guests have said, Morgan Fairchild put her foot in her mouth once on the Tonight Show. She spoke of her upbringing living in the projects. She said something like, “you know, we had the blacks and the Puerto Ricans.” The guest host happened to be black (Bill Cosby.) Cos said, “I think there were some white kids in there, too.” ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/24 "2008-12-27T04:06:03Z")
An “interview” with Jason Vorhees (of Friday the 13th fame) on the Arsenio Hall Show. [Youtube link.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09yOZsZuxMY) Obviously planned ahead, but the actor stays in character the whole time, making for a really uncomfortable segment. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/25 "2008-12-27T04:46:50Z")
I seem to remember Letterman in his early days could be really aggressive with his guests – he apparently reduced Jane Seymour to tears on one show, and went into full meltdown with Shirley MacLain, who did apparently come spoiling for a fight. This is supposedly one of the reasons that some NBC execs did not want him for the Tonight Show. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/26 "2008-12-27T05:35:23Z")
Not really WTF, but Dick Cavett’s interview of Mr… uh, Mr…, what should I call you is pretty funny. Dick Cavett and [Sly and the Family Stone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_hqNvg4r3k&feature=PlayList&p=71C490AE6F2A781D&playnext=1&index=94) SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/27 "2008-12-27T08:16:29Z")
Then there’s the guy who died on the Dick Cavett Show. Contrary to some people’s “memories,” it never actually aired. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/28 "2008-12-27T08:41:12Z")
Charles Grodin was a regular guest on The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was hosting and their regular schtick was that they would act like they really hated each other. They would go through the whole interview, never dropping the act, making it seem really tense and uncomfortable. (Actually, Carson sometimes had trouble keeping a straight face, but Grodin was pretty convincing) ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/29 "2008-12-27T09:04:18Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Moments that made you think - is that guest stoned? or drunk? or stupid? > Last night I watched a Letterman rerun. Kristin Stewart, the ingenue from “Twilight”, was on plugging the movie. Or supposedly plugging the movie - she sounded like she’d wandered in from a shelter or a ward or something. Had absolutely nothing coherent or interesting to say. (except that her parents were both in show business). and she had no enthusiasm. her body language said either “I’m too cool for this” or “I’m obviously here just cause I have to be”. Now - she may be an interesting, nice person in real life, but, like, Wow. When I get my big movie, that’s sure not I’m gonna promote it (not that “Twilight” neede much promo, I guess). Your username makes me grin every single time I see it. It is funny you mention the Kristin Stewart interview. I have heard it mentioned before as a really bad interview, and I just don’t see it. It seemed ordinary to me. I think it is interesting that a lot of the posts in this thread reference Letterman interviews. I have always loved Letterman’s shows, but haven’t really watched him much lately. I wonder if it is just the vibe of his show that make a lot of people think his interviews are strange. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/30 "2008-12-27T13:38:27Z")
Patty Duke announcing her pregnancy on the Dick Cavett Show, and leading everybody to believe that 17 year old Desi Arnez Jr was the father. She later admits she was on a maniac phrase of her undiagnosed manic depressive, that it was wrong to do that to Desi but she didn’t want to admit her affair with a then married John Astin. She later married Michael Tell, but quckly had the union annuelled for “non-consummation.” Years later DNA test would reveal that Sean was Tell’s son, but Patty still denies that she ever had sex with him and claims the DNA tests are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/31 "2008-12-27T15:52:06Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > Two other unusual Daily Show interviews- Roger Ebert (weird in a good way) and (I believe) Chris Matthews (weird in a weird way). I just looked up the Chris Matthews interview, (you can look see them for free on The Daily Show sight), and I didn’t see anything weird. You sure it was Matthews? Here’s the link: > **[Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](https://www.cc.com/fan-hub/the-daily-show)** > > The source for The Daily Show fans, with episodes hosted by Jon Stewart, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Dulcé Sloan and more, plus interviews, highlights and The Weekly Show podcast. Anyway here’s Owen Wilson: > **[Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](https://www.cc.com/fan-hub/the-daily-show)** > > The source for The Daily Show fans, with episodes hosted by Jon Stewart, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Dulcé Sloan and more, plus interviews, highlights and The Weekly Show podcast. Spice Girls: > **[Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](https://www.cc.com/fan-hub/the-daily-show)** > > The source for The Daily Show fans, with episodes hosted by Jon Stewart, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Dulcé Sloan and more, plus interviews, highlights and The Weekly Show podcast. John Cusack: > **[Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](https://www.cc.com/fan-hub/the-daily-show)** > > The source for The Daily Show fans, with episodes hosted by Jon Stewart, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Dulcé Sloan and more, plus interviews, highlights and The Weekly Show podcast. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/32 "2008-12-27T16:50:18Z")
> [@qwest](#): > > Looks like a nervous 18 year old kid. An appearance on Letterman has to be a nerve wracking experience for seasoned performers. She’s but a senior in high school. > > I’m thinking she needs to mature a little bit and get more comfortable in her own skin - and working in front of a camera without the benefit of a director and script. Not to mention the fact that apparently Kristen Stewart is painfully shy when it comes to interviews. She didn’t stand a chance against someone like Letterman. Of course, someone who should know better, Paris Hilton, was also the victim of a vicious Letterman interview. When she got out of prison, Letterman just hammered her with questions about what it was like inside. She practically broke down. It was uncomfortable to watch (but funny in an “I’m going to hell” kinda way). But I also would have thought a seasoned “performer” like Paris could have handled the abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/33 "2008-12-27T17:00:29Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Of course, someone who should know better, Paris Hilton, was also the victim of a vicious Letterman interview. When she got out of prison, Letterman just hammered her with questions about what it was like inside. She practically broke down. It was uncomfortable to watch (but funny in an “I’m going to hell” kinda way). But I also would have thought a seasoned “performer” like Paris could have handled the abuse. Hilton has been on Letterman’s show three or four times since then and she’s done pretty well. Dave’s been kinder to her and the two of them actually have pretty good chemistry (interview-wise). ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/34 "2008-12-27T17:39:49Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I just looked up the Chris Matthews interview, (you can look see them for free on The Daily Show sight), and I didn’t see anything weird. You sure it was Matthews? It was Matthews, but not the appearance you posted. His really weird interview aired in October 2007. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/35 "2008-12-27T17:51:44Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > It was Matthews, but not the appearance you posted. His really weird interview aired in October 2007. Found it, it was tough tho. > **[Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](https://www.cc.com/fan-hub/the-daily-show)** > > The source for The Daily Show fans, with episodes hosted by Jon Stewart, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Dulcé Sloan and more, plus interviews, highlights and The Weekly Show podcast. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/36 "2008-12-27T18:05:52Z")
About the only episode of “The Tomorrow Show” I saw had Jerry Mathers and Ken Osmond of “Leave it to Beaver” on. Snyder thought that Eddie was Beaver’s brother. No clue at all about the show. (But did get into Ken denying his “other career” rumor.) Dan Aykroyd’s impression of him on SNL actually made Snyder look better than he really was. Another Letterman weirdness: Nastassja Kinski came on all zonked out with her hair combed straight up. Crash and burn. Later, John Candy came out with his hair gelled up high (although it was nearly a buzz cut so not very impressive). Letterman just has a way with people. When Jamie Lee Curtis was on plugging Love Letters (?), Dave just wanted to talk about the nudity and _would not stop_ no matter who clear she made it that it was time to change the subject. She stayed away for a while after that. His inability to change topic has resulted in a lot of memorable interviews. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/37 "2008-12-27T18:43:04Z")
Well, I apologize if I seemed mean about Kristin Stewart, but it wasn’t her first film, so I was surprised at how very…off…she seemed. If she’s really that shy I hope she toughens up. I don’t think it’s just Letterman - he has lots of good interviews too. but yes, he does have quite the weird vibe sometimes. that’s why I love him. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/38 "2008-12-27T18:48:22Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Well, I apologize if I seemed mean about Kristin Stewart, but it wasn’t her first film, so I was surprised at how very…off…she seemed. It was likely her first late night talk show appearance. Can you find any other role in her filmography that was even 10% as high profile as her appearance in Twilight? [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829576/](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829576/) ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/39 "2008-12-27T19:08:32Z")
The Messengers was pretty heavily promoted, as was Jumper. Panic Room, with Jodie Foster and directed by David Fincher was a huge deal, but she was probably too young to do any promotion as a supporting role. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791/40 "2008-12-27T19:31:01Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The Messengers was pretty heavily promoted, as was Jumper. She was in Jumper for five seconds at the very end (it was a cameo to set up a role in a possible sequel). The Messengers was probably her biggest movie pre-Twilight. Does anyone know if she showed up on any big talk shows as part of the promotion of it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-your-wtf-talk-show-moments-here/478791.md?page=3)