24 Times TV Hosts And Interviews Tried To Embarrass Famous Women For Fun And It Was Absolutely Not OK

    Sofía Vergara has endured too much BS.

    Ajani Bazile-Dutes
    by Ajani Bazile-Dutes

    BuzzFeed Staff

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    A while back, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which celebrity interview moment was inappropriate or uncalled for. Here are some of the most shocking times hosts and interviewers crossed the line while trying to "poke fun" at famous women:

    Warning: This post contains mentions of sexual assault. 

    1. When David Letterman interrupted his interview with Catherine Zeta-Jones to touch her hair without her consent, making her clearly uncomfortable.

    David Letterman petting Catherine Zeta-Jones's hair
    CBS

    Watch the full moment here at the 9:55 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    2. When Jeremy Renner made an unrehearsed joke about Jennifer Lopez's breast while they were presenting a Golden Globe award in 2015.

    Jeremy Renner telling Jennifer Lopez, "You got the globes, too"
    NBC

    "I know it will sound like it wasn't a big deal at all, but I personally felt very uncomfortable a few years ago during the Golden Globes when Jennifer Lopez and Jeremy Renner presented an award, and Renner made a joke about her breasts. It was disgusting."

    —s4bb472acb

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    Watch the full moment here at the 0:40 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / Via youtube.com

    3. When David Letterman kept commenting on Tina Turner's scent and even made a joke about it to lure people to see her concerts.

    Letterman telling Tina Turner she smells great and that "Nothing is more gratifying to me as a host when a guest smells great"
    CBS

    "Rewatching old interviews from The Late Show With David Letterman is a jarring experience. There are a bunch of roundups on YouTube titled "David Letterman — Flirting," but in reality, he wasn't flirting: He was constantly harassing his female guests and putting them in compromising positions. He always used to tell his female guests that they 'smelled good,' like Tina Turner, Janet Jackson, and Beyoncé, and it's incredibly vile to watch now."

    —kaylayandoli

    Watch the full moment here at the 5:00 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    4. When Jay Leno took a jab at Marcia Clark's hairdo on The Tonight Show, joining in on the toxic male behavior directed toward Clark's appearance in the mid-'90s during the O.J. Simpson trial.

    Jay Leno having a segment on a show where a model wears ridiculous hairstyles that are supposed to mock Marcia Clark's
    POOL / Getty Images / NBC

    "Marcia Clark, hands down. I wasn't alive for the O.J. Simpson trial, but after watching The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, I talked to my mom about it. Her immediate response was, 'Oh, and poor Marcia was always ridiculed.'"

    —bc13

    5. When Wendy Williams slut-shamed Draya Michele in front of her audience.

    CBS Television Distribution

    —bervelyjoassaint7

    Watch the full interview moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS Television Distribution / youtube.com

    6. When Bruce Rosenblum (CEO and chairman of the Television Academy) made Sofía Vergara stand on a revolving pedestal like a trophy while he gave a cringeworthy speech about diversity in television.

    Rosenblum saying, "Our academy is more diverse than ever before, both in front of and behind the camera," while Sofia Vergara spins around on the pedestal
    ABC

    Watch the full moment here at the 0:30 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    ABC / youtube.com

    7. When Piers Morgan criticized a picture Jesy Nelson uploaded on her Instagram.

    Piers Morgan's commentary on Jesy Nelson's Instagram picture: "How could anybody look at that picture and think it's a classy picture? I'm serious"
    ITV

    "Jesy Nelson from Little Mix. The media has portrayed her as someone who is only obsessed with her image, but that's just not the case. People have bashed her in, causing her severe anxiety — especially Piers Morgan."

    —camerasapprentice

    8. When David Letterman's crew zoomed in on Jennifer Lopez's breasts, and he made comments about her chest.

    Letterman looking at the green screen underneath his desk of his camera crew zooming in on Lopez's breasts, saying: "Yes, sir, look at that. That's pretty darn good"
    CBS

    —kaylayandoli

    Watch the moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    9. When Howard Stern body-shamed Anna Nicole Smith and tried to force her to weigh herself during her interview.

    Howard Stern asking Anna Nicole Smith to get on a scale
    E!

    —danielleh4fa1a4fab

    Watch the full moment here at the 21:00 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    E! / youtube.com

    10. When Ellen made a whole game out of which English words Sofía Vergara could and couldn't pronounce.

    Ellen laughing at Sofia not being able to pronounce a word
    NBC

    "Ellen laughed at her the whole time."

    —foxja2005

    Watch the moment here at the 2:15 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / youtube.com

    11. When David Letterman asked Lindsay Lohan questions about rehab that hadn't been approved.

    David Letterman asking Lindsay Lohan about rehab and her saying that these questions were not approved
    CBS

    "Letterman started addiction-shaming her and her rehab failures, and kept pressing on her. She handled it well, but ew."

    —jessicab44f8ce128

    Watch the moment here at the 3:35 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    12. When Howard Stern interviewed Emma Bunton (aka Baby Spice) and was offensive and sexist the whole time.

    Howard Stern saying that Emma lost her virginity when she was "Swallow Spice"
    E!

    —marwau

    Watch part of the interview here:

    View this video on YouTube
    E! / youtube.com

    13. When David Letterman sucked on Jennifer Aniston's hair.

    David Letterman sucking on Jennifer Aniston's hair
    CBS

    "She was clearly very uncomfortable but tried to stay professional. He’s so gross."

    —katrawling

    Watch the moment here at the 5:20 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    14. When Howard Stern asked Sarah Michelle Gellar how hairy her vagina was.

    Howard Stern asking Sarah Michelle Gellar how hairy her vagina is
    E!

    —lindsayh825

    15. When Ellen put photos of famous men and Taylor Swift's exes on a big screen and asked her which ones she dated.

    Ellen putting pictures of Taylor's exes on a huge screen
    NBC

    "Ellen was basically slut-shaming her. Taylor legit almost started crying, and Ellen was cackling like an old witch! It is so upsetting!"

    —misteryahoo

    Watch the interview moment here at the 2:05 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / youtube.com

    16. When Janet Jackson told David Letterman she didn't want to talk about her performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII with Justin Timberlake, but he ignored her and still asked.

    Janet Jackson saying she doesn't want to talk about the Super Bowl and David Letterman asking anyway
    CBS

    —kfish2325

    Watch the moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    17. When Jessica Alba described her reservations about wearing a revealing outfit while filming Honey, and David Letterman made sexual comments about it that made her uncomfortable.

    Letterman repeatedly asking Alba "How tiny was it? Where was it tiny?"
    CBS

    —jeckadacowgodess

    Watch the moment here at the 5:00 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS youtube.com

    18. When David Letterman kept asking and pressuring Madonna to kiss a random stranger in the audience, despite her repeatedly saying no.

    David Letterman telling Madonna: "Go kiss the guy in the audience, it would knock him out! Like on the forehead"
    CBS

    —chucecheverria

    Watch the whole moment here at the 2:00 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    19. When Ellen repeatedly asked Taylor Swift and Zac Efron if they were dating when they went on her show to promote The Lorax.

    Ellen telling Taylor Swift and Zac Efron they're a cute couple even though they weren't dating
    NBC

    "It was SO rude and uncomfortable for both of them."

    —brennaboo

    Watch the interview moment here at the 0:45 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / youtube.com

    20. When Ellen tried to publicly accuse Dakota Johnson of not inviting her to her birthday party.

    Ellen accusing Dakota of not inviting her to her birthday party
    NBC

    Watch the full moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / youtube.com

    21. When Howard Stern sexually harassed Mariah Carey during her interview, and she was visibly uncomfortable.

    Howard asking mariah if she's wearing underwear, and her saying he's making a mockery of her
    E!

    Suggested by: lightsup333

    Watch the full moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    E! / youtube.com

    22. When Ellen forced Mariah Carey to drink alcohol to prove she wasn't pregnant.

    Ellen telling Mariah to toast to her not being pregnant
    Entertainment Tonight / NBC

    "How messed up is that?!"

    —frankiebkhan

    You can watch the moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC /  youtube.com

    23. When David Letterman had Britney Spears read a Top 10 List about things that would be different if she were president of the US, which made jokes of her struggles and of her intelligence.

    Britney Spears doing a segment where she reads her list of things that would be different if she was president and the number 1 on the the list is "Finally the media would pay some attention to me"
    CBS

    —barbaras4cf94437c

    Watch the moment here:

    View this video on YouTube
    CBS / youtube.com

    24. And lastly, when Ellen made a joke about Drew Barrymore's childhood substance abuse issues.

    Ellen making jokes about Drew Barrymore drinking as a child
    NBC

    Watch the full moment here at the 1:25 mark:

    View this video on YouTube
    NBC / youtube.com

    What are other inappropriate times when TV hosts and interviewers embarrassed their guests for fun? Let us know in the comments.

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