Top 10 worst drunk TV interviews

Bill Murray falling off his chair, James Brown answering mainly in song, and Danny Devito trying not to hiccup. Here are the Top 10 worst TV interviews celebrities gave while intoxicated.

Being constantly in the public eye is something of a high-pressure profession. So it’s not entirely surprising that many A-listers turn to the sauce to relax. If us lowly mortals have to imbibe occasionally, who are we to blame the rich and famous for enjoying the odd night out?

The issue however is when there is a distinct overlap between a night out and an evening interview – or one the morning after. These are the Top 10 cases of public celebrity alcohol mismanagement.

It’s a hard life after all, having access to the best parties, with the best people, and the best booze on offer at any time, day or night. It’s also bad manners to turn down a free drink…

However, the drinks business does not condone drinking to excess. As drinkaware rightly promotes, “Know your limits”.

Bill Murray on The Last Word

Appearing in a rare interview on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, Murray was visibly inebriated. When O’Donnell announces that he will be appearing later in the show, the camera cuts to Murray, who promptly falls backwards off his chair.

Earlier in the day he had taped his final appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, of which he had been a regular guest since appearing on the first episode of the programme. During the Letterman recording, Murray burst out of a cake and was seen swigging from a vodka bottle.

As he explained during the later interview, after the taping (and before The Last Word) Murray had gone out for dinner to an oyster restaurant, and had taken stock of the wine list in the process.

Paula Abdul on American Idol 

Long before American Idol was taken over by The Voice in both ratings and quality, Paula Abdul sat beside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson to judge America’s dulcet tones.

In a 2007 interview with a Seattle new station to promote the TV show, Abdul was visibly erratic and scatty, swaying and bobbing along, and occasionally winking at her interviewers.

Her spokesperson later blamed sound issues, people talking in her ear, and a faulty microphone on the bizarre clip, whereas Abdul at one point went as far as to claim she’d been abducted by aliens. Maybe just take the sketchy interview on the chin next time?

Mark Wahlberg on The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show has gained publicity in the past because of its appreciation of alcohol. ‘late night’ shows in America rarely include drinking, if ever, whereas Norton’s guests are supplied with the drink, or drinks, of their choice ahead of the taping.

Mark Wahlberg took advantage of this service when he appeared on the show in 2013, getting more than slightly merry throughout the course of the show. At one point he climbs onto the bemused Norton’s lap.

Wahlberg later claimed the whole thing it was a “pre-planned skit” with fellow guest Sarah Silverman, with whom he spent much of the time flirting. Judging by the latest Transformers film, does he really have the acting chops to pull something off that convincingly?

Danny Devito on The View

After a night of drinking with none other than George Clooney, Danny Devito turned up to a scheduled appearance on The View more than a little bit wobbly.

During the show he spent a fair amount of time bad-mouthing then-president Bush, before getting a serious case of the hiccups, and ending up sat on Rosie O’Donnell’s lap. Host Barbara Walters was visibly displeased.

Only Danny Devito could pull off a stunt like this without taking the slightest hit to his public image.

Steve-O on Too Late with Adam Corolla

Jackass member Steve-O had a particularly eventful appearance on Too Late with Adam Corolla, during which he smashed a glass table, tried to tackle the host, and swore. Profusely.

While putting his leg through the show’s glass table, he supposedly cut himself so bad he needed stitches.

Steve-O later said he didn’t remember any part of the interview, but that he wasn’t surprised by the antics. Neither were the rest of us!

George Best on Terry Wogan 

The late great Sir Terry Wogan’s talk show has more than a few great moments, but perhaps the most memorable was his interview with football legend George Best.

In Sir Terry’s own words, “He chunted down several bucket-fulls in about five minutes so he comes across to me and he’s as drunk as a skunk.”

Best was blunt and crude, to put it mildly, and to his credit the veteran presenter takes it all on the chin, somehow making it through the interview.

Ben Affleck in a Canadian TV interview 

Instead of promoting his new film at the time Jersey Girl, Ben Affleck spent the entirety of his ‘interview’ with a Canadian presenter trying to win her affections.

After successfully pulling her onto his lap, where she remained for the rest of the interview (very willingly I might add), Affleck shows no interest in answering any actual questions, instead focusing his attentions on having a very public, supposedly intimate moment.

The bashful presenter made only mild protestations, clearly enjoying the attentions and admirations of a Hollywood star, well before we saw him destroy the character of Batman forever.

James Brown on CNN

Just the day after being placed in jail for supposedly threatening his wife, soul man James Brown appeared on CNN in what was supposed to be an attempt to explain his situation. However, the clearly intoxicated Brown was instead an odd, jumpy character that answered half his questions in song, and the rest not at all.

Clearly not really aware he’s even being asked questions, let alone generating constructive answers, Brown instead just occasionally shouts his song lyrics at the bemused interviewer Sonya Friedman.

As far as post-arrest media strategies go, it’s not half bad. Brown returned to jail four months later for a six-year sentence, charged with carrying an unlicensed pistol and assaulting a police officer.

Jack Kerouac on William Buckley’s show

In this now infamous interview, during which William Buckley was trying to make sense of the term ‘hippie’ (a new phrase at the time), a very intoxicated Kerouac somewhat steals the show.

However, far from missing the point of the topic, the supposed inspiration of the entire hippie movement shows his substance with a remarkably driven, if a little one-sided, discussion. Kerouac essentially goes off on one about sticking it to the man, the irony of which is not lost on Buckley.

Courtney Love gatecrashes a Madonna interview

Falling all over the place, and even throwing things at both Madonna and the interviewer, this one’s a bit of a wild ride. Courtney Love, in her constant quest for the limelight, interrupted an interview Madonna was doing and proceeded to seat herself firmly in shot. Madge herself comments “Courtney is in dire need of attention now”. She wasn’t wrong.

The queen of pop remained composed throughout however, and clearly wasn’t even rattled by the whole, bizarre experience.