With the talk show occupying so much time on our TV screens, it also occupies an important place in contemporary popular culture. Perhaps its most notable function is the opportunity it provides for famous faces to show off a different persona from what we’re used to used to seeing (be it serious, playful, or totally off-the-wall). It’s also a great way to get celebrities to feel like they’re in a safe zone, allowing the host to coax out new, interesting or embarrassing information. Talk shows allow us to feel a little bit closer to celebrities, and that is why they will always exist: because we will always keep watching.
The following appearances are in chronological order.
1955: Marilyn Monroe on ‘Person to Person’
Edward R. Murrow’s ‘Person to Person’ set the standard for TV celebrity interviews, practically inventing the format in the days of network TV’s infancy. Here his cameras go into the home of Marilyn Monroe and her producing partner Milton Greene, showing a sweet, seemingly very innocent young woman who is excited about her career and perhaps a little bit nervous in front of live cameras. Murrow’s 60+ a day habit is evidenced here by the trademark cigarette locked between his fingers.
1957: Salvador Dali on ‘What’s My Line’
I’m stretching the definition of ‘talk show’ to include panel quiz shows just so this excellent Dali appearance can be included. The legendary surrealist painter, writer and filmmaker walks into the particularly controlled environment of a 1950s television studio, armed with only the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ at his disposal; very soon the audience is captivated and the panelists – for a time – are completely befuddled.
1974: Peter Sellers on ‘Parkinson’
“There is no me. I do not exist,” said Peter Sellers, when told to ‘be himself’ on ‘The Muppet Show’. Somehow, Michael Parkinson managed to get him to ‘be himself’ for at least some of this interview. Many parts are hilarious, such as the ‘That’s What You Are’ and Lawrence of Arabia stories, while other parts offer a melancholy glimpse into his inner workings, such as when he talks about his past wives. (Probably my favorite of all the clips on this list.)
1987: Crispin Glover on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’
Was Glover high on LSD? Or was he just acting? Either way, he unsettled David Letterman on his own show, an incredible feat in itself. I’d like to think he knew what he was doing, with that wig, those pants, and those shoes…
1991: Members of Queer Nation on ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’
This was actually an appearance by Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee), but a few members of Queer Nation stole the show with their heckling from the audience. They’re not the star of the clip, though – it’s Hall, who starts off with considered retorts, and gradually builds himself into a rage so violent that he practically forgets to interview Hogan. “You don’t see Dan Quayle here! You don’t see Milli Vanilli here!”
1993: Marilyn Manson on ‘The Phil Donahue Show’
Manson appeared on Donahue with bandmates Twiggy Ramirez and Madonna Wayne Gacy to respond to claims that their music was having a negative influence on young people. It appears to be a setup: Donahue and members of the audience hit Manson with tough questions, expecting him to trip up, but his intelligent (and disdainful) replies make him a force to be reckoned with. I don’t particularly like his music, but he’s a very smart guy.
1996: Bee Gees on ‘Clive Anderson All Talk’
The Bee Gees, especially Barry Gibb, don’t take kindly to Anderson’s patented put-downs and storm off the show. Compared to the next clip this seems rather tame, but the witticisms were enough for Barry to get up out of his seat, say “You’re the tosser, pal,” and march off the set with his brothers in tow.
2001: David and Victoria Beckham on ‘Comic Relief: Say Pants to Poverty’
For a segment of the BBC’s 2001 Red Nose Day extravaganza, Ali G conducted this hilarious interview with the Beckhams. It’s basically a roast, a showcase for Sacha Baron Cohen’s quick wit, but both Victoria and David are very good sports about it, and even come up with a few jokes of their own.
2007: Paula Abdul Drunk
I know this is not a talk show – but I couldn’t resist adding this one to the list. Here we see Paula Abdul being interviewed on television regarding the most recent American Idol series. This is serious cringe material. [jfrater]
2005: Tom Cruise on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’
Everybody knows about it, and has seen parodies of it, but the actual appearance is more bizarre and hysterical than a hundred of those parodies combined. This is genuinely odd behavior. A new popular phrase – ‘jump the couch’ – entered the lexicon, and one superstar was never taken seriously again.
Contributor: Barns
IMO John Stewart on Crossfire should be on this list. YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE
i agree with you, barns, regarding Marilyn Manson… i haven’t seen any of his interviews as i really find him so scary ( with the eyeliner, face powder and all) but one time i happened to read his interview at one local paper here in dubai… he was asked with questions regarding his divorce with then wife, dit von tesse… his answers were philosophical, but they were original, i haven’t heard any of the phrases he said from any political leaders or celebrities…i think he has learned so much about life…
i mean one can never truly expect someone looking like that could be surprisingly intelligent…
i may not agree with absolutely everything he says, but that manson is one smart cookie.
What about Oliver Reed on Aspel and Co? THAT was memorable!
Crispin Glover was indeed acting in that Letterman clip. He was in character as Rubin Farr from the movie “Rubin and Ed”. For some reason or another, though, “Rubin and Ed” didn’t get released until 1991. If you watch it (or look at pics), Glover was wearing the exact same costume in the movie as he was on Letterman.
@ 46 – Sue Johannsen seriously kicks ass. She may well be the toughest woman in Canada.
This list should get a late revision after Joaquin Phoenix’s recent Letterman interview. You’d think he would lay off the drugs after what happened to his brother…unless he’s just acting, that is.
Ahh I knew Marilyn Manson would be on there lol. God I love that guy.
But what about Sinead O’Connor on SNL? How could anyone forget that?
Why didn’t you include the Oprah interview of MJ?
how about hugh grant on jayleno
I honestly expected to see The Beatles on Johnny Carson.
where’s truman capote?
Marilyn Manson is an idiot! There is nothing intelligent in leading children into rebellion or drugs.
Funny…
i think blaming music, movies, etc… is nothing more than abdicating a parents responsibility for teaching their child appropriately. or if anyone is swayed into killing themselves or commiting a crime, then that propensity to do as such was already there. music and movies didnt plant that seed. i was told once that my music may have influenced my problems in my teen years, which i strongly refute. i replied noh and noone ever offed themselves listening to john denvern. twenty fours hours of rocky mountain high and imd jump off the *****ing mountain
damn my shift button wasnt working so i had quite a few typos above.
Kirstie Alley in a bikini on the Oprah show?? HOW COULD THAT NOT MAKE THE LIST? SHE WAS IN A BIKINI FOR GODS SAKE! IN FRONT OF THE NATION ON THE WORLDS MOST WATCHED TALK SHOW!
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on Top Gear Star In The Reasonably (cant spell it) Priced Car
I think i spelled it right even Tom Cruise leans forward
i love the bit on family guy parodying tom cruise where stewie talks about his cousin stewie cruise and than we see him on oprah and he yells “IM IN LOVE WITH KATY HOLMES IM IN LOVE WITH KATY HOLMES GO SEE MY NEW MOVIE IM NOT GAY IM IN LOVE WITH KATY HOLMES” hilarious!
I saw that that was funny
Marilyn Manson is genius
If you enjoyed that interview,
then watch the the interview called “Marilyn Manson-Bowling For Columbine”.
The part that made me and my mother smile from astonishment was when Micheal Moore asks Marilyn Manson “If you could say anything to the kids who did this, what would you say?” and Marilyn’s response was “I wouldn’t say anything. I’d listen to what they’d have to say. An that’s what nobody did.”
If you do a follow up you should include G.G. Allin on the Sally Jessie Raphael show, and Michael Allig and the club kids on any talk show they’ve ever been on (it’s always comical)!
Did we miss Ali’s interview with Parkinson?!
Seriously I know Top Gear is not a talk show but Star In The Reasonably Priced Car sort of is.
There are 2 Talk Show appearances that are embedded in my mind forever. One was, the author Ayn Rand on The Phil Donahue Show just before she died. The other one is when the great Orson Welles appeared on the Merv Griffin Show. He did the interview with Griffin, left the studio, went back to his hotel room and went to lay down and fall asleep……….He never woke up and had died just 2 hours after the interview. I also will give honorable mention to once again, Phil Donahue when he interviewed Katherine Hepburn at her house. Hepburn had written her memoirs and Donahue had a copy of it and her if she could sign and personalize it………She then asked, what his name was and left Donahue astounded that she did not know his name. Its classic…….
I have a couple that are not on the list. The first one was Truman Capote totally drunk as a guest on the Stanley Siegel Show. When asked by Siegel if he was drunk, Capote said “Lately ?” Siegel said “No Right Now”. Another one was when the legendary Orson Welles was on the Merv Griffin Show, did his interview and left the studio in a limo to transport him back to his hotel room. He died in his sleep just 3 hours after the interview and the most interesting one was when the famous novelist Ayn Rand made an appearance on the Phil Donahue show just before she died. With the exception of the Truman Capote interview, the other 2 can be seen on YOU TUBE
I do wish Truddi Chase with Oprah was on here.
Madonna and Letterman
What the eff is up with most of the videos not working?
Just a few months ago on Late Night With David Letterman, Neil Peart the drummer for the internationally known rock band RUSH, Was Dave’s musical guest. And I am sure that was not easy for him to get as Neil is a very private and reclusive type individual since his daughter died in a single car accident and his wife Jackie died one year later (almost to the day) of cancer. But Neil is still Neil, the greatest drummer in rock music, if not the world
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