Top 30 Most Confrontational Talk Show Moments

Top 30 Most Confrontational Talk Show Moments

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most combative, aggressive, and shocking talk show clashes in TV history. To make the list, the incident can’t be completely staged, and it has to be on a talk show or a program with a similar model.

#30: Meg Ryan vs. Michael Parkinson
“Parkinson” (1971-2007)

In 2003, Ryan went onto the UK’s “Parkinson” to promote her work in the film “In the Cut.” Instead of getting positive publicity and perhaps a boost at the box office, she uncomfortably clashed with the host. Perceiving the actor was being rude to his other guests, Parkinson admonished her throughout as Ryan gave brief responses. When he asked her what he should do, Ryan told him to “wrap it up,” drawing nervous laughter from the audience. Afterward, the two exchanged a public war of words. Ryan called Parkinson a “nut,” and he treated her like a “disapproving dad.” The host called her an “unhappy woman.” In 2021, a couple of years before his passing, Parkinson offered a public apology to Ryan.

#29: The Extortion Plot
“Late Show with David Letterman” (1993-2015)

People tuning in to “David Letterman” in 2009 were left bewildered when the program strayed from its comedy, interviews, and entertainment news updates. During this infamous episode, Letterman spoke candidly to the audience about a plot to blackmail him for $2 million, or they would expose his affairs. He went on a long monologue, explaining the whole situation and the sting operation. The audience was laughing throughout, unsure if this was real. But it was. It was discovered that CBS producer Joe Halderman was behind the plot and was arrested. In 2010, Halderman pleaded guilty to the attempted extortion. He received six months in jail, five years of probation, and 1,000 hours of community service.

#28: Forced Announcement
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (2003-22)

Some talk show hosts will do anything to get celebrities to give them a big scoop. Take Ellen DeGeneres for example when Mariah Carey was a guest in 2008. During their sit-down chat, DeGeneres brought up the rumors of the singer being pregnant. Carey mentioned in interviews years later that she was blindsided by this and was very uncomfortable. At the time, she tried to change the subject, only for DeGeneres to give her a glass of champagne to toast being not pregnant, a very obvious test. When Carey pretended to drink it, the host called her out on the mimicry and exclaimed she was expecting a child. Not long after this incident, Carey sadly miscarried.

#27: Calling Out Corden
“The Late Late Show with James Corden” (2015-23)

Sometimes, context from years later can make a somewhat innocent talk show moment seem much more combative. In 2022, James Corden was the villain of the hosting world after he was allegedly rude to waiting staff at the Balthazar restaurant. Well, back in 2016, Corden had the icon Jimmy Kimmel on his show to play the segment “Spill Your Guts,” where you had to consume something gross or answer a question. With a fish smoothie in front of him, Kimmel asked Corden if he could name two of his camera operators. After a long pause, Corden couldn’t and drank the smoothie. With hindsight, this led to speculation that Kimmel did this to embarrass the English host due to his apparent rude attitude.

#26: Morton Downey Jr. vs. Kellie Everts
“The Morton Downey Jr. Show” (1987-89)

Considered one of the pioneers of “trash TV,” Morton Downey Jr. brought on Kellie Everts, also known as Rasa von Werder, as a guest on his controversial program in 1988. She was invited after gaining publicity for combining exotic dancing with religious services. Immediately, it was uncomfortable as Downey made crass jokes. Throughout, he yelled misogynistic insults at Everts. When she stuck up for herself, he thrusted his pelvis on her, which was bizarre and gross. At one point, Downey aggressively yanked her microphone away and even broke her shoulder strap. After the segment aired, Everts stated to the press her intention to sue Downey for $40 million for defamation and assault.

#25: Arsenio Hall vs. Queer Nation
“The Arsenio Hall Show” (1989-2014)

In 1990, Hall was taping an episode of his self-titled talk show, riffing with the crowd. However, he was interrupted by the audience yelling, which he immediately addressed. Some members of the activist group Queer Nation were asking why Hall didn’t have any gay guests on his show. It started off calm, with Hall backing up accusations with evidence and mentioning guests might not be comfortable disclosing their sexuality. But as the activists continued questioning him and implying he was homophobic, the host exploded in rage. After telling them to sit down, a fired-up Hall monologued that he would never discriminate against a guest for their sexuality. His rage even continued when Paul Hogan was brought out, frightening the Australian actor.

#24: Jimmy Kimmel vs. Jay Leno
“The Jay Leno Show” (2009-10)

In his short-lived self-titled show, Leno brought on rival Kimmel for his “10 at 10” segment in 2010. Straight away, there was tension as Kimmel made several insulting jokes against Leno, causing the audience to grip their seats and nervously laugh. Soon after, Kimmel took several shots at the long-time “The Tonight Show” host, berating him for mistreating O’Brien, who had replaced Leno on the show before he returned, outing his successor along the way. Every time the scandal was brought up by Kimmel, Leno tried to move the segment along or make brief jokes. However, Kimmel wasn’t letting go. By the end, he jokingly pleaded with Leno to leave their programs alone as they have kids to feed, and he only has cars.

#23: Crispin Glover vs. David Letterman
“Late Night with David Letterman” (1982-93)

As Glover arrived on Letterman’s stage in 1987 to promote his work in “River's Edge,” something was amiss with his long hair, nervous energy, and unusual clothing. Letterman was seemingly annoyed with his painted-on smile as Glover rambled on. But it got worse. The actor then asked Letterman if he wanted to arm wrestle, which the host wasn’t keen on. When Glover kicked near Letterman’s head, he had enough and walked off, shrugging off Glover’s hand that grabbed him. When he returned, Letterman insinuated that Glover was forced to leave. Those who watched 1991’s “Rubin & Ed” might have seen the similarities between Glover’s film character and his awkward portrayal on that infamous Letterman night.

#22: Tucker Carlson vs. Jon Stewart
“Crossfire” (1982-2005; 2013-14)

Before he was a big-time Fox political commentator who got fired, Carlson was a co-host on CNN’s “Crossfire,” a debate show. In 2004, Stewart guest appeared to promote his book, and he saw the chance to lay into Carlson and the program and took it. The bow-tie-wearing commentator insulted Stewart, too, defining his speeches as “boring.” Stewart responded by describing Carlson’s work on the show as “not honest” and “partisan hackery.” Yikes. Carlson kept retaliating with juvenile insults and interrupting Stewart's concise criticism. The tense segment reached its peak when the TV host called Carlson a certain male appendage. The scandal on screen was so bad that it supposedly led to Carlson being fired from the network and “Crossfire” being canceled several months later.

#21: Badly Facing the Allegations
“Newsnight” (1980-)

For a guest to be confrontational with a host, the victim of their alleged crimes, and a whole country is pretty intense. This interview was so disastrous for Andrew and the UK royal family that he resulted in lawsuits, his removal from public duties, and police investigations. Andrew denied knowing Virginia Giuffre, who he was accused of assaulting after she was trafficked by Epstein, even though there was a photo of the two of them. He made bizarre excuses, including claiming that Giuffre's account is incorrect since he couldn’t sweat at the time after an adrenaline overdose. Near the end, the final nail in the PR coffin was Andrew describing Epstein’s crimes as “unbecoming,” causing interviewer Emily Maitlis to interject Epstein was a sex offender.

#20: Aziz Ansari Calls Out CBS
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (2015-)

Representation has been a topic of discussion in showbusiness for a long time, and it’s something that Aziz Ansari has spoken candidly about. During an interview with Stephen Colbert, the "Parks & Rec" comedian took some not so subtle jabs at CBS's track record when it comes to diversity. And Ansari managed to do it while still being funny. Fortunately, Colbert was able to roll with it and poke some fun of his own - defusing potential awkwardness, and making it easy to focus on the comedian’s point.

#19: Abel Ferrara Awkward Interview
“Late Night with Conan O'Brien” (1993-2009)

Conan O' Brien has interviewed almost every celebrity imaginable, so the fact the host picked Abel Ferrara as his most difficult interview means something. From the very start, the accomplished filmmaker comes across as though he’d rather be anywhere else. Despite Conan's best efforts to get a conversation going, Ferrara mostly mumbles through a couple of half stories about Madonna and Harvey Keitel while playing around with a cigarette. As awkward as this interview is, there IS almost a comedic brilliance to it, especially since it kind of ends on a punchline.

#18: Norman Mailer vs. Gore Vidal
“The Dick Cavett Show” (1968-86)

"The Dick Cavett Show" had its share of explosive sessions over the years, but few compare to the sheer ferocity that defined Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal's segment. While everyone got their licks in, Mailer was the driving force behind this confrontational debate, with the writer mocking Vidal's career, personality, and pretty much everything besides his political campaign. Mailer even challenged Cavett and the audience's intelligence, while a bored Janet Flanner sat there like a frustrated teacher presiding over a couple of school children. While things never quite got violent on-screen, Mailer reportedly headbutted Vidal earlier that night.

#17: A Rude Interruption
“The Wendy Williams Show” (2008-22)

Few things can ruin a person's focus quite as instantly as a ringing phone. During a recording of "The Wendy Williams Show," the host found her train of thought interrupted by the sound of a mobile, a crime that could not go unpunished. At that moment, Wendy Williams uttered the phrase anyone who has ever been stuck in a theatre with a disruptive audience member has always wanted to say. Although Williams defused the situation within a few seconds, that does not mean the host's initial frustration was not genuine.

#16: Vince McMahon vs. Bob Costas
“On the Record with Bob Costas” (2001-04)

While some discussions start gently and gradually grow more confrontational, Bob Costas' interview with WWE's Vince McMahon is underpinned by a palpable fierceness right from the start. Coming across more like an interrogation than a discussion, Costas grilled his guest on the failings of the XFL – a then new football league created by McMahon that would ultimately go bust within a year of debuting – while also not painting professional wrestling in the most positive light. By the time the interview came to an end, McMahon appeared on the verge of body slamming the host, although the pair would meet up for a much more cordial episode a year later.

#15: Bill Maher Kicks Out an Audience Member
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (2003-)

This long-running show tackles sensitive and controversial topics using irreverent humor that adds to the debates without necessarily overshadowing them. Typically cool as a cucumber, Bill Maher is always in command and does not react kindly to any attempts to hijack a panel, especially from hecklers. While the first heckler received a personal goodbye from Maher, the tension only escalated from there, as waves of unrest echoed from the audience. Throughout it all, Maher still manages to get a couple of laughs, although each one-liner is fueled by anger.

#14: Patti LaBelle Isn’t Having It
“The Tyra Banks Show” (2005-10)

Who knew that a pretty short conversation revolving around cupcakes and paper could be so uncomfortable? What seems to start out as a genuine misunderstanding between Hungry Girl cookbook writer Lisa Lillien and guest Patti LaBelle regarding the paper surrounding the cupcakes, quickly turns into an improv session with cringe-worthy attempts at humor and condescending remarks. All things considered, LaBelle managed to keep her cool despite being spoken to like a toddler. While the animosity dies down relatively quickly, a segment about cupcakes should never have been this tense to watch. The incident was so infamous that it inspired a 2020 “Saturday Night Live” sketch, starring “SNL” cast member Ego Nwodim as LaBelle stand-in “Cookie LaFloof”, and host Daniel Craig as the put-upon celebrity chef.

#13: Morton Downey Jr. vs. Seka
“The Morton Downey Jr. Show” (1987-89)

In hindsight, “The Morton Downey Jr. Show” was closer to programs like "The Jerry Springer Show" than modern-day talk shows. The pilot episode dealing with the adult film industry instantly established the tone for the show, as the host utilized an aggressive interviewing style designed to put actress Seka immediately on the defensive. The live audience ate up Downey's savage takedown of his guest, even if the whole thing comes across as a sensationalist stunt that sought to belittle Seka for easy ratings. It is hardly surprising that Seka walked out during a commercial break.

#12: Harvey Pekar Wilds Out
“Late Night with David Letterman” (1982-93)

This exchange was memorable enough to be recreated in a biopic. Harvey Pekar's appearances on David Letterman's talk shows are the stuff of legend, especially the heated exchanges the pair had during the 80s. The duo always seemed to be stuck in a power struggle, and that was never more apparent than when Pekar went on a rant about General Electric, the parent company of NBC, the network that aired "Late Night with David Letterman." This was not some previously discussed routine, as Letterman did not hide the fact that Pekar's comments were highly inappropriate and unwelcome.

#11: Meghan's Choice Words
“The View” (1997-)

Political discussions naturally tend to grow a bit fiery, but certain words are practically never heard on daytime television. While Meghan McCain and Joy Behar are known to snap at each other, "The View's" co-hosts usually refrain from using profanity. While debating a Trump rally, McCain grew increasingly frustrated with Behar's occasional interruptions. It reached the point that Whoopi Goldberg had to try and cool down the panel. McCain and Behar have had several blowouts over the years, but this was one of the more memorable ones.

#10: Cher vs. Letterman
“Late Night with David Letterman” (1982-93)

It’s rare that a talk show interview starts out confrontationally, then becomes progressively calmer. But that’s exactly what happened when Cher first appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman." During the initial stages, Letterman attempted to learn why Cher had previously rejected the show's invitations, and there was a definite tension during these moments that made the exchange uncommonly awkward. When Cher finally revealed the reason, it could have come across as a punchline if it were not for the fact that the singer did not laugh for a couple of seconds after the fact. It was no joke.

#9: Dakota’s Birthday
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (2003-22)

Ellen DeGeneres is rarely caught off guard by any of her guests, which makes this particularly awkward exchange with Dakota Johnson all that more captivating. After inquiring about the actress's birthday party, Ellen made the mistake of mentioning that she was not invited, a throwaway joke that ended up not being true, a fact Johnson wasted absolutely no time in correcting. Ellen's comedic timing does manage to diffuse some of the tension out of the situation, although that does not make the interview's opening few minutes any less uncomfortable to watch.

#8: Madonna vs. Letterman
“The Late Show with David Letterman” (1993-2015)

This interview was off to a rough start with Letterman’s derogatory introduction. He then told Madonna to kiss a man in the audience. Even so, no one could have predicted what followed. Filled with expletives from Madonna, and innuendo from both parties, this interview toes the lines between playful banter and outright hostility. To say that it takes some weird turns is an understatement. By the last few minutes, it had gone completely off the rails, as any semblance of structure gives way to confusion, cigars, and shocked audience members.

#7: Tom Cruise vs. Matt Lauer
“Today” (1952-)

During an interview with "Today's" then undisgraced host Matt Lauer, Tom Cruise opened up about life and mental health in a rant that would arguably change the public perception of the actor forever. The strangest thing about this whole ordeal was that the interview was perfectly cordial for the first half, but the tone changed once Lauer mentioned Scientology, which snowballed into Cruise sharing his distrust about psychiatry as someone who knew the profession's long history. The interview got particularly heated once Brooke Shields became the topic of discussion, with Cruise even going so far as to describe Lauer as glib.

#6: Rosie O'Donnell vs. Tom Selleck
“The Rosie O'Donnell Show” (1996-2002)

In the aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre, Rosie O'Donnell and Tom Selleck ended up in a now-infamous debate over gun control. Selleck, who came on the talk show to promote the romantic comedy "The Love Letter" was blindsided by O'Donnell who was far more interested in discussing the NRA, guns, and the second amendment. While Selleck tried to maintain a degree of composure and civility early on in the debate, the actor seemed to give up once it became apparent this argument was just going to go around in circles.

#5: Whoopi Goldberg vs. Bill O'Reilly
“The View” (1997-)

As multiple arguments on "The View" can attest, it is only natural that discussions get heated when politics, religion, or 9/11 are involved. Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck had a notable exchange in 2007, but it was Bill O'Reilly's guest appearance in 2010 that saw tensions boil over to unprecedented heights. O'Reilly's generalization of Muslims prompts a verbal tirade from Whoopi Goldberg, who then proceeds to leave the set alongside co-host Joy Behar. In retrospect, there wasn’t friction immediately between O'Reilly and Goldberg, but things certainly did not take long to escalate.

#4: Rush Limbaugh vs. Protesters
“The Pat Sajak Show” (1989-90)

The most infamous episode of this show didn’t even feature the titular host. A couple of weeks before the show's cancellation, Rush Limbaugh took over for an episode about a recently vetoed abortion bill and, in a move that backfired instantly, asked an audience member for their opinion. The rest of the episode involved Limbaugh trying and failing to gain any sort of control over a restless crowd, with many vocal members who did not agree with the guest host's political views. The experience was such a trainwreck, Limbaugh would later claim it was a publicity stunt staged by the talk show's producers.

#3: Marc Summers vs. Burt Reynolds
“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (1992-2009; 2010-14)

Sometimes things escalate slowly before reaching a boil; this was not one of those times. Marc Summers and Burt Reynolds share one cordial exchange before the bitter jokes, cups, and pies begin to fly. From the moment Summers made a crack at Reynolds' past divorces, it felt like the pair were constantly on the brink of a fight. Neither party came out of this segment looking particularly great, while Jay Leno seemed simultaneously delighted and terrified by what was unfolding in front of him. Things might not have worked out as planned but it did lead to an unforgettable interview.

#2: Gebrawldo
“Geraldo” (1987-98)

While sometimes arguments arise from unlikely pairings, certain situations are purposefully crafted to spark controversy and hostility. When "Geraldo" invited a White Aryan Resistance Youth member onto the same show as civil rights activist Roy Innis, the talk show presumably anticipated a few fireworks, although a full-on brawl presumably exceeded the expectations of even the most ambitious of TV execs. After one particularly racist comment, Innis took matters into his own hands before the show lost complete control of its guests and audience. By the end, Geraldo Rivera ended up with a broken nose, and a ratings smash.

#1: Jim Everett vs. Jim Rome
“Talk2” (1994-95)

A moment so infamous, "South Park" parodied it more than a decade later. After years of "Talk2's" Jim Rome poking fun at Jim Everett by calling him “Chris” instead, in reference to the female tennis player of the same name, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback dared the host to repeat it one more time during an interview. Rome did so, and instantly regretted it. This segment is so outlandish, it almost seems staged; however, Everett has always maintained that it was legitimate. Considering neither party came out from this scuffle looking particularly good, it does seem pretty real.

Which controversial talk show moment shocked you the most? Let us know below!