Stars Who Fired Back At Their Interviewer Live On Air

The following article includes brief references to child abuse, sexual abuse, and addiction.

Interviewing celebrities isn't always easy, neither for the interviewer nor for the stars themselves. It can be tricky to come up with questions that an actor or musician hasn't already answered 40 million times previously, and sometimes out-of-the-box inquiries about movies, television, and music can get everyone involved into trouble, too.

Women celebrities often fall into traps of being asked about their outfits and their bodies, which many interpret (and sometimes rightfully so) as being misogynist and insensitive. Stars of both sexes often fall victim to personal questions about their private lives or dark pasts that they've tried to bury or move beyond. Others take technical difficulties to new heights, either exploding into tantrums or talking smack into a microphone they don't realize is on.

Whether it's rude questions about a celebrity's body, bringing up personal (and sometimes criminal) subjects a star would rather avoid, trite questions riddled with sexism, or just poor manners, these stars all made it quite clear when they'd had enough — and they let their interviewers know it in a big way.

As one of the most popular and influential sitcoms of the '90s throughout its nine-season run, "Seinfeld" wasn't just your average funny "show about nothing" — it has also been credited for changing modern televised storytelling. So when the late Larry King interviewed Jerry Seinfeld in 2007 and admittedly asked a pretty dopey question about the series, perhaps we shouldn't have been too surprised that the titular star wasn't exactly pleased. But the comedian's reaction was arguably a bit over the top and rude, all things considered.

"They didn't cancel you, you canceled them?" King asked of "Seinfeld" wrapping in 1998. An incredulous Seinfeld replied, "You're not aware of this?" King said, "No, I'm asking you." That seemed to set the stand-up comic off. "You think I got canceled?" Seinfeld asked. "Are you under the impression that I got canceled? I thought that was pretty well-documented. Is this real CNN? I was the No. 1 show on television, Larry! Do you know who I am? 75 million viewers last episode!"

King did the best that he could to keep the interview going, but Seinfeld seemed pretty peeved. "Don't take it so bad," King urged. "Well, there's a big difference between being canceled and being No. 1," Seinfeld griped. "Geez! Can we get a resume in here for me that Larry can go over?"

While promoting "Legend," a 2015 movie in which Tom Hardy stars as bisexual gangster twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray, at the Toronto International Film Festival, the actor wasn't happy with a Daily Xtra reporter who asked about his real-life sexuality.

"In the film, your character Ronnie is very open about his sexuality. But given interviews you've done in the past, your own sexuality seems a bit more ambiguous," the interviewer said. "Do you find it hard for celebrities to talk to the media about their sexuality?" Hardy asked, "What on Earth are you on about?" The interviewer clarified that he was referring to a previous interview Hardy had done with Attitude magazine (via Gawker) years prior. "I don't find it difficult for celebrities to talk about their sexuality," Hardy said. "Are you asking me about my sexuality?" When the interviewer said, "Sure," Hardy asked, "Why?" And then put an end to that reporter's question with a mic drop of a "Thank you."

Hardy later reflected on that viral moment in an interview with the Daily Beast, arguing that despite being a well-known actor, he — like anyone else — has a right to protect his privacy when it comes to his personal life. "It's important destigmatizing sexuality and gender inequality in the workplace, but to put a man on the spot in a room full of people designed purely for a salacious reaction? To be quite frank, it's rude," he said, adding, "There's also nothing ambiguous about my sexuality, anyway. I know who I am."

Anne Hathaway wasn't impressed with one particular interviewer's line of questioning about her preparation for the role of Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman) while promoting 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises."

"Extra" interviewer Jerry Penacoli asked Hathaway, "You're in phenomenal shape. You're always in great shape, but you had to make sure you were in perfect shape for this one, didn't you?" Hathaway replied, "Eh, it wasn't about being in perfect shape, it was about being able to do the stunts and the fighting perfectly." Penacoli went on to not only inquire about the comfort level of her "form-fitting" Catwoman suit, but unfortunately also continued to ask about her body, diet, and exercise routine instead of moving on — and it's worth noting that he largely spoke with her co-star, Christian Bale (aka Batman), about the trilogy's final story arc. Finally, he questioned, "What is the feline fitness regime?" 

To this, Hathaway said flatly, "It's all the boring stuff that no one ever wants to do." The industry vet then expertly turned things around with, "Are you trying to lose weight? What's the deal man, you look great! No, seriously. We have to talk about this. What do you want? Are you trying to fit into a catsuit?" Well played, Hathaway.

"Extra" television reporter Jerry Penacoli was at it again when he dared to ask actor Scarlett Johansson about what she wore underneath her Black Widow jumpsuit while sitting next to her "The Avengers" co-star, Jeremy Renner. The stars were promoting the 2012 film when Penacoli asked Johansson, "Were you able to wear undergarments?" Johansson wasn't pleased with the question. "You're the fifth person to ask me this today. What is going on? Since when do people start asking each other in interviews about their underwear?" the star said, appearing rightfully irritated.

Penacoli failed to explain himself, telling Johansson that he wanted to know what she wore underneath her costume because it was "skin-tight." The actor cut him off before he could say anymore, saying, "I'll leave it up to your imagination. Whatever you feel like I should be wearing or not wearing under that costume." 

The interviewer pressed on and asked if the question was out of line. Both Penacoli and Renner tried to mansplain to Johansson that he just wanted to know what she wore under her Marvel outfit, to which Johannson replied, "Overalls. Dungarees. You can't wear clothes underneath it! It's like a wetsuit, practically. ... Was I wearing underwear? I mean, gosh. Ask Joss [Whedon]," referencing the movie's writer and director. Penacoli laughed and responded that he had, with the actor stating, "What kind of interview is this?"

During a live interview in 2014, Canadian news anchor Nathan Downer sat down with boxing legend Mike Tyson to talk about his one-man show "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth." However, Downer got a little too personal with his questioning and made the mistake of bringing up Tyson's 1992 sexual assault conviction. Warning: there are several expletives thrown out in this one.

Downer began his interview by asking Tyson about endorsing then-Toronto mayor Rob Ford. "Some of your critics would say ... we know you're a convicted rapist, this could hurt his campaign. How do you respond to that?" Downer asked. Tyson replied, "You're the only one I heard say that. ... I don't have a comment to that because it's negative, and you're being negative." He added, "It's interesting because you come off as a nice guy, but you're actually a piece of s***. F*** you, that was a piece of s***." Downer attempted to change the subject and asked the boxer if it was more nerve-wracking to perform on stage or in the ring, to which Tyson said, "It's more nerve-wracking for me to be here talking to a rat piece of s*** like you."

A rep for Tyson stated that it was agreed by the host and the boxer that questions were solely going to focus on the boxer's Broadway show. However, the reporter had crossed that line. "All was going well but we felt deceived and bamboozled by the reporter when he went off topic in such a disrespectful manner," the rep told ET Canada.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Things got awkward between Solange Knowles and Fox 5 reporter Monica Jackson when the songstress believed she was asked about Jay-Z selling his 40/40 Club in Las Vegas. Knowles was being interviewed to speak about her second studio album "Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams," but instead started off her interview firing back at Jackson despite the reporter never mentioning the rapper. 

"Good morning. I have to say, that was not a very professional introduction before," Knowles said. "Please don't tie me into my family and my brother-in-law's establishment." Jackson apologized to Knowles and told her no one had brought up Jay-Z. Knowles continued, "No, no, no. I'm talking about just a few minutes before," to which a man off-screen said, "That wasn't live, Solange. That wasn't on TV." Despite the uncomfortable start, the interview continued much more smoothly, with Jackson asking Solange about her music.

However, the channel's news anchors were not so pleased with Knowles and ripped her apart, praising Jackson for her professionalism. "No wonder Solange isn't the famous sister," anchor Dave Hall began. "... She was promoting her new album, whatever it's called, nobody cares. It's going to be in stores, not that any of you care." He added, "What a little brat. ... Quit gravy training off of your sister and get your own career." Yikes!

Tony Danza didn't realize he was on the air via satellite back in 1998 when he began talking smack about a news show ... while on that news show.

Cameras were rolling pre-interview when he was heard stating, "You know what I hate about being on these things? You end up on those news shows. And those news shows are terrible." His interviewer tried calling his name to get his attention to no avail. "I'm telling you, I just realized it because I'm hearing the news show in the background," Danza said. "You always think you're doing one of those 'Good Morning' shows, but this is one of those news shows. I'm telling you, this is crazy. I don't want to do this. I'm gonna be part of the local news, how exciting."

The interviewer tried again, but Danza just sipped his coffee and grumbled, "I'm having second thoughts about this. Right after murder and mayhem and the rescue in California, Tony Danza. I'm so excited." Technical issues were finally fixed and when the reporter confronted Danza, he was unfazed. "Oh, you heard me, huh? Don't you feel a little bit like that's what you do? You know, not for nothing. It's not just me who thinks that, is it?" The interviewer replied with a tight-lipped smile, "That's just how I make my living.

At the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT's red carpet reporter Danielle Demski stopped "Angie Tribeca" star Rashida Jones for a chat ahead of the show. It began innocuously enough, with everyone complimenting Jones on her beauty and Jones discussing her Emmanuelle Ungaro gown. It got cringe-worthy, however, when Demski commented on Jones' skin tone.

"You look amazing — gorgeous! You look like you've just come off an island or something," Demski said. That's not so bad, but then she added, "You're very tan, very tropical." Jones, the biracial daughter of African American music legend Quincy Jones and the late caucasian actor and former model Peggy Lipton, was understandably a little baffled at the clueless comment. She told Demski, "I mean, you know, I'm ethnic."

Demski, laughing to perhaps keep from crying, said through a toothy grin, "It's just being ethnic. That's all it is!" Uh, awkward.

Mel Gibson gave an early morning interview with WGN TV's Dean Richards in 2010 that ended with a not-so-nice goodbye. Gibson spoke via satellite to discuss his latest movie "Edge of Darkness" when Richards opened a can of worms and asked the star about his controversial hiatus from the spotlight.

"Do you feel like you're a different person, maybe a better person than you were five years ago, four years ago, given everything we've read about you? You've gone through a lot of ups and downs the last five years," Richards said. Richards referred to Gibson's 2006 DUI arrest and accusations of anti-Semitism, which resulted in the actor being blacklisted from Hollywood. Despite Gibson keeping his cool, he appeared irritated as the interviewer continued to press him about his past and what he thought the public's perception of him was. "That's almost four years ago, dude," Gibson told the reporter. He added, "I've moved on. I guess you haven't."

Still, Richards continued his questioning and asked Gibson if the public would change their views about the actor. "I certainly hope so. It's a while back, and I've done all the necessary mea culpas, so let's move on, dude." The interview ended on what seemed to be a good note until Gibson called Richards an "a******."

In a January 2014 interview on her short-lived daytime talk show, Katie Couric asked transgender model Carmen Carrera, "Was the whole process painful, physically, for you?" and "Your private parts are different now, aren't they?"

Laverne Cox, who accompanied Carrera on the interview, gently told Couric, "I think that the preoccupation with transition with surgery objectifies trans people, and then we don't really get to deal with the real, lived experiences." Noting the higher levels of violence and discrimination trans people face in comparison to the rest of the LGBTQ+ community, she went on to explain, "Our unemployment rate is twice the national average, if you're a trans person of color it's four times the national average. The homicide rate in the LGBT community is highest among trans women." Cox rightfully added, "If we focus on transition, we don't actually get to talk about those things."

For her part, Couric later expressed regret when she addressed that episode in an interview with the Daily Beast. "When some people were very critical, of course it hurt me I felt terrible," she said, owning up to making a mistake live on air. She also expressed how she'd hoped her admittedly "insensitive" line of questioning would've led to a learning experience for her viewers. Luckily, Couric was able to redeem herself when Cox guested on the talk show again months later.

In 2010, Kanye West appeared on "Today" to discuss his infamous remark about George W. Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, in which Yeezy infamously said, "George Bush doesn't care about Black people." Bush later went on to call it "one of the most disgusting moments of my presidency."

The rapper began by expressing kindness and empathy towards the former president in a calm demeanor when speaking to news anchor Matt Lauer. However, when Lauer had producers show West a video of Bush's segment, West grew miffed. "You know, I didn't need you guys to show me the tape to prompt my emotions or whatever," he said. "Pre-looking at his face, I came here because I wanted to say something to him right after the fact. I only get to do TV stuff. This is reality. ... I don't need all the jazz." He then asked someone out of frame to "please be quiet for a second."

Lauer and West then discussed his infamous 2009 MTV Video Music Awards stage-crashing that led to his ongoing feud with Taylor Swift. While he didn't seem upset that Lauer brought up the incident, he was annoyed that they played a clip while he spoke. "How am I supposed to talk if you're gonna run this thing in the middle while I'm talking? I'm hearing it while I'm trying to talk," West said. "Please don't let that happen again. It's ridiculous."

At the 2016 Golden Globes, Jennifer Lawrence, typically a press favorite, left a bad taste in journalists' mouths when she called out a reporter for looking at his phone while speaking to her. "You can't live your whole life behind your phone, bro," she cracked. "You can't do that, you've got to live in the now." The reporter apologized, then continued his question, asking, "How do you see yourself for Oscar night?" Instead of answering the question, she snapped, "We're at the Golden Globes. If you put your phone down, you'd know that."

Lawrence was criticized as being insensitive and rude when the moment went viral because the reporter spoke with a thick accent, leading many to believe he may have been looking at translations on his phone if English was his second language. She eventually did answer the reporter's questions, and the reporter, who hasn't been identified, could be heard laughing during the exchange. Some reports claimed the reporter was actually trying to take cell phone photos of Lawrence at the time of the exchange.

Anne Hathaway later came to Lawrence's defense, writing on Facebook, "It's become pretty clear that the Jennifer Lawrence 'scolding' was taken out of context and that she was dryly joking with a journalist who was indeed using his phone to take photos of her." Hathaway added, "Let's not continue the sad but common practice of building people — especially women — up just to viciously tear them down when we perceive them to have misstepped."

At a Save Our Schools rally held in Washington, D.C. back in August 2011, a reporter from the Libertarian outlet Reason.tv asked Matt Damon — whose mother is a teacher and was literally standing right next to him — if he thinks he works harder as an actor than teachers do because he isn't guaranteed job security. And the movie star made it very clear what his feelings were.

"You think job insecurity is what makes me work hard? I want to be an actor, it's not an incentive, that's the thing," he said. "It's the problem with [education] policy right now, this intrinsically paternalistic view of problems that are much more complex than that. It's like saying a teacher is going to get lazy when they have tenure. A teacher wants to teach." Damon added, "I mean, why else would you take a s***ty salary and really long hours and do that job unless you really love to do it?"

Just then, the cameraman quipped, "Aren't 10 percent of teachers bad? 10 percent of people in any profession should think of doing something else." But Damon clearly wasn't having that either, as the Oscar-winning actor replied, "Then maybe you're a s***ty cameraman, I don't know." When this clip resurfaced and went viral in August 2023 — amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes — the Twittersphere was abuzz with praise for the "Oppenheimer" star's stance and impassioned defense of teachers.

Mila Kunis, who came to the United States from Ukraine as a child, is fluent in Russian. That skill came in handy when she was promoting "Friends With Benefits" with co-star Justin Timberlake in August 2011 and she decided to blast a reporter for asking a relatively innocuous question. The reporter asked Timberlake in Russian at a press conference, "What brought you into movies? Why are you in movies?" Pretty harmless, right? Kunis asked for clarification, to which the reporter replied, "Many showbiz people move to movies and sometimes it's for the better, but why is Justin in movies?"

It didn't sound like the reporter meant to be shady, but perhaps her intent got lost in translation, and Kunis took offense to the question on Timberlake's behalf. She snapped back in Russian, "Wait, you're asking why he wants to be in movies? Well, what you rather have him do?" Timberlake began to speak, but Kunis cut him off, telling him, "Hold on." She then spoke to the reporter again, telling her, "Well, if he wants to make movies, and he can, why shouldn't he? What kind of question is that? Why are you here?"

A flustered Timberlake chuckled and pointed to Kunis following the exchange, telling the crowd, "This is my bodyguard."

In June 2017, Mariah Carey's former fiancée, billionaire James Packer, was being sought by Israeli police for questioning about illegal gift-giving, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Packer himself wasn't being accused of any wrongdoing, but authorities reportedly were looking into vacation accommodations Packer may have provided to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

That same month, Carey was in Tel Aviv, Israel to promote a skincare line when a reporter decided to interrogate her about her ex's whereabouts and asked her about a dinner she and Packer had attended with Netanyahu. She replied, "I was eating the food. They had some food there that was pretty good, I don't know. ... I was just there because I was invited to a dinner. ... There was conversation, food, dinner." 

When he pried and asked again where Packer was, she snapped ever-so-politely, "Please, darling, please! I don't [know] where the motherf***er is. How am I supposed to know?" Carey added, "I don't know, for real. ... I don't know, he's somewhere doing something, whatever. I have no idea. I really have no idea about the political stuff that goes on. I don't pay attention to it."

Emma Thompson was all of us when she snapped on a Sky TV interviewer who asked her about the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in spring 2018.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Thompson shared, "[There's] not a single thought about it in my head to share with you, I'm so sorry." She added, "I haven't even ... it doesn't occur to me actually, my son is getting married next year, so I am much more sort of dealing with that but really, I have nothing to say about it."

Fair enough, except her interviewer wouldn't drop the darn subject and subsequently asked Thompson if she had any well-wishes for Harry and his "Suits" star bride on their big day. "Obviously, yes, but I don't know them," the "Love Actually" star said, audibly and visibly irritated. "Of course I do. ... Stop it, just stop it, OK? Stop doing the 'Let's talk about the royal wedding.' ... Just give the poor kids a break."

"The Big Bang Theory" star Mayim Bialik walked the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2014 and didn't hesitate to school an interviewer about her educational pedigrees — she's not just a smartypants on TV, she's also brilliant in real life, too, with her other gig as a neuroscientist. Seriously, the woman is smart. After achieving child star fame on "Blossom," Bialik took an acting hiatus to focus on her studies at UCLA, earning her bachelor's degree in neuroscience (with a minor in Hebrew and Jewish studies) in 2000, and completing her PhD in neuroscience seven years later.

So when a reporter asked Bialik if she, like her onscreen persona Amy Farrah Fowler, could do calculus at the drop of a hat, she was understandably almost baffled by what she perceived to be the stupidity of the question. "Um, I actually was trained in calculus for several years," the actor stammered. "Yeah, I'm a neuroscientist, so ... you may not have known that. I can do calculus," Bialik assured. "I can do that. But yeah, I think people assume that of all of us. You don't have to have a PhD in neuroscience to be on our show. I promise."

In 1975, movie star Helen Mirren was subjected to what may have been one of the most sexist interviews ever with Michael Parkinson, who referred to her as a "sex queen." Parkinson told her, "You are, in quotes, a 'serious actress,'" to which she gently replied, "In quotes? How dare you?"

Then Parkinson asked if her "equipment" and "physical attributes" hindered her acting. "I'd like you to explain what you mean by my 'equipment' in great detail," Mirren replied. "A successful and serious actress ... can't have big bosoms, is that what you mean?" He then asked if her chest got in the way of audiences appreciating her craft. "What a crummy performance if people are obsessed with the size of your bosom over anything else," she said. "I would hope that the performance and the play and the living relationship between all the people on the stage and all the people in the audience would overcome such boring questions."

Several years later, Parkinson was asked about the infamous interview and refused to apologize to Mirren. "I don't want to. Nor does she. I don't regard what happened there as being anything other than good television ... it's not World War III, for God's sake," he told the Daily Mail (via the Independent).

Actor Jonah Hill has been open about his weight loss, which began in 2011. However, after gaining weight for his role in 2016's "War Dogs," Hill got some relatively simple advice from his "21 Jump Street" co-star Channing Tatum on getting back on track with his diet and exercise routine. "I wanted to get in better shape, so I called Channing Tatum and I was like, 'Hey, if I eat less and go to a trainer, will I get in good shape?' And [Tatum] was like, 'Yes, you dumb motherf******, of course, you will,'" Hill told Jimmy Fallon in 2016. Since then, Hill has been dedicated to maintaining a healthy weight. 

Hill's weight loss has been a hot topic, and he has been asked about it in many interviews. During a 2014 press conference at Georgia Tech, a reporter asked what made Hill want to get in better shape. Despite his cool, calm, and collected response, a second reporter rudely asked Hill, "Are you still considered the fat guy? ... Are you the fat guy in Hollywood still? Or is everybody like, 'Look at you ... oh wow, this is great, now you're healthy'?"

Appearing irritated by the question, Hill responded with, "Do you have any other questions that are smart?" Thankfully, a third reporter changed the subject. 

Rihanna made her acting debut in the 2012 film "Battleship." Starring as a weapons specialist in the action-packed movie was a terrific way for Rihanna to showcase her talents on the big screen. "I didn't imagine that it would be grungy, like, straight Navy soldier, no makeup. [But] I enjoyed it. It was a brilliant surprise for me," the singer told MTV News. She added, "I wanted to do something badass."

Of course, Rihanna had to do several press conferences for the movie. While in London, instead of focusing on how she prepared for her role, Rihanna was asked about her love life. A reporter asked, "Things are clearly going brilliantly in your career. I just wondered if you are as happy in your private life, and will we be seeing a certain Mr. Ashton Kutcher perhaps making a trip over here?" Rihanna replied to the reporter, "Wow, how disappointing was that question?"

In fact, reporter Natalie Barr from the Australian morning show "Sunrise" asked Rihanna a similar question while promoting the movie. Towards the end of their interview, Barr pressed Rihanna on her private life. "How frustrating is it when you're linked to another Hollywood star, even if you've barely met them?" Barr asked. Rihanna replied, "Very frustrating, almost as frustrating as being asked about it."

TV host Ellen DeGeneres has been at the center of several controversial moments. However, nothing is more cringy than having one of these moments play out live on air. 

In November 2019, actor Dakota Johnson was a guest on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" when the pair touched on Johnson's recent birthday party. DeGeneres asked the star how her party went before saying she was not invited. However, Johnson quickly contradicted the host when she replied, "Actually, no. That's not the truth, Ellen. You were invited. Last time I was on the show, last year, you gave me a bunch of s*** about not inviting you, but I didn't even know you wanted to be invited. I didn't even know you liked me."

After DeGeneres clarified that she did like Johnson, the awkwardness continued when the host asked Johnson about having comedian Tig Notaro perform at her birthday party. The "Fifty Shades of Grey" actor shared, "She's my favorite comedian." Whoops.

In 2015, Ariana Grande was a guest on hosts Eric D-Lux and Justin Credible's Power 106 Los Angeles radio show to promote her single "Focus." Although the interview was going well for the most part, Grande was unexpectedly hit with a sexist question that she handled like a boss. One of the hosts asked the songstress, "If you could use makeup or your phone one last time, which one would you pick?" Grande replied, "Is this what you think girls have trouble choosing between? ... Is this men assuming that that's what girls would have to choose between?" When Grande said she could go hours without her phone, one host said, "Ladies, learn," to which the singer stated, "Boys learn. ... Come on, boys and girls, we can all learn." 

Unfortunately, the comments didn't end there. Grande was asked her favorite emoji, and she replied with the unicorn. However, when one host stated it was a girl emoji, Grande quickly replied, "Boys. Many boys use the unicorn. You need a little brushing up on equality." After both hosts said they had never used the unicorn emoji, Grande happily said she no longer wanted to hang out on their radio show. 

Grande ended her interview by seemingly firing back at the hosts when asked about a problem she would fix with the world. "I have a long list of things I'd like to change. ... I think judgment in general. ... Intolerance, meanness, double standards, misogyny, racism, sexism. You know, all that s***," she shared. 

In 2017, Blake Lively attended Vanity Fair's Power of Women: New York luncheon, where she was honored for her work with the Child Rescue Coalition, a non-profit organization that aims to protect children from online predators. There to discuss her fight against child sexual abuse material, Lively was highly disheartened when a reporter asked her about her fashion, with Lively seemingly deeming it as sexist. 

As reported by Vanity Fair, while on the red carpet, a reporter for the "Today" show asked, "What's your power outfit?" The "Gossip Girl" star replied, "No way. Come on. Come on, we're about building women up. Come on, outfits? Would you ask a man that?" When the reporter attempted to reiterate her question, Lively shared, "But you wouldn't ask a man what his power outfit is, I'm sorry. Like see, this is the moment that we become more aware and that we change."

Despite Lively being known for her many fashion looks, we can see how this question didn't seem appropriate for the event she was attending. And for her part, she did go on to ask the reporter to try her hand at another question.

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

As mentioned before, transgender model Carmen Carrera faced very personal questions when sharing her story with Katie Couric. Thankfully, actor Laverne Cox was on hand to speak for Carrera and the transgender community. Unfortunately, Cox also had to deal with questions regarding her physical transformation when she appeared as a guest on "The Wendy Williams Show" in 2014.

Williams started her interview by congratulating Cox on her Critic's Choice Award nomination for her role in the popular Netflix series "Orange is the New Black." However, the host then asked Cox about her appearance and questioned the actor about her surgical procedures, specifically her breast augmentation. Cox refused to answer Williams, highlighting that people tend to focus more on a transgender person's physical appearance than their personal journey. "I've chosen not to talk about any of the stuff I've gotten done because I think so often when trans people's experiences are talked about, we always far too often focus on surgery and transition," Cox shared.

Despite understandably not wanting to go any further about her procedures on air, Cox did open up about her transition, which she called "an evolution for me," and even touched on her dating life.

Los Angeles news anchor Sam Rubin of KTLA faced the wrath of actor Samuel L. Jackson when he mixed him up with another actor in this 2014 interview. Was it well deserved? You be the judge.

Rubin began his interview by naming a list of accomplishments by Jackson, including a Super Bowl commercial. However, "The Avengers" actor wasn't in that commercial — actor Laurence Fishburne was. Jackson understandably wasn't very pleased and went off on Rubin, who appeared embarrassed and continued apologizing excessively, even slapping himself on the face. "You're as crazy as the people on Twitter. I'm not Laurence Fishburne! We don't all look alike. We may all be Black and famous, but we all don't look alike. You're busted," Jackson stated. 

It didn't end there. Jackson further elaborated that he wasn't Fishburne by sharing that he was the "'What's in your wallet?' Black guy," referring to his commercial with Capital One, and named off other famous Black actors in commercials, including Morgan Freeman. He added, "I've actually never done a McDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial. I know that's surprising." Rubin later formally apologized to Jackson on KTLA, which read, "I pride myself on the fact — that unlike a lot of people who do this kind of work — more often than not, I really do know what I'm talking about. But I didn't 30 minutes ago, and I'm really embarrassed about it, and I very much apologize to Samuel L. Jackson and anyone else who was offended for what was a very amateur mistake."

Actor Robert Downey Jr. walked out of an interview after being pressed about his past. It certainly seemed like the right thing to do, especially when the interview was to promote his 2015 film, "Avengers: Age of Ultron."

All went well when Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy began his interview by asking Downey several questions about the film and the self-made superhero, Tony Stark/Iron Man. However, things began to go south when the reporter confronted Downey about his controversial past. "Are we promoting a movie?" Downey rhetorically asked early on in the inappropriate line of questioning. Guru-Murthy went on, "The reason I'm asking you about your past is that you've talked in other interviews ... about your relationship with your father and the role of all of that in the dark periods you went through, taking drugs and drinking. ... I just wondered whether you think you're free of all of that or whether that's still something you ..." The actor immediately cut Guru-Murthy off and stated, "I'm sorry, I really don't know — what are we doing?" He then walked out, calling Guru-Murthy "kind of a schmuck."

Per ET, while speaking to Howard Stern, Downey stated that he didn't regret walking out and shared, "I just wish I'd left sooner." He added, "What I have to do in the future is ... give myself permission to say, 'That is more than likely a syphilitic parasite, and I need to distance myself from this clown.' Otherwise, I'm probably going to put hands on somebody, and then there's a real story."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

At the 2015 Grammy Awards, Taylor Swift was nominated for several awards, including album of the year for her record "1989." Being one of Swift's most celebrated moments of her singing career, it was shocking when ET reporter Nancy O'Dell was more focused on Swift's love life than the several awards she was nominated for that night.

During their interview on the Grammys' red carpet, O'Dell asked the cameraman to pan down on Swift's gown, which featured a mini skirt in the middle revealing the singer's legs. The reporter shared, "I just wanted to show the legs because, as I was telling you ahead of time, you're going to walk home with more than maybe just a trophy tonight, I think lots of men." Swift shut down O'Dell by stating: "I'm not going to walk home with any men tonight. I'm going to go hang out with my friends, and then I go home to the cats." More importantly, Swift won album of the year and took home two other Grammys that night. 

Swift has faced similar questions regarding her personal life. As reported by ET, in 2019, a German news reporter asked the singer about settling down and having kids as she was about to turn 30. Handling the sexist question like a pro, she said, "I really do not think men are asked that question when they turn 30. So I'm not going to answer that question now." 

In 2011, Lady Gaga sat down with Anderson Cooper for "60 Minutes Overtime," where they discussed the star's rise to fame and what would become her second album, "Born This Way." However, the interview would become one of Gaga's most iconic after Cooper pressed her about her sexuality, as well as point-blank asking about the internet rumor that she was intersex and had both a male and female appendage. 

The singer addressed the speculations in the most Lady Gaga way possible, "Maybe I do. Would it be so terrible?" Cooper followed up by asking why she hadn't yet released a statement to dispel rumors. While sucking on a diamond, Gaga replied, "Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don't care, and neither do I."

Gaga has been the target of several outlandish and sexist questions. In 2009, a reporter asked if she was scared that the sexual references in her music would sabotage her career. Gaga clapped back with this epic response: "You see, if I was a guy and I was sitting here with a cigarette in my hand, grabbing my crotch, talking about how I make music because I like fast cars and f****** girls, you'd call me a rock star. But when I do it in my music and in my videos, because I'm a female, because I make pop music, you're judgmental and you say that it's distracting. I'm just a rock star."

Are we surprised that another interview with Ellen DeGeneres is on this list? This time around, the controversial host had iconic singer Céline Dion as a guest. It's safe to say that no one, not even DeGeneres, gets to poke fun at Dion's children. 

In the 2009 interview, DeGeneres took out a magazine that featured a photograph of Dion, her late husband, René Angélil, and their son, René-Charles Angélil. The host asked Dion why her young son's hair was so long in the photo. Dion responded: "Do you have a problem with that?" She added, "You know, I have to say, it's amazing, right? You cut, some people shave the head of their children, and people say, 'Oh, isn't that terrible.' Well, I don't need [to] even cut my son's hair, and they say, 'Oh, my god, when is she going to cut her son's hair?' Whatever I will do, I won't please everyone. ... When he's ready, I'll cut it." DeGeneres then changed the subject to discuss Dion's latest album. 

Dion definitely handled DeGeneres' question like a pro.

Simone Biles has been hailed as the greatest gymnast ever. She became the most decorated American gymnast in history with her combined Olympic and world championship medals. She instantly became a fan favorite after her debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she took home four gold and one bronze medal. She followed those wins by nabbing a silver and bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before bowing out due to mental health issues. However, Biles made her grand return to competitive gymnastics for the 2023 U.S. Championship and went home with a win. 

Biles took her skills on the mat to the dance floor when she competed on the 24th season of "Dancing With the Stars." She was partnered with dancing pro Sasha Farber and showed off impressive dance moves that earned her some of the highest scores of that season. However, one of her dances didn't come without controversy. After Biles, Farber, and pro Brittany Cherry ended their week-eight performance, host Tom Bergeron criticized the athlete for not smiling after she received compliments from the judges. Biles epically replied, "Smiling doesn't win you gold medals." 

You go, girl. 

In 2015, model and actor Cara Delevingne gave an interview with "Good Day Sacramento" to promote her new film "Paper Towns" based on the book by John Green. However, the interview was nothing short of uncomfortable. 

For one thing, the news anchors began the interview by calling the model "Carla" and asked Delevingne if she had read the book to prepare for the role. Throughout the interview, Delevingne threw out a little sarcasm and humor (of course, she read the book!), but the reporters didn't seem to like it. They called her tired and thought she wasn't excited enough about the film. "We'll let you go take a little nap and maybe get a Redbull. How about that?" one of the reporters told the model. Rude. After the interview was cut, the anchors continued to poke fun at the star, stating that "she was in a mood" and even mocked the film. In addition, they put up a photo of her during the interview with nasty sound effects. 

Delevingne held her composure throughout the interview. She later tweeted about it, sharing, "Some people just don't understand sarcasm or the British sense of humor." Even the book's author defended his lead star in a Medium blog post: "Cara Delevingne doesn't exist to feed your narrative or your news feed — and that's precisely why she's so f****** interesting."