After 16 years on our TV screens and hundreds of high profile guests, Ellen DeGeneres is a talk show veteran – but that doesn’t make her immune to an awkward encounter or two.
Case in point: DeGeneres’ recent interview with actress Dakota Johnson.
Johnson appeared on the talk show to promote her new movie The Peanut Butter Falcon but things took a cringeworthy turn when DeGeneres asked her about her 30th birthday celebrations.
“Happy belated birthday,” DeGeneres said. “How was the party? I wasn’t invited.”
“Actually, no, that’s not the truth, Ellen. You were invited,” Johnson responded.
Johnson went on to tell DeGeneres that she made sure to invite her because last year the TV personality gave her “a bunch of shit” when she didn’t get invited.
“This time you invited me? Are you sure? I don’t think so,” DeGeneres questioned Johnson.
“Ask everybody,” Johnson suggested. “Ask Jonathan, your producer.”
DeGeneres soon realised that she was, in fact, invited to Johnson’s birthday but couldn’t attend because she was out of town that day.
Later, DeGeneres asked Johnson about comedian Tig Notaro’s performance at her birthday party.
“What did she do (at the party)?” she asked the actress.
“A bunch of funny stuff,” Johnson said. “She’s my favourite comedian.”
Johnson quickly realised what she’d said and added, “other than you!” but it was too late – the audience was already living for the drama.
The interaction only got more awkward when DeGeneres asked Johnson about her relationship with Coldplay singer Chris Martin.
“Recently you came to our Gorillapalooza event, thank you for being there,” DeGeneres said. “I don’t know if you saw, but Chris Martin was there. And he performed and he was brilliant. Did you see him?”
Johnson quite clearly didn’t want to discuss her private life and simply responded, “I think I saw him from afar.”
Yikes!
The interview is particularly cringeworthy compared to DeGeneres’ usually light and funny interactions with celebs. However, I can’t help but wonder if the awkwardness was orchestrated in some bizarre PR spin.
DeGeneres and Johnson’s uncomfortable encounter has the Internet’s tongues wagging, so if it was a PR stunt, mission accomplished. If it was just a nightmare interview with no ulterior motive, I’m guessing DeGeneres won’t score an invite to Johnson’s next birthday party.