Catherine Zeta-Jones felt uneasy as David Letterman started stroking her hair in creepy TV moment
David Letterman, the famous late-night talk show host with a net worth of $400 million, has often been known for his bold and sometimes controversial interviews. However, some of his interactions with female celebrities have left audiences uncomfortable, with many criticizing his behavior. One such incident involved actress Catherine Zeta-Jones during her 2007 appearance on his late-night show. The interview took an awkward turn when Letterman brought up a past episode where he watched Zeta-Jones hit golf balls in a revealing dress, even questioning if it had been a dream, making the exchange feel uncomfortable.
Later, as she described a scene from 'No Reservations' where she pulled a tablecloth from under some cutlery, Letterman made a suggestive comment, further adding to the awkwardness. The most shocking moment occurred when he asked, "Do one thing?" Without waiting for permission, he reached out and started stroking her hair. Zeta-Jones was visibly uncomfortable, squirming in her seat. During another interaction between the two on his show, he pulled out a photo of Jones receiving the British Empire honor from Prince Charles and pointed out where Prince Charles's hand was in the photo, to which she replied, "I love the royal family but he's being a little saucy." He further made it more awkward by asking her "Is that something to do with the award?" "I think that's my breast actually," Jones answered. Well, Zeta-Jones wasn't the only one to go through such an uncomfortable interview.
Jennifer Lopez also had an uncomfortable moment with Letterman. According to Showbiz, the host directed the camera crew to zoom in on her chest, then made an inappropriate comment, saying it looked "pretty good." Lopez gasped and shook her finger at the camera, showing her displeasure. The tension increased when Letterman brought up a photo from her Rolling Stone shoot, pointing out her bikini top and suggesting it was "not necessarily your size," which made the conversation even more awkward. Another controversial interview happened in 2007 with Paris Hilton. Hilton had an agreement with Letterman to only discuss her new fragrance, but he broke that promise. Instead, he immediately asked, "How'd you like being in jail?" Hilton repeatedly tried to steer the conversation back to her fragrance, saying she "really didn't want to talk about it." During commercial breaks, she reminded Letterman of their agreement, but he ignored her pleas. Later, he realized how uncomfortable he had made her and issued two public apologies, as per Entertainment Weekly.
Jennifer Aniston also had a bizarre encounter with Letterman. During their interview, he suddenly said, "Forgive me if this is rude. I just want to try one thing." Without warning, he moved closer, grabbed a strand of her hair, and put it in his mouth. Shocked, Aniston cried out and asked what he was doing. Letterman held her hair in his mouth for a moment before letting it go, then awkwardly handed her a napkin. He tried to connect his action to their earlier conversation about a steam room, but the moment felt unsettling. Realizing the discomfort, he joked about editing it out, but Aniston, still disturbed, responded, "That was something I'll never forget." When he noted she seemed "traumatized," she simply replied, "I am." The Glamour reported.
Letterman’s long career in late-night television was marked by both success and controversy, particularly in how he treated female guests. Many of his interviews were uncomfortable, with moments that blurred the line between humor and inappropriate behavior. While Letterman retired from 'The Late Show' in 2015 after over three decades, he has remained active in the industry, hosting 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction' on Netflix and launching a new streaming channel. At 77, he recently dismissed the idea of full retirement, stating, "Retirement is nonsense," People reported. However, as conversations about respect and professionalism in media evolve, past incidents from his late-night era continue to resurface, reminding audiences of the shifting standards in entertainment.