TALKIN’ ABOUT IT W
The year’s most bizarre, buzzy and newsworthy moments in daytime and late night
ith plenty of airtime to fill, audiences get to know the talk show personalities and their families — for better or worse.
The camera often leads to hosts oversharing, and those watching at home eat it right up and share it widely on social media ... or watch Jerry O’Connell give his wife, Rebecca Romijn, a lap dance on “The Talk.”
The writers strike might have left viewers without five months of content, but the likes of Drew Barrymore, Whoopi Goldberg and Andy Cohen were able to provide enough humor in the meantime.
Jenna Bush Hager called her husband ‘daddy’
Jenna Bush Hager left “Today” viewers — and herself — cringing after accidentally calling her husband, Henry, “daddy” on air, while telling co-host Hoda Kotb about a family outing to see “Trolls Band Together.” After Kotb tried to make her feel better, Bush Hager responded, “I just called my husband, ‘Daddy.’ Is there like a corner I can go sit in for a few minutes?”
Drew Barrymore awkwardly caressed Oprah Winfrey
In her three years on daytime TV, Drew Barrymore has earned a reputation for getting up close and personal with her guests — and Oprah Winfrey couldn’t escape her clutches. In an interview promoting “The Color Purple,” Barrymore tightly held onto Winfrey’s hand while running her other hand up and down the media mogul’s arm.
Hoda Kotb had a hot make-out session at a furniture store
Inspired by Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck getting caught “canoodling” in a furniture store, Hoda Kotb told Jenna Bush Hager on “Today” of her own escapade. “I think I should confess that one time, when I was in New York here, living here, working here, and I was dating someone here, that we were in a furniture store and we had a full-on make-out,” Kotb told her co-host. “It was so edgy because I’m like, ‘I could lose my whole job, and it’s happening right now,’ but I was kinda excited.”
Whoopi Goldberg gave Sunny Hostin a lap dance on ‘The View’
Even after Sunny Hostin named Whoopi Goldberg as the “fartiest” member of the “View” panel, the gassy gal gave Hostin a lap dance when she confessed she never received one. Goldberg narrated the routine while shimmying and making physical contact with Hostin, ending with, “And then it’s me going down like, ‘Oh, yeah!’ And then I go back on the side!”
Sherri Shepherd encouraged Elizabeth Vargas to drink
“Sherri” host Sherri Shepherd made a major faux paus: encouraging a recovering alcoholic to “get drunk” with her. Shepherd sat down with former “20/20” anchor Elizabeth Vargas — who’s been sober since 2014 — and said, “I’m going to take you to the bar, we’re going to drink. We’re going to have a drink.” Vargas awkwardly responded, “[I’ll] have my classic club soda with cranberry juice, but you can pound some shots.”
Diddy reacted to Jennifer Lopez and Jada Pinkett Smith threesome rumors
After the infamous Chris Rock Oscars slap in 2022, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith maintained their relevance in 2023 in many ways — including with her bombshell memoir. Latenight host Jimmy Kimmel took advantage of the controversy and asked Sean “Diddy” Combs about a decades-old rumor that Combs wanted to fight Smith after the actor allegedly propositioned Jennifer Lopez to have a threesome with him and Pinkett Smith. Combs responded, “Yo, this show has gotten crazier since the last time I was here. No … I don’t know what you’re talking about,” before adding: “Jimmy, I thought we was friends. Where did this interview just go?”
Jana Fonda gifted Drew Barrymore a vibrator
During an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Jane Fonda took the opportunity to tout the use of sex toys. “There’s my bed, there’s my dresser, and in the top dresser drawer, you would freak out if you saw what’s in there.” She gave Barrymore her vibrator, which Drew held up to her ear.
Anderson Cooper spit out his drink over a Gayle King question
Andy Cohen inviting his bestie, Anderson Cooper, on “Watch What Happens Live” is one thing, but when Gayle King enters the chat, she has questions about their closeness. Cohen asked Cooper about his preferences in the bedroom, including “bringing a third into the bedroom,” which Cooper claimed he wouldn’t do. The host retorted “Oh, really?” — leading King to ask, “Andy, can I ask why you know that Anderson is open to threesomes in the bedroom?” Cohen coyly replied: “Just because … mother’s intuition.”