By: Alex Widen

Alex Widen — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:06:35 +0000

I love how Barbara Walters (who I still call “Barbara Wawa,” thanks to Gilda Radner) had a career where she asked some horrifying questions to a variety of people, yet she considers this a lowlight. From accusing Corey Feldman of trying to “destroy an entire industry” by talking about being abused to trying to patronize or shame Dolly Parton for growing up poor and whether or not her look is all “natural” to bullying Courtney Love days after her husband’s death with questions about whether or not she was on drugs at the moment (or used them in front of her kids), or most infamously, trying to badger Ricky Martin into coming out as gay before he was ready, Walters exploited tons of people with “gotcha” questions so they’d cry in an interview and her show would get ratings (or her career as a journalist would be advanced).
Yet the one time — the literal ONE TIME — Walters had to carry water for corporate suits for someone else, and she couldn’t handle a little embarrassment at her expense. And she considers this a lowlight. Not bullying a widow, not harassing a closeted man (to the point of him suffering PTSD). It is this THIS. And anytime she asked a cruel question, she would blame it on someone in her staff or the general “people want to know” or “everyone is asking.”
Walters could dish it out, but couldn’t take it. A very, very common trait in the industry.
Anyway, thanks for clearing up this legend. In the pre-digital era the animatronics in those suits were controlled via radio signals that were always malfunctioning due to interference or other hinky stuff.

Comments on: Was Donatello’s Crying During the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Barbara Walters Interview an Accident?

By: Alex Widen