Billy Bob Thornton freaks out on Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Q

by Amy Judd | April 8, 2009 at 05:18 pm
3457 views | 16 Recommendations | 12 comments

Billy Bob Thornton freaked out today on Jian Ghomeshi, a CBC Q host who was interviewing Thornton for his upcoming musical tour for Willie Nelson. Thornton refused to answer questions, he cursed on CBC national radio and television and did not take part in a live, in-studio performance.

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Billy Bob Thornton 'Blow Up' on Q TV

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Billy Bob Thornton 'Blow Up' on Q TV

Ghomeshi, a long-time CBC Q host, started off the interview by calling Thornton's musical career "a major passion" and only made a casual reference to his film career. Well, Thornton didn't like this as apparently Ghomeshi was told not to talk about acting, and after answering a few questions with "I don't know", he freaked out on the host.

Ghomeshi asked Thornton what he used to listen to a as a kid, to which the singer/drummer answered: "I used to like baseball." Ghomeshi then asked if it was true that he nearly became a baseball player, to which Thornton answered, "I dunno... maybe."

It was all downhill from there.


Thornton's band The Boxmasters just sat in silence and looked stunned while Ghomeshi tried to get the interview back. The interview had shades of Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman.

"Given that you're quite passionate about music..." began Ghomeshi at one point, only for Thornton to pointedly ask if he "would say that to Tom Petty".

"Would I say that he was passionate about music? Yeah," replied the host.

"Really?" said Thornton. "Would you explain why it's not a hobby?," asked the singer, referring to Ghomeshi having stated in his introduction that Billy Bob performs music when he's not performing in film.

"Are you reacting to the fact that I.." stammered a stunned Ghomeshi, before Thornton interrupted with a "Yeah, yeah I am, considering you were instructed not to talk about that, yeah."


Thornton was not happy that the producer of the show had apparently not told Ghomeshi that he wasn't to talk about acting. He finally confirmed that he would like Ghomeshi to do the interview without ever referring to the fact that he had ever had anything to do with acting.

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031809_SXSW 2009_30_Billy Bob Thorton and the Boxmasters_Smokin Music (34)

031809_SXSW 2009_30_Billy Bob Thorton and the Boxmasters_Smokin Music (34)

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When Ghomeshi said that would seem odd to some people, Thornton responded:

"Well, I think it's odd that you have to smoke inside a white stripe," referring to local anti-smoking regulations.

Thornton did seem to feel better towards the end of the interview, but he did not participate in the scheduled musical performance.
His last words were:
"I'm a drummer. We don't cart drums around at 6 a.m.," he sneered before walking off the set.
recommend This comment thread is now closed
0
jazzyzazzy

BAD TEMPERS ARE REALLY RATHER CHILDISH AND UGLY.

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Roy C

Billy Bob was having a "Bad Santa" kind of day.

1
jcmyers

what a wacko!  dumbo isn't God, but I suppose he thinks he is a professional God by now...must be nice to be a full fledged pro at everything he dabbles with.  Shows how much money can stunt the brain!!!  F his old geaser crap anyhow and more to the point - what a bunch of slugs he plays around with, those guys were like cowering behind thier mikes giving answers to the DJ while giving whincing looks to the "boss man".  Loosers.

0
CJaye

I watched that what was up with that? They said he said you don't refer to him as a actor and a singer in the same? My other half is a singer actor (part-time) he said Billy Bob is out there! Look at his eyes, he is on something!

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Robyn Smith

If there ever any doubts that BBT is seriosuly deranged then his behaviour on Canadian national television  has laid those doubts to rest forever! HOWEVER, IF Ghomeshi had been told not to mention BBT's acting then he shouldn't have. That is IF the producer ever told Ghomeshi. It's abundantly clear that as much as BBT should just stick to in-breeding with his kissin cousins, it's also clear that Gomeshi just poured salt on the wound byt dancing around the acting thing. Gomeshi COULD HAVE JUST DROPPED IT period. But for a few minutes he kept on peeling the scab back from BBT's bo-bo. So who was the shit head here and who was the moron. Well, BBT and Gomeshi, respectively; i.e., no respect intended to either of them as they both came across as idiots.

As for the other three, well, except for the guy on the far right who was quite eloquent, the other two were pussies (and most likely BBT's kissin' cousins. If BBT looked like a bomb about to explode, the other older member of the band looked like a mafia boss attending the funeral of someone he just had killed and didn't expect to get on camera! I mean seriously, what hillbilly rock did BBT and the other 2 morons crawl out from? Oh and if BBT doesn't like Canadian audiences because we don't throw things around, and because we ACTUALLY LISTEN to the music and look for depth, well then I say: BBT GET THE FUCK OUT OF CANADA and go perform for all your hill-billy inbred mutant dumb-ass Americans! Fuck, the atmosphere during this interview was thicker than a hill-billy's brain and stinkier than a hill-billy after a his yearly shower in pig shit.

0
Jack Mehoff

BBT was a first class inbred idiot, but you Robyn"I blow hockey players" Smith, are without a doubt, a fat assed, white skinned, wrinkled face canuck whore. I wouldn't be talking about kissing cousins being a Canadian. Ever see what they look like in Moosejaw? How about Saskatoon?FACT- more in incest per capita in north central Canada, than in any modern country on record. Check it for yourself. I guess you toothless fat carriers need more warmth than your cigs and beers. Family members do just fine, and you dont even have to change the mongrammed towels.

0
ew keane

Ever see the movie 'Idiocracy' ?

Heres wiki  (AKA Wackypedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiocracy

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/fullcredits

Heres a trailer;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0yQunhOaU0

 

You can find your own clips.

Now you know why things are the way they are, Billy Bob Thornton and all that...

0
albertacowpoke

The above comments sure make interesting reading but are of no substance.  Why do we have to express ourselves in such language.

0
Paschen

What was he smoking?

0
Vancouverish

The producers said they wouldn't mention his acting job, then Ghomeshi went and mentioned it. Yeah, Billy Bob's probably on something, or it was just too early in the morning for clear, lucid thoughts from a musician, but I can see his point. He screwed the interview because he felt they broke the deal.

As for the gravy--the kind of gravy he's talking about? Not missing that up here.

0
donna dixon

OMG! I’m still laughing… Admittedly, I’m a Johnny Come Lately because I just recently learned of this fiasco, but I have to say it was truly entertaining. Let’s face it people, Jian Ghomeshi’s interview skills are mediocre at best. A true veteran of the CBC wouldn’t have been phased one bit by the bratty and childish behaviour of BB - seriously. Let’s face it, the likes of Jian Ghomeshi, Tanya Kim, Ben Mulroney etc are pretty poor impersonators of real interviewers and exemplify yet again that the big dogs who now run these media empires really believe that all it takes is youth and a sometimes pretty face! Well I’m still young and am sickened by the young sicophants on Canadian TV interviewing these poor ‘celebs’ who must think to themselves: WTF! LOL! I’m off to watch the video again on YouTube simply for the laughs!

0
Jason Baker

BBT your a goof!! Can't believe that.....use to think you were the man.

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First Flagged at 5:40 PM, Apr 8, 2009 by jazzyzazzy
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