On the spur of the moment?

Manpriya Singh 

There is something about chat shows, not to forget the chat show hosts (and of course the rapid fire round), that makes the guests (read celebs) say things they didn’t mean, or say all the mean things and then piggy back on ‘got carried’ away excuse!  

Currently, who’d know this better than our very own boisterous cricketer Hardik Pandya.  In the eye of the storm for his comments on how he approached women in night clubs, “You are just watching and observing how they move. As I said I am a little from the black side so I have to see how they move first!” 

In between were snuck in comments like him not knowing the names of the women at parties. Needless to say, post the social media backlash and BCCI’s tough stance, the cricketer admitted to being, “Honestly, I got a bit carried away with the nature of the show. In no way did I mean to disrespect or hurt anyone’s sentiments. Respect.” 

But wasn’t he on Koffee With Karan? A chat show where almost every remark should be taken in the same spirit and with the same level of gullibility as Salman’s ‘virginity remark.’ (Salman Khan confessed to being a virgin on the show). We take a look at some such shining foot-in-the-mouth episodes that either started or culminated on chat shows. Starting with the notorious Karan Johar and his show, where there are only three winners — scandalous private lives, dirty linen washed in public and snide digs taken at each other! 

Tusshar in dock 

When asked to mention the first name that came to his mind when one of the prompts was botox, Tusshar blurted out, ‘Preity Zinta’. Much to the surprise and shock of the actress and her fans! Later, in an interview, he confessed to sorting things out. “She was upset and I cleared my stance. Recently, I saw her on one of the covers and she looked extremely beautiful, so that name came out on the spur of the moment.” He said, but not before also passing the buck partially, “Everyone knows rapid fire is just for laughs. You don’t have time to think because you are out in the dock.” 

Kimmel caught

Talk of being put in the dock and there’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, who was probably put in one on his very own show back in 2013, when in one segment of the show a bunch of five to six years olds were made to discuss the US government shutdown. One of the kids suggested, “Killing all the people in China,” to which Jimmy responded, “that’s an interesting idea” and immediately followed it up with, “Should we allow the Chinese to live?” The incident sparked a petition signed by more than a 100,000 people, to which he responded, “I thought it was obvious that I didn’t agree with that statement, but apparently it wasn’t.” 

Damon dialogue

Matt Damon has had more than one moments of having to either apologise or explain himself; if not for the statements made during chat shows then for the explanations sought on such shows. In an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the actor defended himself against claims that he intended to encourage gay actors to remain in the closet! 

“I was just trying to say actors are more effective when they’re a mystery. Right?” he told Ellen. “And somebody picked it up and said I said gay actors should get back in the closet. It is painful when things get said that you don’t believe.”

Should the ‘got carried away’ apology be accepted?