Since this came back up, I actually watched the interview for the first time. I was going to attempt to do a short breakdown of this infamous interview but there’s too much going on.

Also, anyone can capture a video still of someone with a silly look on their face or whatever. But suffice it to say, the first three rows of photos are all from the first 2 minutes of the interview and you know where it went from there. You need to listen to it for yourself to hear these two idiots try to formulate a simple thought or move through a topic of discussion.

I can say without exaggeration it’s as bad as any interview Scorch has ever conducted. Or, here’s a morning drinking game you can play: count how many times one of them says “um.” You’ll be drunk by 8am.

https://youtu.be/dPTZ7DuQA60?t=1170

McDermott comes in at 19:30. Infamous so-your-mom-was-murdered-hand-waving begins around 31:49.

00-19:00 Stanhope interview, remains in studio

19:30 Dylan McDermott (stage actor, film and television star, lead actor on The Practice for 8 seasons, Golden Globe winner, Emmy nominee) enters.

Dylan enters with a small dog that has just shit in the hallway outside the studio. Obviously that’s a great conversation starter. Let’s see where Jim and Sam take it!

They joke about how appropriate it is for an animal to shit in the hall at SXM and McDermott is laughing heartily and feeling at ease about the incident. Stanhope takes it right to, “You just got #metoo’d by the janitarial (sic) staff!”

McDermott mentions it’s a therapy dog for emotional support. Sam immediately pipes up with, “That’s great!”

Suffice it to say, any decent interviewer (including me as an amateur) could have just said, “Tell me about your therapy dog.” Not our broadcast veterans who’ve now been a team for over a decade!

Half a second later (45 seconds into the interview) Jim blunders into his first interview question, “Who’s emotional…he’s emotional support for you or for your…your girl…?” Jim also begins with his first series of awkward, overexaggerated hand motions. (First row of photos. Look at the concern on our sweet boy’s face.)

McDermott sits far back in his seat away from the mic as he answers, “For family.” His body language changes as he says this and he sinks into his chair while supporting his head with his hand for a moment. That two-word answer is said with a tone of voice and a raise of the eyebrows that for me would end the topic right there. Not Jim.

D: For family.

J: Oh, okay.

D: Yeah

J: Now what did you have to do to get an emotional support…you have to go to the doctor and say what?

D (body language changing again and voice going soft and ragged): Yeah you gotta go to the doctor…and, uh…you gotta explain why you would need one. (He says this last part with much resignation and while looking Jim dead in the eyes.)

The ship is already taking on water and Sam grabs a bucket to start bailing. “People are very…It…It’s a very controversial thing now these…emotional support dogs, because there are people who like think that you need to like, really unless there’s some kind of medical ailment you’re taking advantage of the system…but I’m like [looks back at McDermott] if I could bring my dog everywhere, I’d bring my dog everywhere! (Sam gets in on the overgesticulating, row two.)

What a terrible way to try to show any kind of support or agreement with the guest. 60 seconds in and these two literally define the word ham-handed. I decide to abandon the minute by minute breakdown and just document a few more of the hand signals being sent and a few quick highlights.

Doug jokes and Jim brings it back to airlines cracking down on people bringing therapy animals on flights (third row of photos). 23:01 (Jim, still in any way trying to grasp the concept of a person needing a service dog) “We all like a dog, I mean…petting a dog never sucks!” He goes on to question why anyone would ever need that during an airline flight though. Yeah, no one’s stressed while flying, Jim! What a fucking maroon.

Four minutes later, 27:00 Stanhope makes a #metoo rape joke involving the in-studio guest and another actor. You need to see McDermott--who has done his absolute best to be a good guest through the horseshit—run cold while still appearing engaged and playful. Dude is a serious actor.

Another five minutes, 32:00, and you actually can see McDermott begin to admit to himself he finally has to draw the line somewhere. His mom being murdered when he was five by her live-in boyfriend that was first ruled accidental shooting then in 2012 re-designated as a murder is that line. He finally has to use the Hollywood standby, with some version of “I’m just here to talk about [latest project name] today,” and for once it actually seems like an actor doesn’t want to say it but has little choice!

The subject gets awkwardly changed away from the murder a few times. Then Jim brings it right back by saying the reason they were asking was because “It was on the sheet.” The sheet that I’m assuming was just copied and pasted from IMDB, and that also included all the answers to Jim’s horribly worded inquiries if he’d bother to read it all instead of going through it in the moment line by line.

Twelve minutes into the interview: Jim’s gestures have outgrown the camera’s frame and McDermott’s patience has been pulled thin. Though he remains professional and courteous, this thing is toast. McDermott does Jim the favor of saving him by doing what Jim was trying to get to and pulling out the most interesting factoid from this flaming conversational wreckage about his mother’s murder. He mentions that the person who steered him into acting was his step-mother, Eve Ensler. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you fine fellows about her illustrious career. Among her many credits, she consulted on Mad Max: Fury Road, and wrote the book “Cunt,” as well as many other projects. McDermott simply mentions her most famous credit (authoring The Vagina Monologues) to put her into context for the story. Jim reiterates in all seriousness, “She invented them!”

And…that’s it. I’m done right there. I can’t handle any more bile in my throat. Just watch this thing for yourself. It is truly horrid, despite McDermott’s tremendous skills at dealing with inane hosts for decades as part of his bread and butter.

I hope you noticed Stanhope’s girlfriend/junkie/whatever (who, to her tremendous credit didn’t say a word even though she had a mic) giving a huge yawn halfway through as Sam laughs at his own non-humorous statements.

If you’re lacking enough hate and cringe in your life, watch the whole interview and remind yourself that these two men were just renewed for a five-year contract. Jimmy stammering through trying to find a way to engage this man about his murdered mother would be enough to get just about any other radio or TV broadcaster on the planet fired. That’s no joke.

Thanks, mate!

Great point. Done.

Really? What part makes you think that?

"Well..."

click

Primetime Stenographer Sam Roberts

Thanks, mate!