Matt Lauer Defends Grilling Britney in Teary 2006 Interview
When it comes to Britney Spears' infamously teary 2006 interview about the pain of being pursued by the paparazzi, Matt Lauer says he's got no regrets about grilling the pop star.
In an interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live Thursday night (June 22), Lauer said the 11-year-old chat, burned into the brains of Britney fans, was just a case of him doing his job, and that Britney, herself, said she wanted to get deep, emotional and honest.
“I think the only part that was at all controversial was that she got very emotional. But keep in mind, it was taped,” he said. “We offered many opportunities to stop so that she could compose herself, but she wanted to keep going. She was really feeling extremely emotional about the hounding of the press and the paparazzi and how they were making her life miserable. I think I did my job, and I let her talk. If people didn’t think it went that well, I apologize, but I would do the same thing again.”
The Dateline interview in question saw Britney break down on the subject of being hunted by reporters and photographers of glossy magazines to the point where she felt less than human.
“I would like for them to leave me alone,” Spears said as she fought back the tears. “[They] have to realize that we're people and we just need privacy and we need our respect. Those are things you have to have as a human.”
Britney Performs at the Triple Ho Show: