Does anyone remember the cringe worthy Prince interview in promotion of Under The Cherry Moon on MTV?



(image below not Prince, but a representation of Prince to limit cease & desist potential)



Prince is notorious for giving bad interviews. If I dare say so myself, the man has NEVER given a 'good' interview.
But his performance during the UTCM interview was by far one of his worst ever. And I mean performance
in the most literal sense, cause he was acting the entire time.

There is no way the casual fan or regular person viewing that interview without getting a sense that they've
just witnessed something unwholy. It was insane! His mannuerisms, his exaggerated facial features, his slow,
deliberate, and annoying cadence in responding--all of it just ended up being a perfect storm of mediocrity.

It just came off as an unwholy marriage of self-conciousness and pompousness presented by a wanna-be diva.
He'd already scored his biggest hit with Purple Rain by the time this was conducted, and finished up filming
of UTCM, so this was a kid at the top of his game. He was the critic's darling even then. But, never in his
career has it been so evident that he let things get to his head. This guy was full of himself, and that abortion
of an interview was the smoking gun!

You almost couldn't blame him--the questions he was being given were not particularly interesting ones. But,
damn---Jackie Onasis has given better interviews!

I can't believe that as a kid, I found him so interesting. Sure, I find aspects of him interesting even today.
But not his personality or views of the world--I simply view those things as odd facts about his life. But
lawd, back in the day when I was a teenager, I ate this interview up believing I was listening to a damned
prophet!



In later years, he would drop this "mysterious" act just a wee bit, but not completely. He would also answer
more direct questiosn about who he wrote this or that song, and aspects of his life like getting bullied in
school and being epelictic.

But for the most part, Prince still comes off in his interviews as a kid still dealing with being bullied in his youth.
His interviews are just wierd, wierd, weird!



Are there ANY interviews you actually like? Which ones? and why?

If you're referring to the interview w/ fans sitting around him....I liked it. It's the most he'd talked in ages to that point. He was still a bit reserved, but kudos to him for at least trying. There were some funny moments in it.

ernestsewell said:

His best TV interview was with Tavis Smiley in 1998. He's not pretentious at all during this one.

I love it for the Prince he was back then. Just quirky, fun and different. Yes, maybe full of himself, but he wouldn't be Prince if he wasnt.

Dave1992 said:

well the brand new NRJ radio intraview is cool.

http://purplekisstwo.blogspot.com/

Imago said:

ernestsewell said:

where did u find it. send me the link in my mail.

hbk183 said:

"Now! Can you hear me? And then roll around in this dirt on the floor and hide underneath it! Wait for the enemy and when the time has come pick up your American M16 and shoot his balls, can you hear me? I said CAN YOU HEAR MEEE? Not, 'Yes, Sir!' you pussy, but 'SIR, Yes, Sir!'"

Dave1992 said:

Imago said:

Strange thread.

Phishanga said:

hello handsome

Imago said:

-----
What are you on dude. This interview was not that great but it was not the worst thing ever. I think MJ did much worst in almost all the interviews he did as a grown ass man. I think P was cool when he talked to Tavis, Sinbad and Jay Leno
He came off as just a brother from off the block and sometimes I think that is what kills some of the so-called fans. The idea just maybe that P is not as out there as some of you would like him to be.

laurarichardson said:

I liked this interview. However, since the beggining of Prince's career he's made it painfully obvious to everyone including the interviewer that he does not like doing interviews. I think it was Prince's defense mechanisim for his shyness. I'll let my signature stand own its own!

I like the Weird Al edit...

That shit was funny.

The Parade interview on MTV 1986 was very humorous, Imo.

I loved it, still loving it.

WaterInYourBath said:

I really enjoyed the Chris Rock interview on VH1 1997.

Imago said:

I don't agree about the bold part. It's a strange interview but more because he gave me the impression to be shy and didn't know how to react normal. So he will say silly things.
There are 2 parts in that interview as I recall (it's been a looooong time since I've seen it) to "prove" my point. One is where he says "critiqued" and he starts mumbling in himself as if he is saying to himself, you ass, couldn't you have picked another word. And there's this moment where you actually hear his throat say "glup", which is a nervous sound to me. Besides, the way he is looking with his bambi eyes, he looks not at ease. But not the entire interview though.


And interviews I liked... let's say that in most of his early interviews he's a little shy and 30% of what he says is strange but the other 70% is interesting, sounding intelligent or funny.
And there are interviews that suck because he doesn't have the chemistry with the interviewer or doesn't feel at ease at all or even has this aggressive/annoyed attitude (don't know any at the moment).

I like his radio interviews a LOT, Mojo, the NY 2004 (?) one (with the diving suit comment).

WaterInYourBath said:

Loved it!

thedance said:

I don't think I ever saw that one, and I can't find it now either.

ufoclub said:

Me too

I liked the Chris Rock interview it was more like they were having a good chinwag,he seemed very comfortable with it.
Remember the Sunday Show interview?

muirdo said:

Which one was that? It wasn't the 'Tora Tora' one was it?

Imago said:

Yeah...wearing his scarf mask and whispering his answers into Maytes ear.
I believe he lost all his casual fans he had in the UK in that 5 minute segment.
I have it on dvd somewhere i might try and upload it.

muirdo said:

I only saw a bit of it and I totally totally cringed.

I agree, the UTCM interview was dreadful...

I can think of lots of good ones though. Chris Rock, Tavis '98, the first Rolling Stone one, Spike Lee, and most of his musicology era interviews as well.

He tends to do better when he knows and trusts the interviewer.