Don’t worry, Robert Downey Jr., the ladies of “The View” have your back.
On Thursday, the day after a video clip of Downey walking out on an “Avengers: Age of Ultron” interview, Whoopi Goldberg and her “View”-mates rushed to the actor’s defense.
In the video, Downey abruptly ends the interview after reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy asks him about the actor’s relationship with his father and his past struggles with substance abuse.
Rosie Perez enthusiastically praised Downey’s response, saying that Guru-Murthy was “punked” by the actor.
“You know what? That was not about Robert Downey Jr. That was about that interviewer trying to get some 15 minutes [of fame],” Perez exclaimed. “And we’re talking about him, but you know what? Sorry, you got punked, honey.”
Goldberg vigorously argued that Guru-Murthy was about 14 years too late to
“Downey was last in trouble in 2001. Get on the movie closest to that if you have questions,” Goldberg opined. “Don’t wait until the guy has solidly reestablished, done his time, did everything, to come back and show what kind of interviewer you are, because you’re so far behind.”
Goldberg’s daughter, Alex Martin Dean — who was guesting on the episode — likened Guru-Murthy to Wayne Gale, Downey’s “sleazebucket” tabloid journalist character in “Natural Born Killers.”
Nicolle Wallace took the discussion as an opportunity to discuss a “crisis” in journalism, pointing out that the actor “had nothing to lose” by walking out because journalists aren’t held in the same esteem as they were in the past.
“Downey had nothing to lose,” Wallace chimed in. “There are no more giants in journalism where you’re going to offend their viewing public … I wondered what would happen if a candidate for the presidency did that. I think journalists have to treat their subjects with a little more respect. It’s a two-way street.”
Watch video of the exchange below.
