The award goes to…
A top entertainment reporter revealed who he thinks is the rudest — or perhaps least considerate of journalists' time — in a newly released podcast.
Longtime reporter Nelson Aspen revealed details of the horrific interaction with “Fast and Furious” star Vin Diesel during an interview on Tuesday's “Flaawsome Talk” hosted by fellow entertainment reporter Kirsty Flaw — saying Diesel made him wait for hours before they could chat.
“I was talking to you last time [on the podcast] “We talked about lag — chronic lag, which was an issue with Vin Diesel,” Aspen told Flaa on his YouTube talk show.
Fla immediately responded by saying that Diesel's name was the first name that “popped” into her head as well when thinking of celebrities who have a reputation for making reporters wait.
“It was ridiculous. I mean, it wasn't just waiting ten minutes or even an hour, it would be two hours, five hours, seven hours, I mean ridiculous,” Aspen said.
The actor “pulled the kid card” over his tardiness, but Aspen disputed the veracity of the action star's claims.
“Why didn't you call us at that time instead of keeping all the crew waiting, all the journalists waiting, and that's the money,” Aspen complained. “This is money that Vin Diesel wasn't paying. This is money that the studio was paying.
The delay caused reporters to miss their flights and have to rebook everything just to get home.
Flaa even shared her own story about Diesel not showing up on time for a press event promoting “F9: The Fast Sage” at Universal Studios during the COVID-19 pandemic — when reporters had to wait for him wearing masks.
“He was late about six hours and then we were told, ‘Do you know what he did?’ He took his kids to all the games,” Fla said.
YouTube/Kjersti Vla
Diesel isn't the only celebrity who is often late for his meetings with the press. The veteran reporter claimed that “SexyBack” singer Justin Timberlake doesn’t follow the clock either.
“We went to [Las] Vegas was another one of those things. Late, late, late, late. “Finally we had to make a choice: either we leave because we have flights to catch or we have to make arrangements to stay another day,” Aspen said.
Timberlake was recently criticized by fans on October 8 for postponing his show in Newark, New Jersey minutes before the doors opened due to suffering an “injury” that prevented him from performing.
Weeds actress Mary-Louise Parker once kept a journalist waiting, too, but was so apologetic that Aspen “thought” she was being honest about the tardiness.
Even “Hunger Games” actor Woody Harrelson made reporters wait for half an hour because he had lunch and didn't want to appear on camera with an unwashed mouth, Aspen reported.
“He didn't want to start interviews after lunch until after he brushed his teeth. It was like half an hour. Someone had to go out and get him an organic toothbrush because they only had plastic ones. But hey, he's a man of his own convictions,” Aspen added. : “I respected that.”
