Awkward moment #1

Joaquin Phoenix Bombs on Letterman

“Late-night host David Letterman has done his share of bizarre celebrity guest interviews, but a February Late Show appearance by actor turned aspiring rapper Joaquin Phoenix was one for the books. The Walk the Line star ambled onstage in what might charitably be described as a catatonic stupor, sporting a tangled mane, bushy beard and dark shades. Seated, Phoenix offered clipped, monosyllabic responses to Letterman’s questions, picked at his clothes and gazed aimlessly at his lap. At one point he even took his chewing gum out of his mouth and affixed it to the host’s desk. As the segment drew to a close, Letterman hurled one of his greatest-ever quips: “Joaquin, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.”

Awkward moment #2

Kanye West Doesn’t let Taylor Swift Finish

As you may know, I’ve already weighed in on the Kanye/Taylor Swift debacle this year with my story, Kanye West is an IDIOT which sparked quite a debate with reader Jesse, Kate’s the IDIOT, not Kanye.

Here’s what Time has to say about this awkward moment.

It’s not an MTV Video Music Awards show unless Kanye West causes a scene, but the self-aggrandizing rapper outdid himself in 2009. As pop-country crooner Taylor Swift accepted her award for Best Female Video, West rushed the stage to snag the mike and spoil the moment. “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time,” he declared. Spreading his arms in a “Hey, what do you expect from me?” way, he ceded the microphone back to the stunned star and slunk offstage to scattered applause. Beyoncé, who cringed at the outburst, later invited Swift onstage during her own acceptance speech so Swift could finish her address.

Awkward moment #3

Categorizing Caster Semenya

Perhaps you remember the South African sprinter Caster Semenya, who won the 800-m race at the World Championships earlier this year. Then people (fellow runners included) noticed her masculine build and started asking, ‘Is she a woman? Is she a man?’, forcing gender testing. Awkward!

From Time…

For track stars, winning a gold medal means you’ve reached the pinnacle of your profession. But for South African sprinter Caster Semenya, it’s been awfully lonely at the top. At the World Championships in Berlin in August, Semenya blazed past the field to capture the 800-m title in a lightning-quick 1:55.45, trouncing her closest competitor by more than two seconds. But instead of cementing the 18-year-old’s status as track’s newest star, Semenya’s sprint drew attention mainly to her muscled, masculine physique — and touched off a heated controversy over whether she was running in the right race. “These kind of people should not run with us,” said Italy’s Elisa Cusma. “For me, she is not a woman. She is a man.” The International Association of Athletics Federations admitted that Semenya had been forced to submit to gender testing the day of the race, though it declined to confirm reports in an Australian paper that the sprinter has both male and female genitalia. The organization has yet to determine whether Semenya will be permitted to keep her medal or continue racing as a woman, though South Africa’s Sports Ministry declared on Nov. 19 that the young star would not be forced to relinquish her prize.

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• South African track organization suspended in fallout over Caster Semenya gender tests (sports.espn.go.com)
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