>> THE HUFFINGTON POST LIVE RECENTLY HAD AN INTERVIEW
WITH R. KELLY BECAUSE APPARENTLY HE HAS A NEW ALBUM COMING OUT.
SHE ASKED GREAT QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS PAST AND THE
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM INDICATING THAT HE HAD
SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH MINORS.
THIS IS A WONDERFULLY AWKWARD INTERVIEW TO WATCH BECAUSE
R. KELLY GETS EXTREMELY DEFENSIVE.
THE JOURNALIST IS KEEPING HER COOL AND BEING AS PROFESSIONAL
AS
POSSIBLE.
LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIRST VIDEO.
>> IF I CAME HERE FOR POSITIVE, I AM GOING TO TELL YOU HOW
WONDERFUL MY FANS HAS BEEN.
>> I DON'T DISPUTE THAT.
>> HOW THEY HAVE SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I DON'T GIVE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEGATIVE TOWARDS ME THE
TIME OF DAY.
I AM TELLING YOU, IF YOU DO, THAT IS CONTAGIOUS WHEN YOU
START THE NEGATIVITY.
YOU PRETTY MUCH DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT CRAP.
ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO THAT WHAT I'M GOING TO
TELL YOU IS THAT I'M GOING TO SIT HERE AND TALK TO YOU
LIKE YOU ARE THE BEAUTIFUL LADY YOU ARE AND I'M GOING TO TALK
TO YOU WITH RESPECT AND AM GOING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ANY
OTHER NEGATIVE THINGS COME AT ME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH AS FAR AS
NEGATIVITY, I'M GOING TO GET UP AND I'M GOING TO WALK OUT
AND I'M GOING TO GO TO MCDONALD'S, HOPEFULLY THE
MCRIB IS OUT, AND I'M GOING TO GO TO CHICAGO, AND I'M
GOING TO GO TO THE STUDIO AND WORK ON MY NEXT ALBUM.
>> WE ARE NOT DOING AN INTERVIEW AT THE MOMENT.
LET'S DO THIS ñ
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY YOUR PREROGATIVE, IF YOU WANT TO
LEAVE YOU
CAN LEAVE.
>> IS THE NEXT QUESTION IS SOMETHING NEGATIVE OUT OF YOUR
MOUTH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
>>OKAY.
>> I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GUYS WATCH THE FULL VIDEO.
IT WAS TOO LONG FOR US TO SHOW.
THE ACCUSATIONS THAT CAROLINE MENTIONED ARE FAIR GAME TO
ASK IN AN INTERVIEW.
IN 1996 A 20-YEAR-OLD SUED OUR R.KELLY FOR $10
MILLION BECAUSE SHE ACCUSED HIM OF HAVING SEXUAL RELATIONS
WITH HER WHEN SHE WAS ONLY 15 AND HE WAS 24.
HE SETTLED THAT OUT OF COURT IN 1998
FOR A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
IN 1994, HE MARRIED ALIYAH WHEN SHE WAS ONLY 15.
THAT MARRIAGE WAS ANNULLED BECAUSE HE WAS TOO YOUNG TO GET
MARRIED.
IN 2002, BEFORE HE WAS GOING TO PERFORM IN THE OLYMPICS A VIDEO
WAS LEAKED FEATURING HIM HAVING SEX WITH AN UNDERAGE GIRL.
THAT WAS THE VIDEO WHERE HE ALLEGEDLY URINATED ON THE GIRL.
THAT CASE PROMPTED AUTHORITIES TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT
AND GO INTO HIS HOME.
THEY FOUND 12
IMAGES OF THAT GIRL IN A CELLPHONE WRAPPED IN A TOWEL.
SHE WAS NAKED.
IT'S UNDERAGE PORN.
THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED BECAUSE LATER IT WAS FOUND THAT
THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THE AUTHORITIES
TO SEARCH HIS HOME.
SOUNDS QUESTIONABLE.
THEN A JURY FOUND HIM NOT GUILTY OF THAT VIDEO FEATURING HIM
HAVING SEX WITH AN UNDERAGE GIRL.
THERE ARE ALWAYS RUMORS OF HIM PAYING PEOPLE OFF, BUT IT
IS REMARKABLE THAT HE GOT AWAY WITH ALL OF THAT.
>> HE HAS NEVER BEEN CONVICTED.
HAVING SAID THAT, HERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SAY HE DID DO IT.
HIS BROTHER, HIS EX-PUBLICIST, A LONGTIME
PUBLICIST ALL COLLABORATED CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
THAT IS ACCORDING TO THE DAILY BEAST.
HIS FORMER PERSONAL ASSISTANT WROTE A BOOK ABOUT IT AND
SAID THAT UNDERAGE GIRLS HAVE PROVEN TO BE HIS WEAKNESS.
IT IS OBVIOUS, HE WAS 27 WHEN HE TRIED TO MARRY A 15-YEAR-OLD
AND PRODUCED HER ALBUM WHERE THE TITLE OF IT WAS AGE AIN'T
NOTHING BUT A NUMBER.
>> IT IS KIND OF LIKE O.J.
SIMPSON SAYING IF I HAD DONE IT.
>> THIS IS NOT COMPLICATED, BUT HE IS INTO UNDERAGE GIRLS.
>> PEOPLE IN POWER, OR PUBLIC FIGURES ARE SO USED TO
SOFTBALL QUESTIONS.
THEY ARE SO ENTITLED AND THINK THAT NO ONE WILL
BRING IT UP.
HERE'S THE THING, JOURNALISTS ARE ALLOWED TO ASK YOU
WHATEVER THE HELL THEY WANT.
THE WAY SHE HANDLED IT WAS EXCELLENT.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE SECOND PART OF THE VIDEO.
>> IF YOU THINK YOUR DISRESPECTING ME THEN THAT
IS JUST THE LEVEL OF YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
I RESPECT IT.
>> OKAY, I'M GOING TO ASK ñ
>> I RESPECT THAT YOU HAVE A JOB.
DO YOU DRINK?
>> YES.
>> DO YOU GET DRUNK?
>> YEAH.
>> DO YOU FALL IN LOVE AND FALL LOT OF LINE?
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR QUESTION IS GOING.
I'M ASKING YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOUR MUSIC AND LYRICS.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOUR PERSONAL LIFE IS STARTING
TO INTERFERE WITH THE WAY THAT PEOPLE CONSUME YOUR LYRICS.
>> YOU ARE HERE TO GET RATINGS, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND
RESPECT THAT.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING POSITIVE.
I AM IN NEW YORK, I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME.
I DIDN'T COME HERE FOR YOU TO SPOIL THAT.
>> YOU ARE HERE TO PROMOTE YOUR ALBUM.
>> YOU HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE MULTIPLE FANS ñ
>> I LOVE MY FANS.
I SAID I LOVE ALL OF MY FANS.
>> IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO THEY ARE, IF THEY LOVE ME, THEY
HATE ME, I LOVE THEM ALL.
AND I LOVE YOU TOO.
>> YOU DON'T NEED TO GIVE ME ANY OF YOUR LOVE, SIR.
I JUST WANT AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR FANS THAT WANT TO BUY YOUR MUSIC?
>> YOU NEED TO DO THAT.
>> I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM ONE OF YOUR FANS.
>> YOU HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THIS INTERVIEW IS OVER.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMMENT ON MY APPEARANCE.
>> JESUS CHRIST, HE IS SO CONDESCENDING AND UNBEARABLE.
SHE HANDLED IT SO CALMLY.
I WISH I COULD SAY THE SAME ABOUT MYSELF, BUT I DON'T
THINK I WOULD DO THAT.
>> I LOVE IT BECAUSE THAT WAS AN ACT OF JOURNALISM.
YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE INTIMIDATED BY CELEBRITIES.
>> HE BASICALLY TOLD HER THAT SHE BETTER WATCH WHAT IS
COMING OUT OF HER MOUTH.
>> HE ALSO SAID I RESPECT YOU AS A WOMAN WHO HAS A JOB.
>> IS HE TRYING TO SAY THAT HE'S GOING TO GET HER FIRED?
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
>> HE SAID HE IS GOING TO GO
TO MCDONALD'S NEXT.
AND ONE OF THE DOZENS OF LAWSUITS AGAINST HIM HE WAS
ACCUSED OF TROLLING MCDONALD'S, AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH
SCHOOLS TO TRY TO PICK UP GIRLS.
THAT IS NOT THE DIRECTION I WOULD GO OUT WITH HIM.
TO ME THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IS THE CELEBRITY CULTURE.
HOW DARE YOU ASK ME THE QUESTION ñ
IT IS NOT AN INTERROGATION HE SAID.
IT'S AN INTERVIEW.
IN AN INTERVIEW WE ASK QUESTIONS, AND YOU ANSWER THEM.
HIS ASSUMPTION IS THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO KISS MY ASS.
>> AND ALLOW ME TO UTILIZE YOUR PLATFORM TO PLUG THE WORK I
AM DOING.
IT IS ABOUT ME PROMOTING THE WORK I AM DOING AND NOT
TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING INTERESTING.
HERE IS THE THING, NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR ALBUM.
I HATE THAT REPORTERS, NEWS SHOWS ALWAYS HAVE TO DO THAT.
EVERYONE WORKING IN MEDIA HAS TO DO THAT.
HERE IS THE THING, WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN HAVING YOU ON THE
PROGRAM OR YOUR ALBUM.
IT'S NOT A PLATFORM FOR YOU TO GET FREE PUBLICITY, BUT THAT IS
WHAT MEDIA HAS TURNED INTO.
>> IT USED TO BE THE EXCEPTION, NOW IT IS THE RULE.
YOU DON'T GET TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS OTHER THAN THE
ONES I WANT YOU TO ASK ME.
IT IS GROTESQUE WHAT THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY HAS
TURNED INTO.
THIS IS A NEWS STORY NOW BECAUSE SHE ACTUALLY DID WHAT SHE
WAS SUPPOSED TO DO WHICH SHINES A LIGHT ON ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO NEVER DO THAT.
IS IT LEGITIMATE TO ASK ABOUT THE PAST THAT HE HAS HAD?
SHE SAID IT RELATES TO YOUR MUSIC WHEN YOU PUBLISH AN ALBUM
CALLED AGE AIN'T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER, IN THE CASE OF ALIYAH.
ONE OF HIS ALBUMS WAS CALLED TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS ABOUT BUT IT IS FAIR TO ASK HIM
ABOUT IT.
NOW, IF YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT IT THEN YOU ARE BRAZEN ENOUGH,
IT IS THE LEAST THAT JOURNALIST CAN DO IS ASK THAT QUESTION.
UNFORTUNATELY CELEBRITIES ñ HE SAYS,
" EVERYWHERE I GO IS SOLD OUT.
EVERYWHERE I HAVE BEEN, I'M A MAN WHO WAS BEEN AROUND THE
WORLD MULTIPLE TIMES.
EVERYWHERE I GET NOTHING BUT LOVE."
IT SOUNDS LIKE TRUMP, DOESN'T IT?
IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHY TRUMP EXISTS, IT IS BECAUSE THEY
ARE SURROUNDED BY SUPER FANS AND THE ENTIRE ENTERTAINMENT
NEWS INDUSTRY HAS TURNED INTO SUPER FANS.
THEY SAY THAT TO TRUMP, THEY SAY THAT TO ALL THE CELEBRITIES.
THE MINUTE SOMEONE QUESTIONS THEIR PAST THEY SAY HOW
DARE YOU AND ARE OUTRAGED.
>> YES BECAUSE SOMEBODY BURST THEIR BUBBLE.
>> WHAT CAROLINE DID IN THAT INTERVIEW IS WHAT SHOULD BE
THE RULE, NOT THE EXCEPTION.
THAT SHOULD HAPPEN IN ALL INTERVIEWS WERE IT IS FAIR
GAME TO ASK ABOUT THE PERSON'S LIFE AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.
IF CELEBRITIES DON'T LIKE THAT, THEN GOOD LUCK TO THEM.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF KINDS OF PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GO TO GET
THAT KIND OF INTERVIEW.
I HOPE HUFFINGTON POST CONTINUES TO BE TOUGH AND FAIR IN THE
QUESTIONS THEY ASK MOVING FORWARD.
NOT EVERY INTERVIEW WAS AGGRESSIVE, SOME ARE
ENORMOUSLY AGGRESSIVE.
THAT IS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TO HAVE.
YOU WANT TO GET TO THE CORE OF THE ISSUES.
GOD BLESS HER FOR DOING THAT AND I HOPE THEY STAY DOING THAT.