Billy Bob Thornton gave an incredibly arrogant and bizarre interview earlier in the week to CBC radio’s Jian Ghomeshi in an appearance with his band, The Boxmasters. Apparently Thornton told producers ahead of time not to mention his acting career at all and to focus on the music. Ghomeshi covered Billy Bob Thornton’s acting background as an introduction to the band, but his questions focused on their music and unique genre, which is described as a mix of rockabilly and 60s British mod music. That was enough for Thornton, though, who gave dismissive and inappropriate answers to questions and then criticized Ghomeshi for not treating him like Tom Petty.

For his part, Ghomeshi remained persistent but incredibly professional and seemed genuinely baffled that Thornton wouldn’t acknowledge that his fame contributed to his band’s easy success. He was able to turn the interview around and get Thornton talking a little, at which point Thornton criticized Canadian audiences, calling them “potatoes without the gravy.” It’s really clear that Thornton is criticizing Canadians, because he brings up the issue himself, saying at around 11:20 into the interview “Canadian audiences seem to be really reserved. You know, we tend to play places where people throw things at each other and here they just sort of sit there. It doesn’t matter what you say to ’em… it’s very um, well, it’s mashed potatoes with no gravy, you know what I’m saying.”

Thornton and the Boxmasters performed at Massey Hall in Toronto last night. Instead of acknowledging that he was in the wrong and apologizing for disparaging Canadians, Thornton proceeded to call Ghomeshi an assh*le and to claim that the potatoes without gravy comment was directed at Ghomeshi, not Canadians in general. Over a million people have viewed his arrogant interview on YouTube and there’s no question that Thornton was the assh*le and that he was referring to Canadians as boring, not the interviewer:

Referring to Jian Ghomeshi, the host of CBC Radio’s Q, as an “a–hole,” the Oscar-winning actor turned musician interrupted his band’s set three songs in to give his side of the story.

After commenting on the beautiful theatre and the legendary performer they were opening for (Willie Nelson), Thornton said, “It seems as if when I say something it’s in the news.”

When that drew boos, Thornton continued: “Boo all you want, but I want to say something…. We’re really happy to be here, but I need to say something. I talked to this a–hole yesterday.

“I sat down and talked with this guy. He and his producers say, `We promise you we won’t say that’ (meaning references to Thornton’s acting career). The very first thing they said was that.

“I don’t really like sensationalism,” he added. “If you look someone in the eyes and promise them something, and you don’t do it, you don’t get the interview. That’s the way it goes.”

The explanation was met by further boos and catcalls of, “Here comes the gravy,” a reference to Thornton’s description of Canadian audiences as “mashed potatoes with no gravy” during his interview with Ghomeshi.

Before the show, Thornton told a Star reporter that he “loves Canada.” When asked what he meant by the mashed potatoes comment, Thornton, wearing a thick layer of skin-tone facial makeup and sucking on a cigarette, said: “I was talking about the guy who was interviewing me.”…

Ghomeshi could not be reached for comment last night. Earlier yesterday, he said it was one of the most difficult interviews he’s ever done and he was taken aback at Thornton’s strange responses (sample: when Ghomeshi asked when the Boxmasters were formed, Thornton answered, “I’m not sure what that means”).

Ghomeshi also said it would have been irresponsible to his audience not to mention Thornton’s acting past during his introduction (he did not ask any questions about acting during the interview).

“Our policy is that we don’t allow anybody to tell us what we can and cannot say,” said Ghomeshi. “Beyond that, it was this notion and the language that he used during the interview that I thought was unfortunate, that we were `instructed’ to say this and that. And I think that does raise interesting questions about ideas around how much journalism is to be controlled, especially when it comes to arts and entertainment and culture, and I think that that’s a concern.

“The reality is, and I tried to explain this in the interview, these guys have only been together for two years. You just don’t get the kind of national press they are getting without the incentive being something like his career past…. And I think if he could graciously accept that and say, `Hey, I want to focus on the music, but I get that the reason we’re here is because I’m a movie star that’s won an Oscar.’ There’s not a lot of people who can say that.”

Ghomeshi felt like he was “in the middle of a tsunami” yesterday. He was being interviewed by media around the world. “The nice thing is the reaction that I’m getting from journalists around the world that is really kind of sweet, but it is all very odd … and a lot of people, especially in this country, seemed to support the way I did things,” he said. “Maybe it was a little Canadian to be polite, but I can live with that.”

[From The Toronto Star]

Thornton is only digging that hole deeper and proving that he wasn’t just having a bad day and is consistently an arrogant jerk. You could tell that his bandmates were used to his moods because they all looked worried when they realized that Thornton took offense to his introduction. Then they tried to answer the questions at first but were kind of subdued as if they were scared. Finally the issue came to a head and Thornton made his obnoxious point that he was somehow being wronged because Ghomeshi dared bring up his acting career in any context. Pretty soon he’s going to be directing his non-apologies at 1/2 empty clubs.