Whiley’s story is one of the rare occasions someone recalls a negative meeting with Eminem, hinting at a moment when Slim Shady’s on-stage bravado spilled into real life.
Jo, who has worked at the BBC since 1993 and interviewed countless music legends including Barbra Streisand, Noel Gallagher, and David Bowie, shared the story on the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSPYflf464c podcast with Zoe Ball.
She recalled, “I’d interviewed Eminem when he was very young and he was very shy and polite. He kept calling me ‘ma’am’ all the time and he was really, really sweet and humble”.
But things changed a couple of years later when Eminem returned with Dr. Dre. By then, Eminem’s fame had skyrocketed, and Whiley says he came across as a completely different person.
The playful approach from Eminem and Dre during the interview left Jo feeling shaken. “It was a really unpleasant experience”, she said, explaining the duo’s style made her feel “so tiny and so stupid”.
Most people who’ve met Eminem describe him as kind and sincere, making Jo Whiley’s experience stand out as a rare moment when the Slim Shady alter ego seemed to take over. Perhaps that interview was a turning point for Eminem, showing him how bringing Slim into real conversations can hurt people. You note that since then, Eminem has toned down that side of himself, especially as he has embraced sobriety.
And that unfortunate interaction that still makes Jo shudder offers a unique glimpse into a moment in Eminem’s career when fame, persona, and real life collided to nobody’s pleasure.
