June 2, 2021
Watch: That Time Ricky Martin Called Out Barbra Walters Over Infamous Interview
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
[Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 2, 2021]
Recalling on the 2000 interview, Ricky Martin said the questions Barbara Walters asked about his sexuality made him feel "violated" and has given him "a little PTSD", the Latin pop star tells People in an exclusive interview.
During the decade-old sit-down, Walters questioned the musician – who would not come out until 2010 – about rumors circulating at the time about him being gay.
"You could stop these rumors," Walters had told Martin. "You could say, as many others have, 'Yes, I am gay,' or you could say, 'No, I'm not,' or you could leave it as you are, ambiguous."
Martin responded by saying: "I just don't feel like it."
Reflecting on that interview with People, Martin admitted he "felt violated because I was just not ready to come out."
"I was very afraid. There's a little PTSD with that," he explained. "A lot of people say, 'what would you do differently?' Well, maybe I would have come out in that interview."
He continued: "It would've been great because when I came out, it just felt amazing. When it comes to my sexuality, when it comes to who I am, I want to talk about what I'm made of, about everything that I am. Because if you hide it, it's a life-or-death situation."
This isn't the first time Martin has addressed the infamous interview with the now-retired Walters. He discussed it in 2018 during an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live!" with Andy Cohen.
"Have you seen that video? It's horrible, to be honest," Martin said at the time. "I felt like she was knocking, like, punch after punch after punch – it was really uncomfortable, to be honest. But then again I look at it, and I'm like, why didn't I say yes back then? Just say yes, I'm gay, who cares, you know what I'm saying?"
In 2010, Walters admitted to the Toronto Star that she had regrets about that interview.
"In 2000, I pushed Ricky Martin very hard to admit if he was gay or not, and the way he refused to do it made everyone decide that he was," she said, adding that it was "an inappropriate question."
Martin is the cover star of People's second annual Pride issue. Click here to read more.
Revisit Martin's interview with Walters, below:
