An unearthed 2013 interview between Lindsay Lohan and David Letterman has been dubbed “horrifying” amid a reckoning over the treatment of young female celebrities in the public eye.
Lohan, then aged 26, appeared on Letterman’s US talk show to promote the horror comedy Scary Movie 5, but she was instead asked questions about addiction that she said she had not agreed to.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in rehab now?” Letterman asks the actor. “How many times have you been in rehab?”
Lohan, who repeatedly looks to someone standing off-camera, replies: “Several.”
“How will this time be different?” Letterman asks. “What are they rehabbing, first of all? What is on their list? What are they gonna work on when you walk through the door?”
Read more: 2007 video of Craig Ferguson refusing to mock Britney Spears goes viral
As Letterman’s audience erupts in laughter, Lohan says that the topic was not mentioned in the segment’s “pre-interview”, which involves a crew member informing the guest which topics will be talked about.
“Do you have addiction problems?” Letterman asks. “Is it alcohol? Do you drink too much?”
Further on, Letterman produces a printed-out list of things Lohan “has endured”, which Lohan snatches from him, scans, and then demands he not read aloud. “You can’t make a joke of it,” Lohan begs. “That’s so mean.”
“This Lindsay Lohan interview on David Letterman in 2013 is horrifying to watch now,” wrote one viewer on Twitter.
Another added: “He was a reflection of society. He was insensitive and nosy. We were insensitive and nosy. Now, we see this and cringe. Hopefully, we’ve all evolved.”
The Independent has reached out to Letterman’s representative for comment.
The resurfaced clip went viral in the same week as the documentary Framing Britney Spears reminded viewers of how the pop star was treated by the media at the peak of her fame. Interviews featured in the film include Spears being asked about her breasts and her virginity, as well as facing questions about her parental ability.
Read more: People spent years taking photos of Britney Spears. But did they ever actually look?
The documentary has already led to a number of stars, including Justin Timberlake and comedian Sarah Silverman, apologising for making jokes at Spears’ expense while she experienced a public breakdown and temporarily lost custody of her children.
Lohan’s personal troubles were heavily documented by tabloids and photographers at the same time as Spears’s breakdown.
The former child star, who is best known for roles in Mean Girls and Freaky Friday, has fought addiction and years of media scrutiny. She has not lived permanently in the USA since 2012, citing paparazzi intrusion as one of the reasons she chose to settle in London and then Dubai.
