Why Tom Hanks cursed out John Curley

BY Josh Kerns  on February 29, 2012 @ 10:34 am (Updated: 2:35 pm - 2/29/12 )

TomHanksRockandRoll_DV_20091029204527_(1).jpg
Tom Hanks is known as one of Hollywood's most friendly guy's. But 97.3 KIRO's John Curley says an obscenity laced exchange with the star reveals otherwise. | Zoom
When movie stars are promoting their latest blockbuster, they commonly sit begrudgingly for a series of interviews with local TV and radio personalities asking the same questions over and over.

97.3 KIRO FM host John Curley's obscenity laden confrontation with Tom Hanks was far from the run of the mill interview.

The less than fond memory was triggered by a conversation Tuesday night on the John Curley Show about our favorite personalities, and who was expected to be friendly but turned out to be far from it.

It happened a few years ago when Curley was still hosting the TV show "Evening Magazine." He was flown to a posh Beverly Hills Hotel and ushered into a suite with Hanks, where he was seated just inches from the star.

"So I'm sitting right next to him. I could reach over and grab his cheek. He's not even looking at me and all of a sudden he goes, 'Who are you?'"

It quickly went downhill from there. "He says, 'That show is still on the air?!'" Hanks then proceeded to imitate and insult Curley's show, so he dropped an obscenity in his response.

"Oh, you curse on the show?" Hanks asked.

"We do different kinds of stories. We do stories about actors who dressed up like women in the early 80's and are still acting the same way," Curley responded.

Then Hanks brought the encounter to a crashing end. "I'm glad you curse on the show, because #$%* you!" Hanks retorted.

The interview ended right there, as crew and staff sat in stunned silence while John showed even more chutzpah by asking co-star Tim Allen for an interview instead.

"And that was it," Curley said.

But even though his encounter with Hanks was over, Curley's troubles with the studio and the star were just beginning. Listen to him recount what happened next...

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
More Local News
Top Stories

  • Seeking Answers
    Investigators, engineers, and lawmakers scramble to fix I-5 after bridge collapses

  • Survivors' Stories
    It was "like a roller coaster where you're not attached to the tracks"

  • Bridge Distress
    Washington has an unfortunate history of bridge disasters
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (35)


  • Add A Comment

  • Moondoggie wrote...
    I'm sure it happened just as Curley says it happened.
    February 29, 2012 2:07 pm
    Perhaps he shoundn't have been so thin skined when another guy flipped him a little crap.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Loving Life wrote...
    Wrong, Wrong, Wrong. Everyone I know who has talked to Tom Hanks say he is amazingly nice.
    February 29, 2012 2:09 pm
    A good friend of mine was talking to him just a few months ago. They talked for half an hour, and Hanks couldn't have been nicer. I always liked Curley, up until now. Someone responds to you in kind, and you still are having a hissy fit all these years later. Curley, now I know why you were dumped from Evening Magazine, you self indulgent blowhard. As for the Hanks interview going sideways, look at yourself. You caused it, you asked for it, and you got it. And you wonder why the studio, and the rest, closed ranks away from a worthless troll from Seattle. (No disrespect to the Fremont Troll)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan Mitchinson-News Guy wrote...
    Well...
    February 29, 2012 11:04 pm
    I still like to think Hanks is a nice guy Loving Life. Everyone has a bad day. Thanks for listening to the show. Dan Mitchinson News Anchor "The John Curley Show"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Saltchucker wrote...
    Curley deserved it.
    February 29, 2012 2:22 pm
    Ever run in to Mr. Curley when he was off air? What a jerk. KIRO never should have hired him. Dude can't seem to host his own show half the time. Add to that his smug arrogance and lack of radio skills...well I don't think much as you can tell. Whats worse, Tom Hanks getting mad over a snide comment about Bosom Buddies or that Curley tried to dis a true mega star by admitting he probably watched it enough to use the insult? Save us all, get Curley out of the public eye....his 15 minutes should have been used up a couple of decades ago.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Tonic99 wrote...
    "It happened a few years ago..."
    February 29, 2012 2:26 pm
    How is this currently relevant? Just because the Oscars were just on? I'm struggling to find out why on earth this is in the headlines today.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan Mitchinson-News Guy wrote...
    Hi Tonic99
    March 1, 2012 1:02 pm
    You bring up a good point. But just like on Good Morning America or in The Seattle Times, you have hard news, sports, international news and features. We cover it all here at my northwest.com and this was one of those stories that got a lot of great feedback on air, and our reporter Josh Kerns did a fantastic job of giving it another platform (here on the web). Hope that answers your question. Thanks for taking the time to write. Dan Mitchinson News Anchor-"The John Curley Show"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    I miss Frank Sheirs in the evening.
    February 29, 2012 2:29 pm
    Bring him back... again.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 2112 wrote...
    I like Curley
    February 29, 2012 2:29 pm
    I like Curley...............when he is on the air. Are the haters just whining cause he isn't a Marxist?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Loving Life wrote...
    2112 you may need to 5150'd.
    February 29, 2012 4:25 pm
    Hate Curley and be a Marxist. Hmmm.. Like Curley and you get to ride on the short yellow bus... But, be indifferent to Curley, that means you're normal.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Besides
    February 29, 2012 7:13 pm
    It was an entertaining story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan Mitchinson-News Guy wrote...
    Glad you liked it fartforce1...
    February 29, 2012 11:03 pm
    We were all laughing in the studio. Thanks for listening to the show, and for checking in here at mynorthwest.com Dan Mitchinson News Anchor "The John Curley Show"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    You bet, its one of my favorites.
    March 1, 2012 3:31 am
    Thanks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • John wrote...
    I thought it was an interesting story, I read it...
    February 29, 2012 9:46 pm
    Curley is a great storyteller. He appears to be brutally honest in what he says. It's true, his couple days on and days off his own radio show is a little disconcerting. I honestly loved listening to him, but can't deal with him never there, so I quit listening.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan Mitchinson-News Guy wrote...
    You're right John...
    February 29, 2012 11:01 pm
    Curley is a great storyteller, and is brutally honest in what he says. And with all the deperssing stories in the news these days, it's nice to have a laugh now and again. Thanks for listening...John's here a lot more than you think, so we hope you'll stick with the show. Dan Mitchinson News Anchor-"The John Curley Show"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Matt Lattanzi wrote...
    Bring back TBTL
    February 29, 2012 10:18 pm
    TBTL with Luke Burbank needs to be brought back!! or just run old re-runs of Coast to Coast with Art Bell from 2001
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan Mitchinson-News Guy wrote...
    Matt-
    March 1, 2012 3:51 pm
    You can check out Luke with Dave Ross 9a-noon and TBTL is podcast and is part of our weekend lineup! Dan Mitchinson News Anchor "The John Curley Show"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }