It was a moment that left viewers stunned, Jennifer Aniston visibly uncomfortable, and the internet buzzing for years to come. During a 1998 appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, the beloved Friends actress was promoting her work when things took a bizarre turn—David Letterman leaned over and unexpectedly licked her hair.
Yes, you read that right.
The interview had started off in the typical late-night fashion: light banter, laughter, and charming anecdotes. But as Aniston was mid-sentence, Letterman suddenly moved closer to her and, in an awkward attempt at humor, stuck out his tongue and ran it across a strand of her hair.
Jennifer Aniston froze for a moment, clearly shocked and uncomfortable. The audience laughed nervously. Letterman tried to brush it off as a joke, handing her a tissue and saying, “Forgive me if this is rude—I just wanted to try something.”
But even at the time, many viewers weren’t laughing. The incident raised eyebrows and was widely seen as inappropriate—even in the looser standards of late-’90s television. The clip has since resurfaced online many times, especially as conversations around boundaries, consent, and on-air behavior have become more prominent in recent years.
Social media users continue to call out the moment as “creepy,” “disturbing,” and “deeply uncomfortable.” Many fans expressed sympathy for Aniston, who handled the situation with grace despite the awkwardness.
In today’s world, that kind of stunt would likely lead to immediate backlash and public apology. But back then, it was played off as “just another weird late-night moment.”
Now, with the clip once again making the rounds on TikTok and YouTube Shorts, younger audiences are reacting with disbelief: “Did that really happen on live TV?” Yes, it did—and it remains one of the most talked-about moments in late-night history.
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