Eminem’s journey with mind-altering substances is well-documented, but Brent Musburger denies any suggestion that the rapper was under the influence during a memorable in-game interview.
On September 7, 2013, Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit were calling the Ohio State versus Notre Dame matchup in Ann Arbor for ESPN when Eminem joined them in the booth to promote his music video debut for “Berzerk.”
Despite Eminem’s past struggles with substance abuse, he had been sober for over five years by that point. However, some viewers interpreted his behavior during the interview as indicative of a relapse.
Eminem attributed his nervousness to being on live television, but skepticism remained among viewers. Musburger, however, has defended him.
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In a recent interview with Dan Patrick, Musburger reflected on the segment, adamantly denying that Eminem was under the influence.
“He wasn’t high. Now, everybody thinks he was because he came in, he’s standing between Herbstreit and me, and he was not familiar with the monitors. So he was looking at himself and he kind of froze on the camera…
It was great. We laughed about it. He couldn’t have been nicer. Also, he was a knowledgeable fan. When you see him at the Lions games, he knows what’s going on out there.”
In essence, Musburger chalked up Eminem’s behavior to being unfamiliar with the setup and experiencing the nerves of live television.
He added a lighthearted touch, suggesting that anyone in the same situation might be similarly captivated by seeing themselves broadcast to millions of viewers.
Legends recognize legends.
