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Barbara Walters Was Supposed to Interview Zimmerman, Too — But Cancelled After Being ‘Appalled’ by His Demands (Update: Zimmerman Lawyer Calls Into ‘The View’ and Walters Rejects Him)

Jul. 19, 2012 10:21am Jonathon M. Seidl

Sean Hannity wasn’t the only person in Florida this week talking to George Zimmerman. ABC stalwart Barbara Walters also flew down with every intention of interviewing Zimmerman after his exclusive with Fox. However, she pulled out at the last minute after Zimmerman allegedly asked he and his wife be put up in a hotel for month in exchange for the sit-down.

The New York Post has the info:

Barbara Walters walked away from an interview with Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman after the former neighborhood watchman demanded at the last minute that, in return for the chat, ABC put him and his wife up in a hotel for a month, a source told Page Six. Walters flew down to Florida early yesterday and met with Zimmerman and his lawyer to discuss the possibility of a lengthy TV sitdown. Her interview would have taken place after he was done talking with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, a situation that already made the newswoman leery, we’re told, as she prefers to land exclusives. But we’re told that Walters was “appalled” by Zimmerman’s hotel demand, and told him the deal was off.

An ABC News representative confirmed the story, but declined to say what exactly he asked for.

“She went down there with every intention of doing an interview, but Mr. Zimmerman made a demand at the last minute that we could not and would never agree to,” the spokesperson told the Post.

UPDATE:

Mediaite captured some truly incredible footage from Thursday’s episode of “The View.” After Walters explained a little bit of why she decided not to do the interview, the show was interrupted by a phone call from Zimmerman’s lawyer saying Zimmerman was now willing to do the interview. Walters, however, refused. Watch it unfold below:

(H/T: Daily Mail)

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Comments (195)

Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:55am
Good tactic, that will keep the libs off your back.

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- meeester
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:34am
  I wonder if he phrased it “I’m homeless”.
  
  Report this comment
- Meyvn
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:35am
  Yeah. I doubt he had any interest in going on that show.
  
  Report this comment
- GeorgieJo
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:12pm
  Barbarawawa?
  Everytime you show your haggard mug on the VOOW—YOU are appaling.
  RETIRE Dearie—-Your time is up.
  Interviewing the Kartrashians was the epitome of your hahahahaha journalistic career
  
  OMG 2012
  
  Report this comment
- Independent4233
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:24pm
  “But we’re told that Walters was “appalled” by Zimmerman’s hotel demand, and told him the deal was off.”
  
  Zimmerman is LUCKY the leftist scrounge backed out. She would have slanted the coverage just as badly as NBC did when it doctored the phone tapes to make it look like Zimmerman was a bad person, and ABC did when it declared there were no injuries to his head with doctored footage.
  
  I can’t understand how his lawyer would consent to allowing an interview with anybody like her on the left who has proven time and again there’s no levels to which they won’t stoop in order to lie and manipulate someone or some thing.
  
  The out-of-touch, naive Republican establishment made the mistake of pushing Sarah Palin for an interview with Katie Couric.
  
  Does this Walters pig really beleve thinking people are going to buy her backing out because of a motel bill?
  
  Really laughable. She backed out, because with Hannity interviewing first there’s no way she could manipulate and cut the interview to fit her agenda.
  
  Report this comment
- drattastic
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:30pm
  I bet she wouldn’t have a problem putting Travon’s parents up for a month . Never mind her and our tax dollars are probably already doing that.
  
  Report this comment
- Detroit paperboy
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:34pm
  If Obama had a daughter it would look like Barbara ……
  
  Report this comment
- N37BU6
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:39pm
  He probably wanted some of her reserved seats on Amtrak…
  
  Report this comment
- JRook
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:56pm
  Come on George… just make another web site to get donations for your monthly hotel costs. Geez, he raises over $200,000 and still feels a need to hold up people for money. Frankly, the judge should prohibit both him and his lawyer from speaking to the press until the trial is finished.
- HumbleMan
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:56pm
  C’mon Babawawa … pay your fair share. Obviously you don’t know a good deal when you see one.
  
  Report this comment
- CHRIS260
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:59pm
  N37BU6 hahaha
  
  Report this comment
- DisgruntledInClinton
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 1:29pm
  Sean Hannity asked Zimmerman, in no uncertain terms, if he was getting paid or anything else and Zimmerman answered “no”. Maybe Sean will delve into this claim by BaBwa on his radio or tv show. Zimmerman came across as quiet, respectful, and likeable. There is no way this guy is going to be proven guilty of second degree murder. And, he’s quite hispanic looking, more so than in photos.
  
  Report this comment
- yiska8
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 2:54pm
  If Obama had a great, great, great, great, grandmother she would look like Barbarawa. She just wanted to play the government media game by making Zimmerman look guilty with a ton of creative “NBC style editing” and was ticked that Hannity got the interview first.
  
  Report this comment
- NeoFan
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 2:56pm
  Nobody with a brain talks to these people.
  
  Report this comment
- mils
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 3:29pm
  dislike barbara…dislike the view…liberal axxholes..so biased it’s disgusting….hannity didn’t find his demands so daunting…guess george did bow and scrape enough of wawa..
  …The SAD, DISGUSTING PART OF THIS IS….A lot of women look to these “great political pundits” on the view..for news, and opinions…never realizing they’re biased…never knowing there is a world out here about to stomp all over their financial well being…
  GEORGE WILL NEVER GET A FAIR TRIAL..THAT’S OVER AND DONE WITH…
  
  Report this comment
- stilesgirl
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 3:32pm
  George denied her the interview stating that ABC was the one who doctored things from the beginning and he wanted no part of this. And her host Rosanne Barr tweeted Mr. Zimmerman’s parents address just like Spike lee did back in March when he Tweeted the wrong address and put elderly people in danger!
  
  Report this comment
- Ari Ben TZion
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 3:33pm
  Is it me or is Barbara Walters starting to look like Abraham?
  
  Report this comment
- DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 4:01pm
  Zimmerman is learning quick. Use and abuse the MSM morons.
  
  Report this comment
- Ruler4You
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 4:21pm
  Barbra never stays more than one night for an interview. As she clearly states in her book.
  
  But her ‘interview’ tactics aren’t exactly without their ‘trap doors.’ GZ lucked out.
  
  Report this comment
- ambrosia
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 4:39pm
  Why doesn’t this ole’ SeaHag buy an island with Oprey-Doprey and disappear ?
  
  She doesn’t like ANYONE trespassing on HER territory-
  whether it be another network OR another lamestream media babe at her own network.
  Just ask Diane Sawyer….yeah, that one,
  you know, the “journalist” whose entire newscast is composed of her questions-
  everything starts & ends with a question mark ?
  
  Question me this-
  Baba Babs with the drooping boobs
  got & did a horrible interview with Assad through a young lady
  to whom she did all sorts of favors for & was exposed, on this site for doing so-
  she was caught with her network knickers down,
  why would anyone go near her ?
  
  When pushing her memoir,
  she wrote about her affair with a married, black politician
  & this is the mindbender-
  she said, she felt that she had to include it & “did so for the young people”.
  She’s full of crap…NO young person is interested in her illicit affair !
  She didn’t do it for the “Young People”…she did it for herself…to SELL books.
  
  After Babs kicks the bucket…
  someone is bound to write a scathing book about this witch-
  people hate her, those who work with her & those who she claims are friends.
  
  Too bad, Kitty Kelly doesn’t write one while the ole’ bag is still breathing-
  it would be a just award.
  No wonder Harry Reasoner kicked her off his newscast.
  She gave him hell & he gave her the heave-ho !
  Smart guy !
  She’s not an inspiration…she’s an insult !
  
  Report this comment
- HowardSternIsABigot
  Posted on July 20, 2012 at 8:08am
  shes a lying ho. They make deals like that all the time to get interviews. She was po’d because of the exclusivity. phony as that show the view.
  
  Report this comment
pwatkins
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:53am
I imagine O’mara set things up for Zimmerman with Hannity.
I wouldn’t want to be interviewed by Barbara Walters or anyone on the view if they bought me a hotel.

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nobammy
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:53am
i do not believe this for a minute! IF bawah DID have an interview lined up with zimmerman (which i doubt) i hardly believe his demands would match all the hollywood divas she has interviewed in her career.

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- ENOUGHISENOUGH
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:02am
  If she was there to interview Zimmerman, I think she got mad because Hannity got the interview first and that’s why she walked.
  
  All those Leftists distort (lie) to benefit themselves.
  
  Report this comment
- CatB
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 2:18pm
  I bet you are correct .. Babs .. doesn’t like competition .. and she certainly wouldn’t want to be number 2 to Fox and Hannity ….
  
  Report this comment
flsnipe
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:49am
She is a hypocrite! She and her news agency have paid a lot more for a lot less Trayvons mom and dad are are living like the O bamas on vacation who is paying for that life style?

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- bdsconserv
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 2:05pm
  exactly. did barbara have plastic surgery? she sure looks different.
  
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Kilmerfan
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:48am
Oh that is a picture from the view? I thought it was a Cryptkeeper look a like contest.

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barber2
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:43am
Not buying this. Just gives the Lefty Lap Dog Media another spate of Trash Zimmerman to run with. ( living in this Chicago thug / union bully / Big Brother world on intimidators is getting mighty old )

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- VanceUppercut
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:15am
  I’ll take Walters’ word over your paranoid “it’s all a conspiracy” opinions.
  
  Report this comment
- sWampy
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:23am
  Well you would believe any of your liberal over lords if they told you dog **** was tootsie rolls, and happily eat it, so your opinion doesn’t count for much.
  
  Report this comment
- Toltepeceno
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:25am
  I would not believe anything from Baba Wawa.
  
  Report this comment
- Georgevarner
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:29am
  Vanuppercut nobody cares who’s word you take
  
  Report this comment
- babylonvi
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 12:05pm
  Frankly, I wouldn’t believe anything from anybody on the view and am skeptical of anyone who would even appear on that ‘Chinese Fire Drill’.
  
  Report this comment
john vincent
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:41am
Perhaps Ms Walters had a few outrageous demands of her own. Time will prove what happened and what was said.

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- ambrosia
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 5:26pm
  Or perhaps Ms. Wag-the-Fingers Walters
  should demand ABC put her on “Dancing with the Stars”-
  the ole’ bag is apparently good at “doing the Hustle”.
  She’s hustled up many a married man
  during her illustrious career…….hypocritical, ole’ SeaHag !
  
  Report this comment
Tri-ox
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:41am
Oh, dry up, Barb. Oops – TOO LATE. Why is this nasty, old snakeskin of a “woman” still relevant?

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- hatchetjob
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 1:53pm
  I think Barb and Helen Thomas are sisters.
  
  Report this comment
getourcountryback
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:40am
Walters is not a journalist, there are very few if any of those around. She is just another entertainment tonight segment in a reporter costume.

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CarminesMomma
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:40am
I’m not trying to be mean, but I just don’t understand the appeal of Barbara Walters–or how she’s managed to stay in the news business for so long. Her interviews make me cringe, her mannerisms are annoying and her speech–the worst! I never really considered her within the realm of “notable newscasters,” but once she began hosting The View, she lost all credibility in my eyes. I’m sorry to say that I think she’s a “has-been,” who is trying too hard to hold on to whatever fleeting status she THINKS she has. She sits next to JOY BEHAR, for cryin’ out loud! Can you imagine having THE VIEW being what people most remember you by? How sad.

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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:54am
  It’s not mean if it’s the truth.
  
  Report this comment
- hatchetjob
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 1:55pm
  I agree, CARMINESMOMMA! She needs to go away already.
  
  Report this comment
- pandora
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 2:09pm
  She got into the business when there were very few women to choose from. Had there been a lot more she probably wouldn’t have had much of a break. With women in that business, in those days, talent did not play much of a art in the selection process. Not sure it does today either for that matter. Even FOX, who has some of the most attractive women on TV, only has a few with real talent. I kinda like Megan Kelly. There’s a few more but Kelly is fun to watch as well as smart to hear.
  
  Report this comment
MeteoricLimbo
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:40am
Baba could use a good Up-hauling.

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- ambrosia
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 5:04pm
  Ha !
  More like U-Haul-
  Hike it up and haul it away…..far, far A-W-A-Y !
  
  Better yet, throw an anchor & a net around the ole’, smelly Sea Hag
  & drag her out to the Atlantic Ocean.
  
  Report this comment
TruthPolice60
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:37am
The media is responsible in a big way for the fact that the Zimmermans cannot live in their own home. By misreporting, mischaracterizing and being outright deceitful in editing, it is the media that turned this case in to the racial mess that it has become.

Screw Baba Wawa. George, if you were a twee, what kind of twee would you be? What a journalist.

I hope Zimmerman sues NBC out of business for editing the tapes to make him look like a racist.

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- spirited
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:53am
  Yep !
  
  Report this comment
- RufusEdinwhirl
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 4:27pm
  It won’t matter, those networks will all be out of business within a few years if they keep promoting communism and socialism. Older folks need to talk to the young folk and teach them what this communist crap really is all about and what it leads to, which is enslavement and death. Obie is not your friend.
  
  Report this comment
makeemstop
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:37am
Walters pushed her ABC executives to offer six-figures for a chat with Pippa-Middleton in January of 2012. And how many other countless interviews Walters wanted to be the sole interviewer for?

I’m confused… the difference is???

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- Soothsayer
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:02pm
  And the cost of a good hotel would have run what, 5-7 grand for that month? She can come up with that kinda cash by reaching into her wrinkly pantyhose.
  
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RealAmerican2
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:37am
Maybe Barbara was miffed that Hannity went before her?

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- ambrosia
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 5:30pm
  At least, Hannity is easier on the eyes !
  
  Report this comment
Ty Coon
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:36am
To believe a dried up liberal skunk who drools over communist killers Fidel Castro / Hugo Chavez, the Ortega Brothers in Nicaragua,& etc., is to put an abeyance on reality !

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herculesmom
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:35am
Glad she didn’t get the interview, Barbara WaWA would of distorted anything Zimmerman had to say! Now had he been a dictator or a left wing nut job she would of paid three times that.

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thegreatcarnac
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:35am
Barbara WaWa is an old socialist slut like the rest of her ilk. Zimmerman (if she is telling the truth) probably made an outlandish demand to get her off of his back. He and his lawyer knew her interview would be nothing more than an attempt to paint him guilty.

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USPATRIOT101
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:33am
Now lets hear Zimmermans side of the story.

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- Hephzibah
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:45am
  I’m with you on this. What’s his side? And for that matter, why give the left more opportunity to twist, cherry-pick, and spin what you say…you know they will.
  
  Report this comment
- spirited
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:55am
  Hope threre’s an audio recording of it.
  
  Report this comment
kam123
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:33am
Yea Sounds like sour grapes spin to me.

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:30am
Me thinks Baba Wawa is miffed that she didn’t get the “exclusive interview” as she is most associated with in her past. Maybe the Zimmermans did make that demand, and then maybe they actually different. Still think Baba is sulking.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:35am
  Need another cup of coffee. Meant ‘didn’t’ above instead of different.
  
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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:49am
  Zimmerman’s demand was he wanted a Hotel that had free wi-fi, wasn’t located in Hookerville, and was at least a 2 1/2 star hotel. Since Babs only stays with other liberal like her, she can’t understand why he didn’t want to stay in Hookerville and share a room with a homeless person.
  
  She believes Zimmerman just is a mean person who hates hookers and homeless people.
  
  Report this comment
hauschild
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:29am
Only a month??? Surely, the character assassination that Wah-Wah would embark on would need to warrant 100k, and maybe more.

However, this is also based on a report from the MSM, so, more than likely, it’s BS. Additionally, why would Zimmerman demand something from the leftist media while seeking nothing from Hannity? Unless, Zim despises the MSM and never had any intention of doing an interview with them or their ilk, so he was yankin’ their chains.

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- quiltgal
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:48am
  Yea, I think he was yanking BaBa’s chains because he didn’t really want to do an interview with her. Can’t say I blame him. There’s been enough gossipy speculating and opining about this case already. Zimmerman deserved an interviewer who would really listen to what he had to say. Hannity was clearly a better choice here. BaBa seems to be better at encouraging a gaggle of liberal airheads to give their opinions.
  
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- spirited
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:07am
  If that request is true and hade been agreed to, then it would have been true to say that the interview was paid for.
  
  Near the end of Hannity’s interview George Zimmerman talked and asked if anything was offered or given to Zimmerman for the FOX News interview. Zimmerman said no.
  
  Report this comment
MODEL82A1
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:28am
By show of hands, who here believes Bahbwa WhaWha and ABC News?

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- netmail
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:47am
  I DO have one finger up for WhaWha and ABC.
  
  Report this comment
- hatchetjob
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 2:00pm
  I don’t believe Barb or ABC News. Something is fishy.
  
  Report this comment
- DIR
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 3:50pm
  @ HACHETJOB: I don’t believe Barb or ABC News. Something is fishy”
  
  I’d say that ‘something’ or someone is Barbara! I also heard she, in her autobiograhphy, claims she slept with Yasser Arafat to get an interview with him (someone told me this, since I’m not interested in ready her book, I don’t know how true it is). If there’s something fishy it has to be Barbara. There use to ba an add call ‘Fish Ahoy’ I think it was for the ‘View’.
  
  Report this comment
RodT82721
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:26am
Or perhaps Zimmerman and his lawyer demanded an honest interview, without gotcha questions.
I’m not calling ABC sleazy, just suggesting that maybe Zimmerman’s lawyer wanted to protect him from a lynching, Baba couldn’t do it.

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- Crow hunter
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:34am
  I’ll do it for ya bud…. ABC is sleazy
  
  Report this comment
JerryNic
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:25am
Who on earth would want to watch an interview with either of these two folks?

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SubHuman
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:25am
Didn’t Walters pay a large sum to a dictator in return for an interview back when W was President? Maybe I have my left wing propagandists mixed up.

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- FEMALL
  Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:39am
  http://www.bottomlinecom.com/barbara-walters-plays-lets-make-a-deal/
  
  Report this comment

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