Campbell Explains ‘blood Diamond’ Interview Fuss
By WENNMonday, May 3, 2010
Supermodel NAOMI CAMPBELL has accused ABC TV bosses of over-exaggerating her recent interview protest over questions about a ‘blood diamond’ gift from former Liberian leader CHARLES TAYLOR - to make it look worse than it was.
The Brit refused to talk about Taylor, after meeting him at a party thrown by ex-South African leader Nelson Mandela, when pressed to comment on reports she had accepted an illegal diamond from him during a heated TV interview.
When the interviewer refused to change the subject, Campbell ended the TV chat and walked away from cameras.
In a bid to escape the cameramen, who were still shooting as the model exited the building, she appeared to shove one of the cameras in a rage.
Campbell now insists the sound in the footage was enhanced to make it seem she was angrier and more violent than she was.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired in America on Monday (03May10), the British star said, “There’s definitely a sound effect because there was three cameras and I went to walk out the door and the other one came in the way, so I moved the first one out to get to the door.”
And she insisted if she was asked the same question about Taylor, who has been accused of backing rebel fighters responsible for widespread atrocities in Sierra Leone, she would refuse to answer it the same way - because she fears repercussions.
She added, “They were asking me a question about being given a diamond… and having dinner with someone… I was a guest of Mr. Mandela in his home… He (Taylor) wasn’t invited and none of us knew who he was. He wasn’t part of our group.
“I said, ‘I’m not gonna speak about that.’ I don’t want to be involved in this man’s case; he has done some terrible things and I don’t want to go and put my family in danger.”
