Publicist reveals he was fired because of Tom Cruise's stunt on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'

Hollywood publicist Tim Menke revealed that he was fired from Paramount Pictures after booking Tom Cruise’s infamous 2005 Oprah Winfrey Show interview, where the actor jumped on a couch while expressing his love for Katie Holmes.

Speaking at the ICG Publicists Awards, Menke, who was being honoured with the Henri Bollinger Award, told the audience, “After a dozen years at Paramount, I was kicked to the curb in large part because, well, long story short of a couch on The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The crowd responded with laughter and surprised reactions.

Photo: ICG

At the time, Cruise was promoting War of the Worlds, but his interview became one of the most talked-about moments in television history. His over-the-top enthusiasm took both Oprah and audiences by surprise, leading to intense media coverage.

The interview’s viral impact was so significant that it reportedly led to Menke’s dismissal. He later rebuilt his career at 20th Century Fox before returning to Paramount years later.

Reflecting on the incident, Oprah Winfrey previously said, “I thought it was an expression of delightful exuberance and being in love. The media response was really unfair.”

Two decades later, the couch-jumping moment remains a defining pop culture event, and Menke’s firing is now part of its legacy.