The Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast episode with Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin is the interview gem that keeps giving. The latest clip making the rounds on social media is Martin’s subtle response to the backlash he received after viewers deemed his wardrobe at this year’s Grammy Award unacceptable. But after a conversation with his friend and hero, actor Woody Harrelson, Martin feels more comfortable with his decision.
“I am happy to feel like I have to wear an outfit if it helps me perform better, but I don’t agree with telling people what they have to wear,” said Martin.
However, when it came to presenting the award for Record Of The Year, Martin opted for a comfort beanie, environmental awareness sweater, and what looked to be dark-wash jeans. Martin says to O’Brien, “Then there’s also this thing of does clothing show respect? And I would never want to show disrespect because I love the Grammys.”
As the pair discussed the annual ceremony’s implied dress code and respectability politics, Martin asks, “what if you’re an axe murderer, but you are dressed correctly? Are you a better groom than Woody Harrelson over here, who loves to, with all of his heart, is wearing board shorts? No, you’re not.”
“I’m going to give a big shout-out to Woody Harrelson because he was at a concert of ours in Oswald. he was so kind to my brother when he had no reason to be that he just became an extra hero in my eyes,” said Martin.
But his love for the actor runs deeper than that, as he shared another interaction Harrelson had with a member of the Martin family, the singer’s dad. “My dad talks to everyone on the crew — he met Woody and asked; he started talking about ‘hey, what you do you do? Do you fold the cables?’” The actor was respectful and showed the same kindness to Martin’s father. “Again, Woody Harrelson was cool as f*ck,” laughed Martin.
Watch the full interview clip above.
Coldplay is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.