The love/hate relationship between celebrities and members of the press is something that'll never end. It's ongoing, but decades ago, publications and interviewers got away with spreading rumors and speaking ill about famous people with little to no repercussions. However, in the Seventies, they started fighting back—calling out false accusations and demanding privacy (regarding their personal lives) and respect in interviews.
Famous people who did that, though, were labeled as "nasty," "rude," "a diva," and more negative words that tarnished their images and made it a bit harder to snag roles sometimes. Jack Lord had no problem returning the same negative energy the press gave him. When they started rumors that he and co-star James MacArthur were in a feud, MacArthur came to his defense.
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In 1974, The Times-Tribune interviewed MacArthur about Hawaii Five-O and his feelings toward his "tough to interview" co-star.
"Jack and I have no problems," he began, clearly the last thing the publication wanted to hear. "I understand he doesn't have a rapport with the press, but then there are a lot of guys in my business who don't know how to deal with you fellows."
It's hard to sit and converse with someone when they intend to twist your words around for a "great" story. After not getting a response that fed into negativity, the actor was asked if having famous parents brought benefits to his career.
"I really can't determine if it was a help. However, I know it wasn't a hindrance," he added. "The one thing I found out in this business was that you can have the help you want to get started, but there comes a time where you stop fooling people, and you either have it or you don't have it."
MacArthur chose to answer the question honestly and carefully, using words that didn't steer away from the fact that having famous parents possibly pushed his career faster. However, the actor had an amazing resume full of credits, proving he had talent.
