Audrina Patridge looks back on a frustrating encounter with Justin Timberlake in her new memoir, “Choice: To the Hills and Back Again.”
The “sexyback” singer, 41, exhibited “rude, diva behavior” years ago, according to the reality star, 37 2007 MTV Video Music Awards,
“We were invited to so many award shows, and even asked to present a few times,” Patridge writes in her debut tome, which features her and her “Hills” co-stars. Reflect on the exciting opportunities provided to the artists.
“I’ll never forget the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards special. Lauren [Conrad]Whitney [Port] And I was on stage to present the Male Artist of the Year award,” she continues.
“Lauren and Whitney were excited when Justin Timberlake won, because they were superfans. His music wasn’t my kind, so I couldn’t care less, but I was excited for him.”
Patridge quickly found that it wasn’t just Timberlake’s discography that she disliked—but also her personality.
“And then Justin doesn’t even come up to us and accept the award in front of a packed house! Chris Brown came on stage with him, took the award from us himself, and then presented it to Justin as we fell back in favor,” she recalls.
Although Timberlake praised Brown in his acceptance speech, it was Timbaland who, in fact, took Moonman from the “Hills” women and handed him over to his mentor and colleague.
Patridge said Timberlake “devastated” Conrad, 36, and Port, 37, by their actions, while she herself was “annoyed by their rude, diva behavior.”
The new author points out that it only got worse from there.
“As if that wasn’t bad enough, Justin took center stage and told the crowd: ‘MTV, play more damn videos. We don’t want to watch “The Simpsons” or reality television,” she writes, unscripted Timberlake’s comments. Called a “personal attack” on the stars.
“Lauren’s jaw dropped,” Patridge says. “We were humiliated.”
Patridge, Conrad, Port and fellow artist Heidi Montag made up the main cast that originated “The Hills” in 2006.
Although Conrad and Port dropped out early to pursue other opportunities, the iconic reality show ran for a total of six seasons.
Conrad’s “Laguna Beach” nemesis Kristin Cavallari stepped down as the series’ new lead before finally ending in 2010 after four years of airing.
The show was relaunched in 2019 as “The Hills: New Beginnings,” with Patridge, Port and Montag, now 35, returning. Conrad did not participate, while Cavallari, now 35, made an appearance in Season 2 of 2021 before it was eventually canceled this January.
In 2007, at the time of Timberlake’s aforementioned VMA win, “The Hills” was drawing millions of viewers each week on MTV. The artists – then in their early 20s – quickly achieved mainstream fame, with their faces frequently appearing in tabloids and on the covers of magazines such as Teen Vogue, Seventeen and Cosmogirl.
Patridge explains that a musician at the Mid-August Awards show was particularly kind to her, Conrad, and Port.
“Luckily, not everyone was as harsh [as Timberlake], Our desk was right next to this budding artist and his mother. Maybe you recognize Rihanna’s name?” She writes about the now-A-list celebrity, best known for her reality TV love.
“I spent some time that night chatting with her and her mom, and she couldn’t be nicer,” Patridge elaborated. “She was probably one of my favorite people I’ve ever met at an award show.”
“Choice: To the Hills and Back Again” is available now.
