msnbc.msn.com/id/4459672/

Some reporters got more than they bargained for when they tried to interview Brittany Murphy at a recent junket.

The “8 Mile” star was in the U.K. promoting her new flick, “Uptown Girl,” when she shocked journalists with what one source describes as “really erratic behavior.” At one point, Murphy lay down on the floor, declared that she was tired of everyone looking at her, and put a napkin on her face. She also reportedly grabbed a reporter’s hand, told her she looked cold, clasped and rubbed it, until the flummoxed journalist asked Murphy to release her hand so she could write. One TV crew left in despair, according to a report, after failing to get an interview because Murphy kept bursting into song rather than answer questions.

Murphy’s rep initially denied the reports, calling them “ridiculous” and telling The Scoop that she was with the star throughout the junket. When pressed, however, she conceded that she was outside the room for some of the interviews. “Brittany’s just a really sweet person,” the spokeswoman told The Scoop. “You know how some people have that wall built? She’s very warm and welcoming. She’s an outgoing person. She’s not one of those people who sits there cold in a chair.”

**sniff, sniff**