He wasn't a 'badguy'. And he wasn't a bad guy either. He was loved, he was adored, he was a hero. And he deserved all the praise he was being given and more. So what was wrong with this journalist?
They had at least skipped the small talk, which he was grateful for. Yet he suspected that they were only continuing to be professional due to the fact they were both still in public.
He wasn't this shallow, materialistic freak show the writer was implying him to be. He deserved all the praise he earned, and the fact this pathetic little writer dared to imply differently... he was a bit miffed, to say the least.
He wanted to fight back. Get loud, lash out, prove a damn point. But he was still in public. And he had an image to maintain.
The ladies wouldn't exactly see him as level headed if he took his anger out on a journalist in the middle of a small public venue. So he had to do his best to stay calm.