The long-form podcast publicity circuit is undignified and dull, so celebrities should admit failings or have fun with the format
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/imogen-west-knights. "I’m sick of smug celebrities on the podcast circuit. No wonder there’s a fuss when someone speaks the truth | Imogen West-Knights | The Guardian." November 1, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author thinks the endless podcast tours film people have to do are tiresome and mostly full of bland self-praise. Since they aren't going away, she'd like celebrities to be more honest, like Aaron Sorkin admitting he's a weak director, or just have fun and say ridiculous things.
Conclusion
Since the podcast circuit is a tedious and undignified feature of modern film publicity that won't go away, celebrities should make it more worthwhile by being frank about their shortcomings (as Aaron Sorkin was) or by playfully inventing outlandish claims, rather than repeating bland, self-congratulatory promotional lines.
Premises
- Podcasts and video podcasts have become a cornerstone of film publicity, requiring actors and directors to engage in hours of conversation for each new project.
- Unlike older formats such as a few print interviews or a short late-night slot, these hours of sprawling chat are undignified for everyone involved.
- Repeatedly talking about the same subject is unpleasant for the interviewees and invites exaggerated or empty claims about their work.
- Most celebrities on these podcasts say little beyond 'it was a great experience, I love movies and this new movie in particular,' so the content is bland.
- Aaron Sorkin's candid admission that he lacks visual sensibility as a director was refreshing and funny, and honest admissions of incompetence generally make the world better.
- The publicity circuit is a built-in, unavoidable part of promoting creative work in the digital age, so the format will persist.
Assumptions
- Audience enjoyment and the interest of the conversation are the right criteria for judging what celebrities should say in publicity interviews.
- Celebrities are free to deviate from standard promotional messaging without serious commercial consequences.
- Only well-established figures like Sorkin can safely admit failings, but others could substitute playful fabrications.
- The author's own experience interviewing actors and directors is representative of how celebrities experience the podcast circuit.
- Sorkin's remarks are sincere and not themselves a publicity strategy or pre-emptive defense against criticism.
- Lies told in a clearly playful register are harmless and understood as jokes.