Never thought I’d be writing this …
Seriously, all in all you’d be hard pressed to find something I care less about. Admittedly, I read one Twilight book. In my defense, I bought it in a moment of homesickness, because really how often do you get to read about the Olympic Peninsula in a novel? At least I made it through that first book, then I read the second. Even after traumatic brain injury I could see how insipid that book was. The only thing that I am less excited about than the Twilight books, would be the Twilight movies, and any media story about those movies.
That said, I don’t live in a cave, so I do inadvertently know more about Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson than I care to. Funny, though, it is still not enough to ensure I’ve purposefully seen any movie they’ve been in. Before I knew who Kristen Stewart was, I watched “Speak” on Lifetime.
So, I’m pretty sure you can imagine my surprise, when I realized I had a post to write about Kristen Stewart!?
This week I followed a link over to Jezebel, and found this little post and video. Once again, I was struck by the realization that there is nothing this girl can do to win. I haven’t slaved over this video clip, but I don’t see anything surly, and or condescending in the clip. Yet, it was immediately read that way. She clearly gets agitated, as you can see by her bobbing leg, but what I see is her struggling to deal with an absolutely asinine question. Sure, the fans maybe wondering, but even on a “morning” show it is not relevant to promoting a movie.
This summer Scarlett Johanson (rightfully) got great press for pushing back at reporters who would ask her male Avengers co-stars detailed questions about character or production, but turn to her to ask things like “What did you do/eat to stay in shape?” Johanson was lauded for pushing back to those questions. Stewart, is instead called angry, and in the comments accused of belittling her fans. If Kristen Stewart is doing an interview with Barbara Walters and/or has agreed to be on specifically to discuss her relationship with Pattinson fine, ask her the ridiculous question. Howevever, when she goes on a show specifically to promote a newly released film, then the questions about her relationship with Pattinson are the equivalent of “Did you eat bunny food to fit in that costume?” Do I think Stewart handled the question as well as she could have? Not really. But the larger point is that she should not have had to in the first place.
Also, I do understand there’s been a whole history of publicity around the Stewart/Pattinson relationship that probably sets precedence for this question. Stewart, however, from what I’ve seen in the grocery line, has historically been reticent to talk about her private life, which should have been a signal from the beginning for the press to back off.