Interviews and Stupid/Awkward Questions
I got this from a fandomsecrets post, because yes, I sometimes go there despite the trolls. (I even met some of you there.) Although I go far less than I used to and don't comment much.
Anyway, one of the secrets was about stupid/awkward questions at interviews and panels. I was going to write an entry on this anyway, so many as well roll with it.
First, when it comes to TV shows and other live action media, I find a lot of questions are more fixated on the cast than the show. Sometimes this gets creepy; other times, as someone who doesn't really care about the cast beyond casual interest, it's boring for me. I remember being really excited about a Castle live Q&A when the show first premiered (and was actually a good show); then every single question was along the lines of "Stana Katic, do you like sushi?" "Nathan Filion, what is your favorite brand of shoes?" I just sat there going... who cares? If I'd wanted to know what Stana eats and what shoes Nathan wears, I would've read a Rolling Stone or E! article about them exclusively. Or looked it up on wikipedia.
On the other hand, you have to allow for fans having different interests. While I think people asking Sherlock actors to read slash fanfic at panels are creepy, you can be... not creepy and still interested in the celebrity angle. So in retrospect, I probably could've been easier on them.
Then there are the obvious questions journalists/talk show hosts ask.
Talk Show Host: Hello, Stephen! Your last name is King, right?
Stephen King: ...yes.
TSH: And you wrote a book?
Stephen King: ... I've written many.
Okay, I exaggerate, but that's how silly those questions seem, and often I'm not sure why it happens, if it's one of these two things:
A. The talk show host really needed to google a bit before doing the interview.
B. It's a lead-in question for people who may actually not be familiar with Stephen King. Which is irritating as hell to Stephen King fans watching, but that's not who the interview is for.
Often, I think it's probably a combination. One thing to keep in mind is that often TV/newspaper interviews aren't done for avid Stephen King fans who've read his books 500 million times, they're for a broad range of people, including more casual fans who might have only read one or two of his books, and people like me who are utterly unfamiliar with Stephen King's books. (I know, I know. I need to give them a go.) Of course, sometimes even for people who are unfamiliar with the source material the questions seem silly...
And it's not like fan interviews are always much better. I've listened to some where the fans were so excited about actually talking to a celebrity, they barely asked anything. Or they'll make comments about ships they don't like.
I think in the end, the issue is that fans want different things. A friend of mine once pointed out that my issue with a lot of Harry Potter interview questions is that I was a huge fan who wanted as much in-depth info as possible. I wasn't alone, but plenty of JK Rowling's fans were perfectly content with more basic questions. Also, yes, almost every interview had a question about where JK Rowling got the idea for her books, and I had to hear about The Boy on the Train. (Personally, I think 87% of "how I got the idea" stories are bogus or nearly bogus anyway, because as a writer I know I've gotten a lot of ideas sitting on the toilet or cleaning the cat litter. But I would totally come up with something more... hygienic.)
Of course, this doesn't make interviews any less irritating to some. I don't really get excited anymore, personally. Because while I understand those reasons and don't hold it against anyone, that doesn't make them more appealing.
Anyway, one of the secrets was about stupid/awkward questions at interviews and panels. I was going to write an entry on this anyway, so many as well roll with it.
First, when it comes to TV shows and other live action media, I find a lot of questions are more fixated on the cast than the show. Sometimes this gets creepy; other times, as someone who doesn't really care about the cast beyond casual interest, it's boring for me. I remember being really excited about a Castle live Q&A when the show first premiered (and was actually a good show); then every single question was along the lines of "Stana Katic, do you like sushi?" "Nathan Filion, what is your favorite brand of shoes?" I just sat there going... who cares? If I'd wanted to know what Stana eats and what shoes Nathan wears, I would've read a Rolling Stone or E! article about them exclusively. Or looked it up on wikipedia.
On the other hand, you have to allow for fans having different interests. While I think people asking Sherlock actors to read slash fanfic at panels are creepy, you can be... not creepy and still interested in the celebrity angle. So in retrospect, I probably could've been easier on them.
Then there are the obvious questions journalists/talk show hosts ask.
Talk Show Host: Hello, Stephen! Your last name is King, right?
Stephen King: ...yes.
TSH: And you wrote a book?
Stephen King: ... I've written many.
Okay, I exaggerate, but that's how silly those questions seem, and often I'm not sure why it happens, if it's one of these two things:
A. The talk show host really needed to google a bit before doing the interview.
B. It's a lead-in question for people who may actually not be familiar with Stephen King. Which is irritating as hell to Stephen King fans watching, but that's not who the interview is for.
Often, I think it's probably a combination. One thing to keep in mind is that often TV/newspaper interviews aren't done for avid Stephen King fans who've read his books 500 million times, they're for a broad range of people, including more casual fans who might have only read one or two of his books, and people like me who are utterly unfamiliar with Stephen King's books. (I know, I know. I need to give them a go.) Of course, sometimes even for people who are unfamiliar with the source material the questions seem silly...
And it's not like fan interviews are always much better. I've listened to some where the fans were so excited about actually talking to a celebrity, they barely asked anything. Or they'll make comments about ships they don't like.
I think in the end, the issue is that fans want different things. A friend of mine once pointed out that my issue with a lot of Harry Potter interview questions is that I was a huge fan who wanted as much in-depth info as possible. I wasn't alone, but plenty of JK Rowling's fans were perfectly content with more basic questions. Also, yes, almost every interview had a question about where JK Rowling got the idea for her books, and I had to hear about The Boy on the Train. (Personally, I think 87% of "how I got the idea" stories are bogus or nearly bogus anyway, because as a writer I know I've gotten a lot of ideas sitting on the toilet or cleaning the cat litter. But I would totally come up with something more... hygienic.)
Of course, this doesn't make interviews any less irritating to some. I don't really get excited anymore, personally. Because while I understand those reasons and don't hold it against anyone, that doesn't make them more appealing.