Today’s media world is an interesting one, just by simply commenting on the media you bring it greater attention, which is exactly the intent of today’s poor journalism. Only problem being, poor journalists aren’t able to step outside themselves and see what they’re doing with an objective eye.
I say this only because it pains me to bring additional attention to the following interview between BBC Newsnight‘s Emily Maitlis and Her writer/director Spike Jonze as she begins the interview with a passive aggressive comment on the film, phrased as a question asking if Her is about “falling in love with your software”. Jonze fires back quizzically, saying it isn’t about that and wondering if she’d even seen the film. She then takes it even a step further saying, “Well, I was just curious as to whether the man has found the ideal woman who just works for him as his P.A.” So it’s going to be like that? And… that’s not an opinion, just a question… right?
Let me be clear, I have no problem with Maitlis, a journalist with legitimate credentials, having an opinion on the film (even if I disagree with it), but I do have a problem with her clearly injecting that opinion in the form of a question and then later dodging Jonze’s attempt to discuss the film by saying, “Our audience want to hear from you, not me.” Hmmmm, maybe we should have thought about that a few minutes earlier.
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Maitlis would later take to Twitter to get her opinion out there, but more disheartening are some of the tweets she chose to retweet including the two following:
#newsnight what a cock Spike Jonze made of himself. over-precious arse. happy to get PR, then surprised focus on obvious conceit of the film
— JamesThornton (@jamesthornton) February 15, 2014
https://twitter.com/FozzyForster/status/434463084925956096
That last one especially burns me. By retweeting it Maitlis supports the idea of not seeing the film based on a bogus interview. Yet, these are the kind of outlets, and journalists, studios make their talent available to, the kind of journalist that would later take to Twitter in her attempt for additional attention.
Ok .now I can tell you what I thought of #her. Sad, male fetish fantasy of disembodied female who does his bidding..#newsnight
— emily m (@maitlis) February 14, 2014
Like lost in translation for mood but nowhere near as good..#newsnight #her
— emily m (@maitlis) February 14, 2014
Would I go and see it? Yes I would actually. Is it simplistic to call it " just a love story". Yes, hugely. #her #newsnight
— emily m (@maitlis) February 14, 2014
Like I said, the saddest part of all of this is Maitlis is gaining attention for this little stunt, further proving quality isn’t what gains you popularity in today’s media, simply being the loudest does. Now if you want to read a more interesting take on Her, though one I still disagree with a lot of the overall takeaways, give Molly Lambert’s take at Grantland.com a go. [LAist via The Playlist]
