Not cool, Nicole. Just not cool.
There’s nothing I love more than the #askthemmore campaign. Instead of asking female celebrities mindless questions like, “Who are you wearing?”, journalists are being urged to delve a little deeper.
I want to know more about actresses’ careers and the characters they portray. I want to hear their thoughts on important social issues. And I want to be told more than just the name of the person who designed the dress their stylist out them in. So yeah, #askhermore is great.
BUT (it’s a big but) attention all female celebrities; if you want smart questions on the red carpet you too have to be smart about how you answer them.
I’m sorry to say that yesterday, our very own Nicole Kidman gave an example of how to NOT stand up for #askhermore during a Grammy Awards red carpet interview.
When E! News host Ryan Seacrest asked her about her fashion choice she looked nonplussed.
Then after a moment of awkward silence (in TV World a few seconds of dead air feels like about three weeks), Nicole replied: “I don’t know what to say.”
READ MORE: Jennifer Aniston and Julianne Moore refuse to take part in red carpet tradition.
So Seacrest prompted her to tell him about the designer of her dress, but after another few seconds of silence (cue tumbleweeds), he was forced to move on to Keith Urban’s outfit. Keith answered his questions happily.
It was as uncomfortable to watch as Angelina Jolie pashing her brother.
Nicole wasn’t making a stand for women everywhere. She was just being a douche. There, I said it.
I don’t expect anyone to feel sorry for Ryan Seacrest. I hope #askhermore does prompt him to ask better questions, but when it comes to red carpet interviews, it’s a dance: sometimes the reporter leads and sometimes it’s the celeb who does the final dip.
But, the whole awkward exchange would have been SO much better if Kidman had actually taken control.
READ MORE: The real reason actresses are calling ‘sexist’ on the red carpet is money, not feminism.
Firstly, answer the damn fashion question, because you know what, I’m a feminist and I like fashion. (For the record she wore a Thierry Mugler dress that was outstanding.) I’m happy to bet that Kidman didn’t pay for the beautiful dress she wore, so why not give the designer a shout out, and then take the opportunity to add more to the conversation. Say something like:
“Well Ryan it’s a Thierry Mugler dress. Did you know he is raising money for a children’s charity in Canada so if any of the sick kids are watching from hospital he asked me to pass on his love.”
Or:
“Thanks Ryan it’s by French designer Thierry Mulger, after the Charlie Hebdo murders in Paris I wanted to show my support to the French people. Je suis Charlie.”
Yes, Seacrest has a responsibility to ask smarter questions, but until he catches up take the lead ladies. If you’re asked a banal question, answer politely and then take the conversation next level yourselves.
Twitter had plenty of ideas:
What questions would you love to hear actress asked on the red carpet?
And to see more of the whole highly awkward affair…
Top Comments
What's so wrong with asking who made her dress? They're designer dresses.
I thought she did say the designers name. She was lost for words when Ryan asked her to tell him about her dress. When he asked who she was wearing, she answered with Theirry Mugler. That's what I saw.