{"id":1871939,"date":"2026-04-08T10:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T07:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871939"},"modified":"2026-04-08T10:22:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T07:22:00","slug":"nobody-wants-to-seem-media-trained-anymore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871939","title":{"rendered":"Nobody wants to seem \u2018media trained\u2019 anymore"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/872\/87-0-872-581\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/3\/1443066.jpeg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/life-culture\/article\/70049\/1\/media-trained-pr-authenticity-zendaya-chappell-roan-timothee-chalamet\" data-article-id=\"70049\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-landscape-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img no-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.78\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"e775174a-221b-4d2c-991b-ae221746003d\" class=\"img\" height=\"582\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1035\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/3\/1443066.jpeg\" width=\"1035\"><\/span><\/span><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-08T10:22:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"08 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"8\">8,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - life-culture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>Nobody wants to seem \u2018media <span class=\"nowrap\">trained\u2019 anymore<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>A new era of PR is being ushered in, moving from strict control and perfect soundbites to \u2018coached authenticity\u2019 and the illusion of <span class=\"nowrap\">off-the-cuff intimacy<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-04-08T10:22:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"08 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"8\">8,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-04-08T10:22:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"08 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"8\">8,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/laurapitcher\">Laura Pitcher<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>There\u2019s a phrase that kept coming up in the comment sections of Hudson Williams videos, after he exploded onto the scene with the unexpected success of\u00a0<\/span><em><span>Heated Rivalry<\/span><\/em><span>. It goes <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@daviecomet\/video\/7586764634883968274\"><span>like this<\/span><\/a><span> (although there are many iterations): \u201cPlease never get media training, don\u2019t let anyone take your sparkle away\u201d. Clearly, the rising actor had charmed fans by being his most authentic self \u2013 there are even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nZlB4zrP8o4\"><span>edit videos<\/span><\/a><span> dedicated to him making sexual jokes and saying he doesn\u2019t \u201cgive a fuck\u201d about reclining his seat on the plane. So, is being unfiltered becoming the new standard for what we expect from celebrities?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I don\u2019t make a habit of feeling bad for famous people (there are plenty of other things to worry about), but when looking at what makes a celebrity \u2018likeable\u2019, it can be hard to keep up. It\u2019s why even the beloved Zendaya has expressed concern that people will get sick of her after watching her in four movies this year. While some people praise the star <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DWEqKfGhDYx\/\"><span>for keeping to her movie notes<\/span><\/a><span>, not getting personal and being \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emilyuuribe\/video\/7460213661643132190\"><span>PR trained to the heavens<\/span><\/a><span>\u201d, <\/span>she\u2019s also already received some heat online for her milquetoast answers on her latest press tour for <em>The Drama<\/em>. <span>Still, people want and expect famous people to give \u201creal\u201d answers, but when someone like Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet speaks his truth about ballet, it\u2019s deemed as going \u201ctoo far\u201d, and everyone turns on them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@crutches_and_spice\/video\/7589760495566032141\"><span>number of people<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0have suggested that Williams is able to say off-the-cuff things, while still coming off charming, due to a combination of natural charisma <em>and<\/em> media training. Publicist <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/waylontate\/\"><span>Waylon Tate<\/span><\/a><span> is one of those people. \u201cGen Z aren\u2019t playing around with people anymore and can spot when something feels scripted almost instantaneously because they have grown up in an era of lies, hypocrisy and PR cleanup over and over and over,\u201d he says. \u201cOnce they start to feel that something is manufactured, they are going to completely disengage.\u201d Part of this, at least, is because of the interconnected relation between politics and entertainment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7460213661643132190\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>In 2020, during pandemic lockdowns, there was a moment <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/51444\/1\/did-2020-kill-celebrity-culture-kim-kardashian-gal-gadot-imagine\"><span>when people swore that celebrity and influencer culture would die<\/span><\/a><span>. How could we continue to care about out-of-touch people singing \u201cImagine\u201d from their mansions in the face of a global crisis this severe? But it turned out people did (and do) continue to care about what celebrities are up to \u2013 we just want their opinions to be politically aligned with our own. \u201cEverybody has to have a point of view, especially in a time that&#8217;s so tumultuous,\u201d says Jenelle Hamilton, founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jenellehamilton_\">Jenelle Hamilton<\/a> PR. \u201cPeople don\u2019t just want to hear about your movie, or tethering, in-between answers about the world, like \u2018Oh, that\u2019s not something I want to discuss\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Naturally, publicists have caught onto this desire for authenticity, ushering a new era of \u201cmedia training\u201d, moving from strict control and perfect soundbites to one that cultivates what Tate calls \u201ccoached authenticity\u201d. The popularity of long-form media, like podcasts, also reflects this craving for deeper, less pre-packaged conversations. This is all factored into the overall strategy. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to keep the public thirsty, so how are we doing that? By knowing when too much is too much,\u201d says Tate. Once the public decides you are bratty, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69962\/1\/in-defence-of-chappell-roan-11-year-old-child-jude-law-fan-harassment\">what\u2019s happening with Chappell Roan<\/a>, or even just annoying, like what happened to Jennifer Lawrence, it can take years to change their mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>\u201cEverybody has to have a point of view, especially in a time when it\u2019s so tumultuous. People don\u2019t just want to hear about your movie, or tethering, in-between answers about the world, like \u2018Oh, that\u2019s not something I want to discuss\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>What\u2019s funny, though, is that people once loved Jennifer Lawrence\u2019s quirky interview style \u2013 until they didn\u2019t. It\u2019s a phenomenon commonly referred to as being \u201cwoman\u2019d\u201d online (because it most often happens to women). Even if someone is beloved, if they become overexposed, appear to forget their non-celebrity roots or are deemed cringe, the tides will turn. Perhaps this tendency towards backlash is because people believe they could do a better job of being in the spotlight themselves. Hamilton, for example, shares media training advice online, which thousands of people are interested in. \u201cSome people are like, \u2018I don\u2019t have a personal brand\u2019, but we all do,\u201d she says. \u201cThe pressure that is [placed] even more so on celebrities is also on regular people to maintain a certain image for ourselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Prominent film critic Richard Schickel described our relationship with celebrities as one with \u201cintimate strangers\u201d. Leo Braudy, author of <em>The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History<\/em>, says that social media has made the bond tighter, but also placed it under the lens of a more questioning audience. \u201cI think we\u2019ve always had the relationship where we worship the person, and then find the feet of clay,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s all just sped up because we\u2019re getting so much more information constantly about these people.\u201d This isn\u2019t exactly new: each technological development (from films to fan magazines) has fundamentally altered the way celebrities have connected with their audiences, according to Brady. It\u2019s only natural that on the very social platforms where unfiltered creators, like Emma Chamberlain, have risen to fame and hot takes are rewarded by the algorithm, we\u2019re beginning to expect celebrities, too, to be more candid.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7589760495566032141\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p>Of course, during peak cancel culture, there was a time when celebrities were more afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. To some extent, that\u2019s still there (although there are plenty of men with sexual assault allegations who have since returned to the spotlight). At the same time, there is an ongoing backlash emphasising \u201cfree speech\u201d and the right to offend, which has bled into what we expect on the red carpet. W<span>hen a video interview can go up in minutes, Hamilton says celebrities have to play a fine balance between being professional and going viral. \u201cWhere old school celebrities are still traditionally media trained, others are asking, how can I be me but not get in trouble? How can I not be stuffy or aloof?\u201d she says. \u201cAlso, <\/span><span>how can it feel almost like I\u2019m FaceTiming a friend?\u201d That parasocial energy seems to be exactly what we\u2019re craving now, especially in the face of the current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf\">loneliness epidemic<\/a>, when people are often looking to celebrities to fill a void.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As influencer culture continues to water down the idea of celebrity, we know more than we ever have about many intimate strangers. We\u2019re also increasingly craving that unfiltered form of intimacy, where a celebrity says a bold (but not too bold) thing or treats an interview like a first date. Speaking off the cuff has also become something we expect from politicians, which is why many Americans can still see President Donald Trump \u2013 a billionaire \u2013 as relatable.<\/span><span>\u00a0Many of these same politicians are <\/span>encouraging the public to be wary of traditional media<strong>.<\/strong> In many ways, how we think about media training now reflects a broader scepticism which the public has towards \u201cthe media\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><span>There\u2019s an argument to be made (or re-made) for taking celebrities off their pedestals altogether \u2013 yes, even the ones we really like and want to \u201cprotect\u201d from the big, bad wolf of media training. <\/span><span>Over a year ago, Kristi Seymour, a YouTuber and pop culture video essayist, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gPfLVh1Hcmo\">posted a video<\/a> on why \u201cmedia training won\u2019t save celebrities\u201d. When I ask her if she still believes this, in light of a new era of \u201ccoached authenticity\u201d, she says yes. \u201cI do think people only like authenticity in a form that\u2019s digestible; one that\u2019s not abrasive, doesn\u2019t challenge their worldview or any of their morals,\u201d she says. \u201cOnce people say something that means you wouldn\u2019t be friends with them, all of a sudden it\u2019s \u2018I don\u2019t like this person\u2019.\u201d <\/span><span>And, at the end of the day, celebrities are not our friends, no matter how much we wish them to be<\/span><span>. <\/span><span>Once <\/span><span>the mask slips, sometimes people will even comment, \u201cThey need media training\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"article-footer\">\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article-series\">\n<h4 class=\"heading\">More on these topics<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series\"><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/celebrity\">celebrity<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/chappell-roan\">Chappell Roan<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/timothee-chalamet\">Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/jennifer-lawrence\">Jennifer Lawrence<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"grid\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp-text-container\">\n<h3 class=\"lava-lamp-subheading\">Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid section-header\">\n<div class=\"section-header__link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70049\/1\/life-culture\"><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"section-header__title\">READ MORE<\/h2>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid tag-article-list\">\n<div class=\"swiper swiper-latest\">\n<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70047\/1\/why-do-friendship-breakups-hurt-so-much-painful-romantic-relationships-friends\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"sub-buzz-17141-1491859106-1\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-1-1600-1064\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442983.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Why do friendship breakups hurt so much?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70031\/1\/the-rise-of-smut-smutty-book-clubs-acotar-romantasy-romance-fiction-novels\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"83166\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/337-0-1763-1173\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442873.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">\u2018It\u2019s majorly addictive\u2019: The rise of smutty book clubs<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69736\/1\/george-riley-rimowa\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"optional-paragraph\"> RIMOWA<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"6_16x9\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1624-1080\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442898.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">George Riley unpacks her favourite travel spots for RIMOWA <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70034\/1\/do-we-care-humans-stepping-foot-on-moon-2026-nasa-artemis-ii-mission\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A Trip to the Moon (1902) still\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-1-1836-1221\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442889.png\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Who cares about going to the moon in 2026?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70026\/1\/date-my-friend-new-york-pitching-your-friends-secret-finding-love-dating\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-594-1988-1322\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442867.JPG\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Date My Friend: Is pitching your friends the secret to finding love?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70029\/1\/iran-war-energy-crisis-impact-guide-trump-flights-cost-of-living-medication\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photo by Kristian Buus\/In Pictures via Getty Images\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1024-681\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442869.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">How will the energy crisis impact you? Here\u2019s everything you need to know<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70018\/1\/quitting-porn-addiction-self-improvement-young-men-quittr-app\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DON JON\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-2-2499-1662\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442783.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">\u2018You&#8217;re better than this\u2019: Why young men are quitting porn in droves<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70015\/1\/ai-sexual-expanding-our-understanding-sexuality-erotica-joi-ai-chatgpt-desire\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"ex_machina (3)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/84-0-575-383\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442760.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">AI-Sexual: How is AI expanding our understanding of sexuality?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70003\/1\/all-them-dogs-djamel-white-irish-fiction-best-new-novels-2026\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Screenshot 2026-03-27 at 12.13.17\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1054-701\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442682.png\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">This new novel injects queerness into Ireland\u2019s hyper-masculine ganglands\u00a0<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69880\/1\/troye-sivan-penfolds-paris-fashion-week\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"optional-paragraph\">Penfolds<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PENFOLDS_BY_TROYESIVAN_4MARCH-194\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-691-2000-1330\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441970.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Troye Sivan invites us to his Paris Fashion Week launch event<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69991\/1\/why-the-verdict-against-meta-and-youtube-is-important-los-angeles-trial-big-tech\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2267811469\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1024-681\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442588.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Big Tech trial: Why the verdict against Meta and Youtube is so important <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69980\/1\/jaw-filler-novel-trans-fiction-charlie-markbreiter-maz-murray-interview-book\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jaw Filler\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-767-511\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442522.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">This genre-bending trans novel holds a dark mirror to reality<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>There\u2019s a phrase that kept coming up in the comment sections of Hudson Williams videos, after he exploded onto the scene with the unexpected success of\u00a0<\/span><em><span>Heated Rivalry<\/span><\/em><span>. It goes <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@daviecomet\/video\/7586764634883968274\"><span>like this<\/span><\/a><span> (although there are many iterations): \u201cPlease never get media training, don\u2019t let anyone take your sparkle away\u201d. Clearly, the rising actor had charmed fans by being his most authentic self \u2013 there are even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nZlB4zrP8o4\"><span>edit videos<\/span><\/a><span> dedicated to him making sexual jokes and saying he doesn\u2019t \u201cgive a fuck\u201d about reclining his seat on the plane. So, is being unfiltered becoming the new standard for what we expect from celebrities?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I don\u2019t make a habit of feeling bad for famous people (there are plenty of other things to worry about), but when looking at what makes a celebrity \u2018likeable\u2019, it can be hard to keep up. It\u2019s why even the beloved Zendaya has expressed concern that people will get sick of her after watching her in four movies this year. While some people praise the star <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DWEqKfGhDYx\/\"><span>for keeping to her movie notes<\/span><\/a><span>, not getting personal and being \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emilyuuribe\/video\/7460213661643132190\"><span>PR trained to the heavens<\/span><\/a><span>\u201d, <\/span>she\u2019s also already received some heat online for her milquetoast answers on her latest press tour for <em>The Drama<\/em>. <span>Still, people want and expect famous people to give \u201creal\u201d answers, but when someone like Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet speaks his truth about ballet, it\u2019s deemed as going \u201ctoo far\u201d, and everyone turns on them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@crutches_and_spice\/video\/7589760495566032141\"><span>number of people<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0have suggested that Williams is able to say off-the-cuff things, while still coming off charming, due to a combination of natural charisma <em>and<\/em> media training. Publicist <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/waylontate\/\"><span>Waylon Tate<\/span><\/a><span> is one of those people. \u201cGen Z aren\u2019t playing around with people anymore and can spot when something feels scripted almost instantaneously because they have grown up in an era of lies, hypocrisy and PR cleanup over and over and over,\u201d he says. \u201cOnce they start to feel that something is manufactured, they are going to completely disengage.\u201d Part of this, at least, is because of the interconnected relation between politics and entertainment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7460213661643132190\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>In 2020, during pandemic lockdowns, there was a moment <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/51444\/1\/did-2020-kill-celebrity-culture-kim-kardashian-gal-gadot-imagine\"><span>when people swore that celebrity and influencer culture would die<\/span><\/a><span>. How could we continue to care about out-of-touch people singing \u201cImagine\u201d from their mansions in the face of a global crisis this severe? But it turned out people did (and do) continue to care about what celebrities are up to \u2013 we just want their opinions to be politically aligned with our own. \u201cEverybody has to have a point of view, especially in a time that&#8217;s so tumultuous,\u201d says Jenelle Hamilton, founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jenellehamilton_\">Jenelle Hamilton<\/a> PR. \u201cPeople don\u2019t just want to hear about your movie, or tethering, in-between answers about the world, like \u2018Oh, that\u2019s not something I want to discuss\u2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Naturally, publicists have caught onto this desire for authenticity, ushering a new era of \u201cmedia training\u201d, moving from strict control and perfect soundbites to one that cultivates what Tate calls \u201ccoached authenticity\u201d. The popularity of long-form media, like podcasts, also reflects this craving for deeper, less pre-packaged conversations. This is all factored into the overall strategy. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to keep the public thirsty, so how are we doing that? By knowing when too much is too much,\u201d says Tate. Once the public decides you are bratty, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69962\/1\/in-defence-of-chappell-roan-11-year-old-child-jude-law-fan-harassment\">what\u2019s happening with Chappell Roan<\/a>, or even just annoying, like what happened to Jennifer Lawrence, it can take years to change their mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>\u201cEverybody has to have a point of view, especially in a time when it\u2019s so tumultuous. People don\u2019t just want to hear about your movie, or tethering, in-between answers about the world, like \u2018Oh, that\u2019s not something I want to discuss\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>What\u2019s funny, though, is that people once loved Jennifer Lawrence\u2019s quirky interview style \u2013 until they didn\u2019t. It\u2019s a phenomenon commonly referred to as being \u201cwoman\u2019d\u201d online (because it most often happens to women). Even if someone is beloved, if they become overexposed, appear to forget their non-celebrity roots or are deemed cringe, the tides will turn. Perhaps this tendency towards backlash is because people believe they could do a better job of being in the spotlight themselves. Hamilton, for example, shares media training advice online, which thousands of people are interested in. \u201cSome people are like, \u2018I don\u2019t have a personal brand\u2019, but we all do,\u201d she says. \u201cThe pressure that is [placed] even more so on celebrities is also on regular people to maintain a certain image for ourselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Prominent film critic Richard Schickel described our relationship with celebrities as one with \u201cintimate strangers\u201d. Leo Braudy, author of <em>The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History<\/em>, says that social media has made the bond tighter, but also placed it under the lens of a more questioning audience. \u201cI think we\u2019ve always had the relationship where we worship the person, and then find the feet of clay,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s all just sped up because we\u2019re getting so much more information constantly about these people.\u201d This isn\u2019t exactly new: each technological development (from films to fan magazines) has fundamentally altered the way celebrities have connected with their audiences, according to Brady. It\u2019s only natural that on the very social platforms where unfiltered creators, like Emma Chamberlain, have risen to fame and hot takes are rewarded by the algorithm, we\u2019re beginning to expect celebrities, too, to be more candid.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7589760495566032141\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p>Of course, during peak cancel culture, there was a time when celebrities were more afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. To some extent, that\u2019s still there (although there are plenty of men with sexual assault allegations who have since returned to the spotlight). At the same time, there is an ongoing backlash emphasising \u201cfree speech\u201d and the right to offend, which has bled into what we expect on the red carpet. W<span>hen a video interview can go up in minutes, Hamilton says celebrities have to play a fine balance between being professional and going viral. \u201cWhere old school celebrities are still traditionally media trained, others are asking, how can I be me but not get in trouble? How can I not be stuffy or aloof?\u201d she says. \u201cAlso, <\/span><span>how can it feel almost like I\u2019m FaceTiming a friend?\u201d That parasocial energy seems to be exactly what we\u2019re craving now, especially in the face of the current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf\">loneliness epidemic<\/a>, when people are often looking to celebrities to fill a void.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As influencer culture continues to water down the idea of celebrity, we know more than we ever have about many intimate strangers. We\u2019re also increasingly craving that unfiltered form of intimacy, where a celebrity says a bold (but not too bold) thing or treats an interview like a first date. Speaking off the cuff has also become something we expect from politicians, which is why many Americans can still see President Donald Trump \u2013 a billionaire \u2013 as relatable.<\/span><span>\u00a0Many of these same politicians are <\/span>encouraging the public to be wary of traditional media<strong>.<\/strong> In many ways, how we think about media training now reflects a broader scepticism which the public has towards \u201cthe media\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><span>There\u2019s an argument to be made (or re-made) for taking celebrities off their pedestals altogether \u2013 yes, even the ones we really like and want to \u201cprotect\u201d from the big, bad wolf of media training. <\/span><span>Over a year ago, Kristi Seymour, a YouTuber and pop culture video essayist, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gPfLVh1Hcmo\">posted a video<\/a> on why \u201cmedia training won\u2019t save celebrities\u201d. When I ask her if she still believes this, in light of a new era of \u201ccoached authenticity\u201d, she says yes. \u201cI do think people only like authenticity in a form that\u2019s digestible; one that\u2019s not abrasive, doesn\u2019t challenge their worldview or any of their morals,\u201d she says. \u201cOnce people say something that means you wouldn\u2019t be friends with them, all of a sudden it\u2019s \u2018I don\u2019t like this person\u2019.\u201d <\/span><span>And, at the end of the day, celebrities are not our friends, no matter how much we wish them to be<\/span><span>. <\/span><span>Once <\/span><span>the mask slips, sometimes people will even comment, \u201cThey need media training\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70049\/1\/media-trained-pr-authenticity-zendaya-chappell-roan-timothee-chalamet&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/872\/87-0-872-581\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/3\/1443066.jpeg&#8221;] April\u00a0 8,\u00a0 2026 Life &amp; Culture \/ Feature Life &amp; Culture \/ Feature Nobody wants to seem \u2018media trained\u2019 anymore A new era of PR is being ushered in, moving from strict control and perfect soundbites to \u2018coached authenticity\u2019 and the illusion of off-the-cuff intimacy April\u00a0 8,\u00a0 2026 April\u00a0 8,\u00a0 2026 TextLaura [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1871939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1871939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871939\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1871939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1871939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1871939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}