“Rod Serling experienced some fucked-up shit in the war, and his battles with censors/sponsors were pretty interesting, but overall, the most interesting thing about Rod Serling is what he created as opposed to his personal life.
That’s the gift/curse of a lot of creatives: the things they make are a lot more interesting than they are as people.
Maybe, too, that’s the unaccounted-for shift in modern celebrity: the celebrity can come about due to being interesting in some aspect without actually making anything interesting. I would certainly argue that your Kim Kardashians haven’t made anything interesting, they’re just interesting (to some) as people.
For me, that’s where the problems arise. Because I’m a lot more interested in Joyce Carol Oates as a writer than as a twitter presence (and before you even think it, before the thought wriggles out of a fold in your brain, fuck off, tweeting isn’t writing). I’m more interested in Stephen King’s books than his political views. Same for JK Rowling.
Why so many people who never talk or think about football have such strong opinions on Tom Brady’s divorce just makes no sense to me.
I’m in the camp of being interested in the art, not so much the artist, and if I have to pick one, I know which way I’m going. If I had to choose all scripted, directed television and movies OR reality stuff and documentaries, only one track for the rest of my life, it’s an easy choice.
I don’t think it’s the right or only choice, but based on a handful of biographies, I think I’d end up pretty happy.”