Steven Spielberg has mostly avoided the indignities of modern press tours. He hasn't endured spicy chicken wings or been asked to craft clay self-portraits for YouTube. Instead, his promotional cycle for Disclosure Day has been a maestro tour, with long oral histories and prestigious talk-show appearances. But one interview question has gone viral: Rachel Abrams of the New York Times asked Spielberg, "Was ET slimy or dry?"
The Question That Broke the Mold
Spielberg, initially bewildered, answered with gusto: "ET was a little moist but never slimy." He clarified that ET was only dry when sick, and unlike Xenomorphs, he had no tendrils of drool. The clip sparked debate: was this a clever way to extract new information from a veteran interviewee, or a deliberate clickbait question?
The Value of New Anecdotes
Veteran celebrities often recycle the same stories. Abrams's question, though seemingly trivial, adds canonical moisture to ET's lore—a small but genuine cultural contribution. However, critics argue the answer was obvious from the film, where ET's skin clearly resembles pleather, not slime.
A New Trend in Interviews?
If this format catches on, we might see more self-evident questions posed to auteurs. Imagine Martin Scorsese asked if Jake LaMotta had 12 ears, or Paul Thomas Anderson asked if Daniel Day-Lewis is secretly a mouse. While absurd, such questions could yield fresh insights—or just laughs.
Ultimately, whether the question was inspired or silly, it has reignited interest in ET's texture and the art of the celebrity interview. Spielberg, ever the good sport, played along, proving that even the most seasoned storytellers can still surprise us.
