Chrissy Teigen is one smart lady. She manages to juggle careers as an author, a model, and a TV host. She's well informed when she speaks out about politics on Twitter and in interviews. Still, she says, some media outlets seem determined to depict her otherwise. Teigen took to Twitter early this morning to complain about one common, not-much-talked about habit of certain writers.
"I hate when writers leave the 'um's and 'like's in an interview because they did a boring ass interview and want the person to sound dumb," she began. "I've done many and only a few will leave those words in. And it is 100% to make people think you are a moron. Never fails... I say 'um' because I am buying time for a proper answer. Good writers don't keep it in the article as it is mostly just a noise... But crap ones leave it so 1000's of people can forget your actual words and just call you an idiot."
I hate when writers leave the "um"s and "like"s in an interview because they did a boring ass interview and want the person to sound dumb
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 22, 2016
A writer entered the conversation on Twitter and confessed she sometimes leaves in those words to make her subjects sound "relatable." "I know some are completely well-intentioned," Teigen answered. "But nooooo reader reads it and says, 'how relatable!'...only: 'what a moron.'"
I know some are completely well-intentioned. But nooooo reader reads it and says, "how relatable!"...only: "what a moron" https://t.co/aBkQcTSAr5
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 22, 2016
We immediately went searching for recent interviews with Teigen to see if anything in particular set her off. On Wednesday, People published an interview with her about her "post-baby body" (which, ugh, for different reasons). There are no "ums" in the story. Just one, possibly unnecessary "like" appears at the beginning: "Every shoot I have right now, I request like all one-pieces please or anything high-waisted."
We see her point, but she certainly doesn't sound stupid in that quote. The worst we found was a Daily Mail write-up of her answer to an Extra reporter at the Grammys, asking her and John Legend to name a public place where they'd had sex. "Okay the best, um, probably the Obama thing."
In that case, um, a little hesitation seems smarter than ever.
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