Speaking to a packed convention hall of 10,000-plus digital marketers, actor George Clooney had to answer for some damning comments he once made about Twitter.
At the Adobe Summit in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Adobe CMO Ann Lewnes put Clooney on the spot for his claim in 2013, when he said that any celebrity is a moron if they’re on Twitter.
Clooney smiled and didn’t back down from the statement:
That is not a bullshit quote. I did say that. I want to put some things in context. This could end up being like a Trump rally. I’d have to run. I’d need secret service. I’ll say this: I do think that if you’re well known, there is only a downside for it. I don’t have to try to control my own narrative. I can do an interview and control my own narrative. I can get in a lot of trouble.
Clooney illustrated his point by suggesting that unfiltered comments can lead to quick and vicious backlash from fans, pointing to celebrities such as Gilbert Gottfried and Russell Crowe as examples.
The Ocean’s Eleven star also said that he feels a bit awkward when he meets a fan, reaching out for a hand, but instead gets confronted with a cell phone camera for a photo instead.
Clooney noted that social popularity can get confused for talent, another demerit against Twitter:
Twitter followers aren’t always an indication of talent @GeorgeCloooney #AdobeSummit http://pic.twitter.com/QqLOhJobKu
— Ken Burbary (@kenburbary) March 23, 2016
But later on in the interview, Clooney noted that the power of social media has changed Hollywood for the better. He said that early on in his career, if a bad movie was made, producers could try to “steal a weekend” and recoup their costs before word got out and audiences told others how terrible the flick was. With social media, that buzz is instant and can make or break a film right out of the gate.
Clooney noted that there’s no more fooling audiences, who now have the power of online reviews and word-of-mouth via Twitter and Facebook:
Social media can force you to make better products.
Readers: Do you agree with Clooney’s stance on Twitter?
Image courtesy of Adobe Summit.
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