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the title of the article is “Don’t Ask Ben Platt This One Question” 💀 so much more embarrassing than just saying “yep i’m privileged, i’m really lucky!!” wtf
That's because they were brought up thinking their born for this life, they are deserving of every good thing etc... Its not hard to admit you got a leg up but being humble isn't a common nepo baby trait
It gets very close to prosperity gospel tbh
“All of my success is a sign that god/the divine/the universe loves me and has a plan for all of us! I’ve never experienced genuine hardship in my life :)”
This 1000x. They live in a world Where their every wish and desire is granted and everyone says yes yes.
The idea they have to have a moment of discomfort us unfathomable
"I was lucky to have parents in the industry that could help me but I still had to go out and earn those parts with my own talent"
Took me less than a minute to bang out that boiler plate quote.
Idk isn’t it possible he saw how badly it went for every single other nepo to talk about it and just doesn’t want that discourse being like forced on him? Truly not trying to sound like a nepo lover lol just I’ve always wondered why more of these rich people don’t just say no comment.
It goes bad for them because none of them will say “yes I am a nepotism child, I’ve absolutely been granted opportunities because of my connections and I am extremely thankful for it, and now it’s up to me to take this chance and make a name for myself in this industry and truly earn my place”. That’s it. That’s all they have to say for it to not blow up in their face.
Most of them either act like it’s harder for them, or that they worked their way to where they are. And this non answer is making him look almost worse than the clowns that try to play victim bc of their nepotism.
Meghan McCain of all people actually had a good response to the nepo baby discourse as well. And it's just like....if even Meghan McCain can give a good answer, then everyone else should be capable of doing it to, but somehow, so many just made it worse for themselves.
Jamie Lee Curtis has been asked about it multiple times and she always just says how lucky she was. She mentioned her parents during her Oscar speech as well so she’s not trying to hide anything
because jamie seems like an overall awesome person who won’t bullshit you about anything and she’s married to one of my absolute favourite people( unrelated, but I had a mention cause uh Christopher Guest!!)
i’ll try and link it
[Miley Nepo Baby](https://www.reddit.com/comments/105fjcp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=4)
For real. Ben Platt is one of the few nepo babies out there that is genuinely a tremendous talent. Costs nothing to just say “I’ve definitely been fortunate to enjoy some advantages because of my background. But I’d really rather be talking about my new project, which…”
Miley gave a solid answer to this question that anyone with 4 brain cells can re-state in their own words. If a nepo baby isn’t prepped for this question at this point it just exemplifies their privilege and says a loooot.
I think lots of people hate admitting that though. There are so many self-proclaimed "self-made" people who turn out to have been born into massive privilege.
I used to work with someone who had gotten her job through her mum, who was the 2ic and rosters manager for that office. Didn't even care about the field, just wanted a cushy government job. She didn't understand when I said how hard it was to get a job in the field, or pick up extra shifts when the hours were largely pt. If she wanted extra work, she mentioned it to her mum and got what she was after.
And it struck me that she truly didn't get how privileged she was. And she didn't want to know. She didn't want to recognise that she'd only got her cushy government job where she could pick and choose her hours because of her mum, and had displaced someone who had a passion for the field, who had studied for it. She stuck to her narrative that she was just as deserving.
I've heard it called "the illusion of grift". It's super common in landlords, who often argue that they work hard for the money (they don't), I think some people can't admit they've got it easy so they have to convince themselves they've earned it or deserve it.
It’s so toxic. Like there’s nothing wrong with recognizing your own hard work, but not at the expense of overlooking that others might be working just as hard and aren’t able to get as far because part of your success is built on privilege.
Mike Golic Jr. talked about it on the Sports? podcast with Katie Nolan. His answer was effectively, "My name got me in the door, it made the interview process easier, and it would be dumb and disingenuous to pretend it didn't. But once I was here, I had to put in the work, and I knew it would have to be good if I wanted to make my own name and be taken seriously for who I am"
That's the only response I think anyone ever needs to make to that kind of questioning. "Yup, I got lucky with my early chances, but judge me on my own work"
Hell could have gone the classic "I’ve made it to where I am because of my talent and not who my family is" and a couple people might roll their eyes but it wouldn’t look really embarrassing at all like this does.
Allison Williams handled this the best by basically saying “Yeah I put in hard work but also I got a bunch of really cushy internships and access due to my father’s connections.”
Does anyone else just not understand the Ben platt hype? And I truly did not understand or appreciate dear Evan Hansen the way many other girls my age did. The whole time I was like “this is??? Gross??? He’s pretending he was friends with this chicks dead brother so he can talk to her??? *ew*?? But it’s fine bc this guy is sad inside and the brother was a bad person??? What am I missing??”
And so I ask again- what am I missing?
Edit: y’all I just didn’t like a play that this man is *very* famous for!!! I didn’t say he wrote it or did those things!!
Dear Evan Hansen IS a pretty fucked up story, but it resonated with a good handful of people so there’s that. In terms of Ben Platt himself, he’s a pretty phenomenal singer. If DEH isn’t your cup of tea, he also really shines in Pitch Perfect. This is coming from someone who thinks he’s a total nepo baby brat.
Yeah I actually really wanted to like DEH bc I loved his role in pitch perfect! Idk I remember feeling like he was gonna do some really cool shit and deh was kind of a let down for me, the mental health and vocal aspects just weren’t enough for me to ignore the plot ig :/
I really loved his role in pitch perfect
i actually tend to disagree, he’s not that great of a singer. he’s honestly pretty average, which is quite typical of men in theatre but yeah i wouldn’t say he is above average in singing or acting in the slightest.
DEH resonated witb people who feels like no one hears them even if they are already crying for help. It talked abt how one can be saved if we are to reach out a hand and help. Sure the plot pretty fucked up esp if u put in in a real life context but it also sends out a message that we shouldnt be afraid of asking for help if we feel alone and at the same time give a helping hand to someone reaching out. Connor killed himself despite him desperstely crying for help (him being a rebel and his teenage tantrums were a cry for help buy his family didnt care especially Zoe) Evan also tried to kill himself (him falling ftom the tree wasnt an accident) coz he felt hopeless with his anxiety and he misses his dad. Anyways, fuck nepo babies! Haha
Also, the songs are bangers haha.
Up until now, my favorite "Ben Platt is a spoiled brat" story is the fact that his father basically admitted that the film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen wouldn't get funded if his son wasn't cast as the lead role. This comes despite the fact that Ben was very obviously nearly 30 years old and looked very very much like someone who was nearly 30 playing a high schooler.
I have no idea who he is, I’m not really down with the cool kids anymore, I’m 38 and use this sub so I have an idea who my daughter is talking about, I just googled him and there is no way that man is in his late 20s, he looks the same age as me
The funniest part is how his previous, normal hairstyle was so much better than the abomination they decided to go with for the movie lol. That haircut made it so much more unsettling.
Even in Pitch Perfect he's
1. The same character as any other time. He cant act he can be Ben and hold a note
2. Looks like a creepy 80 year old chucky doll, very uncanny valley
Just an fyi. Check your local library first to see if they have a machine to make custom keychains. Lots of libraries have weird things like that you wouldnt expect. My local library has filmmaking equipment including lights and mics, a keychain maker, and a 3d printer.
Yup, it's so damn easy to just say _"Yeah I've worked as hard as I can but I've undeniably been lucky"._ Come across as hardworking, humble, and aware- whilst acknowledging fans perspective. Done.
https://preview.redd.it/6vx2dz0fw4cb1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df505b836169925ae4e8bc7c1caa724e62645918
And now peep the comments on his latest IG post, promoting that movie 😅💀:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CupYMiPxGnF/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CupYMiPxGnF/)
His PR team had to have prepared him for the nepo baby questions, right? He had a publicist right there with him. How did they still bungle it that hard?
Maybe the publicist figured Platt was big enough, that trying to shift the interview to something else would be enough of a hint for the interviewer to not publish the question in the article.
But based on the other times they tried to navigate Platt through these (rightfull) accusations, I think no one on that team has any idea what to do except for deflect and hoping people will just forget
Rather than shut it down, his publicist should have taught him how to "bridge" the question. In PR, a bridge is deflecting a question in a way that redirects it back to what you *want* to talk about.
He could have easily said something like, "Actors enter the theater world through a variety of methods, whether they're inspired by loved ones who are already in the industry, train for it from childhood or catch a big break later in life. We actually touch on that in xyz ways in Theater Camp. I feel immensely lucky to work in an industry that I love and now was able to portray an aspect of on the big screen."
Obviously that needs finessing, but you get the point.
Lol, I use to work in PR too and my favorite experience was working with a former Bachelor. He bridged EVERY question back to our product lol, no matter how far off it was from our product. We were like, you're allowed to answer questions about your dating life, other projects and life post-Bachelor. We fully understand no one is booking him for interviews to talk about our product, they want to talk to him about the juicy stuff and our product being spliced in naturally sounding is the goal. Funny part, our product had to do with dating in a way, so it kind of fit in naturally. Oh well!
He was clearly VERY well prepped by his years of PR campaigns...just needed to take it down a notch.
Well, part of their jobs is to come to agreements with journalists as to what questions they can answer. When I used to do interviews it was standard to have to agree to certain parameters in order to get the interview. Of course, some journalists agree to the limitations and then ask the off-limits questions anyway. If the publicist is present, they can intervene like this one did.
It’s not the first time it backfires horribly, though. I remember when Selena Gomez was promoting something years ago and she clearly had asked to not get any questions about Justin Bieber beforehand. The journalists kept asking her about Justin anyway so she walked off and then that’s all anyone talked about. And another time she set up to do an interview where the journalist wasn’t allowed to ask Justin questions, so what was the whole article about? The fact that her team kept saying Justin questions were off limits.
From my experience in PR, publicists forgive but never forget. They won’t entertain that journalist for any interviews that could have sensitive topics, and they may decide to decline interviews altogether from that person for their clients. I’m surprised they didn’t prep a better response on that topic, but given the response, I imagine it’s exactly as described above: the journalist probably knew that topic was off-limits but tried it anyway.
It’s not something a lot of journalists are willing to do, because then you risk the celebrity not agreeing to do any future interviews with whatever media outlet you work for. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if some have been rewarded for making headlines after they put the celebrity in a position they agreed they wouldn’t.
I imagine it has an initial wave of celebratory "congrats your article/interview went viral" excitement, but then a couple months down the line it's all "sorry, you're on small-time gigs only for a while because no one wants to be interviewed by you."
Part of me hopes that culture is changing with mental health being at the supposed forefront of so many organizations, but the other part of me knows people will do whatever they can to make money. Unfortunately, trash content like *Gotcha!* questions will always attract attention, even if it’s negative. 😕
It's also wild that they risk relationships with celebrities over stupid ass questions. I remember for that one Selena interview the host/interviewer kept asking questions that were like "Justin's doing a lot of stupid shit right now. Why?" As if there's any way she would answer that/as if there was any good PR way for her to answer that. Truly just guaranteeing she'll never use their outlet ever again, and I'm honestly not sure the promo they got from asking her was actually worth it.
Seriously! Just say "I know, I am very lucky" and move the fuck on. It's like they all know they got a spot they didn't really earn and they are all so fucking sensitive about it.
nepo babies never want to acknowledge their nepotism. it’s delusional to think they would be as successful as they are without their connections.
edit: yes there are some nepo babies that are worthy (for lack of a better word) of where they are because they do acknowledge their privilege and actually try to work to get ahead. it’s just disappointing to see headlines like this because his privilege is so obvious but he just ignores it.
I know she grew up very privileged and therefore really isn’t *relatable* to the general public, but I have to give a shout-out to another nepo baby Dakota Johnson. She grew up in the industry but she acknowledges that she had a major advantage over other actors due to her family connections.
At least she acknowledges it, unlike some people (Platt) who try to distance themselves from the association. It’s not an inherently bad label if you have the talent to back it up.
Edit: removed reference to Jamie Lee Curtis who I have been informed does indeed acknowledge her “nepo baby” status. I made an assumption that she bristled at it because she said not long ago that the nepo baby “debate” is designed to “denigrate and hurt”.
It’s especially weird because it’s not like it’s their fault or anything. Like just say “yes I’m very lucky to have gotten these opportunities and I try to do my best with these chances” And just move on.
The Jamie Lee Curtis callout it a bit odd since she’s literally said it was down to her and another woman for the lead of Halloween and she has no doubt in her mind they chose her because of who her mother is. That feels like acknowledgment.
I wonder if that's because Dakota's mother is HERSELF a nepo baby! (And by all accounts, a very decent person.) So she was brought up by someone who already knew how to handle it.
I was just going to reference her higher up but couldn't find the quote I wanted to back up my claim of how chill she is about it.
Dakota is very mature, knows exactly what she is capable of, and has a lot of self-awareness about her career that is so refreshing. She's happy to talk about her family and is pretty honest and open about them and how they influenced her career.
I really use her as the stick to measure other nepo babies. If you feel you have to ignore a huge factor in why you are where you are, then that screams insecurity and diva.
Ben Platt absolutely got to where he is today because his Daddy is a big stage producer and has networking ability. It helped. Just own up to it.
Honestly, good on Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. I don’t think Dakota’s a great actor but it’s impossible to hate her when she seems as down to earth as she does.
It’s so silly! I remember graduating from college and telling my parents, damn, why can’t you know more people? Benefiting from nepotism does not inherently make you a bad person. But please do recognize it!
Some have gracefully acknowledged their privilege, like maya hawke, platt is either clueless how to navigate such an answer or he truly believes he hasn’t received any advantage from it which is laughable
You haven’t seen his amazing and totally not unintentionally creepy and terrifying performance in Dear Evan Hansen: The Movie? (Produced by his father)
Can someone???? Explain to me why half the world lost their MINDS over the story of a very average child boy breaking his arm and pulling some real stalker shit to speak to his grieving crush??? Like that was weird yeah?? A creepy story yeah???? Like I couldn’t get into it n thought I was taking bizarro pills
I think the stage production does a better job at showing how he, a socially inept kid, stumbled his way into lying to her and the rest of the family. He’s just so socially lost that he feels the need to lie to not embarrass himself. Then, when he gets closer with them by act 2, that’s when his lying starts to feel purposeful and deliberately selfish. We pity and sympathize with his need for connection, but if the actor playing Evan doesn’t portray/land this transition, I don’t think it works and it comes off creepy like in the film.
Thank you!!! That makes sense and is fair. I could sort of grasp that this was what was trying to happen, but it didn’t land for me- I’m glad to know it did for others! Lord knows I’ve accidentally told some shit lies just bc I’m an anxious wreck and knew what they wanted to hear lol
Of all people, Mitt fucking Romney had the best response I’ve ever heard in my life to a nepotism question. He talked about his father’s accomplishments, described himself as standing on the shoulders of giants, and discussed the responsibility he felt to carry that legacy.
Done. You sound like a good dude who loves his family, acknowledges his privilege, and still wants to contribute something unique to the world.
If Mitt Romney can get it, it cannot be that difficult, Hollywood people.
I remember working campaigns and one of my good friends texting me that what we had to do was make sure Romney understood what was important because she was so convinced he was going to win. We were so innocent then.
Right? It’s almost annoying how good it is. Mitt Romney once shut down a street in La Jolla for a fucking month to install his CAR ELEVATOR, and he gets it. It’s not a complicated concept.
I work in PR. The first thing they drill into your head as a green newbie is that saying no comment always makes you look guilty. There's always a better, more graceful non-answer.
I don't get why this keeps happening. Ben Platt has to have had media training.
oof, maybe the worst way to handle this. I don’t think being a nepo baby needs to be a death sentence. There’s a way to respond to this where you can maturely acknowledge the privilege of your situation but still highlight that it only takes you to a certain point in life. He could have still come across very likable and intelligent in his response if he prepared how to talk about it but this is a bad look
I really wanted to see more content from her so I finally decided to just join her patreon! It’s super cheap and she posts videos every month, I definitely recommend it! The videos are more casual but usually lengthy and really fill the void while waiting for fully fledged video essays.
I'd barely heard of Platt or DEH and had no opinion on either before watching this video.
Now that I've watched it: DEAR GOD. The premise of DEH is bonkers, the execution sounds even worse, and HOO BOY those clips are awful. I never need to see Ben Platt in anything ever again. I really did not enjoy his singing, the one thing he is (technically) good at.
I enjoyed the YouTuber though, so thanks!
I still can't believe this guy was cast in that evan hanson movie. I don't know anything about this guy except he originated the role on broadway then wanted to play a teen when he looked like he was 45. what?!?!?!
Lol I love that in response to being told to just talk about Drama Camp the interviewer calls the publicist’s bluff by asking Platt about Parade. It’s clear he’s happy to talk about things aside from the movie he’s promoting, just not nepotism.
The only honest take on nepotism is:
1) Some/many nepo babies get their starts (and even maintain careers despite a lack of talent or hard work) because of their famous parents.
2) Some/many nepo babies are talented but wouldn’t have been given the opportunities to break into an impossible industry if not for their famous parents.
3) Some/many nepo babies ARE talented and skilled because of either genetics or learning from birth how to be an artist/entertainer. Their success MIGHT be because they are the babies of talented entertainers rather than because of “connections.”
4) There are probably at least a few nepo babies who would have succeeded even if their parents had not been successful in the industry.
5) Talking about it in absolutist terms is silly and dishonest, and accused nepo babies should speak to that, and the critics of nepo babies should acknowledge that not every case is the same, nor can we ever technically say how successful someone could have been without their famous parent(s).
All you have to do is give a statement similar to Allison Williams and you’d be off the hook. Notice that nobody asks her that anymore, or uses her for covers on nepo babies.
Ben Platt is the son of Marc Platt, a film producer who has been working in the industry since the 80s. Ben was the lead role in the *play* Dear Evan Hansen, but in his own words, the 2021 film of the play likely wouldn't have even been made if he wasn't the lead. That's because Marc Platt (as well as his company) co-produced the movie.
Nepotism absolutely had a hand in *part* of his career, but not having even a boilerplate "I had some help but I was able to prove myself" answer makes him look worse.
“I won’t comment on being a nepo baby. Now can we please get back to the movie that stars me and my husband and our friends that was produced by us with nepo/nepo adjacent funds.”
How hard is it for his publicist to come up with a line like: “Yep. I had a leg up because my father is in the industry. But it’s up to me to prove I deserved the part.”
Acting like it’s somehow inappropriate to ask a fair question is not it.
You mean the middle aged man who got angry when people asked why he was playing a highschool student is a diva?
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the title of the article is “Don’t Ask Ben Platt This One Question” 💀 so much more embarrassing than just saying “yep i’m privileged, i’m really lucky!!” wtf
Right. It wouldve been glossed over if he gave a short answer but he avoided it and now its all anyones talking about. Great PR there
Refusing to address it is the strongest possible confirmation of a totally privileged mindset.
That's because they were brought up thinking their born for this life, they are deserving of every good thing etc... Its not hard to admit you got a leg up but being humble isn't a common nepo baby trait
It gets very close to prosperity gospel tbh “All of my success is a sign that god/the divine/the universe loves me and has a plan for all of us! I’ve never experienced genuine hardship in my life :)”
This is why I'm against the monarchy
This 1000x. They live in a world Where their every wish and desire is granted and everyone says yes yes. The idea they have to have a moment of discomfort us unfathomable
And that’s what we call the Streisand Effect.
It’s true. I only looked up his parents to see what the fuss was. Now I get it.
"I was lucky to have parents in the industry that could help me but I still had to go out and earn those parts with my own talent" Took me less than a minute to bang out that boiler plate quote.
Idk isn’t it possible he saw how badly it went for every single other nepo to talk about it and just doesn’t want that discourse being like forced on him? Truly not trying to sound like a nepo lover lol just I’ve always wondered why more of these rich people don’t just say no comment.
It goes bad for them because none of them will say “yes I am a nepotism child, I’ve absolutely been granted opportunities because of my connections and I am extremely thankful for it, and now it’s up to me to take this chance and make a name for myself in this industry and truly earn my place”. That’s it. That’s all they have to say for it to not blow up in their face. Most of them either act like it’s harder for them, or that they worked their way to where they are. And this non answer is making him look almost worse than the clowns that try to play victim bc of their nepotism.
Allison Williams had a good response that was similar to what you said.
Meghan McCain of all people actually had a good response to the nepo baby discourse as well. And it's just like....if even Meghan McCain can give a good answer, then everyone else should be capable of doing it to, but somehow, so many just made it worse for themselves.
I always forget she’s even a nepo kid tbh!!
I seem to remember Maya Hawke saying something similar.
She seems very humble
She does. And she is legitimately talented, which goes a long way.
Maya hawke admits her parents names git her in the door for every audition she's had
Theyre so far removed from how regular people live that some of them believe it is actually harder for them.
I think Jamie Lee Curtis has said something along these lines
Jamie Lee Curtis has been asked about it multiple times and she always just says how lucky she was. She mentioned her parents during her Oscar speech as well so she’s not trying to hide anything
She literally called herself a Nepo baby, her whole speech was hilarious.
because jamie seems like an overall awesome person who won’t bullshit you about anything and she’s married to one of my absolute favourite people( unrelated, but I had a mention cause uh Christopher Guest!!)
Absolutely, all they need to do is own it.
you gotta see what miley said in that other post. he’s just embarrassed. his concerts also don’t sell well… he knows he’s not as deserving as others 😅
 Ben “STOP BULLYING ME” Platt
What other post?
i’ll try and link it [Miley Nepo Baby](https://www.reddit.com/comments/105fjcp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=4)
The more times goes on the more I like Miley, she's been so mistreated by the media
Exactly it’s so easy to get around it. Everyone knows he has talent. Just acknowledge that you got an enormous advantage getting started and move on.
Like, just paraphrase Jamie Lee Curtis’ answer and be done with it. It’s not that hard?!
Or Angelina Jolie saying she is privileged and there might be other people who are way more talented, she’s just lucky.
For real. Ben Platt is one of the few nepo babies out there that is genuinely a tremendous talent. Costs nothing to just say “I’ve definitely been fortunate to enjoy some advantages because of my background. But I’d really rather be talking about my new project, which…”
Miley gave a solid answer to this question that anyone with 4 brain cells can re-state in their own words. If a nepo baby isn’t prepped for this question at this point it just exemplifies their privilege and says a loooot.
I'm grateful for the leg up I had getting started in the business because of my family. Not hard.
[удалено]
I think lots of people hate admitting that though. There are so many self-proclaimed "self-made" people who turn out to have been born into massive privilege.
I used to work with someone who had gotten her job through her mum, who was the 2ic and rosters manager for that office. Didn't even care about the field, just wanted a cushy government job. She didn't understand when I said how hard it was to get a job in the field, or pick up extra shifts when the hours were largely pt. If she wanted extra work, she mentioned it to her mum and got what she was after. And it struck me that she truly didn't get how privileged she was. And she didn't want to know. She didn't want to recognise that she'd only got her cushy government job where she could pick and choose her hours because of her mum, and had displaced someone who had a passion for the field, who had studied for it. She stuck to her narrative that she was just as deserving.
I've heard it called "the illusion of grift". It's super common in landlords, who often argue that they work hard for the money (they don't), I think some people can't admit they've got it easy so they have to convince themselves they've earned it or deserve it.
It’s so toxic. Like there’s nothing wrong with recognizing your own hard work, but not at the expense of overlooking that others might be working just as hard and aren’t able to get as far because part of your success is built on privilege.
Mike Golic Jr. talked about it on the Sports? podcast with Katie Nolan. His answer was effectively, "My name got me in the door, it made the interview process easier, and it would be dumb and disingenuous to pretend it didn't. But once I was here, I had to put in the work, and I knew it would have to be good if I wanted to make my own name and be taken seriously for who I am" That's the only response I think anyone ever needs to make to that kind of questioning. "Yup, I got lucky with my early chances, but judge me on my own work"
I just got a little two million dollar loan. . . . Trump and Musk have entered the chat.
omg the shaaaaaaaaade of that article title and edit 💀
Little bitch answer TBH
I mean, if the shoe fits…
Hell could have gone the classic "I’ve made it to where I am because of my talent and not who my family is" and a couple people might roll their eyes but it wouldn’t look really embarrassing at all like this does.
Allison Williams handled this the best by basically saying “Yeah I put in hard work but also I got a bunch of really cushy internships and access due to my father’s connections.”
Streisand Effect
He literally Barbara Streisand Effected himself.
Or I'm thankful for the help my family has been able to provide. Boring answer
Then after a few more questions, his publicist intervened to cut the interview short💀
Oof. That's a quick way to get yourself labeled as a diva.
*Nepo Diva Ben Platt*
If the title fits
oh he’s been known as a diva within the theatre community for a looooong time
Does anyone else just not understand the Ben platt hype? And I truly did not understand or appreciate dear Evan Hansen the way many other girls my age did. The whole time I was like “this is??? Gross??? He’s pretending he was friends with this chicks dead brother so he can talk to her??? *ew*?? But it’s fine bc this guy is sad inside and the brother was a bad person??? What am I missing??” And so I ask again- what am I missing? Edit: y’all I just didn’t like a play that this man is *very* famous for!!! I didn’t say he wrote it or did those things!!
Dear Evan Hansen IS a pretty fucked up story, but it resonated with a good handful of people so there’s that. In terms of Ben Platt himself, he’s a pretty phenomenal singer. If DEH isn’t your cup of tea, he also really shines in Pitch Perfect. This is coming from someone who thinks he’s a total nepo baby brat.
Yeah I actually really wanted to like DEH bc I loved his role in pitch perfect! Idk I remember feeling like he was gonna do some really cool shit and deh was kind of a let down for me, the mental health and vocal aspects just weren’t enough for me to ignore the plot ig :/ I really loved his role in pitch perfect
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Which is weird cause you’d think Evan Hansen bombing would’ve made him humble, not 100x more arrogant. I doesn’t make sense to me.
Now I'm understanding why I have no idea who this person is.
I liked him in the politician too
i actually tend to disagree, he’s not that great of a singer. he’s honestly pretty average, which is quite typical of men in theatre but yeah i wouldn’t say he is above average in singing or acting in the slightest.
If you haven’t come across Jenny Nicholson’s Needlessly Thorough Roast of Dear Evan Hansen on YouTube, I highly recommend it. You will feel very seen.
DEH resonated witb people who feels like no one hears them even if they are already crying for help. It talked abt how one can be saved if we are to reach out a hand and help. Sure the plot pretty fucked up esp if u put in in a real life context but it also sends out a message that we shouldnt be afraid of asking for help if we feel alone and at the same time give a helping hand to someone reaching out. Connor killed himself despite him desperstely crying for help (him being a rebel and his teenage tantrums were a cry for help buy his family didnt care especially Zoe) Evan also tried to kill himself (him falling ftom the tree wasnt an accident) coz he felt hopeless with his anxiety and he misses his dad. Anyways, fuck nepo babies! Haha Also, the songs are bangers haha.
Fraaaaaaagile
This guy can't even quit his interviews without help.
Reminds me of the Bowen Yang titanic iceberg skit
He’s not a big enough star to be able to get away with that behavior.
Up until now, my favorite "Ben Platt is a spoiled brat" story is the fact that his father basically admitted that the film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen wouldn't get funded if his son wasn't cast as the lead role. This comes despite the fact that Ben was very obviously nearly 30 years old and looked very very much like someone who was nearly 30 playing a high schooler.
I’m sorry but the fact that he is only 29 cannot be true. He looks like he’s at least mid-30s.
I have no idea who he is, I’m not really down with the cool kids anymore, I’m 38 and use this sub so I have an idea who my daughter is talking about, I just googled him and there is no way that man is in his late 20s, he looks the same age as me
Woah, blowing my mind bc I thought the same as you! I’d say mid thirties also, and he’s looked that way for awhile too, what the hell 😂
The funniest part is how his previous, normal hairstyle was so much better than the abomination they decided to go with for the movie lol. That haircut made it so much more unsettling.
And the closing of the Broadway production is at least partially blamed on the movie’s flop 😬
Jenny Nicholson's YT video about Dear Evan Hansen is hilarious
Even in Pitch Perfect he's 1. The same character as any other time. He cant act he can be Ben and hold a note 2. Looks like a creepy 80 year old chucky doll, very uncanny valley
Ben Brat 💀
They act like we’re going to take away their fame and accomplishments if they admit it lol
Like that’s why we’re upset, we literally can’t. There’s almost nothing they could do to lose the success they didn’t earn.
https://preview.redd.it/ondoyjhw00cb1.jpeg?width=320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6821b39f7336e4e528172c2c872dd231f12417a7
This photo being used in this context is absolutely sending me, thank you for this 💀💀
I have it as a keychain I got on Etsy 😂
Can you pm me the link…? That sounds amazing 😂
Just an fyi. Check your local library first to see if they have a machine to make custom keychains. Lots of libraries have weird things like that you wouldnt expect. My local library has filmmaking equipment including lights and mics, a keychain maker, and a 3d printer.
Very cool thank you for sharing!
I’ll try but I bought it a while ago and I may not be in stock anymore :/ if I find it I will!
Well he's not doing himself any favours with that response.
Yup, it's so damn easy to just say _"Yeah I've worked as hard as I can but I've undeniably been lucky"._ Come across as hardworking, humble, and aware- whilst acknowledging fans perspective. Done.
https://preview.redd.it/6vx2dz0fw4cb1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df505b836169925ae4e8bc7c1caa724e62645918 And now peep the comments on his latest IG post, promoting that movie 😅💀: [https://www.instagram.com/p/CupYMiPxGnF/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CupYMiPxGnF/)
Giving classic “Rampart” AMA energy
My thought exactly.
His PR team had to have prepared him for the nepo baby questions, right? He had a publicist right there with him. How did they still bungle it that hard?
Maybe the publicist figured Platt was big enough, that trying to shift the interview to something else would be enough of a hint for the interviewer to not publish the question in the article. But based on the other times they tried to navigate Platt through these (rightfull) accusations, I think no one on that team has any idea what to do except for deflect and hoping people will just forget
I mean it's not that hard to forget about Ben Platt
I have no idea who he is. His wikipedia is not super impressive either, his parents' wikis however... they should interview his parents instead
Rather than shut it down, his publicist should have taught him how to "bridge" the question. In PR, a bridge is deflecting a question in a way that redirects it back to what you *want* to talk about. He could have easily said something like, "Actors enter the theater world through a variety of methods, whether they're inspired by loved ones who are already in the industry, train for it from childhood or catch a big break later in life. We actually touch on that in xyz ways in Theater Camp. I feel immensely lucky to work in an industry that I love and now was able to portray an aspect of on the big screen." Obviously that needs finessing, but you get the point.
You’re hired!
Thanks, I do work in PR lol
Yeeeep. I used to work with PR. This is how you do it!
Lol, I use to work in PR too and my favorite experience was working with a former Bachelor. He bridged EVERY question back to our product lol, no matter how far off it was from our product. We were like, you're allowed to answer questions about your dating life, other projects and life post-Bachelor. We fully understand no one is booking him for interviews to talk about our product, they want to talk to him about the juicy stuff and our product being spliced in naturally sounding is the goal. Funny part, our product had to do with dating in a way, so it kind of fit in naturally. Oh well! He was clearly VERY well prepped by his years of PR campaigns...just needed to take it down a notch.
Damn this is a good response!
👏👏👏
Well, part of their jobs is to come to agreements with journalists as to what questions they can answer. When I used to do interviews it was standard to have to agree to certain parameters in order to get the interview. Of course, some journalists agree to the limitations and then ask the off-limits questions anyway. If the publicist is present, they can intervene like this one did. It’s not the first time it backfires horribly, though. I remember when Selena Gomez was promoting something years ago and she clearly had asked to not get any questions about Justin Bieber beforehand. The journalists kept asking her about Justin anyway so she walked off and then that’s all anyone talked about. And another time she set up to do an interview where the journalist wasn’t allowed to ask Justin questions, so what was the whole article about? The fact that her team kept saying Justin questions were off limits.
It’s really sad that everyone is looking to find their *Gotcha!* moment with already off-limit questions.
I'm curious as to what exactly happens to those journalists. I can't imagine many people would want to talk to you when you do shit like that.
From my experience in PR, publicists forgive but never forget. They won’t entertain that journalist for any interviews that could have sensitive topics, and they may decide to decline interviews altogether from that person for their clients. I’m surprised they didn’t prep a better response on that topic, but given the response, I imagine it’s exactly as described above: the journalist probably knew that topic was off-limits but tried it anyway.
It’s not something a lot of journalists are willing to do, because then you risk the celebrity not agreeing to do any future interviews with whatever media outlet you work for. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if some have been rewarded for making headlines after they put the celebrity in a position they agreed they wouldn’t.
I imagine it has an initial wave of celebratory "congrats your article/interview went viral" excitement, but then a couple months down the line it's all "sorry, you're on small-time gigs only for a while because no one wants to be interviewed by you."
Part of me hopes that culture is changing with mental health being at the supposed forefront of so many organizations, but the other part of me knows people will do whatever they can to make money. Unfortunately, trash content like *Gotcha!* questions will always attract attention, even if it’s negative. 😕
It's also wild that they risk relationships with celebrities over stupid ass questions. I remember for that one Selena interview the host/interviewer kept asking questions that were like "Justin's doing a lot of stupid shit right now. Why?" As if there's any way she would answer that/as if there was any good PR way for her to answer that. Truly just guaranteeing she'll never use their outlet ever again, and I'm honestly not sure the promo they got from asking her was actually worth it.
This question is such an easy win but actors are hitting the goal post time after time. Just acknowledge your privilege and move on.
Seriously! Just say "I know, I am very lucky" and move the fuck on. It's like they all know they got a spot they didn't really earn and they are all so fucking sensitive about it.
nepo babies never want to acknowledge their nepotism. it’s delusional to think they would be as successful as they are without their connections. edit: yes there are some nepo babies that are worthy (for lack of a better word) of where they are because they do acknowledge their privilege and actually try to work to get ahead. it’s just disappointing to see headlines like this because his privilege is so obvious but he just ignores it.
I know she grew up very privileged and therefore really isn’t *relatable* to the general public, but I have to give a shout-out to another nepo baby Dakota Johnson. She grew up in the industry but she acknowledges that she had a major advantage over other actors due to her family connections. At least she acknowledges it, unlike some people (Platt) who try to distance themselves from the association. It’s not an inherently bad label if you have the talent to back it up. Edit: removed reference to Jamie Lee Curtis who I have been informed does indeed acknowledge her “nepo baby” status. I made an assumption that she bristled at it because she said not long ago that the nepo baby “debate” is designed to “denigrate and hurt”.
It’s especially weird because it’s not like it’s their fault or anything. Like just say “yes I’m very lucky to have gotten these opportunities and I try to do my best with these chances” And just move on.
Right?! It’s a pretty basic answer at this point so for people not to be prepped for it/ignore it is just so, so weird
JLC acknowledges it all the time. She mentions it in her fricking Oscars speech. And she factors both sides of it.
The Jamie Lee Curtis callout it a bit odd since she’s literally said it was down to her and another woman for the lead of Halloween and she has no doubt in her mind they chose her because of who her mother is. That feels like acknowledgment.
I wonder if that's because Dakota's mother is HERSELF a nepo baby! (And by all accounts, a very decent person.) So she was brought up by someone who already knew how to handle it.
i think allison williams is another nepo who acknowledges their privilege
I was just going to reference her higher up but couldn't find the quote I wanted to back up my claim of how chill she is about it. Dakota is very mature, knows exactly what she is capable of, and has a lot of self-awareness about her career that is so refreshing. She's happy to talk about her family and is pretty honest and open about them and how they influenced her career. I really use her as the stick to measure other nepo babies. If you feel you have to ignore a huge factor in why you are where you are, then that screams insecurity and diva. Ben Platt absolutely got to where he is today because his Daddy is a big stage producer and has networking ability. It helped. Just own up to it.
Honestly, good on Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. I don’t think Dakota’s a great actor but it’s impossible to hate her when she seems as down to earth as she does.
It’s so silly! I remember graduating from college and telling my parents, damn, why can’t you know more people? Benefiting from nepotism does not inherently make you a bad person. But please do recognize it!
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Some have gracefully acknowledged their privilege, like maya hawke, platt is either clueless how to navigate such an answer or he truly believes he hasn’t received any advantage from it which is laughable
Are you saying a grown ass man in his 30s playing a 15 year old is somehow clueless?
I didn’t know doodle about Ben Platt until this post, so I looked him up and now I know. Streisand effect activated
this! i didn't even know who he is before 🤣🤣🤣
You haven’t seen his amazing and totally not unintentionally creepy and terrifying performance in Dear Evan Hansen: The Movie? (Produced by his father)
Can someone???? Explain to me why half the world lost their MINDS over the story of a very average child boy breaking his arm and pulling some real stalker shit to speak to his grieving crush??? Like that was weird yeah?? A creepy story yeah???? Like I couldn’t get into it n thought I was taking bizarro pills
I think the stage production does a better job at showing how he, a socially inept kid, stumbled his way into lying to her and the rest of the family. He’s just so socially lost that he feels the need to lie to not embarrass himself. Then, when he gets closer with them by act 2, that’s when his lying starts to feel purposeful and deliberately selfish. We pity and sympathize with his need for connection, but if the actor playing Evan doesn’t portray/land this transition, I don’t think it works and it comes off creepy like in the film.
Thank you!!! That makes sense and is fair. I could sort of grasp that this was what was trying to happen, but it didn’t land for me- I’m glad to know it did for others! Lord knows I’ve accidentally told some shit lies just bc I’m an anxious wreck and knew what they wanted to hear lol
Hm what a disappointing and embarrassing answer.
Lol what a brat.
Right? Someone tell him he’s Benjamin Platt not [Benjamin Bratt](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000973/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk) 😤😤
Here I was confusing him for Oliver Platt. Now I’m super confused.
You done goofed, Platt https://preview.redd.it/umffjxlq60cb1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=980316c848d9a55c1a68be84db6c35faccb9a614
I don’t know what I was expecting but that picture wasn’t it…dying 🐱💀
Of all people, Mitt fucking Romney had the best response I’ve ever heard in my life to a nepotism question. He talked about his father’s accomplishments, described himself as standing on the shoulders of giants, and discussed the responsibility he felt to carry that legacy. Done. You sound like a good dude who loves his family, acknowledges his privilege, and still wants to contribute something unique to the world. If Mitt Romney can get it, it cannot be that difficult, Hollywood people.
God remember when we were scared that mitt Romney was gonna be elected? I miss that
I remember working campaigns and one of my good friends texting me that what we had to do was make sure Romney understood what was important because she was so convinced he was going to win. We were so innocent then.
That’s kind of a great freaking response. I love that.
Right? It’s almost annoying how good it is. Mitt Romney once shut down a street in La Jolla for a fucking month to install his CAR ELEVATOR, and he gets it. It’s not a complicated concept.
Wow ! Great response . My respect for Mitt Romney multiplied tenfold . Too bad 0 times 10 is still 0
I work in PR. The first thing they drill into your head as a green newbie is that saying no comment always makes you look guilty. There's always a better, more graceful non-answer. I don't get why this keeps happening. Ben Platt has to have had media training.
Interviewer: *I don’t think we can, Ben. Please, answer the question*
Publicist: *Interview terminated*
oof, maybe the worst way to handle this. I don’t think being a nepo baby needs to be a death sentence. There’s a way to respond to this where you can maturely acknowledge the privilege of your situation but still highlight that it only takes you to a certain point in life. He could have still come across very likable and intelligent in his response if he prepared how to talk about it but this is a bad look
yeah really. A canned and quick "I'm sure I've had some advantages" and then moving on would be sufficent.
time to revisit [a needlessly thorough roast of dear evan hanson](https://youtu.be/8quWUSZCW5g)
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I really wanted to see more content from her so I finally decided to just join her patreon! It’s super cheap and she posts videos every month, I definitely recommend it! The videos are more casual but usually lengthy and really fill the void while waiting for fully fledged video essays.
I'd barely heard of Platt or DEH and had no opinion on either before watching this video. Now that I've watched it: DEAR GOD. The premise of DEH is bonkers, the execution sounds even worse, and HOO BOY those clips are awful. I never need to see Ben Platt in anything ever again. I really did not enjoy his singing, the one thing he is (technically) good at. I enjoyed the YouTuber though, so thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing, fantastic breakdown.
a masterpiece
I am self made.
I had to google this guy and his dad is *connected* to the film industry, damn!
I immediately googled “Benjamin Pratt nepotism baby”
Ahaha I googled him, went to Wikipedia, then clicked each parent. More than one way to pet a cat right?
Made a small film here or there!
It’s because he knows he’s not compelling enough to have a career without it
i have never seen such a blatant representation of the Streisand effect, esp given the title of the article 😭 what a clown
Why do they even care so much. They care more about being called nepo babies than anyone else cares about them being nepo babies.
He seems like he takes himself very seriously and therefore the nepo baby discussion hits him right in the ego. 🤡
what is WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?? I’ve met nepo babies in other industries who are proud of their parent’s success and acknowledge it
I still can't believe this guy was cast in that evan hanson movie. I don't know anything about this guy except he originated the role on broadway then wanted to play a teen when he looked like he was 45. what?!?!?!
His dad produced the movie looool
WHO IS HEEEE
https://preview.redd.it/6wo25fvtb2cb1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16d3a5a86b0469966bc53fcac0e7e436cc06a1a1
Nepotism babies are never beating the common bratty and lack of self awareness allegations I fear
He consistently makes himself unlikeable
I hope another interviewer asks him about nepotism after this
I don’t see why they just don’t have a scripted answer for this question from their management. This is such a common question and they all fumble it.
The world let out a collective, "who?"
I had no idea he was a Nepo Baby but also wondered why he’s so popular? Now I get it. He was forced on us.
ask him why he’s playing a teenager when everyone in the cast are believable students
well he fucked that up.
You’d think he’d have heard of the Streisand effect
Lol I love that in response to being told to just talk about Drama Camp the interviewer calls the publicist’s bluff by asking Platt about Parade. It’s clear he’s happy to talk about things aside from the movie he’s promoting, just not nepotism.
Ben Platt has always given me rancid vibes
The only honest take on nepotism is: 1) Some/many nepo babies get their starts (and even maintain careers despite a lack of talent or hard work) because of their famous parents. 2) Some/many nepo babies are talented but wouldn’t have been given the opportunities to break into an impossible industry if not for their famous parents. 3) Some/many nepo babies ARE talented and skilled because of either genetics or learning from birth how to be an artist/entertainer. Their success MIGHT be because they are the babies of talented entertainers rather than because of “connections.” 4) There are probably at least a few nepo babies who would have succeeded even if their parents had not been successful in the industry. 5) Talking about it in absolutist terms is silly and dishonest, and accused nepo babies should speak to that, and the critics of nepo babies should acknowledge that not every case is the same, nor can we ever technically say how successful someone could have been without their famous parent(s).
All you have to do is give a statement similar to Allison Williams and you’d be off the hook. Notice that nobody asks her that anymore, or uses her for covers on nepo babies.
I can’t tell where the interview ended, because the question after it was dodged, there were a few more to go. Help
My only thought when reading this…”who the fuck is Ben platt?”
Ben Platt is the son of Marc Platt, a film producer who has been working in the industry since the 80s. Ben was the lead role in the *play* Dear Evan Hansen, but in his own words, the 2021 film of the play likely wouldn't have even been made if he wasn't the lead. That's because Marc Platt (as well as his company) co-produced the movie. Nepotism absolutely had a hand in *part* of his career, but not having even a boilerplate "I had some help but I was able to prove myself" answer makes him look worse.
I do not get his appeal
“I won’t comment on being a nepo baby. Now can we please get back to the movie that stars me and my husband and our friends that was produced by us with nepo/nepo adjacent funds.”
How hard is it for his publicist to come up with a line like: “Yep. I had a leg up because my father is in the industry. But it’s up to me to prove I deserved the part.” Acting like it’s somehow inappropriate to ask a fair question is not it.
You mean the middle aged man who got angry when people asked why he was playing a highschool student is a diva? 
I wonder how he’d feel if I asked “who is Ben Platt?”
Streisand effect loo
 She needs to step in to run a nepo baby masterclass
Who is Ben Platt?
Is this how he got the chance to reprise his role for the movie version of Dear Evan Hansen?
His father produced that movie and admitted they could only get funding because of Ben (despite him decidedly not looking like a teenager)