The awkward exchange between a podcast host and an award-winning rapper reveals deeper problems in celebrity media coverage
When influencers replace journalists, everyone loses
The media landscape is changing — and not always for the better. What should have been a glamorous night celebrating achievement at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty instead became a teaching moment about representation in entertainment journalism when podcast personality Hannah Berner’s interaction with Megan Thee Stallion went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The uncomfortable exchange highlighted something many industry insiders have been saying for years: putting untrained influencers in journalism roles has consequences, especially when it comes to racial sensitivity and professional interview skills.
Microaggressions on the red carpet
The afterparty incident perfectly captures the problem. When Berner made comments connecting Megan’s music to aggression, she didn’t just create an awkward viral moment — she reinforced harmful stereotypes about Black women that have real-world consequences.
What makes this situation particularly troubling is the context. Megan herself has been a victim of violence, making the comments not just tone-deaf but potentially retraumatizing. The rapper tried to redirect the conversation professionally, but the damage was done as millions watched the exchange online.
This type of stereotyping isn’t just uncomfortable — it’s part of a pattern that contributes to real harm. Research consistently shows that stereotyping Black women as angry or aggressive leads to disproportionate discipline in educational settings and harsher treatment in the criminal justice system.
Apologies that miss the mark
When public pressure mounted, Berner issued an apology that many critics felt sidestepped the real issues at play. By framing her comments as simply a poor word choice rather than acknowledging the underlying racial stereotyping, the apology failed to address the systemic problems that made such an interaction possible in the first place.
The incident raises important questions about responsibility: Does it fall solely on the interviewer, or should media organizations like Vanity Fair be held accountable for putting untrained personalities in positions where they’re likely to make these mistakes?
The influencer takeover of journalism spaces
Entertainment journalism is changing as traditional media outlets increasingly hire social media personalities over trained journalists. This shift prioritizes follower counts over journalistic training, ethics, and cultural competence.
Industry insiders point out that this trend creates a particularly unfair dynamic for qualified Black journalists, who already face significant barriers to entry in the field. When the few coveted red carpet positions go to white influencers without journalism backgrounds, it perpetuates the very representation problems that lead to awkward, harmful interactions like the one between Berner and Megan.
By the numbers: Representation matters
The statistics tell the story. Black journalists make up just 0.2% of the entertainment journalism workforce despite the massive cultural contributions of Black artists in music, film, and television. This disparity creates a media environment where those covering cultural phenomena often lack the context and sensitivity to do so appropriately.
The few Black journalists who do secure positions in major outlets frequently report being pigeonholed into covering only stories about race and trauma, further limiting their career advancement and the diversity of perspectives in entertainment coverage.
This imbalance doesn’t just hurt journalists — it affects the quality of coverage for readers and viewers, and creates uncomfortable or harmful situations for the celebrities being interviewed.
The viral moment economy
Media priorities have shifted toward generating viral moments rather than conducting substantive interviews. This change in focus means that awkward, controversial or even offensive interactions can be rewarded with greater attention and traffic, creating perverse incentives that reward poor journalism practices.
When media companies prioritize clicks and shares over quality reporting, everybody loses. Celebrities don’t get the thoughtful coverage they deserve, audiences miss out on meaningful content, and harmful stereotypes get reinforced rather than challenged.
Creating better entertainment journalism
The solution requires investment in diverse talent pipelines and journalism training. Media organizations must recognize that entertainment journalism requires both personality and professional skills — including cultural competence and sensitivity training.
Here’s what experts say needs to change:
- Media outlets must prioritize hiring Black journalists and other underrepresented voices, particularly for covering cultural events and interviewing diverse celebrities
- Organizations should provide comprehensive training for anyone conducting interviews, including awareness of microaggressions and harmful stereotypes
- Performance metrics should value quality interviews over viral moments that often come at someone’s expense
- Accountability measures must be implemented when mistakes occur, focusing on learning and improvement rather than quick public apologies
Audiences can drive the change
Your clicks and views matter. As consumers of entertainment journalism, audiences have the power to demand better representation and more thoughtful coverage. By supporting outlets that prioritize diverse voices and professional standards, viewers can help shift the industry in a more positive direction.
The awkward red carpet moment between Berner and Megan represents more than just an individual mistake — it’s a symptom of an industry that needs significant restructuring to better serve both the celebrities it covers and the audiences who consume its content.
Moving forward together
The entertainment industry thrives on diversity, yet its coverage often fails to reflect this reality. By investing in Black women journalists and other underrepresented voices, media outlets can create more authentic, respectful and insightful coverage of cultural moments.
This incident should serve as a catalyst for change — not just another viral moment that fades without impact. The future of entertainment journalism depends on recognizing the expertise that trained journalists bring to these spaces and ensuring that those covering cultural phenomena reflect the diversity of the culture itself.
For entertainment journalism to evolve, media organizations must acknowledge that representation isn’t just about optics — it’s about the quality, depth and respect that celebrities and audiences deserve. Only then can we move beyond awkward viral moments toward a media landscape that truly celebrates and honors cultural contributions without perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
