Pointless Pitt/Aniston article

Aug 22, 2008- Permalink

I really hate the pointless, filler-type articles that some entertainment areas run as “news”.

After exiting a Hotmail account, I noticed that my high-speed provider, Sympatico, was running an article alluding to a possible Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston reunion at September’s Toronto International Film Festival.

The article suggests that the ex-spouses “may meet on the red carpet at the prestigious annual event as Brad’s new movie Burn After Reading opens on September 5 while Jennifer’s film Management premieres on September 7.” The breathy article, from a British tabloid wire called BANG Media International, goes on to quote a source that suggests that, “It could be awkward for them both but I am sure their professionalism will ensure there are no public fireworks.”

As an 11-year veteran of covering TIFF I can strongly say that this article is complete and utterly useless space filler and BS.

Let’s look at the logistics: Jennifer Aniston’s film is premiering at the University of Toronto’s Isabel Bader Theatre, while Brad’s film premieres two days earlier at the Toronto Symphony’s home, Roy Thompson Hall. Ignoring the fact that the premieres are two days apart, the respective red carpets are, according to Google Maps, 3.6 kilometers apart. So, unless time and space folds, this accidental meeting is unlikely to happen.

Secondly, at the Toronto festival, very few stars not connected to the production walk the carpets. You might get the odd exception, like a few of Pitt’s Ocean’s 11 pals strolling the red carpet at The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford premiere, but otherwise, stars stick to their own premieres. And an ex-wife is surely not expected.

Thirdly, most stars are in and out at the Festival. The dumbest questions the local TV media asks (and this is relative since most TV media carpet questions are pointless anywhere in the world) are “How are you enjoying Toronto? Have you seen any other Festival films?”

Okay, again there are exceptions. A few people actually do check things out, but they’re either at TIFF for multiple films, schmoozing for more work, or in Toronto already for a film shoot and have time on their hands.

Most people, on the other hand, arrive in Toronto, do a day of press junkets, walk the red carpet, wave to the theatre audience, head out the back door, drop by a quick party to glad hand fellow industry types and head to the airport and back to the film they’re currently working on. I’ve frequently photographed someone at the Festival on one day and seen them on Letterman the next.

So file the article in question under “Fantasy”.