Internet personality Jake Shane has faced criticism over his interviewing style on the red carpet at Vanity Fair's Oscars party, with particular attention paid to his remarks about the Oscar-nominated film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.
Shane, 26, was one of three influencers hired to host coverage of the event following the 98th Academy Awards. During the livestream, he spoke to actors Julia Fox and Damson Idris, both of whom expressed admiration for the film. In separate conversations, Shane asked whether they found the sick child at the centre of the story "so annoying". Fox, a mother to a five-year-old, disagreed and said that "it is society's fault" that mothers are set up to fail. Idris declined to comment, laughing uncomfortably, after which Shane reportedly interjected: "Mommy, mommy, mommy! Shut the f*** up, damn!"
The film, directed by Mary Bronstein, earned Rose Byrne her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of an exhausted mother caring for a potentially terminally ill daughter. Video clips of Shane's exchanges circulated on X and TikTok, prompting criticism and a column from Variety's chief correspondent Daniel D'Addario, who wrote that Shane's "repeated denigration of the film struck a strange and discordant note".
Social media users also weighed in. One wrote that Fox "really knows how to put things into perspective" and that Shane's comment "definitely missed the point". Another said Shane "was trying to be glib and fell on his face", adding that it would hopefully be "a learning experience".
The backlash has reignited debate about influencers replacing journalists at red carpet events. Shane recently told Rolling Stone that it was "insulting" to compare his work to journalism, saying: "I didn't go to school for journalism... What I am having with people is a conversation." Representatives for Shane did not respond to requests for comment.
