An accomplished journalist and red carpet reporter, Hannah Fletcher has conducted over 100 interviews with a a long list of well-known talent including Sydney Sweeney, Maya Rudolph, Charlie Day, Larry the Cable Guy, Mena Suvari, the cast of The Descendants, Henry Thomas, Josh Rivera, Loni Love, Danny Pino, Stephamie Hsu, Patrick Starrr and Bert Kreischer to name a few.
Her success has not gone unnoticed. After catching the eye of acclaimed producer and director Eric Wheelwright, Fletcher will soon be taking her aspirations to the next level as host and producer of The Hannah Fletcher Show. The new talk show aims to foster honest conversations that cater to the guests and highlight them in the light that they wish to be portrayed in. It is Fletcher’s goal and passion to be the driving force in the media to let celebrities and influencers be showcased in the way that they choose, not the way that the media portrays via clickbait headlines, and at times, exploitation. Upcoming guests include Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Gary Anthony Williams (Whose Line Is It Anyway), Stephen Kramer Glickman (Big Time Rush), Jessica Morris (Daytime Emmy Nominee), Traci Hays (Award-winning Director) and Sofia Gomez (content creator) among others. The show will be premiering later this Fall on Tubi.
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Hi Hannah welcome to OLC! It’s an absolute pleasure. Now you’ve interviewed a wide range of celebrities from Sydney Sweeney to Bert Kreischer to Charlie Day just to name a small fraction. What has been your most memorable interview experience so far, and why?
Great question- and thank you for having me! My most memorable experience would have to be a toss-up between Larry the Cable Guy, using Mater to say my name mid-interview, or attending Bert Kreischer’s premiere for the film, “The Machine”, and speaking to him while he was playing a bar game and doing interviews. I am a big fan of both of them, and they were so kind and attentive and present-both of these moments were extremely special to me.
What inspired you to create The Hannah Fletcher Show, and how do you approach fostering honest conversations that highlight your guests in a positive light?
I have always aspired to have my own talk show where I can highlight guests for who they are and what they stand for, with the intention of bringing an audience along. As far as fostering the conversations goes- as long as the conversation is genuine and coming from an area of myself that expresses the utmost interest in my guest, this will always result highlighting the guest in their own light. This is my job when you boil it down to the root of being an interviewer. Engaging my audience via the conversation with my guest, and taking an actual interest in who they are as an artist, activist, performer, and so on. The show overall intentionally possesses a light and positive tone to it, curating a positive interaction between myself and my guest.
As a journalist and red carpet reporter, how do you balance keeping interviews engaging while making sure your guests feel comfortable and respected?
My prerogative is always wanting for my guest to come back to speak with me again. That’s my main mission. If I do tip toe towards a topic that may be intricate or sensitive, I use my innate humanity to understand that after they have wrapped their answer, I owe it to them to shift gears and move to a different topic if they seem in any way apprehensive. This more so goes for the red-carpet climate versus my talk show- but at the end of the day you are speaking with humans. Some poses a celebrity status, some may not. Regardless, it’s always in the hands of the interviewer to respect their interviewee to the best of their ability and as long as a genuine interest with pure intentions, and an honest conversation are the ingredients- you will in return receive comfort and respect right back at you.
Your upcoming talk show aims to allow guests to be portrayed in the way they choose. How do you think this approach will differ from more traditional talk shows or interviews?
This is more of an approach revolving around speaking about projects, roles, ideals, etc. that the public may not know so much about. For example, I have interviewed Lainie Kazan for the show. She is a dear friend of mine, and prior to filming, I pitched her on the idea of deep diving into aspects of her career that often get overlooked due to her obvious massive success with the “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” franchise. She was absolutely thrilled that I wanted to deep dive and highlight other career aspects, and instantaneously approved of this angle and idea. I strongly believe that “The Hannah Fletcher Show” will stand out from other traditional talk shows because of the age demographic that we are targeting. We are here for the younger generation, ready to also bring in guests and provide guidance on how to confidently navigate life and providing resources to them via segments on the show.
You’ve worked across multiple platforms—The Buzz, Muse TV, and Where Is The Buzz. How do you tailor your interviewing style depending on the outlet or platform?
Each platform is slightly different in what it offers- which is why I am so grateful to have worked with so many talented individuals who have taught me so much. With Muse, it’s been all about red carpets and traditional press. With The Buzz and Where is the Buzz, more of the knowledge and understanding of pop culture, and specifically, pop culture journalism has come into place, and I am grateful to have been able to work with these outlets in all of these diverse capacities.
In an age where clickbait headlines dominate the media landscape, what challenges do you face in staying true to your goal of avoiding exploitation while still producing compelling content?
I don’t necessarily face challenges, but I rather respect boundaries. For example, I spoke recently with Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed, who are a married couple that walked a red carpet with one another. I feel that I can take the conversation in the route of their marriage if I so desire, due to the obvious context clues that they are 1) standing together pursuing press opportunities and 2) they are promoting and speaking about a company that they launched with one another. What I will not do, is ask a single appearing celebrity about their relationship status if they are not in an obvious situation like Nikki and Ian. This is an example in regards to your question about avoiding any exploitation, but I supply this example because this is how we see such common forms of exploitation in celebrities- via relationship rumors.
I really strongly stand for interviewing and highlighting based off of obvious information or deep diving in regards to a career of what may already be public knowledge, but going a bit further. I have no desire to pry into any personal lives out of respect to these celebrities who are also humans and aside from exploitative stories and headlines and out-of-context clips, I promise that celebrities are much more dynamic and interesting.
Having been a recurring cast member on the popular YouTube channel REACT, how has your experience in digital media influenced your approach to interviews and hosting?
It’s a wonderful opportunity working with REACT and the cast! Everyone is so nice and kind! Oh, the energy is immaculate! The process and experience of filming with the producers and cast members has really allowed for me to open up and really embrace the idea of being my full, authentic self on camera. This is something that I’ve always done- but REACT has a way of increasing and encouraging that extra level of openness that you definitely carry with you into other projects. This is definitely a lesson and energy that I have brought into “The Hannah Fletcher Show”!
Can you share more about your upcoming guests on The Hannah Fletcher Show and how you’ve curated such a diverse lineup, from actors to influencers and directors?
Curating the lineup was a tedious yet rewarding process! The guests are incredible and they are all genuinely such talented, wholesome, well-rounded individuals. I wanted to call on those whom I’ve connected with from my years of interviewing, as well as a few newcomers who have incredible stories and abilities to share. We have renowned actors, a medium, authors, musicians, and more. I pray and believe that each guest on this show thus far, will resonate strongly with our audience.
You’re also involved in volunteering with the S.T.R.E.A.M organization. How has your work in education and with children influenced your perspective as a media personality?
Working in any capacity with the community, is always a pleasure and an honor. Children are so honest and raw, and I wish that adults could be in the mindset that kids live in, more often. Being able to connect with kids and teach them about my job that doubles as my passion is sincerely an indescribable feeling.
With The Hannah Fletcher Show premiering on Tubi, what unique opportunities do you see in hosting a show on a digital streaming platform as opposed to traditional TV?
I am particularly interested in, and excited about the idea that the show will have sponsorships- and that I am able to connect with the brands personally. I take very seriously what it is that I promote and stand beside by having sponsorships on my show, so the opportunity to be able to assist my audience via this opportunity as well is very exciting for me! Traditional media spaces are also incredible, but the commercials aren’t necessarily vetted or used by the cast members of the show that you are watching.
How do you prepare for interviews with such a diverse array of guests, from comedians like Larry the Cable Guy to actors like Mena Suvari and content creators like Patrick Starrr?
The preparation depends on the person. Having been familiar with those that you mentioned above, certainly helps! However, I don’t always (when working on red carpets) have time to prepare to the extent that I would like to. With this, I always advise to engage active listening, and see where it takes your conversation from there!
What advice would you give to aspiring journalists and hosts who are looking to break into the world of red carpet reporting and celebrity interviews?
Begin to interview in any capacity possible! Don’t let fear or uncertainty control you. It’s okay to be fueled by passion and as long as your intentions are pure- you will soar! Also, don’t be afraid to connect and network with others who may be able to mentor, train, or provide assistance in any way possible to help with furthering your career.
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Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
