Brad Pitt is promoting War Machine on Netflix premiering next Friday May 26th, in time for Memorial Day in the United States. He’s already covered GQ and talked about his “self-inflicted” drama while making matcha green tea. He wants us to know that he’s working out his emotions through his sculptures these days. And that he’s quit drinking but, f-ck no, he didn’t go to rehab, but sought help through therapy, because that’s how we class substance abuse. Last week on Show Your Work, Duana and I talked about Brad Pitt’s current media game, Make Brad Pitt Great Again, and who it appeals to. This week Brad spoke to The Associated Press and talked about how he’s not hiding, that he has no secrets, that he’s working on the “new configuration” of his family. And about hubris:

“Hubris is a trap and it’s the trap of every great nation that has been number one for too long. You start to believe your own stink. Anytime I’ve gotten in trouble, it’s because of my own hubris.”

The antidote to hubris, of course, is humility. To be humble. So, in acknowledging his own hubris, Brad Pitt is humbling himself. And it’s the key to this new era of Brad Pitt’s celebrity. Because what makes a celebrity attractive? You hear it all the time. “X is such a big star! But what I love about him is that he’s humble!” That’s what Brad’s showing you: his humble, a noun. It’s become a proper presence.

Will we see Brad’s humble tonight? He’s expected on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.


As you know, Brad doesn’t do a lot of late night TV and it’s been a while since he’s been on late night TV. I remember him promoting Moneyball on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart a few years ago but it’s not a familiar image, Brad Pitt on a couch on television after midnight. Colbert is an interesting choice too because Brad has made edited sketch bit appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon – they yodeled at each other and there was also a breakdance. But Colbert has been gaining hard on Fallon. Last week he beat Fallon in the 18-49 demo. And while Brad Pitt’s not, say, Beyoncé, for Colbert this is still a pretty major get. But what are we getting from a Pitt-Colbert interview? Colbert has been aiming for Donald Trump every single night. Will Brad Pitt participate? Or will it just end up being a boring “tell me about your character” conversation?