Whenever you get a chance we need your Tony and Kerryâs Variety piece analysis !!
I don't want to disappoint, but I don't know how much of an analysis this is. There are 3 people who still care about this Tumblr as an active blog, so I'm just casually spitballing below with my initial thoughts. I may forget some of them and have to come back and add more in separate post.
My faves. He was kinda ill and still can get his leg up like that. noice.
Overall:
First off, I LOVE watching these two people talk to each other. There's an energy and a rapport they have together that I enjoy. Little moments of realness (within each and between both) always peak through, and it is gratifying. I would have watched a much longer piece.
What I enjoyed:
I love the way they smile at each other and look at each other. I even love watching them each listen whilst the other is talking. I donât care what lie they made up in that BTS CNN interview. Those two people have a lot of emotional intimacy with each other, and it doesnât come from talking to each other in âburstsâ, nor from the sporadicalness of the Scandal (Whistlepigs) group chat.
Ok, I have to be careful how I say this so that it doesnât get interpreted in the worst way by people determined to misunderstandâŚ
I enjoyed the effect that Tonyâs grounded energy has on Kerry. It makes her a little less performative and actor-y. A little less rehearsed in the way she gives her answers. A little less regurgitation of past PR answers. Tony can pull out an unguarded, honest moment from Kerry, even if she and/or he tries cleaning it up immediately afterwards (e.g. that bit about imperfect/perfect women in Tonyâs life; her being usually right when reading his mind, even the Olitz ending discussion).
I wonder if Kerry has any âstrongâ feelings about the afterlife of Olitz the way Tony clearly does. I know she asked him (fitting) but I want to know. Or maybe I donât, since her last couple of interviews, sheâs been regurgitating TikTok talking points about how unhealthy Olitz was (kinda like her unprompted crusade to have us believe her husband and Tony are besties).
 Anyway...back to Olitz
Two things:
No one tuned into Scandal and rooted for Olitz because they were âhealthyâ. People rooted for them because the relationship felt rooted in authentic love and people wanted them to work out the rest of it. Plus, imperfect couples makes for entertaining TV
2) TikTok and Gen Z didnât invent that take. During the showâs run, it often felt like outlets couldnât mention Olitz without including the word âtoxicâ (an overused term I hate).
What I found slightly annoying (yes, Iâm nitpicking, I admit):
Tony
Black. Just say Black. Itâs not a bad word; itâs articulation is important. The first [Black] female lead on a network show. Viola is a Black woman, not just a woman of colour. That difference makes a helluva difference in your industry.
I loved him telling that story about him watching Shonda establish her power early in that room of executives, so that they knew Greys was gonna have the tone *she* wanted. BUT. My guy, it went a little too long. The fries almost got cold before he put them in the bag. Again, Iâm nitpicking.Â
Kerry
She was interrupting and talking over Tony a little too much in the first few minutes. I feel like she forgot that the audience needs to hear both of them. I feel like when she wants to obfuscate or set an agenda, she forges ahead and tries to direct the conversation as opposed to an exchange. This, thankfully, changed, and her energy calmed.Â
That's... interesting
Kerry mentioned them being inebriated when they toured the DC monuments that one night. I thought she didnât drink? Maybe that was just a PR thing to not have drinking associated with her brand as she became a household name.
Thereâs another one where Kerry said Shonda first asked her about directing an episode in S3, but sheâd just become a mother and didnât want any more responsibility. I love when Kerry can admit to being overwhelmed or not wanting another thing on her plate. Itâs really important for someone like her who does come off as having it all together and having everything in its place. Thereâs another reason her answer was interesting, but I promised myself not to speak about it publicly.
When Tony said he wanted to do another photoshoot and convo with her about Olitz etc in 15 yearsâŚadding that they do it in private, butâŚ
can I watch?
She tried to save that one, but I peeped it.Â
OK, I think Iâm forgetting a couple things, but just ask me directly. I need to finish my to-do list
