# How is movie promotion on nightly shows decided? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies\ **Created:** [April 1, 2023, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983 "2023-04-01T14:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/1 "2023-04-01T14:45:08Z")
Say I want the cast of _Killer Wombats_ to go talk about the movie on NPR, The Late Show, etc. How do they decide who goes where? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/2 "2023-04-01T14:51:15Z")
They hire booking agents to take care of it. The agent contacts the various shows to find out if there would be an available spot, and assuming the show is interested, they book them for their appearance and contracts are signed. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/3 "2023-04-01T15:11:25Z")
Ah. I presumed they chose cast members who were more comfortable doing the circuit. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/4 "2023-04-01T21:26:09Z")
I believe that doing promotion for the movie is usually part of the contract for the stars. I know there are some who have said that they aren’t comfortable with that part of the business. If you are a huge star, you can probably get away with doing less of it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/5 "2023-04-01T23:01:48Z")
I agree; you’re not going to get very many major movie roles if you’re not willing to go on the talk show route and talk up the show. Worst case, one can treat it as a performance, where you’re _acting_ like a charming, friendly talk show guest. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/6 "2023-04-02T00:40:40Z")
And it will sort itself out quickly, as Fallon doesn’t want a guest plugging the same movie they did on Colbert the night before. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I agree; you’re not going to get very many major movie roles if you’re not willing to go on the talk show route and talk up the show. Worst case, one can treat it as a performance, where you’re _acting_ like a charming, friendly talk show guest. One of the most unfortunate appearances I ever saw was Meryl Streep trying not to act extremely nervous and uncomfortable on one of the talk shows. As she struggled to tell a joke I realized I couldn’t remember a previous time Ms. Streep had done a talk show. (She’s gotten somewhat better since.) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/7 "2023-04-02T01:34:28Z")
Yes, the shows also have people in charge of booking that are well aware of what is being promoted. It’s contractually required for actors to go and push their movies. I saw Robin Williams promoting Jakob the Liar and it was clear he was unhappy how it turned out, but was of course doing his best to promote it since he was required to and it is a jerk move to dismiss a movie you made. Bill Cosby went on shows and told people Leonard Part 6 was horrible and they should avoid it. That was rare, but Cosby was pretty influential at the time and had a lot of sway. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/8 "2023-04-02T04:03:33Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > And it will sort itself out quickly, as Fallon doesn’t want a guest plugging the same movie they did on Colbert the night before. > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > I agree; you’re not going to get very many major movie roles if you’re not willing to go on the talk show route and talk up the show. Worst case, one can treat it as a performance, where you’re _acting_ like a charming, friendly talk show guest. > > One of the most unfortunate appearances I ever saw was Meryl Streep trying not to act extremely nervous and uncomfortable on one of the talk shows. As she struggled to tell a joke I realized I couldn’t remember a previous time Ms. Streep had done a talk show. (She’s gotten somewhat better since.) She seems to handle herself well on Graham Norton. Many actors who seem to hate doing talk shows look like they like going on with Norton. Maybe it’s the alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/9 "2023-04-02T04:40:45Z")
It sure seems to me that you often see certain actors in a film doing it more than others. I always assumed the ones who were good at interviews would do more of them. It would make sense–to put your best face forward. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/10 "2023-04-03T12:42:44Z")
A friend used to do this type of thing for RCA/BMG Music’s country stars. She would fly city to city with the talent, taking them to radio stations for interviews. She’d stop in Pittsburgh for a few days to regroup, sometimes with the talent. I got to meet Clint Black, Charlie Daniels, Alabama, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, and a few others. I was never into country music, but they were all cool with that. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-movie-promotion-on-nightly-shows-decided/981983/11 "2023-04-03T12:57:55Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It sure seems to me that you often see certain actors in a film doing it more than others. I always assumed the ones who were good at interviews would do more of them. It would make sense–to put your best face forward. Yeah, there are definitely those that excel at the chat show circuit. They are charming, and work well with the hosts, and always have a story to tell. Whereas there are a whole bunch of folks (mostly the “serious” actors) who aren’t really into the chat show thing.