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The rapidity ofSmartlesss rise is, frankly, shocking.
The shows ascent has been so breakneck that even its hosts seem incredulous.
The whole podcast itself is insane, Bateman said duringa recent appearance onJimmy Kimmelwhere he briefly discussed the tour.
Its just four idiots well, three idiots and a respectable guest having a conversation onstage.
People pay money to see singing, dancing, stand-up … Its just us talking.
He doesnt complete the thought, but the sentiment is clear.This?
The incredulity is understandable.
The timing ofSmartlesss sudden popularity is also specifically peculiar.
But perhaps whats most remarkable aboutSmartlessis how thoroughly unremarkable it is.
This isnt to say its bad.
Its just not particularly distinct.
To some extent, every interview podcast is fundamentally a show about the interviewers.
In this case, Arnett, Bateman, and Hayes give off a broad curiosity.
There are clear strengths toSmartless.
Conversations meander, too unfocused to leave much of an impression.
Still, its not good form to critique something on the basis of what it isnt.
And Ill cop to it: There are sincere pleasures to be found in the superficialities ofSmartless.
The show is also something of an aberration in the history of the Los AngelesHollywood celebrity-podcast scene.
Its a turn toward the utterly vanilla.
By contrast,Smartlessis as safe as it gets.
In that sense, its success is almost provocative.
