Chace Crawford, a.k.a. Nate Archibald from Gossip Girl,
with NASCAR driver Danica Patrick.Photo: Getty Images
As you can imagine, we were delighted this weekend to see that the Times had done an “A Night Out With” column with Nate Archibald! And he was so Nate-y in it! He bumbled around, he was adorable, and he was a little insecure. Just like he is on TV in the Greatest Show of Our Time. But as we read the article a fifth time, we thought we noticed an undertone that we didn’t much like in Katie Thomas’s choice of descriptions. See if you note what we’re talking about (we’ve bolded the key bits):
• “After a 15-minute drive, during which he fiddled with the car’s controls and got a little lost, Mr. Crawford pulled up to a nine-acre estate.”
• “In the driveway, he fielded questions from a television reporter, who asked about his relationship with Carrie Underwood, an American Idol winner. ’You’re under the assumption that we’re dating now,’ Mr. Crawford said with a laugh.” [Eds.: OMG! CALL JESSICA! OR CHRIS!]
• “In the dining room, music executives and Hollywood agents mingled with the likes of Kid Rock and Frank Gifford, the former New York Giant, while Mr. Crawford sipped merlot and looked around uneasily.”
• “Between bites of shrimp and avocado salad, Mr. Crawford marveled about how Gossip Girl had transformed him into a latter-day Luke Perry or Rob Lowe.”
• “Ms. Hudson floated by on three-inch heels, her cashmere shawl nearly brushing Mr. Crawford’s sweater. He looked down, suddenly fascinated by his drink. ‘I can introduce you if you want,’ Mr. Podwall whispered. Mr. Crawford reddened and shook his head no.”
• “Meanwhile, two teenage girls whispered behind his back as one reached out and nearly touched his sweater. Mr. Crawford was too busy raving about Ms. Hudson to notice. ’I loved her in Almost Famous,’ he said.”
Wait a minute, New York Times. He sips Merlot at a pre–Super Bowl barbecue? He is unused to finding directions on his own? He is a Kate Hudson fan because of her work in Almost Famous?? Are you trying to tell us that he’s … sophisticated? We’ll never believe it. Never!
Rumor Has It… [NYT]
