The October issue of GQ features Paul McCartney, who has traditionally relied on well-known Beatles stories in interviews. However, in his GQ feature, he appeared unscripted, somewhat indecisive, and less concerned with protecting his image than expected. McCartney even shared a memory of the Beatles' youthful sexual escapades, resulting in a bold New York Post headline. This revelation was both enlightening for readers and fans, and humanizing for McCartney, who has been a celebrity for so long he seems more like a statue. It required McCartney to be open and engage in dialogue for such an in-depth profile. Not all high-profile stories require this level of openness, as seen in the September issue of Vogue featuring Beyoncé on the cover. The article accompanying this text is titled "Beyoncé in Her Own Words," which is not a typical profile but rather a collection of brief and only occasionally revealing comments on various topics such as motherhood, family, body acceptance, and touring. Anna Wintour describes the piece in her editor's letter as a "powerful essay" written by Beyoncé herself, suggesting that this is a positive aspect. While there was a journalist present during the process, the article ultimately seems to erase outside perspectives, as indicated by the "as told to" credit at the end. This may not be concerning for Beyoncé fans, but for those interested in celebrity journalism, which typically adds context and depth to the fame economy through the interaction between interviewer and interviewee, this could be seen as a significant issue. It is not a rare occurrence, especially in pop music, for many well-known performers to avoid the press. Taylor Swift has not granted an in-depth interview to a print publication in at least two years, while Drake has done the same for about a year. Frank Ocean has essentially vanished once again. Instead of providing meaningful communication, these artists either remain silent or share one-sided stories through social media. A monologue, rather than a dialogue, is changing the landscape of celebrity press, disrupting the traditional role of in-depth interviews as a tool for both building and maintaining fame. Since the 1960s, celebrities have seen answering questions as a necessary part of their job, a way to explain themselves and their work to the public. This has been evident in iconic moments such as John Lennon discussing the breakup of the Beatles, Tupac Shakur speaking from jail, and Courtney Love's response to Kurt Cobain's death. It used to be enlightening for fans and a source of pride for celebrities, especially when interviews were confrontational. Stars like Ice Cube and Madonna thrived in these situations, showing themselves to be thoughtful, unafraid of challenges, and aware of their public image. However, this was when print media had more influence and the internet and TMZ were not as dominant. With celebrities being constantly monitored in real-time, they became more hesitant. This shift alone may not mean the end of traditional celebrity journalism. The pressure on celebrity journalism from higher-ups may not be as significant as the growing threat from below, where a new generation of celebrities, such as YouTube stars and SoundCloud rappers, are sharing their lives on social media in a rapid and unfiltered manner. This generation values all-access hyper-documentation, making traditional celebrity journalism, which emphasizes behind-the-scenes access, less relevant. An example is rapper Lil Xan, who has recently been involved in various online dramas without waiting for traditional media to catch up. At times, social media posts have replaced traditional tell-all interviews for celebrities. For example, Ariana Grande used Instagram to mourn her ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller, while XXXTentacion responded to sexual assault allegations on his Instagram Story. YouTube star Logan Paul also used his platform to apologize for controversial content. These posts provide one-sided narratives with little scrutiny, making social media a safe space for young celebrities. With the ability to reach a large, targeted audience on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, celebrities no longer rely on traditional media for exposure. This shift has created a challenge for celebrity journalism as the most famous individuals have bypassed it entirely, while newer celebrities deem it irrelevant. As time passes, the middle ground may eventually disappear completely. Additionally, the variety of content being created has expanded, making it challenging for everyday consumers to distinguish between original reporting and aggregated content, as well as content produced by journalistic sources versus brands. This lack of clarity motivates celebrities to move away from traditional media, where they have less control over the final product. With the decline of traditional media, the new media landscape is often seen as a way to correct or divert attention. For example, Selena Gomez is featured on the cover of Elle magazine this month, with a relatively harmless accompanying story. However, when the interview was published online, she responded with a lengthy Instagram post expressing her frustration. She mentioned how difficult it is for her to speak from the heart for over an hour only to have someone else put those thoughts into paid words. As she grows older, she desires for her voice to remain her own. She then went on to list the specific topics she had wanted to discuss in the interview, criticizing the fact that her personal life and church had received more attention. This shift in power dynamics has led to publications, weakened and financially fragile, to resort to finding ways to trade the feeling of control for access to celebrities. This has even resulted in celebrities guest editing special issues of magazines. While Swift was featured on the cover of Harper's Bazaar this year, she actually took on the role of interviewer in the accompanying article, posing questions to rock muse Pattie Boyd. Rihanna also took a unique approach in 2015 by photographing herself for the cover of The Fader, with the help of a professional photographer. This act served as a commentary on the omnipresent nature of fame and the concept of a cover star capturing their own image. If these methods are not feasible, magazines can opt to have a friend of the celebrity conduct the interview instead. In Elle magazine, Jennifer Lawrence interviewed Emma Stone while Blake Lively conducted Gigi Hadid's Harper's Bazaar May cover interview. Katy Perry's March Glamour cover interview was done by Instagram affirmation specialist Cleo Wade. Interview magazine, known for its celebrity conversations, has been recently revived. In the comeback issue, Raf Simons talks with George Condo (with occasional input from a journalist) and Jennifer Jason Leigh converses with Phoebe Cates. The friend involved in the conversation doesn't necessarily have to be a famous person. In the current Rolling Stone feature with the elusive pop star Sia, the writer establishes himself as a close friend of hers. Similarly, New York magazine's recent interview with Soon-Yi Previn, Woody Allen's wife, was conducted by a long-time friend of Allen, sparking criticism on social media. These articles capitalize on the perceived closeness of friendships to provide insight, disregarding the journalistic duty to remain objective. The unspoken agreement in celebrity profiles is that the journalist represents the reader, not the subject. However, in the pursuit of exclusive access, ethical standards are often overlooked. Friendship should not be a requirement before conducting interviews. This approach is unfair to fans, who are deprived of the insights that come from challenging discussions rather than just agreeing with the interviewee. Imagine the valuable conversations that could have taken place with Beyoncé about "Lemonade" or Taylor Swift about "Reputation", benefiting both the curious audience and the interview subjects. Unfortunately, these celebrities have chosen to isolate themselves, missing out on the chance for deeper exploration. It is regrettable that we will never learn about the unasked questions. Copyright 2018 New York Times News Service.