SPIELBERG CONFIRMS ET WAS MOIST BUT NOT SLIMY

Steven Spielberg addressed a long-standing question about the physical characteristics of the alien creature in his 1982 film ET during a recent interview with the New York Times. Interviewer Rachel Abrams asked whether ET had moist or dry skin, a question Abrams suggested had puzzled people for decades. Spielberg responded that ET was slightly moist but never slimy, and clarified that the creature only became dry when ill. He distinguished ET from xenomorphs, noting that ET never produced tendrils of drool.

The question emerged during Spielberg's promotional cycle for a project referred to as Disclosure Day. Spielberg has conducted a series of high-profile interviews during this period, including appearances on Stephen Colbert's talkshow and in long oral histories covering his entire career. A video clip of the ET exchange circulated online, generating attention for the specificity of the question asked to the filmmaker.

The interview reflects an approach to celebrity journalism focused on extracting novel information from extensively interviewed public figures. Spielberg has spent more than fifty years in the public eye and has been interviewed extensively throughout his career, a status that can result in repetitive responses to similar questions. The focus on a previously unconfirmed detail about a major film demonstrates an effort to secure genuinely new answers from high-profile individuals.