There have been promos, predictions, magazine covers and calculations. All that’s left now is to actually hear from Bruce Jenner.
Millions will be tuning in on Friday night when ABC airs Diane Sawyer’s exclusive interview with the former Olympian and current reality TV star.
It is widely assumed — but not confirmed — that Jenner will speak for the first time about undergoing a male-to-female transition. Advocates for the transgender community are hopeful that Jenner’s announcement will spark conversations and spur better understanding of gender identity.
At the same time, there is some apprehension about the two-hour special, since it could come across as exploitative.
ABC has revealed little about the contents of the interview, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET. The special is called “Bruce Jenner: The Interview” — a title that gives nothing away. In short preview clips, Jenner has said things like “My whole life has been getting me ready for this.”
The interview sessions with Jenner were taped in February. Within ABC, they’ve been been tightly guarded: For example, the small group of staffers who worked on the special were not allowed to take scripts home for the evening.
But Sawyer shared some information in promotional interviews on Friday. In addition to Jenner, she said she interviewed four of Jenner’s children — Burt, Cassandra, Brandon and Brody.
This indicates that Sawyer did not interview any of the children Jenner had with his third wife, Kris, or any of the Kardashian clan from Kris’s previous marriage. However, the special will include statements from some (unspecified) members of the famous family.
On Friday, Jenner’s most famous stepdaughter, Kim Kardashian, said “we’re going to watch the special together as a family.”
Attending Variety’s Power of Women event, Kardashian declined to say anything more about Jenner: “I’ll let the special come out and speak for itself.”
Kardashian, who has a book of selfies coming out, is scheduled to speak further on NBC’s “Today” show on Monday.
Ahead of the television special, entertainment media outlets are speculating about when and how Kris Jenner will comment, if in fact her ex-husband shares details about a gender transition. Meanwhile, TV executives are swapping predictions about how high the ratings will be for Sawyer’s special.
Some critics have argued that the attention already surrounding the TV special has turned what could be a milestone moment for transgender people into an all-out spectacle.
“A few in the transgender community have accused Jenner of exploiting a still newly visible and vulnerable community,” L.A. Times TV critic Mary McNamara wrote this week. “Many more have taken the media to task for wallowing in speculation, for focusing on personal details rather than the discrimination and often brutal harassment that transgender people face.”
The comedian Andy Richter commented on Twitter on Friday afternoon, “Anyone who’s trans-gender & is brave & strong enough to live openly & honestly deserves better than what Bruce Jenner is getting.”
On “Good Morning America” on Friday morning, Sawyer commented on the channel’s decision not to share more sneak peeks of the interview ahead of time.
“Diane, everyone wants to know what’s going on,” George Stephanopoulous said to her.
“George, I think we can all agree that some things, some stories should only be told by the person who lives them,” Sawyer coyly responded.
This exchange was followed by a short clip dubbed by the network as an “ABC News Exclusive.” In it, Jenner conveyed hope for the future.
“I hope I’m going to be okay. I feel that I’m going to be okay,” Jenner said in the clip. “2015 is going to be quite a ride. Quite a ride.”
Whatever that ride may be, it begins publicly on Friday night.