Interview: "[E]ntertained (Cocomelon style)"

 

"[E]ntertained (Cocomelon style)":

Watching Nara Smith

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This post (not part of my essay series) takes the form of a casual interview with a friend. The interview was conducted via email on May 2nd, 2025. Here, one entanglement is explored: this individual (given the false initial “L") and the media they are contaminated by (in this case, Nara Smith's TikToks).

M: How long have you been watching Nara Smith's videos? When/where did you first encounter them?

L: I have been watching her videos for about as long as she went viral, so maybe a year, or a year and a half. I encountered her on TikTok-- I think the first video I saw of Nara's was a "what I eat in a day" on set for a modeling gig. 

M: When do you typically watch her content? How often do you watch it? What's your preferred platform?

L: They always pop up on my TikTok for-you-page in the morning, I've noticed. I only watch her on TikTok, I don't think I follow her anywhere else.

M: Do you watch similar videos by similar content creators (tradwife adjacent influencers)? Why/why not?

L: I've never thought about this! I actually don't watch any other trad-wife videos. I guess, even though I know she's a trad-wife creator, I'm in denial about it when I consume her content. I think part of what makes her so enjoyable to watch is that she does lean into the ridiculousness of her bit. She very obviously pokes fun at her own intensity by wearing over the top, extravagant clothing to cook, making things from scratch to the extreme just for the sake of doing so. It's hard not to love to watch a beautiful person wearing beautiful things make beautiful looking food. 

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Nara Smith and Lucky Blue make hot honey fried chicken sandwiches in a video posted to Vogue's YouTube channel on April 24th, 2025.  The caption describes Smith as "TikTok's silky-voiced, modern-day Barefoot Contessa."

Smith winks at the camera after remarking that she makes husband Lucky Blue juice the lemons because she's "not strong enough" to do it herself.

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M: How much does the visual aesthetic of her videos matter to you (ex., her clothing, her kitchen, etc.)? What are your thoughts on Lucky Blue, for instance?

L: It definitely does-- the visual splendor of it all adds to the viewing experience. I think I accidentally answered this question a little bit in my previous response. I don't have many concrete thoughts about Lucky Blue. I remember him from Tumblr and I made the connection that he was her husband, and I am glad they seem happy. For some reason, the only thing that bugs me about him is his outspoken Mormonism. It's a reminder that Nara has an expected role in his household, even though they seem like pretty modern, hip Mormons.

M: Do your friends watch her videos? Do you talk about it with other people, or is it more of a private thing? 

L: Some of them do, but we rarely if ever discuss her. There's not much to discuss. Watching her videos feels more like scrolling through Pinterest, it's a pretty neutral experience. 

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Nara Smith makes cookies. Screenshot taken from a compilation video posted to YouTube on March 12th, 2024 by Goodluck Content. 

Original content belongs to Nara Smith.

An example of one of Nara's extravagant outfits. Posted in a compilation by YouTube channel TacoBellFan22 on January 9th, 2025. 

Original content belongs to Nara Smith.

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M: How do you feel when you watch her content? 

L: Typically just entertained (Cocomelon style). 

M: Any final thoughts re: Nara?

L: I think she's actually a pretty fascinating public figure. She is presenting both a somewhat archaic version of what it means to be a wife-- she is also making her own money, has her own career, and (paradoxically) is carving space for herself as a Black woman in the "soft, quiet luxury" aesthetic canon that is dominated by white women. 

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Thanks to my friend for being willing to discuss their experiences/interactions with Nara Smith's videos!