Alan Cumming on “The Traitors” and His Brush with Reality Television

Summary

The New Yorker Radio Hour: Alan Cumming on “The Traitors” and His Brush with Reality Television

Released on March 4, 2025

Host and Introduction Hosted by David Remnick, The New Yorker Radio Hour delves deep into the multifaceted career of Alan Cumming, exploring his latest venture into reality television with the Emmy-winning show, The Traitors on Peacock. The conversation, co-hosted by staff writer Emily Nussbaum, offers listeners an intimate look at Cumming's experiences, perspectives on reality TV, and his journey through fame and personal discovery.

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Alan Cumming's Role in "The Traitors"

Alan Cumming brings a unique flair to The Traitors, portraying a character that embodies theatricality and complexity. As introduced by Emily Nussbaum, Cumming describes his role as a blend of "a dandy Scottish laird slash, sort of James Bond villain slash, sort of eccentric old-fashioned nut" (02:35). This character oversees the game, reminiscent of the classic parlor game Mafia, set against the backdrop of a castle that serves as the main setting.

Notable Quote:

"... he has this big castle and like, or like that film Clue or something. You know, it's got all those combinations of these very theatrical camp in the true sense of camp."
— Alan Cumming [02:35]

Cumming emphasizes the importance of maintaining his character to create an atmosphere that commands respect and a touch of fear among the contestants. This approach often requires him to be firm, especially during intense moments, such as when he had to consider breaking up a fight during filming (04:50).

Notable Quote:

"I think being chatty and sort of talking between takes doesn't, you know, it's sort of like being and staying in character in a way."
— Alan Cumming [04:50]

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Experiences with Reality Television

Before embarking on The Traitors, Alan Cumming admitted to having minimal engagement with reality television. He recalls, "I had zero" familiarity, only occasionally watching shows like The Kardashians or The Housewives during flights (06:03). Initially indifferent, his perspective shifted upon deciding to host The Traitors.

Cumming distinguishes The Traitors from other reality shows by highlighting its focus on strategy and collaboration rather than promoting negative behavior. He appreciates that the show "doesn't do [the bad behavior]" common in other reality TV formats, emphasizing teamwork and competition instead (06:24).

Notable Quote:

"I think the great thing I like about The Traitors is that it doesn't do that. It doesn't make people have to work together."
— Alan Cumming [06:24]

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Personal History and Memoir

A significant portion of the discussion delves into Cumming's memoir, Not My Father's Son, where he recounts his complex family history and personal struggles. He shares the harrowing experience of discovering his grandfather's death due to Russian roulette in Malaysia—a revelation that profoundly impacted his relationship with his estranged father.

Cumming reflects on the emotional turmoil caused by the show that intended to uncover family mysteries, leading to unforeseen consequences, including his father's revelation that he is not Alan's biological son (11:06). Despite the pain, Cumming expresses no regrets, stating, "I don't regret it because I feel the truth is better than not knowing, even if the truth is hard" (14:50).

Notable Quote:

"I have to call up my mom and tell her something truly awful, which was that her father had died in Malaysia playing Russian roulette."
— Alan Cumming [14:50]

He further discusses the impact of fame on his ability to manage personal revelations and the challenges of dealing with publicized family secrets (11:24).

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Views on Fame and Celebrity

Alan Cumming provides a candid exploration of his relationship with fame. Raised in Scotland, where "celebrity is not king like it is here," Cumming found the rapid ascent to international fame both exhilarating and overwhelming (15:34). He articulates the duality of fame: the privilege of engaging in meaningful work and meeting extraordinary people versus the burden of constant self-consciousness and public scrutiny.

Notable Quote:

"What was hard for me was just this interest in me as a person, aside from me as a performer."
— Alan Cumming [16:10]

Cumming advocates for authenticity and openness, advising emerging celebrities to embrace their true selves rather than being coy, which often only fuels public curiosity and speculation (17:26).

Notable Quote:

"Authenticity and openness are two qualities that will only make your life better."
— Alan Cumming [17:26]

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Advice for Emerging Celebrities

Drawing from his experiences, Cumming offers valuable guidance to those on the cusp of fame. He cautions against withholding personal aspects of one's life in hopes of maintaining privacy, as this often backfires and heightens public intrigue. Instead, he encourages embracing transparency to foster genuine connections and reduce the strain of living under constant examination.

Notable Quote:

"If I didn't give everything away and was coy about certain things, it would stop people speculating. And actually, it was the opposite."
— Alan Cumming [17:26]

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with reflections on Cumming's versatile career and personal growth. David Remnick summarizes the depth of the conversation, highlighting Cumming's ability to navigate the complexities of fame, personal history, and his latest foray into reality television. Listeners are invited to engage further with The New Yorker Radio Hour through various platforms, ensuring the rich dialogue with Alan Cumming remains accessible to a broader audience.

Final Notable Quote:

"... when you're successful in one thing it usually has a sort of knock on effect in the other parts of your life."
— Alan Cumming [08:10]

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Production Credits The episode was produced by Max Balton, Adam Howard, David Krasnow, Jeffrey Masters, Louis Mitchell, Jared Paul, and Ursula Sommer, with guidance from Emily Botin and assistance from Michael May, David Gable, Alex Parish, Victor Guan, and Alejandra Deckett.

Theme Music Composed and performed by Meryl Garbus of Tune Yards, with additional music by Louis Mitchell.

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This in-depth conversation with Alan Cumming offers listeners an engaging exploration of his multifaceted career, personal challenges, and insightful perspectives on reality television and fame. Whether you're a fan of Cumming’s work or interested in the dynamics of reality TV, this episode provides valuable insights and thoughtful reflections.

Transcript

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[New Yorker Radio Hour]

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour, a co production of WNYC Studios and the New Yorker.

[David Remnick]

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. Plenty of actors light up a room, but Alan Cumming is more of a disco ball reflecting every possible angle of show business.

[Advertiser]

Business.

[David Remnick]

That's how the critic Emily Nussbaum introduced Alan Cumming when they sat down at the recent New Yorker Festival. And he does seem to do it all. He acts in mainstream dramas like the Good Wife as well as more indie projects like his one man version of Macbeth. Cumming is a Broadway legend. He also owns a nightclub. He recorded a duet about Scottish independence with a Gaelic rapper. His memoir, Not My Father's Son was a bestseller. And and he stars in the Emmy winning reality show the Traitors on Peacock. Here's Alan Cumming at the New Yorker Festival speaking with staff writer Emily Nussbaum.

[Emily Nussbaum]

So straight out of Scotland, but eternally beloved in New York. Welcome Alan Cumming.

[Alan Cumming]

Thank you. Thank you very much.

[Emily Nussbaum]

So for anybody who hasn't seen it, Traitors is a reality show that stars reality stars from mostly, yeah, there's a.

[Alan Cumming]

Lot of people from the reality universe as well as some random famous people. It's sort of, you know, celebrities and they all go to a castle and I. It's supposed to be my castle. It's not. And I pretend it is. And we do these, you know, they play this game. It's basically the parlor game Mafia.

[Emily Nussbaum]

Yeah, yeah. So who is this guy who owns this castle? Like, did you think at all about him as a character? Does he have a backstory? Does he?

[Alan Cumming]

I mean, I think of him absolutely as a character. You know, I think of him as this sort of combination of a dandy Scottish laird slash, sort of James Bond villain slash, sort of eccentric old fashioned nut and who has this big castle and like. Or like that film clue or something. You know, it's got all those combinations of these very theatrical camp in the. In the true sense of camp. The sort of the wit and the. And the sort of sardonic kind of camp. And he's sort of imposing and scary, but not mean. And I sort of try not to engage with the contestants because of that. Like in the. In filming, I. I mean, it's getting harder because they see me outside and I say things like this, but afterwards. But when we're at the time, I think I want them to be a little scared of me because I have to sort of shout at them quite a lot to tell them to be quiet and things. It gets out of control sometimes. Like in this new season, I actually thought I was going to have to break up a fight, and I'm not. I don't do that very often. No, but I mean, I thought that in one of the round tables it got so brutal that, you know, people get so passionate about it and was scary and I have to kind of, you know, be really firm with them and I have to. They have. So I think being chatty and sort of talking between takes doesn't, you know, it's sort of like being. And staying in character in a way. Well, good morning, my ever decreasing circle of friends. Last night, mj, Kate, Trishelle and Parvati were hung out to dry. But it was Birgi who suffered the final devastating blow, brutally dispatched by the traitors. Aw. Players, despite the loss of Birgi, we must let bygones be bygones. Bye. Gone.

[David Remnick]

Oh, my God.

[Alan Cumming]

Lord Savage. Soon, players, you must turn your attention to today's mission. You'll be taking a little trip to my. Well, let's call it a holiday home. I have a guest who's currently staying there who'll help you settle in. And after all, who doesn't enjoy a little country escape.

[Emily Nussbaum]

Oh, God.

[Alan Cumming]

Escape.

[David Remnick]

Escape.

[Emily Nussbaum]

I think it's the cabin.

[WNYC Studios]

Oh, no.

[Alan Cumming]

Head down there and I'LL meet you afterwards. A la prochain.

[Emily Nussbaum]

So what was your perspective on reality television before you made the show?

[Alan Cumming]

Zero. Really? I didn't really. I mean I was once in a while on a plane, I would watch the Kardashians or something or catch an episode of the Housewives, but not at all. It wasn't. I never watched it and it just wasn't, I don't know, just wasn't my thing. Never really engaged with it. Still don't.

[Emily Nussbaum]

Did you disapprove of it?

[Alan Cumming]

No, I don't. I mean, yes, I was a bit judgy. I mean, I think I. The thing I don't like about it, the thing I don't like about a lot of those shows is that they laud and therefore encourage bad behavior and lack of kindness. That's what I don't like. Thank you. So when people on these shows are mean, what they're doing is really aping the behavior that probably happened to them. Probably at school someone was mean to them and now that they have power because they have a disguise and they have a sort of a platform, they're basically not breaking the cycle and they're just repeating that bad behavior and I don't like it. And I think the great thing I like about the Traitors is that it doesn't do that. It doesn't. It makes people have to work together. Of course they do terrible things to each other and they're treacherous. But it's about the game aspect rather than just being a meanie and just flinging whiny each other and stuff like that. So yeah, actually this is a complete left field hilarious turn in my life and career to be hosting this show. And I really like it. Don't get me wrong, I love it. It's such fun and also has brought me many great things. You know, other things have happened because of the success of this. Like when you're successful in one thing it usually has a sort of knock on effect in the other parts of your life. And so I. And I've been around the block long enough to recognize that your career. Not that I've ever feel I have been in the doldrums but you know, you have peaks and less big peaks.

[David Remnick]

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. More to come.

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[Emily Nussbaum]

You actually appeared on a very different kind of reality show that you talk about in your memoir called who do youo Think youk Are? That was the name of it, right where it was a genealogy show, who.

[Alan Cumming]

Do youo Think youk Are?

[Emily Nussbaum]

Yeah, that traced the life of your grandfather. And in that you were the subject, you were on the other side of the camera. And I'm wondering, looking back on that experience, how you feel about it, whether you feel good about it, whether you feel ambivalent or you feel regrets and whether you learned anything from it.

[Alan Cumming]

I certainly learned stuff from it. I. Well, I mean, when it happened, when they asked me, I remember thinking, oh, this is the best thing that's happened to me about being famous, because there was a mystery in my family. And they. After, you know, they ask you if you'd like to be a part of it, and then they go away and research you for a while, a couple of months, and they come back and say, yes, we want to do it. And then they say, and we're actually going to feature this part of this area of your family. And so there was this mystery in my family. And I just remember thinking, I'm going to be able to, because I'm famous and the BBC's research and all the things are going to be able to that will make my mom have this knowledge that she's never had about what happened to her father and what a great gift that is. And then, you know, a month later, I was like, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me about being famous. And I. Because I had to call up my mom and tell her something truly awful, which was that her father had died in Malaysia playing Russian roulette. Yeah. And I met, you know, someone who had known him, told me that in this little cafe in Malaysia. And it was. It was. I mean, I don't regret it because I feel the truth is better than not knowing, even if the truth is hard. And it made a lot of sense to a lot of things. And I just think it was, you know. But what was awful, even more awful was at the time that this was happening, my father, because he thought that the show. Because the show said they asked me if they could interview him. And I said, yes, of course, whatever, but I don't want him to be on the show. But just because they were going to research the research. Ask all your aunties and uncles and all these people. And so he knew that I was. He refused to be interviewed for it, but he. And I didn't know how to get hold of him because we were estranged. He was estranged from us for decades. But they got him and he refused to be interviewed, even just for the research. But then he knew I was doing it. So because he thought I was going to find out something, he preempted it and. And got reached out to my brother and told me, told him to tell me that I was not his biological son. And that happened the night before I started filming the thing when I found out my grandfather died from playing Russian roulette. So all the way through this thing, I was having to deal with my father again for the first time in decades. And, you know, that's what my book made, a good memoir, I suppose. But that's what my book's all about. This sort of duality and just how awful that was. It was awful. Iium and Sideswipes. I didn't see that one coming at all. What state of mind must he have been in to the. Getting his kicks from being in some little bar, putting a gun to his head. I feel really sad for him. Being told on camera that your grandfather died playing Russian roulette is a lot. It's not just like, oh, you're, you know, your great, great, great aunt was a minister to Queen Elizabeth in the. Blah, blah. You're like, how fascinating it. And also, it was so near, you know, it was so close. He's one generation away. And so. But as I say, I don't regret it. I have no regrets, actually.

[Emily Nussbaum]

You were raised in a very abusive household in a rural Scottish estate where your father was the caretaker. And then you escaped and you trained to become an actor and you achieved success relatively quickly in your career. And I wanted to ask a little bit about what that first dose of attention was like for you.

[Alan Cumming]

Well, I think what's interesting about becoming famous is there's no. You don't get lessons on it at drama school, you know. And I was also coming from a culture where celebrity is not king like it is here. It was more shocking to me. I mean, obviously I knew famous people. You know, there are famous people, but it wasn't quite. It happened so fast and it happened. I was so young. And also, you know, when you become famous, for me, what being famous is, is that people starting to be interested in you as you and your private life as much, if not more than your work. And so I wasn't ready for that because I didn't. There were areas of my life, like my relationship with my father, that I couldn't even talk about, let alone share it with a journalist or anything. And so that was. What was hard for me, was just this interest in me as a person, aside from me as a performer. And I'm really glad that it happened, you know, that I sort of was famous in Scotland and then I ran away and moved to London and I started to be famous in London. Then I sort of ran away and went to America and I started to be famous in America. So it's kind of gone like this and I've got, you know, I'M now quite used to it and it's sort of such a part of my life. But back then it was really overwhelming. I mean, it's, it is still overwhelming. I mean, I was just talking about this the other day that when people ask me what is it like to be famous, what does that mean to you? What I always say, there are many great things about it. I get to do the work I want to do, I get to meet incredible people. But also you have to live with such a huge level of self consciousness every time you leave your home. And that is a lot.

[Emily Nussbaum]

Is there advice that you would give to somebody who, I mean, I'm sure you've met people on the cusp of fame. When they get famous early, do you offer them any guidance?

[Alan Cumming]

I mean, my only thing is just not be coy to. I was coy about certain things in my life and it blew up in my face. And also, you know, I think I became famous in the sort of 80s actually in Scotland and then in the 90s and in Britain as a whole. And that was a, as it was a time of huge, the tabloids were at the height of their awfulness. And so all those things that you hear about like people raking through your trash cans and doorstopping you and your family and your exes and shouting through your letterbox and all these things that all happened to me and I feel like that was because I wasn't ready. But also I sort of felt if I didn't give everything away and was coy about certain things, it would stop people speculating. And actually it was the opposite. It just made them more and more interested and more and more fascinated. I mean, I think that in life in general, actually, I suppose it's just sort of authenticity and openness are two qualities that will only make your life better.

[David Remnick]

Alan Cumming speaking with staff writer Emily Nussbaum at the New Yorker Festival. You can watch highlights from the [e-mail] and subscribe to the New [e-mail] as well. We've been interviewing actors, musicians, writers and more since the New Yorker Radio Hour went on the air 10 years ago. And we've gathered some of our favorite moments into three playlists for you. And you can hear all of [e-mail] new yorker that's hark audio one word.com new yorker hope you enjoy it.

[New Yorker Radio Hour]

The New Yorker Radio Hour is a co production of WNYC Studios and the New Yorker. Our theme music was composed and performed by Meryl Garbus of Tune Yards, with additional music by Louis Mitchell. This episode was produced by Max Balton, Adam Howard, David Krasnow, Jeffrey Masters, Louis Mitchell, Jared Paul and Ursula Sommer, with guidance from Emily Botin and assistance from Michael May, David Gable, Alex Parish, Victor Guan and Alejandra Deckett.

[Alan Cumming]

And we had help this week from Chris Hagel.

[New Yorker Radio Hour]

The New Yorker Radio Hour is supported in part by the Cherina Endowment.

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Our state has changed a lot in the last 140 years. We know because Multicare has been here guided by a single purpose making our communities healthier that comes from making courageous decisions, partnering with local communities to grow programs and services, and expanding healthcare access to those who need it most. Together, we're building a healthier future. Learn [e-mail].

Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds makes for a wholly amazing, wholly delicious experience that's, well holy Hershey's. Everyone's to get to experience the satisfying surprise of a whole almond tucked inside creamy Hershey's Chocolate. So don't wait your whole life to try Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds. And if you've already had it, then chances are you're already a lifelong fan of this confectionary delight. Find Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds wherever candy is sold.