For individuals involved in documentary filmmaking, comedy, or those interested in medical fraud, the anticipation surrounding a new project has dominated recent conversations. The curiosity stems from a single-minute clip featuring Nathan Fielder, the HBO comedian known for his boundary-pushing series The Rehearsal, facing off against Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of Theranos. In the footage, the two are seen inches apart, with Fielder famously asking Holmes, “Are you being real right now?”—raising questions about whether Fielder had secretly filmed a documentary with one of Silicon Valley’s most notorious figures.
The premise of a television illusionist confronting a prominent scammer appeared almost too compelling to be true. Buzz for You Can See Everything, co-directed by Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, has been intense. Oppenheim is noted for his narrative feature debut, Primetime, which recently premiered at festivals. This heightened interest made tickets to the film’s New York film festival premiere on Wednesday highly sought after.
Honestly, I’m skeptical. How much of this is real documentary footage versus Fielder’s usual elaborate performance art setup?
Fielder facing Holmes is the ultimate match-up. I need to see if she actually breaks character or stays perfectly still.