The Art of Interviewing: Insights from a Veteran Host (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: You never hear me use the word I, because I, technically in an interview, is irrelevant. It only is-

Speaker 2: That is the old school, Larry. It only is-

Speaker 1: That is the old school. It only is ego fulfilling. There's no reason to say I. I've got Charlie Rangel on tonight. Why do I have to say I? I don't have to say I. What are you going to ask him? Unless, unless I have a point to make. I might have a point to make with Charlie Rangel, because he goes back a long way with my family. So I might make that point concerning my brother and him and what happened to Charlie Rangel. Which is, that's, the best thing to ask Charlie Rangel, what happened? Just that. Yeah. Then he's got to tell me what happened from his perspective. Because it happened to him, didn't happen to me. How does he feel about what happened? How did he let this happen? Now, I don't know the answer, right? I have to listen. Listening is important. Yeah. Of course, then you learn things by listening. There's a motto. I don't know who wrote this first, but I adopt this as my motto. And if you think about this, students, think about this. I never learned anything when I was talking.

Speaker 2: I think people lose sight of that fact.

Speaker 1: And so if you watch a lot of television hosts, the radio hosts, they're talking more than

Speaker 2: the guests. The best interviews and the best answers come from follow-up questions oftentimes.

Speaker 1: Of course. And when you get the I interview, you literally get like, here's an example. All right, let's say Frank Cezanneau has written a book. My career as a dean. Okay? No, let's say, what are you laughing at? You're putting yourself down. Frank Cezanneau has written

Speaker 2: a book. It might come as a shock to the dean.

Speaker 1: Oh, you may learn by four o'clock that you ain't. Okay. All right. Frank Cezanneau, my life as a dean, and this is today's broadcast host, the ego host. Okay. The self-involved host. Okay. Good evening. Tonight's guest is Frank Cezanneau, author of My Life as a Dean. I never was a dean, Frank. I always wanted to be a dean. I thought about being a dean, but you've written My Life as a Dean. I've skimmed through it a little, and I have to say that when I go through schools, I often wonder what a dean does. I'm sure that you answer that, what does dean mean? Now you try to answer.

Speaker 2: Being a dean means-

Speaker 1: Oh, that's cheap. You're beginning with the word being. Being is a sense of self. Now, what we learn from that is nothing, but we learn that the host is self-involved. It's

Speaker 2: just- The other thing you don't do, Larry, is you don't ... Another part of self-involvement and a host getting involved, you don't call people names. You don't say, oh, you're stupid, or you're a jerk.

Speaker 1: Oh, that I would never do. But people do. You want to know the dumbest way to begin an interview is that way, or let's say, no. Let's say you're interviewing Osama Bin Laden, right? It'd be the number one get in the world. That would be a big interview, yes. Worst first question. Worst first question. Why did you plan the bombing of that building? What would your first question-

Speaker 2: That's the worst first question. What would your first question be to Osama Bin Laden?

Speaker 1: Why did you leave the riches of Saudi Arabia, from one of the richest families, to live in the hills? Now, he knows I'm interested in him. I've made no objective. I'm objective. I sincerely believe he's going to have to want to talk about why he would leave a life of privilege for this life that he's chosen. Now, gradually, we get to the other things.

Speaker 2: It's on your list.

Speaker 1: I've got to take him into me, right? The worst way is to be argumentative. Now, it may be thrilling television. He may scream back, but you don't learn anything. What we want to do with a guest is learn about the guest. .