The Art of the Interview Lessons from a

THE ULTIMATE INSIDER'S LOOK AT THE FINE ART OF INTERVIEWING "I had a fantasy the other night that this interview is so great that they no longer want me to actjust do interviews. I thought of us going all over the world doing interviewswe've signed for three interviews a day for six weeks." Al Pacino, in an interview with Lawrence Grobel Highly respected in journalist circles and hailed as "the Interviewer's Interviewer," Lawrence Grobel is the author of well-received biographies of Truman Capote, Marlon Brando, James Michener, and the Huston family, with bylines from Rolling Stone and Playboy to the New York Times. He has spent his thirty-year career getting tough subjects to truly open up and talk. Now, in The Art of the Interview, he offers step-by-step instruction on all aspects of nailing an effective interview and provides an inside look on how he elicted such colorful responses as: "I don't like Shakespeare. I'd rather be in Malibu." Anthony Hopkins "Feminists don't like me, and I don't like them."Mel Gibson "I hope to God my friends steal my body out of a morgue and throw a party when I'm dead."Drew Barrymore "I want you out of here. And I want those goddamn tapes!"Bob Knight "I smoked pot with my father when I was eleven in 1973. . . . He thought he was giving me a mind-extending experience just like he used to give me Hemingway novels and Woody Allen films."Anthony Kiedis In The Art of the Interview, Grobel reveals the most memorable stories from his career, along with examples of the most candid moments from his long list of famous interviewees, from Oscar-winning actors and Nobel laureates to Pulitzer Prizewinning writers and sports figures. Taking us step by step through the interview process, from research and question writing to final editing,The Art of the Interviewis a treat for journalists and culture vultures alike.

LAWRENCE GROBEL is the author of eight books, including the New York Times bestseller Climbing Higher with Montel Williams, Conversations with Capote, and The Hustons. He teaches interviewing in the English department at UCLA and lives in Los Angeles.

FOREWORD BY J.P. DONLEAVY

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PROLOGUE AN ENCYCLOPEDIC APPROACH

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INTRODUCTION

ROBERT MITCHUM, ADOLPH EICHMANN,

SEXUAL REPRESSION, AND FINDING ONE'S VOICE. DON'T ASK. OR DO.

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1 KINDS OF INTERVIEWS

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Print. Books. Radio. Documentaries. Television.

2 GETTING THERE

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What happens after you've got the assignment? Publicists. Researching and preparing questions. Convincing a subject to sit with you. Changing a reluctant subject's mind. Learning to be patient. Becoming a chameleon and an actor. Behaving differently with different subjects. Be Educated. Be Current. Knowing when to be forceful. Those dumb questions. When an editor wants you, but the subject prefers someone he knows. Bringing the caviar.

3 YOU'RE THERE, NOW WHAT?

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Learning to deal with your nerves. Talking to "stars" and experts. Getting your subject to open up: Knowing when to delve into a person's fears and anxieties, traumas, and financial affairs. Getting them to trust you. When to be an "equal" and when not to be. Maintain control. Relying on your personality. Getting beyond the plug: You've let them promote, now it's your turn. Recognizing good copy when you hear it. Zero in on specifics. Going with the unexpected. Burying oneself in chauvinism. The battle of the sexes. Searching one's past for clues. The problem with parents. Parents and their children. Nightmares: When it just isn't working. Asking the tough, questions. Avoiding confrontations until the end. Dealing with subjects who treat you badly. Nobel Prize winners. Don't overlook asides. Knowing when enough's enough.

4 I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT!

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Jack Nicholson. Anjelica Huston. Dylan McDermott. Jodie Foster. Harrison Ford. James A. Michener. Norman Mailer. Saul Bellow. Al Pacino. Sharon Stone. Truman Capote. Oliver Stone. Marlon Brando. Robert De Niro.

5 STRUCTURE: WHEN THE TALK STOPS

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Editing raw transcripts. How to start: The Importance of a good beginning. Endings. The meat in between.

6 EDITORS ON EDITING AND EXPECTATIONS

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Stephen Randall (Playboy), Peter Bloch (Penthouse), Andrew Essex (Details), Heidi Parker (Movieline/Hollywood Life, Playboy), Barry Golson (TV Guide, Yahoo), Bill Newcott (AARP the Magazine), Janice Min (Us), Will Dana (Rolling Stone).

7 OTHER VOICES/OTHER WRITERS

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Kevin Cook, Claudia Dreifus, Michael Fleming, Kristine McKenna, Steve Pond, David Rensin, Diane Shah, David Sheff.

8 THE INTERVIEWER INTERVIEWED

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APPENDIX 1 DREW BARRYMORE QUESTIONS

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APPENDIX 2 ON THE ROAD WITH THE ANGRIEST MAN IN AMERICA

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SOURCES

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INDEX

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The Art of the Interview Lessons from a Master of the Craft

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials