Shut the hell up
Frank Deford, the exceptional Sports Illustrated feature writer, once observed that interviewing is “two people on a high school date, and it’s not just the reporter doing the flirting.”
Like high school, Deford’s advice is fraught with hidden complications. I could spend a series of columns detailing how to conduct a proper interview. It takes a long time to become halfway competent, because there is always more to learn. That is why I talked to Will Harris, who regularly interviews celebrities for high-profile outlets such as The A.V. Club and Vulture.
Harris, who is terrific at his job, said a good interview is based on silence.
