Michael Finkel Quotes

You've gotta understand - when you interview someone, it's not an interrogation. It's not the Nuremberg Trials.

I like doing interviews. I really do.

I don't talk a lot when I interview. My job is to get out of the way.

I think that any reporter or columnist will be a little more careful when doing interviews with me.

It is harder to lie in an interview. A good interview - and it can be polite - is not a one way street like a candidate controlled ad. An interview is not programmed by the candidate and so the candidate can't be exactly sure what will be asked.

I never think of access or good will. I just want a good interview. I want guests to be informative and entertaining. I've never been concerned about someone's liking me tomorrow.

When you're interviewing someone, even your mother - you have to sort of deal with you have to get some objective space from yourself and the person but you also have to find what's the best way to get the information from that person.

I think interviews are good when you are an actual fan of the person you are interviewing.

I'm not a good interviewer.

Because I come from the place of interviewing, I know how to answer a question giving you what you need to hear and not a minute more.

I have spent a long time being asked questions in interviews, so I've experienced it on the other side but I'm really not afraid to ask any question myself.

Interviewing is tough, especially if you don't know what you're looking for.

When you are interviewing someone, never let your camera person turn off the camera. The second you turn off the camera, they'll say the magic thing that you'd been looking for the whole interview. People want to relax after the performance is done. Don't be afraid of awkward silence. That is your friend.

I think the long interview has an important life.

I have nothing against interviews. I don't pursue them. When people I work for deem it appropriate, I'm perfectly willing to serve.

I am really bad at actually interviewing people.

When I'm interviewing somebody I don't work from prepared questions.

An interview will seem very sane to me, and I'll find out that the journalist was laughing out of the side of his mouth half of the time.

I have a hard time with interviews, because I'd rather hear about the interviewer.

I always do my interviews face to face.

She nodded, jotting something in her notebook. You’re writing that down? Has the interview started?” Lee, whenever you’re talking to a reporter, you’re being interviewed.

Interview? Oh don't be ridiculous.

Once we get them in the studio, you interview a person the same way you would interview another. You ask them a question. You let them answer. You try to listen closely and then ask a follow-up.

I'm not used to interviews. People don't generally interview waitresses.

When I do interviews, I never pre-plan them at all, radio or TV.