Anna Deavere Smith Quotes

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.

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

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.

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

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.

My policy with interviewing is I'm not there to teach the people I'm across from a lesson.

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.

I never do formal interviews. I don't use a tape recorder. I take notes but occasionally.

If you're doing an interview, you need conversational tension. After you talk to them, you're not going to have a relationship with them, they're not going to like you, they're not going to be your friend.

I think the long interview has an important life.

The long, forensic interview really matters.

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.

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 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 get interviewed a lot, and I found myself listening to what the interviewer is asking me, I'm analyzing what I'm being asked more than my response.

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

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

My advice to all interviewers is: Shut up and listen. It's harder than it sounds.

I like doing interviews. I really do.

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 do not believe that I have had an interview with anybody in twenty-five years in which the person to whom I was talking was not annoyed during the early part of the interview by my asking stupid questions.

I think you've got be willing as an interviewer to ask the dumb question every now and then.

Job-interviewing is just a skill. Like any skill, some people have more of a predisposition for it than others.