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The Dan Schneider Video Interviews:  Taking Interviews To The Next Level!

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***on the interview ratings

Latest Interview

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101) Lama Ole Nydahl: A trip through Buddhism.

 

**** A good interview on a plenum of ideas.

 

Comment: Some wanders off topic ding this a half star.

 

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102) The Multiverse: Weird interview with physicist Lukasz Glinka.

 

*** Wandering and off point.

 

Comment: Never defines his own views despite repeated attempts to probe.

 

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103) On Purpose: Philosopher David Livingstone Smith opines.

 

****½ Outstanding teleological and causative purpose talk.

 

Comment: Great talk.

 

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104) Diane Apostolos-Cappadona On Creativity: Women and the sacred.

 

****½ Delving into history and religion.

 

Comment: She rocks the foundations.

 

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105) Keith Hamilton Cobb On Acting: Cobb speaks on America, acting, and life.

 

****½ Great interview with the stage and tv star.

 

Comment: Cobb kills the interview in a deep and broad discourse on acting and all concomitant to it.

 

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106) The Multiverse: Physicist Yasunori Nomura tries to clear up misconceptions.

 

**** Good interview on a tricky topic.

 

Comment: Nomura sometimes muddles as he tries to differentiate his view from others.

 

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107) Carole Demas On Acting: The Broadway and Kid's TV star on her life and art.

 

****½ Deep, personal, broad-ranging interview.

 

Comment: Fabulous interview on many aspects of life and acting.

 

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108) Philip Akin On Acting: Actor and theater director on the craft..

 

****½ Great interview with a ubiquitous actor.

 

Comment: Akin takes on acting, the differences in Canadian and American film and tv, and many other things.

 

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109) On Purpose: Integral Thinker Steve McIntosh expounds his view of the cosmos.

 

**** Good interview with a New Ageish hue.

 

Comment: Some contradictions, but a straightforward take.

 

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110) On B Films (and Roger Corman): The B side of life.

 

****½ Excellent overview of the subjects.

 

Comment: Taking no prisoners.

 

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111) Basil Hoffman On Acting: Character actor extraordinaire on his craft..

 

****½ Great interview on a life and an art.

 

Comment: Deep probe into the life of a working actor.

 

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112) On Wallace Stevens: Good look into and intro to the Master Poet.

 

**** Some points missed but solid primer.

 

Comment: Good takes from the 21st Century.

 

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113) Geoffrey Gould On Acting: Nice splash into the little man's take on an art.

 

**** Good peer into the art form.

 

Comment: Gould does well but lack of diversity hold the interview back.

 

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114) Howard Bloom On Creativity: Bloom connects the cosmic and human.

 

**** Good connection of the large and small.

 

Comment: Another winning interview.

 

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115) The End Of Faith And Democracy: Camera-shy, awkward, and stilted interview.

 

** Author was out of his depth.

 

Comment: Very little to recommend.

 

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116) Jonathan Gottschall On Creativity: Good take on storytelling and impulse.

 

**** Putting the perspective on.

 

Comment: Gottschall does a good job in taking on the establishment in Academia.

 

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117) Matt Riedy On Acting: Good probe into the acting life.

 

**** Riedy shines as an everyman actor..

 

Comment: A good interview with unexpected detours.

 

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118) Running Wild Films: Great blast on art and films.

 

****½ Fantastic, on point, and direct.

 

Comment: One of the best takes on the film industry online.

 

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119) On Purpose: Dr. Steve McSwain tackles faith and spiritual concerns in purpose.

 

**** Excellent show.

 

Comment: McSwain subverts dogma.

 

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120) Paul Parducci On Acting: Excellent and down to earth interview.

 

****½  Parducci comes across as wise and relatable.

 

Comment: A great interview with a character actor.

 

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121) Candice Azzara On Acting: Wide ranging talk on the art and craft.

 

****½ Azzara wanders from topic to topic and nails it.

 

Comment: A great take on art.

 

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122) Stepfanie Kramer On Acting: Kramer details her career and views on the craft.

 

**** Down to earth interview with the star of Hunter.

 

Comment: Kramer comes off personable and with some good anecdotes.

 

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123) Richard Brestoff On Acting: Great interview on the nuts and bolts.

 

****½  Wide ranging and deep.

 

Comment: Brestoff shines in the limelight.

 

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124) Greatest American Sitcoms: Great talk on the form and its origins.

 

****½ Stellar show with 3 experts on differing aspects of sitcom history.

 

Comment: Nailed it- one of the best TV discussions online.

 

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125) Michele Greene On Acting: Mixing several arts into one person.

 

**** Good and probing interview on the LA Law star.

 

Comment: Greene reflects on a near 40 year career.

 

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126) On Time: Physicist Tony Short sorts out his ideas.

 

**** Good primer on the subject.

 

Comment: Short lays out the long and short of time.

 

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127) On Romantic Love: Brief but great probe of the cause of joy and sadness for many.

 

****½ Jeffrey Title is concise but on point and witty.

 

Comment: A classic on an important subject.

 

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128) Bill Applebaum On Acting: Concision and improvisation.

 

**** Good but staccato interview.

 

Comment: A little more personal anecdoture needed.

 

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129) On Charlie Chaplin: On the master of silent comedy.

 

****½ Excellent panel discussion.

 

Comment: Getting into the most famous man on Earth from a century ago.

 

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130) Nick Ullett On Acting: Good survey of the theater.

 

**** Ullett details the modern stage.

 

Comment: A good look at the rots of comedy.

 

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131) The Multiverse: On point with Marcelo Gleiser.

 

**** Good and lucid interview.

 

Comment: A corrective to some other claims in other interviews.

 

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132) Corporate Evil: The evil kraken.

 

****½ Excellent panel discussion that digs into why corporations do what they do.

 

Comment: Great show.

 

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133) On Time: Good philosophical history.

 

**** A bit wooden, but overall an informative discussion.

 

Comment: Could have been smoother.

 

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Dan Schneider interviewed on Biggest Questions Podcast about Truth and Art

 

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134) On Martin Scorsese: Good reckoning of his career.

 

**** Focused on the great films.

 

Comment: A good primer into a great filmmaker.

 

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135) The Death Of Saturday Morning Television: A bygone era..

 

****½ Great talk on what was.

 

Comment: Fun and informative.

 

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136) Mira Furlan On Acting: The Babylon 5 star gets personal.

 

****½  Fantastic interview on art and life.

 

Comment: One of the best interviews on acting online.

 

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137) Quantum Evolution: JohnJoe McFadden explains his theory.

 

***½ Good, but abrupt ending detracts.

 

Comment: Interesting hypothesis whether right or wrong.

 

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138) Marianne Muellerliele On Acting: A character actress speaks.

 

***½ Good interview but truncated nature left some holes.

 

Comment: Solid.

 

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139) On Scientism: Steven Lehar and Tom Sorell debate.

 

****½  Great take on an overlooked topic.

 

Comment: Parsing and piecing together a flawed way on the world.

 

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140) Jacky O'Shaughnessy On Acting: Great interview.

 

****½ Great life and insights.

 

Comment: A different approach to the acting life.

 

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141) The Vital Question: Nick Lane declaims.

 

**** Good interview on life on earth.

 

Comment: Getting to the whys of things.

 

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142) Nicholas Hagger: The Gusi Prize winner on life and literature.

 

****  Good diverse talk on assorted subjects and philosophies.

 

Comment: A good introduction to the man and his work.

 

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143) The Three Stooges: Great interview on the comic team.

 

****½ Great insights and overview.

 

Comment: The best primer on the Stooges.

 

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144) On Happiness: Philosopher Christine Vitrano speaks.

 

**** Good start to new Trilogy on Big Questions.

 

Comment: Insightful.

 

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145) Laurel and Hardy: Kyp Harness on one o the great comedy teams.

 

**** Talking about forgotten comedy giants.

 

Comment: A good introduction to comedy team.

 

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146) On Monster Films: Great interview on a genre.

 

****½ Voger and Goldweber provide a great primer on monster movies.

 

Comment: Great listen.

 

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147) Fuck Euphemisms: A talk with linguist Kate Burridge.

 

**** Good delve into an overlooked subject.

 

Comment: Fun and interesting.

 

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148) Sarah J. Halstead On Acting: Good look at an actress on the cusp.

 

**** Insights into real actors' lives.

 

Comment: A good discussion.

 

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149) Polytheism: Good peer into an overlooked subject.

 

**** Comparing polytheism to monotheism and other approaches.

 

Comment: Explications of similarities and differences.

 

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150) James C. Kaufman On Creativity: A talk with James C. Kaufman.

 

**** Good ideas on an overlooked topic.

 

Comment: Solid but not groundbreaking.

 

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151) On Comic Strips: Good walk through the history of an art form.

 

**** Technical limits mar a bit.

 

Comment: One of the better primers on a subject not often looked at.

 

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152) On Time: Lenn Goodman on God and Time.

 

****½ Deft look into a nuanced idea.

 

Comment: Goodman soars.

 

 

153) Abbott And Costello: A talk with Glenn Andreiev.

 

***½ Good show on World War Two's biggest film stars.

 

Comment: Solid.

 

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154) The Marx Brothers: Excellent exploration of the comedy team.

 

****½ Terrific talk.

 

Comment: Hits all the marks.

 

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155) On Horror Films: Outstanding exploration on the horror film genre.

 

****½ Bruhm and Heffernan give a great look into the genre.

 

Comment: Great show.

 

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156) Narcissists, Sociopaths, Psychopaths: Good talk.

 

**** Excellent show on a cogent topic.

 

Comment: Very good.

 

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157) Postmodernism: Better than expected show on a major movement in the arts and sciences.

 

**** Pushing the bullshit.

 

Comment: Good take on a phony zeitgeist.

 

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158) On Happiness: Theologian Brent Strawn excels.

 

****½ Deep and swift moving.

 

Comment: Great interview.

 

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159) Naturalist Sy Montgomery: Good take on her life and opinions.

 

**** Excellent show on her career.

 

Comment: Focuses on the book The Good Good Pig.

 

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160) The Muhammad Code: Good polemic on modern Islamism.

 

**** Some muddied facts but a good agitprop take on history.

 

Comment: Entertaining and informative.

 

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161) The Testosterone Hypothesis: Roy Barzilai on his ideas and book.

 

***½ Some reaches but an interesting take.

 

Comment: Good interview.

 

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162) Sean Kanan On Acting: Good insight into the soap opera business.

 

**** Short but on point.

 

Comment: Inside an industry.

 

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163) Dewey The Library Cat: Good look at the publishing industry.

 

**** Brett Witter on ghostwriting.

 

Comment: Entertaining but not literary.

 

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164) On Objectivity: Good Look at the philosophic implications.

 

**** A bit slow, but a solid primer.

 

Comment: Worth watching.

 

 

165) Steven Pinker's The Sense Of Style: Taking apart a dissection.

 

**** Good take on Pinker's lapses.

 

Comment: Sheremet and Euchner discuss.

 

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166) Melanie Chartoff On Acting: The comedic actress on her career.

 

**** Wide ranging on acting on stage and TV.

 

Comment: Good slice of Hollywood.

 

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167) PMH Atwater on Near Death Experiences: Good look at the philosophic implications.

 

**** Good look into beliefs and methods.

 

Comment: Worth watching.

 

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168) Susan Blackmore on Near Death Experiences: Good take on NDEs.

 

****½  Coring in.

 

Comment: Science applied.

 

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169) Malcolm X In The New Millennium: Vibert White on the American leader's influence.

 

**** Malcolm X in the 21st Century.

 

Comment: Good talk on lesser known aspects.

 

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170) On Thomas Kuhn: Great take on an important work and man.

 

****½ Terrific tri-panel.

 

Comment: Best video on Kuhn online.

 

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171) Michael A. Wood: On bettering The System.

 

****½  Wood is dynamic and forceful.

 

Comment: Great interview.

 

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172) On Apologies: Breaking down why sorry is so hard to say.

 

**** Good conversation on an overlooked subject.

 

Comment: The act and the timing.

 

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173) On Happiness: Dr. Pamela Rutledge opines.

 

**** Good look at joy and the media.

 

Comment: Dissecting the meaning of happiness.

 

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174) On Science Fiction: A discussion of written prose science fiction.

 

**** Sanford and Kincaid dissect a genre.

 

Comment: Good stroll through history.

 

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175) On Dark Matter: The real thing about the unreal?

 

**** Good conversation about the subject at hand.

 

Comment: Circular but informative.

 

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176) James Bond: Bond from page to screen.

 

**** Good roundtable on the icon that is Bond.

 

Comment: Slight tech issues but some good insights.

 

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177) On Genius: A discussion of human intellect.

 

**** Great look at a misunderstood concept.

 

Comment: On point takes on genius.

 

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178) TV Westerns: Fun tour of TV yesteryear.

 

**** Not a deep probe, but a personal look.

 

Comment: Good starting point for fans of Westerns on TV.

 

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179) Brian Patrick Clarke: Television actor Clarke on his life and career.

 

****½ Great interview.

 

Comment: Loquacious talk on many aspects of the acting life.

 

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180) Animal Rights: A discussion of animals and their rights.

 

**** Good discussion of the history and future of an important legal concept.

 

Comment: David Favre perspectivizes.

 

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181) On Soap Operas: Stepping thru the serials.

 

****½ Great look at a dying art form.

 

Comment: Good entree into a genre on the wane.

 

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182) Men's Rights: J. Steven Svoboda on the divisive topic.

 

**** Good insight into a misunderstood movement.

 

Comment: Svoboda gives a good overview.

 

 

183) On Walt Whitman: Great talk on the Good Gray Poet.

 

****½ Asking things unasked before.

 

Comment: Good lively take on the American original.

 

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184) On Robert Bresson: Great conversation on the French film Master.

 

****½ Reader and Burnett guide us through.

 

Comment: One of the best looks deeply into film and more.

 

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185) On the White Working Class: Matthew Jacobson opines.

 

**** Good talk on what got us here.

 

Comment: More than the usual talk radio BS.

 

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186) Kathleen Gati On Acting: Great talk on her career and acting.

 

****½ Open and willing to pursue.

 

Comment: Gati delves into the process.

 

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187) On Truth: Philosopher Michael Peters takes it on.

 

****½ Great start to a new trilogy.

 

Comment: Philosophical look at the difference between truth and reality.

 

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188) On Emily Dickinson: The poet uncovered.

 

**** Two experts on her life and career.

 

Comment: Trying to push beyond the already known.

 

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189) John Arthur Martinez On Music: The country singer kicks it off.

 

**** Jammin' with John Arthur Martinez.

 

Comment: Good look at a lifestyle and art.

 

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190) On Entropy: The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is discussed.

 

**** Off and running.

 

Comment: Howard Bloom is at it again.

 

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191) On Truth: Theologian Ian Markham steps up.

 

**** Open discussion on an aspect of reality.

 

Comment: Markham shines.

 

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192) On Truth: Philip Kitcher applies science.

 

**** Good jaunt through the philosophy of science and truth.

 

Comment: Kitcher guides well.

 

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193) Did Jack The Ripper Exist?: Trevor Marriott opines.

 

***½  Solid interview.

 

Comment: Could have been more on point.

 

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194) Ben Fama Jr. On Film: Starting off a new series.

 

****½ Fama opens up in a great interview.

 

Comment: The indy film life explored.

 

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195) Barry Kibrick: TV questioner is questioned.

 

**** Kibrick on the art of the interview.

 

Comment: Kibrick prevails.

 

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196) The Public Domain and Zombies: Taking on the zombie craze..

 

**** On the public domain, as well.

 

Comment: Brubaker and Kendrick take on three seminal films.

 

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197) Brad Maule On Acting: The soap star on his life and career.

 

**** Some nerves and reticence at the interview's start.

 

Comment: Good interview.

 

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198) On Marshall McLuhan: The first guru of modern media.

 

***½ Technical issues and abrupt end mar the interview.

 

Comment: Live from a small town outside of Naples.

 

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199) John Fitzpatrick On Acting: Indy director on the craft.

 

***½ On the quest to get work out.

 

Comment: Solid interview.

 

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200) On Jacques Derrida: The ideas of a thinker.

 

**** Slow going but picks up steam at the end.

 

Comment: First in a series on the Great Philosophers.

 

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After reading some mediocre interviews, wherein the interviewees did not even bother to pretend to care about the questions asked them, nor the reading pleasure of Cosmoetica’s audience, the site’s fans wanted me to invoke a ratings system for interviews, figuring that the interviews that are great deserve more readership than the bad ones. And, since the high quality of the questions is static from interview to interview, it really points out how much of the interview’s success depends on the interviewee and his or her willingness to open up. Ironically, even the ‘lesser’ interviews are successes because they often unwittingly reveal the negative and/or malevolent side of the interviewee, just as the great interviews reveal the positive and intelligent side of the interviewee. Yet, even the lesser DSIs are miles above the fellatio and relentless hucksterism that passes as interviews online and in print.

  Along with the rating, I will add comments relevant to the interview- be it quality, background information, and recollections of the pros and cons of the interview and interviewee.

  So, herein I will invoke a 0 to 5 star rating system, with ½ stars invoked as needed.

***** 5 stars- a great interview, one that shows interviewing is an art form. The answers are in depth and treat the reading audience as the intelligent people they are, plus being highly quotable.

**** 4 stars- an excellent interview. The interviewee is often witty and intelligent, but perhaps is a bit reticent in a few areas, due to PC or their own nature. Still quotable.

*** 3 stars- a good, solid interview. Some high points that are quotable, but some negative points and ho-hum moments.

** 2 stars- a mediocre interview. Some good quotes but more often the interviewee is agenda pushing or being reticent and/or not taking the interview and the audience seriously. Good and bad points are about balanced.

* 1 star- a bad interview. Not quotable, and the interviewee thinks that DSIs are just run of the mill interviews found elsewhere. Rote answers and/or interviewee delusions can be seen. Not quotable.

zero (0) stars- an atrocity. The interviewee has no real reason for doing the interview save to serve their own ego and/or ax to grind.

  Enjoy the interviews, but make sure you compare the great and bad interviews with each other, and the differences between how the interviewees approach the questions (and often the exact same questions) and the quality of the interviews. 

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