I have spent most of this afternoon being interviewed by a local publication - which got me remembering. Before I was published, I longed for the day when someone would be paid to listen to me wittering on about myself for hours, interjecting every now and again with admiration on my lucidity and clarity of thought.
Now, of course, I know that interviews are mostly spent trying to think of new ways to answer the same questions over and over again - although good interviewers (this afternoon’s was case in point) always like to try to think of new questions to ask, new perspectives on a subject.
But, just sometimes, I wish they’d throw out the rule book, stop asking me where I get my ideas from, and ask something more random.On my own blog, when I do interview-type thingies, I like to try asking questions like ‘what’s your favourite cheese?’ and ‘if you were a T shirt slogan, which would you be?’
Which question have you always longed to asked by an interviewer? And, no, ‘Have you always been this gorgeous?’ doesn’t count…
It would be Stilton. Actually. Nutty and creamy, with mouse-teeth marks.
Here’s one for you, Jane, apart from ‘What’s your Twitter name?’ What is it about fusilli pasta that makes it so much more interesting than other types,eg: macaroni?
Laura (I have more than one question about pasta) James.
In all seriousness though, and in my limited experience, I find unique questions easier to ask if I have previously met the interviwee and struck up a relationship or rapport.
Good question…maybe “If you could come back as anyone’s chest hair whose would it be?” For me the answer would clearly be Sean Connery (in his salad days)
All I can say is - I’m glad Jane is never likely to interview me. Cheese, indeed.
Emmerdale and I’ll take the money - sorted! What do you mean, Emmerdale’s not a cheese? If it’s not, it ought to be.
Heard a combi of the cheese/chest hair questions on the radio recently - i.e. ‘If you could come back as a cheese, which one would you be?’ Or was it ‘What’s your favourite chest hair?’???
You see? So many better questions than ‘where do you get your ideas from?’ I am particularly taken with all varieties of the chest hair question, although I am not a mad fan myself, I could probably come up with some suggestions, after being subjected to a bombardment of images of men with their shirts off.
And Evonne? I shall save the pasta question for you, then!
LOL Jane - definitely better than where do you get your ideas from? What about - ‘If you were a secret agent, what would your code name be?’ Slightly better than the question my boys asked me tonight:’Mummy - why did you marry Daddy?’ X
As long as people don’t ask cheesy questions, surely anything goes…?
I like odd questions too, makes it so much more interesting! But chest hair - no! Can’t think of anything better right now, but I’ve been asked things like “thunderstorms - do you love them or loathe them?” (I love them as long as I’m indoors
You see - all it takes is a little creativity.. x