Paris Hilton can teach you a thing or two about how to interview on a national TV talk show.
During her exclusive interview with Larry King last week, Hilton mentioned that when she was behind bars, she read the Bible.
When King asked, “What’s your favorite Bible passage?” She hesitated a long time, then said, “I don’t have a favorite.”
That wasn’t a trick question. Interviewers frequently ask you to describe the “best” or “worst” of something, or your “favorite” or “least favorite” something, and she should have been ready for that one. Not having an answer made her appear even more disingenuous than she already is.
If you’re going to introduce a topic during your interview that’s sure to pique the interest of the interviewer, you had better be ready to elaborate. Or risk looking unprepared and foolish.
If you’re a media coach or a speech coach, by the way, exclusive interviews like that one provide a great opportunity for you to critique the performance of the celebrity. Many people who missed the interview on TV will be searching for it the next day online.
That’s why your blog is a great place to comment on it. You can also post comments at other influential blogs that discuss the interview. And offer commentary to the TV columnist at your local newspaper.