All you do is talk talk

“Give the people what they want and they’ll come out for it.”* Give ‘em what they need and you might refund tickets. Just ask Steve Martin. Better yet, don’t. Ask him about working with Eddie Murphy instead.

Recently, Mr. Martin, the pensive comedian/author/playwright/banjo picker, joined The New York Times’ Deborah Solomon for a closed-circuit-televised, on-stage interview at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Like any good interviewer, Ms. Solomon focused on her guest’s latest work — An Object of Beauty – and quizzed him about the novel’s context: the art world. During their talk, a Y staffer delivered a note to Ms. Solomon urging her to refocus questions to concentrate on Mr. Martin’s more familiar career as joke-smith and movie-star. Apparently, a vocal segment of the audience wanted to hear more of his oft-told tales than actively listen to his extemporaneous and wise musings. If they didn’t get what they wanted, then they wanted their money back. Sadly, the Y gave the masses both. In doing so, the organization failed its self-prescribed goal: The  ”92nd Street Y is about people—the people of New York City and the surrounding area, the United States and the world. It’s about people who entertain and challenge, inform and educate. It’s about people who learn and discover, observe and participate.” On this night, it wasn’t. On this night, clearly, the 92nd Street Y was about serving the lowest common denominator. Shame on them.

I have interviewed over 1,500 folks — on stage, on air, on screen, in print and off the record. Whenever I conduct an interview, I feel honored… honored by the generosity of my guest and the opportunity provided both me and my audience to learn. In preparing for an interview, I do exhaustive research, the purpose of which is to best know my subject AND to avoid asking questions that have been asked so many times before. If the knowledge has already been drawn from the well, why submerge the bucket again? Need a refill? That’s why Al Gore created the internet.

Earlier this year, I hosted Dan Pink, the best-selling author and the VP’s former speechwriter. I asked Mr. Pink questions directly and tangentially related to Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us and none that begged him to regurgitate the book’s contents. I asked him whether Geoffrey Canada‘s extrinsically-motivated approach to education would, ultimately, backfire. I asked him whether there was enough heuristic work for Americans if most algorithmic work is getting outsourced. I asked him whether writing speeches for Al Gore was like choreographing dances for Stephen Hawking. I kept him off-guard rather than on-message and, consequently, Mr. Pink praised me:

“Warren Etheredge is an extraordinary interviewer — one of the best in the country.  He’s incredibly prepared for each encounter — and has an uncanny ability to absorb complicated material and distill it for audiences.  He also has a terrific sense of humor that makes the interviews feel less like dutiful graduate seminars and more like a late-night talk show. Indeed, I think it’s only a matter of time before some media executive wises up and gives Warren his own show.”

Of course, I was flattered; my guest was pleased. But not every attendee was happy. One blogger in the audience took me to task for not covering enough of the specifics in/of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us so that he could write a review based solely on what he had heard at the event. When I suggested he read the book which was given him as part of his admission to Biznik’s vaunted Innovators Series, he still seemed incredulous and proceeded to rip me for my hosting inadequacies. How dare I not do his work for him?

We have entered a new age of crusades, only today, each righteous expedition is individual. Too often, we fight for our ideas regardless of the greater good or opposing viewpoints. Honest discourse is more endangered than humility, and that’s saying a lot in the era of personal branding. (Yes, I note the irony of this post appearing on my eponymous blog.) We’ve graduated from the snickering, service-oriented motto “the customer is always right” to the self-serving, solemn m.o.: “I am always right.” Well, says who? The like-minded “news”-caster you’ve self-selected? The maniac in the mirror? You?

In order to survive, we must work together. In order to thrive, we must learn from one another. If we cannot embrace the challenge of others’ opinions, we cannot imagine the unknown. And, if we fail to do that, we forfeit American dreams and proscribe innovation; we reduce ourselves from the roles of Einstein to… THE JERK.

What do you think?

SPECIAL OFFER: On Monday, December 13th, I will be hosting my workshop, LISTEN UP! The Art of the Interview, during which I am sure to defend Ms. Solomon and demystify my unorthodox approach. Bonus, admission is reduced for readers of The Warren Report. Just click here: http://listenupworkshop2-efbevent.eventbrite.com/

* The quote in myriad forms is attributed variously to Louie B. Mayer, Georgie Jessel or Red Skelton.