John Kerwin is a fifteen-time award winning talk show host. Raised in New York City, John began performing as a stand-up at Catch a Rising Star and The Comic Strip, sharing the stage with Jon Stewart, Chris Rock and Ray Romano. John just released his book, Talk Big: How to Interview Celebrities and Make Them Love You.
You are a multi-award winning celebrity interviewer, is there an art form to gaining the trust of celebrities?
Yes, and it can extend to before and after the interview. Your interactions whether by email, phone, or in-person can go a long way to establish trust. On my television shows, I had my entire staff dedicated to creating a comforting experience from the moment the celebrity arrived. Within the interview, there are many ways to gain trust. One major way is to show the celebrity that you’re fully prepared. 95% of interviewers won’t even take the time to read their guest’s autobiography or view their latest project. I’ve even seen interviewers not know how to pronounce the guest’s name.
Tell us about your new book, Talk Big: How to Interview Celebrities and Make Them Love You!
There’s no book like it. I always searched bookstores and libraries for this subject matter. Some books were woefully outdated; other times I had to read 500-page biographies like Oprah: A Biography by Kitty Kelley just to get one page that had a couple of tips. Publishers don’t see the monetary value in this sort of book, yet there are 750,000 podcasters alone who are interviewing celebrities using zero technique. Instead of learning as you go, which can take years and a lot of bad interviews, Talk Big serves as an interviewer’s mentor, and is loaded with everything you need to know to do exceptional work.
Is Talk Big really about a state of mind?
Yes, Jules, I believe that an interviewer needs to believe that there is no celebrity who is beyond their grasp. You can create compelling interviews with anybody. Talk Big is also how you think of yourself and how your mind and personality dictates each interview. It’s going into every interview, preparing for greatness. I believe the first great interviewer was Socrates, who asked important questions like: What is love? Why do we have war? What is the meaning of life? Socrates knew how to Talk Big.
“Talk Big is a fun, compulsive read packed with interesting–and often hilarious–tips about how to interview famous people. But it’s so much more than that. At its heart, this book is about character, confidence, and courage. It’s about letting yourself off the hook for dreaming big, and it’s about having the guts to pursue what might seem out of your reach. Do yourself a favor and settle into John Kerwin’s head for a little while. You’ll come out a better person.” —Patrick Ryan, author of The Dream Life of Astronauts
“John Kerwin’s book is essential for podcasters and hosts on the howto’s on interviewing big shots. Don’t get nervous, get this book.” —Judy Carter, author of The Message of You, The New Comedy Bible
John: How have you perfected the craft of interviewing?
Well, I don’t believe any interviewer has perfected the craft. Even excellent interviewers such as Oprah and Howard Stern, are still making mistakes and learning. It’s a living thing, an interview. There’s no perfection. But there is technique and ways to get better, very fast. In my case, it’s been the experience of doing hundreds of interviews, across a variety of platforms. Again, there was no book. When I started there wasn’t even the Internet. I had to go to the Television Museum to view classic interviews. Today, you have access to thousands of interviews at your fingertips. It also helps to have a mentor. Some interviewers make the same mistakes again and again, without improving. My mentor was Garry Shandling and in Talk Big, I share what he taught me.
Throughout your career, which interview has been the most challenging?
Some guests decide, for whatever reason, to not open up. All that means is that you have to work harder. Finding a guest’s “spark” can turn things around. I once interviewed a TV tough guy actor, who was just not opening up. Then I noticed a little airplane pin on his tie. I asked if he liked to fly. Well, he lit up like a Christmas tree. He said when he’s flying he’s at his happiest. “It’s like I’m at one with God.” Turns out flying was his spark and after seeing my sincere interest in his flying, he finally opened up and gave a terrific interview.
What is the Talk Big Tool Box and why should every podcaster have a copy?
The Talk Big Tool Box is a 100-page e-Book companion to Talk Big and can be found on johnkerwin.com. It’s a collection of emails, letters, and other documents to help an interviewer. Letters that have been successful in booking celebrities; interactions with publicists; getting sponsors; preparing interview questions, handling guest demands, editing notes; online promotion, and lots more. It comes from going though thousands of emails and documents over the years, many of which can serve as a template for an interviewer.
Share a few pieces of advice from Talk Big.
The book can be found on johnkerwin.com. Also, Amazon and Kindle. The Three C’s are the building blocks to a successful interview. They are: Comfort, Connect, and Compel. You want to make the guest comfortable, you want to connect with them, and then you want to make the interview compelling. If you have those three things going, your interview will be exceptional.
My advice is to work toward not using notes during an interview. Imagine going on a date and having a clipboard with questions. Would that work? I believe to connect and make an interview soar, you have to prepare to the point of not having a blue card in your hands or scrolling on your smartphone as you interview. Not having notes also forces you to listen, and to follow up their answers with new questions, rather than reading what’s next on a list. Not having notes will help make your interviews come alive.
What’s next for you?
I’m mentoring podcasters and working with a late night TV talk show host. There’s a mentoring section at johnkerwin.com
And another show.
Parting shot: You are embarking on a noble profession that most certainly goes back to caveman times. When a caveman killed a beast that is feeding the village, another caveman or woman asked, “What was it like killing that wild animal? Were you scared? What beast do you plan on killing next?”