Scott Raab's interview with Bill Murray is not only funny, but very effective. He truely captures the essance of Murray throughout his interview, as well as capturing the truth behind the life of a movie star. I particularly loved the way Raab was able to interact with Murray's behind-the-scenes life while Muray was waiting to shoot scenes. It was an intelligent decision (or perhaps ironically intelligent) to catch Murray inbetween working hours as the time period for this interview.
One aspect of this that made the interview so effective was Raab's introduction of Murray. He described him for those who both knew and had no idea about the actors personality and lifestyle; so for me, a younger girl who has not followed Murray throughout his career which seemed to blossom in teh 80's, it worked perfectly and gave me great background knowledge about the actor.
"Murray always has looked like who and what he truly is, a working-class Irish stiff, the fifth kid of a nine-child clan squeezed into a small house just north of Chicago proper, soft of heart yet gimlet-eyed. And though he has aged sleekly into his mid-fifties, smooth and handsome enough to play a dapper man without smarm, he still has the ancient acne pock going for him and the crooked caddy's grin that tells you he knows just how far over par you'll shoot--and how much you'll tip--before you even tee it up."
Raab's descriptive language in this context really causes the interview to stand out from others that I have read. The reader is able to really put a finger on not only the personality of Murray but also how he looks, behaves, where he comes from and some of his values.
Clearly, Murray's love for baseball is also shown in this interview, as he would flip back and forth between baseball and golf topics during the interview. I think that Raab putting such an emphasis on Murray's obsession with the Chicago Cubs really demonstrated that Murray is almost more average than those of us who aren't famous; the majority. Raab also caught onto the fact that Murray's second love was watching Golf.
"Interviewing Murray while the Ryder Cup's on is like farting in shul. He's wolfing a Cinnabon one-handed, no mean feat, working the clicker with his other hand, and running down the set caterer's breakfast options for my benefit."One aspect of this that made the interview so effective was Raab's introduction of Murray. He described him for those who both knew and had no idea about the actors personality and lifestyle; so for me, a younger girl who has not followed Murray throughout his career which seemed to blossom in teh 80's, it worked perfectly and gave me great background knowledge about the actor.
"Murray always has looked like who and what he truly is, a working-class Irish stiff, the fifth kid of a nine-child clan squeezed into a small house just north of Chicago proper, soft of heart yet gimlet-eyed. And though he has aged sleekly into his mid-fifties, smooth and handsome enough to play a dapper man without smarm, he still has the ancient acne pock going for him and the crooked caddy's grin that tells you he knows just how far over par you'll shoot--and how much you'll tip--before you even tee it up."
Raab's descriptive language in this context really causes the interview to stand out from others that I have read. The reader is able to really put a finger on not only the personality of Murray but also how he looks, behaves, where he comes from and some of his values.
Clearly, Murray's love for baseball is also shown in this interview, as he would flip back and forth between baseball and golf topics during the interview. I think that Raab putting such an emphasis on Murray's obsession with the Chicago Cubs really demonstrated that Murray is almost more average than those of us who aren't famous; the majority. Raab also caught onto the fact that Murray's second love was watching Golf.
This was just funny. I mean I laughed out loud, which is,in my opinion, an important aspect of what makes for a good interview. It shows that not only the celebrity but also the interviewer has that on-target personality for the job that they are doing. Raab clearly relates well with Murray, eventhough their personalities were very different. Raab, slightly more conservative than Murray was able to soak up Murray's harshly realistic and culturally accurate inclinations with nothing more than a shrug of his shoulders to go right along with it.
Murray's not only tired--his shooting days are running from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 A.M. or later--he's now hocking phlegm, too. TheraFlu helps some. Chicken soup. Tea. Blueberry muffins. He offers whiskey, but he's not having any. And he's got cigars, an assortment of Cubans. He's not smoking, but he insists, and who am I to say no to a Cohiba?
Lastly, I thought that Raab's title for the Interview was effective, clever, slightly humourous and a bit mocking. At a point in the invterview, Murray calls himself a "master" at what he does, but then changes his mind on the word choice. He admits that the word "master" makes him sound a bit full of himself; but isn't he?
Saturday Night Magazine (SNM) recently did an interview with the famous (or infamous?) Kim Kardashian. This interview was also very similarly effective when compared to the one with Bill Murray, as it produced a clear image of a central celebrity figure, yet this female star is evidently more controversial.
Lastly, I thought that Raab's title for the Interview was effective, clever, slightly humourous and a bit mocking. At a point in the invterview, Murray calls himself a "master" at what he does, but then changes his mind on the word choice. He admits that the word "master" makes him sound a bit full of himself; but isn't he?
Saturday Night Magazine (SNM) recently did an interview with the famous (or infamous?) Kim Kardashian. This interview was also very similarly effective when compared to the one with Bill Murray, as it produced a clear image of a central celebrity figure, yet this female star is evidently more controversial.
"Love her or hate her, there’s no arguing that these days Kim Kardashian is everywhere...she offers up a keen understanding of the business she’s in, a familiarity with its pitfalls and desire to forge ahead in business and in life. Amidst a hectic schedule of meetings, shooting and appearances, Kardashian took a moment to slow down and bring us up to speed."
They begin the actual interview by asking Kim what her new fragrance is like and she goes back to her childhood, explaining that creating a perfume and being in the fashion and television business has always been a dream of hers. I personalyl think that the beginningn of the interview is a little boring, although it does bring out Kim's very proper on-screen like attitude. She is very calm, collected and gives precise but meaningful answers.
They go on to get into more juicy and public interest questions about her show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. After asking her questions about how her family gets along in real life, she tells us that they are closer than ever, even when acting rediculous and fighting on air. She eveidently loves the spot light and ejoys the fact that her personal life is open for the public to see, however she feels that people can learn to build positive relationships from watching her well-bonded family on the show.
"I think that sharing our lives on the show is actually very beneficial. The best feedback was the wedding special. Before, people were saying, “Khloé and Lamar met a month ago now they are getting married. This is crazy and it can’t be real.” But, after seeing the wedding special you see the whole process of what their life is like together and how they fell in love. If anything, people are now saying they totally get it. It’s just the best way for us to tell our side of the story."
Another effective topic in this interview is Kim's ability to help other girls understand their bodies and love themselves for who they are. Kim answers questions regarding the publicity about her fabulous body with the fact that she works at it, jsut as anyone has to. While most girls seem to wish for the petite and perfect frames, Kim steps outside of the box, saying that her curves are the best thing about her.
"Right now I feel like I am in the best shape of my life, and I feel like my curves have never looked better. I spend one to one and a half hours in the gym daily. I really watch what I eat. I love curves, and I am really proud that I can help other girls be proud of their curvy bodies."
This makes this SNM interview more interesting and effective, as it shows that Kim is a real person, unlike many may think. Although the interview is a bit shorter than Raab's profile article on Murray, it still portrays Kim's overall personality and attitude toward her work, as well as her fans and her concern for the public. Kim Kardashian is real.
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