I've been hearing radio spots for Larry King coming to Casino Niagara for a night of entertainment. Didn't pay much attention to it at first but then I got to thinking how the hell is Larry King going to entertain me for 2 hours, live, on stage?
Larry King is passed off as America's top interviewer. He's not. Any interviewer who brags about interviewing authors and never reading their books is not a great interviewer. Now I don't know if John Stewart reads every book that crosses his desk or if his staff does the prep work. What I do know is that when John Stewart interviews an author he knows what the book is about, he can cite passages and agree or disagree he generally has a well thought out intelligent conversation.
My first taste of Larry King came on my drive in to work when he was doing overnight talk radio. I would actuially yell at the radio because he would piss me off on a nightly basis. It wasn't his opinions it was the way he treated the callers. If they disagreed with him he blew them off and rarely was there ever a conversation. 'Course he's not the only one guilty of that. If you're going to do call in radio then the caller is your co-star. It's supposed to be an exchange of ideas and in most cases the callers ideas are as valid as the hosts. They may not be as eloquent but they have a point to make. It should be a discussion.
I was told early on in my career that when you do an interview go in with 3 questions. The trick is the listen carefully to what's being said and come up with follow up questions. I've heard way too many interviews where the guest will drop a bomb like "the United States will invade Canada within 6 months because they've found out that the Prime Minister and his cabinet are actually alien reptiles plotting to take over the world". To which in interview replies, "interesting and how long have you been teaching at Harvard".
I would occasionally tune in Larry King just see who his guests were. The one that broke it for me was the Steven Colbert interview. Colbert went in as the character from the Colbert Reports and not as Steven Colbert comic actor. King didn't get. Colbert stayed in character and it got to the point where I actually felt sorry for King. Either he didn't do his homework and had no idea what Colbert was. If he did it was obvious that he just couldn't joust with the guy. It was not contest.
I have no idea what a night with Larry King at Casino Niagara is all about. I have no idea how he plans on entertaining the audience. I think I'll do what he does on this one and not bother doing any research.
Good call on King, I have never really gotten why he has such a reputation. Whenever I have seen him on TV, he throws softball questions, and treats his guests like they are royalty and we should be honored to see them on his show.
The dude is washed up, and should be put out to pasture. Replace him with Bill Maher.
Maher wouldn't be a bad choice. I thought about John Stewart but I don't think he'd go that route. Stewart is one of the best at coming comedy and interviewing. I've never understood why he didn't get a network talk show gig. He can easily go toe to toe with Leno or Letterman and he can blow the late night guys like Conan and Fallon out of the water.
Dear Rick, just a comment to say I just came across your blog and glad to see you're back at it and hope you're enjoying it. I've enjoyed going through them and can hear your voice as I read the words. Take care. Diane, Oshawa.
Thanks Diane, that means alot.
To quote you: "If you're going to do call in radio then the caller is your co-star." . . . .
I wish nearly all the talk radio persons in Toronto would read that and take it to heart. Why do we know more about the host than about the guests?
Bill Cameron was such a great interviewer. He did two week's relief for another person and the difference on the program was night and day or chalk and cheese.
I could never figure out the reason such person as Limbaugh or Adler or Coren or Carroll ever get listeners. They do more talking than their guests and they like to drop callers.
Whatever happened to listening and asking perceptive questions?
Rick I agree about Mr King's coming to Casino Niagara, It;s not he can sing (taking way his thing at the end of "Sheck 2" or dance link Regis can.
I Enjoy your blog.
Craig
if I wanted to listen to a cantankerous out of touch out man pontificate on shit he knows nothing about, I'd go spend $10 and hang with my uncle at the Legion instead of driving to Niagara and spending at least $50 a ticket.
I'm in for a ten spot. What Legion branch is it?
Or tune into Coach's Corner...
The most entertaining thing King can do is parade his hot wife around on stage. At lease you can look at her...he is just skeletor looking creepy with the way those suspenders slice into his shoulders.