Ask A Genius 1216: Hollywood Press
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/12/19
Rick Rosner: Also, it would help if you got into interviewing more high-profile celebrities—, the People Magazine type. You’ve already done thousands of interviews with hundreds of people. Have you ever counted how many people you’ve interviewed? It’s probably at least 500.
It would help if you interviewed some big-name celebrities because it’s fun, and they’re often interesting. I’m not your boss, but you’re good at interviews. Nobody leaves an interview with you feeling bad about themselves, right? That’s key when interviewing celebrities. If they feel good about the interview, and when it’s published, they and their publicists are happy because it presents them positively. You don’t do interviews to make someone look bad, so you’d be great at celebrity interviews.
Throwing celebrities off with unexpected questions can be risky. At the beginning of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2003, late-night talk shows—and any show with celebrity guests—were designed for fun and promoting projects, unlike 60 Minutes, which aims to put people under a harsh spotlight.
Before the show, there’s a pre-interview where a segment producer talks to the guest for 15 to 20 minutes. Having already done background research, the producer reviews interesting stories the guest might share. Almost every host sticks to that pre-interview. While they may not cover everything, the guests will have prepared, so there are no surprises. For each question from the host, the guest should have an entertaining answer ready.
When Kimmel started 21 years ago, Jimmy was known for loving talking to people, unlike some hosts who prefer monologues. He enjoyed unscripted, awkward moments, so he would go off the pre-interview script and put guests on the spot. This led to some awkward moments, which Jimmy loved.
But the guests, especially their publicists, weren’t fans of that. Publicists prefer to avoid seeing their clients caught off guard in an interview, even if it makes for more interesting content. And if you piss off a publicist, it’s bad news because a publicist might represent 20 or 30 people. If you alienate half a dozen publicists, suddenly, you can’t book guests for your show. Back in 2003, when Jimmy Kimmel Live!was starting, it wasn’t easy to get guests. In those early months, we faced a guest shortage, and that’s when Jimmy started sticking to the pre-interview format.
You’re a great interviewer, which means you’d be fantastic at interviewing high-profile celebrities and getting spoiled. You’ve sacrificed a lot over the past 12 or 13 years, so why not? You’d want to avoid joining the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Still, you’d be in a good position to do so if you wanted. The Hollywood Foreign Press is a group of about 80 foreign journalists who cover Hollywood.
They’re the ones who vote for the Golden Globes. For the Emmys, thousands of people vote across various categories, and for the Oscars, there are thousands of people. Only people in those fields vote for the smaller, specialized categories like best special effects, best makeup, or best wardrobe. I can’t vote for the best wardrobe or anything like that, but for the main categories, thousands of people vote, and those are the ones who need attention.
But for the Golden Globes, just 80 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press decide who wins all the awards, so you can imagine the level of attention and access they get from celebrities. It’s a whole different level of ass-kissing and spoiling. It would be best if you did not try to join them. Still, it would be best if you aimed to interview top-tier celebrities like Cate Blanchett or Colin Farrell.
Jacobsen: I see. I have developed various systems and processes for interviews over time and hold certain philosophies when conducting them. Two principles that work best are rooted in an ethical framework. It’s like a more sophisticated form of utilitarianism mixed with the “no harm” principle and the Golden Rule—try to maximize the well-being of others while avoiding harm.
Rosner: Right, that makes sense. What are those two principles?
Jacobsen: First, I approach interviews from a strengths-based angle. This means focusing on the interviewee’s expertise and discussing topics where they excel. That’s why my interviews aim to highlight their strengths.
Focusing on where people’s expertise lies, where they feel comfortable, covers a broad range. Part of that comes from understanding their field and using an intuitive approach to being around them. The strengths-based method doesn’t mean misrepresenting them; it’s about giving an accurate portrayal where they can speak confidently.
Rosner: Right, and that helps put them at ease. What’s the second principle?
Jacobsen: The second part is that I try to avoid “gotcha” journalism. For instance, when I interviewed Steven Pinker, someone questioned why I didn’t grill him on controversial aspects of his work related to IQ and some of the researchers he cited whom people dislike. They didn’t like Pinker by association, which sparked some criticism of my interview with him when I was in Ukraine. While that feedback had some merit, it needed to be more substantial.
Rosner: I see. It’s about sticking to what you and the interviewee agreed on, right?
Jacobsen: Exactly. We had agreed to talk about humanism and higher education, particularly at the undergraduate level. We stayed on topic, and it was a successful discussion. If I had done what that critic wanted, I would have caved to external pressure, compromising my journalistic independence, which feels wrong on many levels. Plus, that particular critic seemed unbalanced in how they approached their feedback.
Rosner: That makes sense. I have a celebrity suggestion for you to interview.
Jacobsen: Who?
Rosner: Justine Bateman. Like her brother Jason Bateman, she was a child actor. While they both continued acting, Justine Bateman returned to school and earned a Computer Science degree. She’s now a major advocate against AI in entertainment and was vocal during the recent strike.
Jacobsen: Interesting. I hadn’t considered that angle.
Rosner: Yes, she was furious about how AI affects the industry and remains so. She can talk about the technical side because she understands it, having studied Computer Science. She was a leading voice during the strike, especially on AI issues. Now that it’s been over a year since the strike, with production still down by 30-40% and studios stalling on resuming work, she would have much to say about the industry’s current state.
Jacobsen: That sounds like a compelling interview. I imagine she has strong opinions grounded in real knowledge.
Rosner: Absolutely. She even wrote a critical book about fame, so she’s well-versed in discussing these topics from unique angles. You’d get insightful and bold commentary from her.
Last updated May 3, 2025. These terms govern all In Sight Publishing content—past, present, and future—and supersede any prior notices. In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons BY‑NC‑ND 4.0; © In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen 2012–Present. All trademarks, performances, databases & branding are owned by their rights holders; no use without permission. Unauthorized copying, modification, framing or public communication is prohibited. External links are not endorsed. Cookies & tracking require consent, and data processing complies with PIPEDA & GDPR; no data from children < 13 (COPPA). Content meets WCAG 2.1 AA under the Accessible Canada Act & is preserved in open archival formats with backups. Excerpts & links require full credit & hyperlink; limited quoting under fair-dealing & fair-use. All content is informational; no liability for errors or omissions: Feedback welcome, and verified errors corrected promptly. For permissions or DMCA notices, email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com. Site use is governed by BC laws; content is “as‑is,” liability limited, users indemnify us; moral, performers’ & database sui generis rights reserved.
In-Sight Publishing 