I had low expectations when I saw that pop star Dua Lipa was doing interviews with novelists like Hernan Diaz, Ocean Vuong, and George Saunders. Especially given that her "book club" website is full of affiliate links to buy beauty products she recommends.
But then I watched the video with Hernan Diaz and it's… kind of amazing.
Watching his facial expressions as she asks insightful question after insightful question is pure joy.
That got me thinking. Is this a fluke or is Dua Lipa really good at this?
I think she's really good at this.
- She does research (like Sean Evans on Hot Ones but not as esoteric lol)
- She asks questions in the sweet spot: probing but not so so tricky that the author struggles to answer them
- She has an amazing chemistry with all her guests (no huge surprise that she has charisma).
I spent the last 5 months working on a video that analyzes what she does well and compares it to other literary interviews. I believe that:
- Late Night Show interviews are too short and light
- 60 Minutes-style interviews are too heavily edited
- Podcasts can be great but most hosts don't have her warmth + intelligence
- Morning Shows (Today Show, GMA) are a literary hellscape
- Interviews at bookshops and conferences can be amazing, but some have a performative pretension to them
Who do you think is the best interviewer of novelists?
by thundercatzzz