--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the course of interviewing, I've…" description: "\"In the course of interviewing, I've discovered that if you don't give your guest something to react to, they don't react. They simply say what they've ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-silverblatt-37569_courses_in-the-course-of-interviewing-i-ve-disco_2431183.png" --- # In the course of interviewing, I've discovered that if you… ![“In the course of interviewing, I've discovered that if you don't give your guest something to react to, they don't react. They simply say what they've been saying every time they've been interviewed. The last thing you want is to have people say to you what they've said to someone else.” quote by Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-silverblatt-37569_courses_in-the-course-of-interviewing-i-ve-disco_2431183.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-silverblatt-37569_courses_in-the-course-of-interviewing-i-ve-disco_2431183.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-silverblatt-37569_courses_in-the-course-of-interviewing-i-ve-disco_2431183.png) > “In the course of interviewing, I've discovered that if you don't give your guest something to react to, they don't react. They simply say what they've been saying every time they've been interviewed. The last thing you want is to have people say to you what they've said to someone else.” [Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-silverblatt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective interviewing requires prompting guests with fresh material; otherwise they repeat rehearsed answers. **In simple terms:** Give guests something new to react to. Key Takeaway Ask novel, specific questions. Themes communication interviewing authenticity Mood engaging thoughtful Type instructional practical When to use this quote - media interviews - panel discussions - press conferences - podcast recordings Key Concepts psychology conversation dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you craft prompts that elicit genuine insight? - What techniques reveal a guest’s deeper perspective? A Different Perspective If the guest is unprepared, even new prompts may yield rehearsed replies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I've interviewed everyone from Joe Strummer to Iggy Pop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-ve-interviewed-everyone-from-joe-strummer-to-iggy-pop/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I can tell when I've met a bad journalist when they say, "I've met Madonna," or "I know Marilyn Manson." Because I haven't met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/i-can-tell-when-i-ve-met-a-bad-journalist-when-they-say-i-ve-met/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [For years, I've been interviewed, and they write what they thought I thought or what they thought I said. 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I'd interviewed major newsmakers and Hollywood actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-clayson/i-ve-interviewed-the-president-in-the-white-house-i-d-interviewed/) [Jane Clayson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-clayson/) > [As founder of Eventbrite, I've interviewed almost every single person we've hired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartz/as-founder-of-eventbrite-i-ve-interviewed-almost-every-single-person/) [Julia Hartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartz/) > [Famous people I've interviewed - powerful people, brilliant people, people whom you look at and think, 'Seriously, do you not have pores?' - have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-salie/famous-people-i-ve-interviewed-powerful-people-brilliant-people/) [Faith Salie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-salie/) > [I've been very lucky that I've interviewed so many different people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/i-ve-been-very-lucky-that-i-ve-interviewed-so-many-different-people/) [Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/) > [I've interviewed presidents and royalty, rock stars and movie stars, famous generals and captains of industry; I've had front row seats at Super Bowls,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/i-ve-interviewed-presidents-and-royalty-rock-stars-and-movie-stars/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [I've interviewed multiple people who know bin Laden... who tend to have a universal picture of what he's like, which is: modest, retiring, unassuming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/i-ve-interviewed-multiple-people-who-know-bin-laden-who-tend-to-have/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [When you're used to interviewing someone then you like being in control of the interview. 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I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-silverblatt/a-beautiful-word-in-the-middle-of-a-sentence-can-sometimes-reduce-me/) [Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-silverblatt/) > [If I want to have a conversation, I can't have a list of questions, because the second question on the list is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-silverblatt/if-i-want-to-have-a-conversation-i-can-t-have-a-list-of-questions/) [Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-silverblatt/) > [I'm very against interviewers who do not have time to read the work, who accept jobs knowing that they don't have time to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-silverblatt/i-m-very-against-interviewers-who-do-not-have-time-to-read-the-work/) [Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-silverblatt/) > [I'm often a crier and many things make me cry. I come from a crying family - my mother cries, my grandma used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-silverblatt/i-m-often-a-crier-and-many-things-make-me-cry-i-come-from-a-crying/) [Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-silverblatt/) > [I like to think that at best the interview becomes something like the unaccountable experience of talking to oneself in a mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-silverblatt/i-like-to-think-that-at-best-the-interview-becomes-something-like-the/) [Michael Silverblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-silverblatt/) > [I thought I was going to be a math major. My parents were both accountants and wanted me to major in business. 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