Inside The Actors Studio

Lately I’ve been watching “Inside the Actors Studio” and if you are a fan of any of the actors they interview I totally recommend watching this series.  I’ve been more and more impressed by the series.  I know it’s been around for a while (16 seasons) so there are a ton of episodes available.   With a lot of celebrity interviews it becomes them plugging their projects to a talking head that low balls easy questions.  With this show it’s a lot more honest, which is nice.

​What makes the show so awesome is that the host James Lipton’s team researches the HELL out of the person he is about to interview.  So he is asks questions that make the celebrity really be open and honest.  It’s very conversational and comes across as if they were discussing coming into their craft from their early years and into coming into fame. Then there is a Q&A session with the students in the audience.

​The host James Lipton is amazing.  The first heard of him was the SNL impression that Will Ferrell perfected.  Upon seeing him I was surprised how accurate it was.  There is this calm presence to his voice and he makes issues that the tabloids would have raked them over the coals for seem like no big deal.  Then it’s followed by the questions made by Bernard Pivot which were asked of Proust which Lipton asks of every guest.  In my head it’s hard not to always answer them for myself.

What is your favorite word? Ennui

What is your least favorite word? Stress

What turns you on? Smiles

What turns you off? Animal Cruelty

What sound or noise do you love? Other People’s Laughter

What sound or noise do you hate? Cardboard Tearing

What is your favorite curse word? Cunt

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Comedy Writer

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Sorry!”

​If you haven’t watched any of the hundreds of interviews give it a shot.  It’s really entertaining and worth seeing.  When they catch the stars by surprise it’s pretty fun to watch.  There are a lot of great moments and stories you don’t always read about in bios of some of these celebrities so it’s nice to see them be a tad more real around students.