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Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

nytimes.com

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Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#21

Post by dventimi »

getlawgdon wrote: post #19
dventimi wrote: post #6

Pet peeves: - interviewers who ramble on when asking a question - interviewers who rely on declarative sentences (i.e. they don't even ask a question) - interviewers who rely on imperative sentences (e.g. "Talk about the time that such and such happened.") - interviewers who say "Um..." often. Terry Gross commits all of these interviewing mistakes, in my view. She's good at booking guests, but beyond that I'm unimpre…

You're suspcious of the fawning over her? Don't keep me in the dark! What's really going on with how millions of listeners, her colleagues, and NPR have felt about her and her work for decades?

I suspect that Terry Gross, like NPR, is a brand that people wear to advertise "I'm smart." That's what's really going on with what her audience feels about her. That in turn explains what's really going on with what NPR and her colleagues there feel about her.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#22

Post by city41 »

Loughla wrote: post #20
city41 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Terry Gross is the worst interviewer I've ever heard. She seems to make a lot of the people she interviews uncomfortable, and not in a good way. Trent Reznor in particular seemed especially annoyed.

Terry is one of the best interviewers in the states. She tries to be informed and view things from her guest's perspectives. She pushes people on uncomfortable answers, but does it respectfully. Trent Reznor is not the best person to use for interpersonal communicating. He's famously kind of a prick.

Yes, I know my opinion will be unpopular. Terry's popularity confounds me.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#23

Post by dventimi »

mruniverse wrote: post #8
dventimi wrote: post #6

Pet peeves: - interviewers who ramble on when asking a question - interviewers who rely on declarative sentences (i.e. they don't even ask a question) - interviewers who rely on imperative sentences (e.g. "Talk about the time that such and such happened.") - interviewers who say "Um..." often. Terry Gross commits all of these interviewing mistakes, in my view. She's good at booking guests, but beyond that I'm unimpre…

The reason people like her is that she gets them interested in the guest. Not many interviewers can do that. She'll interview some blues artist you've never heard of and the next thing you know you're looking them up on Youtube.

Personally, I would credit the guests themselves for generating interest within the audience.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#24

Post by Loughla »

city41 wrote: post #22
Loughla wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Terry is one of the best interviewers in the states. She tries to be informed and view things from her guest's perspectives. She pushes people on uncomfortable answers, but does it respectfully. Trent Reznor is not the best person to use for interpersonal communicating. He's famously kind of a prick.

Yes, I know my opinion will be unpopular. Terry's popularity confounds me.

That's interesting. Who would you consider a good interviewer?

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#25

Post by ethbr1 »

dventimi wrote: post #21
getlawgdon wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're suspcious of the fawning over her? Don't keep me in the dark! What's really going on with how millions of listeners, her colleagues, and NPR have felt about her and her work for decades?

I suspect that Terry Gross, like NPR, is a brand that people wear to advertise "I'm smart." That's what's really going on with what her audience feels about her. That in turn explains what's really going on with what NPR and her colleagues there feel about her.

Respectfully, people who disagree with you might have valid reasons for doing so. It's incurious to remove their agency by ascribing ulterior motives to them.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#26

Post by beepbooptheory »

dventimi wrote: post #21
getlawgdon wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're suspcious of the fawning over her? Don't keep me in the dark! What's really going on with how millions of listeners, her colleagues, and NPR have felt about her and her work for decades?

I suspect that Terry Gross, like NPR, is a brand that people wear to advertise "I'm smart." That's what's really going on with what her audience feels about her. That in turn explains what's really going on with what NPR and her colleagues there feel about her.

This is why every large U.S. city is full of people blasting Fresh Air out their car as they drive down the street.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#27

Post by dventimi »

ethbr1 wrote: post #25
dventimi wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect that Terry Gross, like NPR, is a brand that people wear to advertise "I'm smart." That's what's really going on with what her audience feels about her. That in turn explains what's really going on with what NPR and her colleagues there feel about her.

Respectfully, people who disagree with you might have valid reasons for doing so. It's incurious to remove their agency by ascribing ulterior motives to them.

I haven't removed their agency. I've only exercised my own. You're free to do the same however you like.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#28

Post by ethbr1 »

dventimi wrote: post #27
ethbr1 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Respectfully, people who disagree with you might have valid reasons for doing so. It's incurious to remove their agency by ascribing ulterior motives to them.

I haven't removed their agency. I've only exercised my own. You're free to do the same however you like.

   - They like something you don't
   - They like it because others do
   - It's thus not worth considering more deeply why they like it
Did I map that unfairly?

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#29

Post by ethbr1 »

dwater wrote: post #15
brandall10 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never listened to Terry Gross... but taking your and parent's comment together, it sounds like she's someone who has researched the guest well and actively directs the interview in a particular direction - ie. tries to craft a compelling narrative.

Unfortunately, no. That’s my pet peeve about Terry Gross, she often gets things wrong and the guest has to correct her. It often sounds like she didn’t prep for the interview at all.

I'd heard at one point that she specifically cram-preps for interviews the night before, so it's all still fresh and interesting in her head. (Versus overly-researched and boring)

The article alludes to something similar, in the context of her interview pace.

>> [after work, she and her husband] go out for dinner [...], and then Gross will continue working at home, preparing for the next day’s interview in the living room. She clarifies her thoughts first thing in the morning in the shower. [...] It’s important to be away from her notes when she does this. She emerges from the shower with her ‘‘major destination points.’’ Then she goes to her office and refers back to her notes — sheafs of facts; dog-eared, marked-up books — for the details. Then she does the interview. And then she is inundated by the other daily tasks of running a radio show. The next day, she does it all again.

Re: Terry Gross and the Art of Opening Up (2015)

#30

Post by darkerside »

dventimi wrote: post #27
ethbr1 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Respectfully, people who disagree with you might have valid reasons for doing so. It's incurious to remove their agency by ascribing ulterior motives to them.

I haven't removed their agency. I've only exercised my own. You're free to do the same however you like.

I believe they just did
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