Journal #3 - NPR Interview Analysis

Terry Gross, the host of Fresh Air, recently went inside the mind of singer, songwriter, and poet, Leonard Cohen to discuss his first country-wide tour in 15-years. Prior to the interview itself, Terry briefly introduced Cohen by naming some of the songs he is famous for, and then playing a song for listeners to enjoy. After the song was finished, she immediately went into asking about certain lyrics of the song and his inspiration for writing it. Terry then proceeded to asking about the difference between the lyrics of his poems and songs and their cynical nature. She would pose questions regarding actual items in the song such as the famous blue rain coat, as well as the validity of the lyrics relevant to his life. Aside from the musical and poetry, Terry wanted to know more about a different part of Leonard’s life: the Zen Center. This is where Cohen spent a small part of his life on a spirituality retreat in significance to Buddhist practices. She spent the final portion of the interview discussing Leonard’s thoughts on beauty and its importance to him. Leonard responded with a negative view on beauty, saying that he felt greatly oppressed by the figures of beauty in his past and present.

Before Terry began with her interview, it was obvious that she had done a hefty size of research on Cohen which resulted in well-put questions and informed follow-up questions in response to his answers. She would listen to the each song, choose a line that caught her interest, and would formulate a question about the inner-workings of his songwriting. It almost seemed as if she was telling Cohen about his own life and, in return, I think the interviewee realized the time and effort that she had put into her interview with him. Therefore, Terry received a more in-depth, personable angle on Leonard Cohen. Terry handled Leonard’s short responses with ease, as she casually attempted to expand on his words and generate his thoughts.

The thing I liked most about this interview was that both individuals seemed as if they were having an ordinary conversation. They did not show the pressures of a formal discussion that was aired on public radio. I learned the importance of researching the topic thoroughly and preparing extra questions and subjects to discuss. Interviewers need to be quick on their feet and be able to handle possible lulls. I feel that Terry did an excellent job in doing just that.