Mike Vaccaro Interview

Frank, I hear what you're saying, but I flat-out guarantee that "interviews" with writers are better if they're written, like thebiglead's have been. I think it's the one situation where someone might be more open than they might be verbally, because writers are born wanting their words to entertain. And I'd much rather read someone's cogent, literate thoughts than the gumbled stammerings that most of us bleat out when we're talking.

Most of the time, I think you're absolutely correct: Chatting folks up is the ideal. Writers are the one exception.

 

To me it is the difference between a portrait photo and a candid one. It is not necessarily adversarial, but magic occurs only when unscripted by either party. The first famous writer I met was the late novelist John Gardner when he spoke at my college in 1978. Now he wrote a couple of books about writing and they are good books. But there was something about seeing his facial movements, hearing the tone in his voice, sitting close enough to know he didn't smell especially good, hearing him answer off-the-cuff and sometimes stupid questions, watching him do cold readings of students' writing samples from a pile (mine was one) and give instant critiques that gave us an insight that here was an academic, but not a chin-tugger, a down-and-dirty wit brilliant enough to take something apart and put it together at one glance. We could never get that from reading everything he wrote about writing.

 

why can't this BLOG do e-mail interviews and the rest of us do something else? i'm not sure i'll ever consent to another phone interview because the comments are often taken out of context and butchered. i'd rather stick with what i write.


oops. great interview, biglead. it was nice to hear from vac and see such a slim photo of him, an inspiration.

 

He can. I just thought there was some validity to the post by "Henry." A posed photo can be good, I just personally prefer candid.

 

Vac calls George King the best baseball beat writer in the business. King is great and I happen to agree with that statement, but who else is even in the conversation? It seems like nobody stays on a beat (at least in NY) long enough anymore to be considered. I barely recognize some of the bylines.

 

when did thebiglead become one of your "most respected veterans"? please don't duck this SF Express - i'm dying to find out.

as almost always, frank ridgeway thinks the issue through, sees both sides, and presents an articulate argument.

vaccaro is a good read - i read him all the time.

but in an interview i want to hear vacarro. i also want disclosure when an interview is done by e-mail. isn't that pro forma when you quote somebody in your newspaper?

 

All the interviews have been done via phone. Any further questions (or tips!) you know where to find us. Also, we'll pop onto IM right now: thebiglead
in case you'd like a more 'real-time' chat.

 

That'd explain not disclosing it was done via e-mail.

 

;D ;D ;D

 

then why didn't you say so in your first response?
and whitlock already told us he did his by e-mail.
you've already admitted to ripping off photos without paying for them.
why should we trust anything you post?

 

allow me, biglead.

go away, hh. please. 8)

 

HH - That was a joke.
Clearly, not my forte.