Words of wisdom from Dan Le Batard
Posted: November 14, 2008
It's no secret to those who know me that Dan Le Batard is one of my favorite figures in both journalism and sports. From his start as a columnist for The Miami Herald to his wildly popular radio show, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on 790 The Ticket in South Florida, and most recently with spots on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, Le Batard has shown he doesn't take himself too seriously, and it makes him very likeable to some and quite hateable to others.
Even though Le Batard can be self-deprecating and silly as hell and considers himself, above all, an entertainer, he's a great journalist and interviewer. I attribute that to his lackadaisical personality and his insistence on asking the questions people really want answers to. He, for the most part, likes cutting right to the chase, and even when interviews do go awry, Le Batard finds a way to make sure you learn something about the interviewee. Sometimes you find out an interesting fact about a person. Other times you find out the person is just a tool, weirdo or has no sense of humor — listen to his Michael Phelps interview. Le Batard considers his show the best in "uncomfortable radio," and that interview is about as uncomfortable as it gets.
Well, today I heard Le Batard calling in to The Sid Rosenberg Show, another show on 790 The Ticket.
He imparted some words of wisdom, not just about being a talk show host, but a journalist or any sort of interviewer.
In the context, it was a serious comment in the middle of a funny exchange. Rosenberg had just interviewed Jean-Claude Van Damme the day before and felt the interview had gone terribly. Le Batard assured him that his listeners got what they wanted, an interview with Van Damme.
But in reassuring Rosenberg, he, as he often does, accidentally came to a poignant conclusion. His message was simple: Make people feel something. Don't let them put down the paper or turn off the radio without leaving some sort of impact on the audience.
Like him or not, I think that's a pretty good way to go about your business.
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- Journalism