ABSTRACT
Human beings abhor a lull in conversation. Inexperienced subjects will get nervous and keep talking, often providing the best quote. Charles Leerhsen has interviewed celebrities, public officials and sports figures for publications like People, US Weekly and Sports Illustrated, and says one of his best interviewing tools is simple silence: Silence is an important tool in an interview, especially when the reporter get to difficult questions. Wallace is also most famous for showing interviewing the ambush interview—confronting subjects suddenly, and without warning, a targeted interview subject. Reporters most often start an interview with their own well-constructed questions. Reporters are often taught to be impartial and pursue just the facts, but Holly Zachariah says the key to her reporting success is that she never forgets the people she interviews are humans with real human emotions.
