Worst Interview Ever? Top this.

Probably not the worst ever, really. But a great example of how difficult they can be!

Luke Burbank, with NPR, interviewed the Icelandic band Sigur Ros with regrettable results.

View the train wreck for yourself. (It's even worse if you close your eyes and hear how it must have sounded on the radio.)

Please understand - I'm not being critical. My initial reaction to watching this was to thank God that most of my interviews are between me and one other person (or a roomful of people at the most). This guy is on NPR. Yeah, and now the INTERNET.

So, what has he learned from this experience? See the footage of Jancee Dunn offer suggestions as to how this interview could have been a little bit better. And she's had lots of help from commenters and bloggers, who are, as always, willing to point out where they think it went astray. :)

So let's join them!

I thought this was GREAT learning. GREAT. A no-cost course in what to watch out for in the potentially dangerous interview waters. It's a little like the cartoon in the Sunday paper. "Can you spot the 8 things wrong with this picture?"

So, what can you find?

Hey, it's in the spirit of learning folks. That could have been any one of us! Remind me not to get into radio broadcasting, 'kay?

And you thought YOU were nervous...

When I posted about overcoming Interview Jitters last month, I promised a few tips on how to put your interview subject at ease.

Some people are used to interviews. In my opinion, these are the easiest people to interview, because sometimes they'll answer questions you haven't even asked yet. And they answer decisively, and in perfect, quotable sentences. What a relief.

But not everyone is a media pro. If you're alert to that possibility, then you'll suddenly understand why they're talking a hundred miles per hour, or making jokes that aren't funny, or why their throat seems to be closing up and they aren't talking at all. When you can help make them comfortable, then slyly slip in your questions,they'll never even notice they're "being interviewed."

This isn’t rocket-science. I think for most established interviewers these techniques are second nature. But if you’re battling your own case of nerves, it might help to keep these simple tips in mind:

Be interested. This starts pre-interview, inside your brain. It helps me sound more enthusiastic, and that gets the subject talking because everyone loves to talk about what they’re passionate about. Um, almost everyone.
Thank them for their time. Let them know how much you respect/appreciate/need their input on the subject. Not only is it polite, but a nervous interviewee will be reminded that he or she is the expert on the matter. Wouldn’t that put you at ease?
Warm them up with chit-chat. “Wow, what do you think of this heat/cold/smog/acid rain?” will work just fine. But be careful here. You could end up wandering so far off your subject that 45 minutes later you’ll have to break in abruptly with, “And I’ll bet those grandkids are really proud about your recent discovery of ionized particles in subcutaneous matter! How did that discovery come about, anyway?”
Ask easy questions first. One thing I do if I sense my source is nervous is tell them I have to get some basic info before we begin: spelling of first and last name, make sure I get their title right, etc. That usually puts people at ease. They're like, "Spell my name? That's easy! I know this one!! Yay me!"
Don’t read your questions. Ask them.

Okay, that’s five. What are your tips for putting interview subjects at ease?