I venture to say that most of you at one time or another have probably watched “Inside the Actor’s Studio” which airs on the Bravo Television Network. The show is hosted by James Lipton and normally involves him interviewing a celebrity guest for an hour, sometimes two, highlighting their lives and careers.
At the end of these interviews is a segment where Mr. Lipton asks a series of ten questions based on the Proust Questionnaire created in the late 1890’s. For those of us who enjoy this program, it is always interesting to hear the various celebrity responses, regardless of how made up they may be in many cases.
Our human nature does not allow many of us to avoid our own inevitable curiosity with regard to how we might answer these questions ourselves, whether we have ever gotten an Academy Award or not. It is in that vein that I sat down recently and tried to seriously give the questionnaire used by James Lipton some serious thought and my best effort answers. And so it was….
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1. What is your favorite word? Finished
2. What is your least favorite word? Can’t
3. What turns you on? Laughter
4. What turns you off? Selfishness
5. What sound or noise do you love? Silence
6. What sound or noise do you hate? Anger
7. What is your favorite curse word? Damn (or variations thereof)
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Teaching
9. What profession would you not like to do? ER Nurse
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Sit down Alan, I understand you have a lot of questions.
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Many of you may have already given this particular version of the questionnaire your best shot sometime in the past but if not, take a moment or two and give it a try sometime.
Continuing with the subject, apparently “Vanity Fair” has determined the Proust Questionnaire worthy of their time and effort and has created their own version of the questionnaire which is posted on their website. You may go there and after answering some twenty (20) questions, have your answers compared to a list of some 100 celebrities who have previously answered this questionnaire and see whose answers yours were most compatible with if you like. To see and complete the Vanity Fair version, click “here”.
I ended up matching Larry King at 90% and Catherine Deneuve at 89%. I’m not sure exactly what that is supposed to mean, nevertheless that was the result. I did find it interesting that with regard to our birth dates, excluding year, we were all three born within a couple of weeks of each other.
Oh, and one more thing! If you want to see the Proust Questionnaire in its presumed original form, click “here” and the link will take you to Wikipedia’s historical information on the questionnaire, to include its origin.
joared said,
October 22, 2009 at 3:50 am
I, too, enjoy watching Actors Studio whenever possible, but since I’ve chosen to not subscribe to cable, regrettably I’ve seen only a few of the programs. That’s one of the few cable programs that almost causes me to want to subscribe.
I think these questions are meant to be answered with the first word that comes to mind rather than giving them thoughtful consideration, or perhaps I’m mistaken. In any event, when the hour is not so late, as it is for me here in Calif. tonight, I’ll be interested in all the questions including Vanity Fair.
Alan G said,
October 22, 2009 at 8:57 am
Joared….
Indeed you are quite correct with respect to the intent and implied spontaneity behind the asking and answering of the Proust questionnaire on Actor’s Studio.
I do remain somewhat skeptical however that they are answered with the true spontaneity intended for the most part. Especially given the fact that the answers tend to be somewhat reflective of the person’s inner being and it is the human nature for the listener to relate those answers to the individual in that sense. And certainly the celebrity is both aware of that and….the fact that those questions are going to be asked. And of course this opinion I am putting forth at the moment is all speculation offered on my part, salted with a measure of pessimism as well!
I do know that I am afraid I would put forth quite pathetic answers if having to answer those thought provoking questions off-the-cuff!