What a great observation, Chrisphen.

Kidding aside, yeah, 'great' does come across as condescending.

Interviewing has a strong psychological game component. Seasoned interviewers and even moderately trained interviewees have techniques and strategies aimed at getting what each wants from the interaction. Everyone has their agenda.

I generally start difficult interviews with easy, friendly softballs, for a lot of reasons (to work my way into the interviewee's comfort zone, or to at least get some info and a needed quote before being told to bugger off). I've also learned over the years when to and when not to go into interrogation mode (almost never, though in some circumstances, when a source is evasive, I might ask for a Yes or No answer, or otherwise ask in a way designed to elicit clarity and certainty). When I'm entering tricky terrain, I like to use phrases like "I'm curious what you mean..." or "just so my reader understands..." The latter also distances me a bit from what might be an unpleasant question. In some situations, especially when I'm asking in public (at a conference, say; and this would apply on live camera), I would want to have researched and know the answer before asking the question. What I want is an interviewee who talks, and who doesn't feed me BS (though a BS response has its place in some stories). My favourite tactic is a moment of silence and reflection; with a smile and engaged look if they can see me. Sometimes a gentle laugh - what I call a communal laugh, in other words laughing with them - keeps the conversation flowing. All this applies when dealing with people who hold relative power. When someone is on the powerless side of things, all I generally want is a truthful and trustworthy account, and there are often barriers holding them back that I'm very careful about crossing, if I do at all).

Seasoned interviewees have their own toolbox. I've been told many times that my question is "theoretical" when I know damn well it wasn't. Actually, it's a bit of a lame tool IMO. Your 'Great Question' falls into much this same category. Sometimes it's used casually and doesn't mean much. But sometimes when I hear it I get that tingling spidey-sense feeling that either my question was an unintended softball or that the interviewee maybe wants to soften me up, get on my happy side, or give the interview some kind of subtle direction. A response like this kind of fits in with non-verbal cues. When you're interviewing in-person and in relative control, you can use your second brain to figure the person out and estimate the dynamics of what's going on.

IMO, at least, "Interesting' is pretty much the same as 'Great', though maybe toned down just a slight notch. If I was responding, and I meant either word genuinely, I might explain it with a comment. 'I think that's a great question because no one's been asking that and it's been driving me nuts....' or "That's an interesting question, because...because...because...' But almost always, either of these is more a verbal cue and perhaps a bit of a flag. I'll almost always let the interviewer get away with it, allow the tangent to happen (if they're still talking and time isn't of the essence, life is beautiful). Let them say what they want or need to, because that can be of value to both parties, and it can help pave the way for harder not-so-'great' questions.

From a listener's point of view, I doubt most people would notice 'great' or 'interesting' any more than they'd notice uhms and ahs.

Last edited by Saul (April 16, 2024 10:07 am)

One of the great interviewers is Britain's Jeremy Paxman, who alas, has had to quit due to Parkinson's.
He was tenacious in his questioning of politicians.
He once asked Tony Blair 19 times about British government involvement in Iraq.
Blair never gave a proper answer and Paxman eventually just ended the interview rather than go for a 20th attempt.

Jesus, this board has a hardcore 'Karen' vibe some days...what's wrong with simply saying a question is "great" if to the interviewee it is?...especially when the interviewee wanted to make an important point to the audience that relates to the question in the first place...prefacing the question by saying 'great' can help the audience focus on the answer...now the answer given may be a stupid one (see Fox News, Rebel, InfoWars, any social media platform, etc. for prime examples) but the audience still gets a chance to focus on it and determine for themselves how informative, insightful, educational or moronic the answer that comes is...the inconsequential shit people complain about on this site is as mind boggling as it is hilarious.