Professional Interviewer

I wonder if there will one day be a job as a professional interview subject? There are several artists (for lack of a better word) whose interviews I find more interesting than their work. One of them is Michel Houellebecq, the French writer. See this.

So what made you write your first novel, Whatever, about a computer
programmer and his sexually frustrated friend?

HOUELLEBECQ

I hadn’t seen any novel make the statement that entering the workforce was like entering the grave. That from then on, nothing happens and you have to pretend to be interested in your work. And, furthermore, that some people have a sex life and others don’t just because some are more attractive than others. I wanted to acknowledge that if people don’t have a sex life, it’s not for some moral reason, it’s just because they’re ugly. Once you’ve said it, it sounds obvious, but I wanted to say it.

The interview is full of more gems. I read his big book, The Elementary Particles, at one time and it didn't stick with me too much. There are other artists like this...I'm thinking of Werner Herzog...in some ways, he is more interesting than his work. And when I say, he, I mean the character he has crafted of himself. I love some of his stuff, so it isn't quite fair, but there are a lot of Herzog movies that are just plain nonsense and would be relegated to the trash bin if they weren't stamped with his name.

I'll leave you with another:

I think that there is a sharp contrast for most people between life at university, where they meet lots of people, and the moment when they enter the workforce, when they basically no longer meet anyone. Life becomes dull. So as a result people get married to have a personal life. I could elaborate but I think everyone understands.

and one more:

The biggest consequence of The Elementary Particles, apart from the money and not having to work, is that I have become known internationally. I’ve stopped being a tourist, for example, because my book tours have satisfied any desire I might have to travel. And as a result there are countries I have visited that you wouldn’t ordinarily go to, like Germany.

Just read the whole thing.