The Warrior Princess Effect

I used to suffer terribly from pre-interview nerves. I could be talking to a local family vet about flea control, and for the hours leading up to the interview I was restless, anxious, and sick to my stomach. If I was interviewing someone fairly well known or someone with serious academic credentials, like a scientist or head of a department at a vet school, it was even worse. Sometimes I couldn't even sleep the night before.

You can see the problem.

Fortunately that all went away after a while, and now I pretty much feel completely calm before all my interviews, no matter who they're with (other than a slight relapse this summer when I got to interview Rep. Barney Frank).  I've interviewed very famous people like Sean Penn and very smart people like Dr. Marion Nestle, and while I certainly prepared for those interviews, I wasn't at all nervous beforehand. (And for the record, Sean Penn, who I'd been warned was a very difficult interview, was genuinely lovely. Go figure.)

There is one huge, glaring exception to this new-found calm, though. Whenever I interview "Xena: Warrior Princess" stars Lucy Lawless (Xena) or Renee O'Connor (Gabrielle), it's like I'm back in journalism school and suddenly had the chance to interview the President.

I mean, I've interviewed Sharon Stone, Alan Cumming, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Gus Van Sant, Gale Harold, Karen Black, and dozens of other actors, filmmakers, and reality TV "stars" including Christian Siriano from Project Runway. I've talked to politicians, scientists, and other reporters. I've even interviewed A-list bloggers -- who believe me, in my world are celebrities. I've interviewed people I idolize, and people who've made films about people I idolize.

And no one affects me the way Lucy and Renee do.

Yes, I love "Xena" in all its crazy, campy, lovable splendor. Yes, it had a powerful impact on me at a formative age. And yes, they have teh pretty, both of them.

But they're also remarkably down-to-earth people, politically admirable, with relationships with their fans and the media that are at the same time friendly and unaffected and also very professional.

Is it just fangirlitis that has me nearly unable to eat my breakfast the morning before I talk to one of them? Tell me, oh readers; indulge me with some two-bit psychoanalysis: what's up with that?

Comments

[Suzie]

Definitely fangirlitis. Human nature, my dear.
It happens to me with a few certain folks too despite having met many a VIP myself.

[Teresa]

Hey,

I wrote you awhile back about the convention and concert. Did you get it? Drop me a line, k?

[TheWeyrd1]

Well, speaking as a psychologist AND a Xena fan, I totally understand your nervous reaction. The key to the situation is what you said about the situation is your fangirlitis developed during your "formative years", hence the reaction being from the gut, so to speak. I don't think you'll get over it, but obviously you've learned to compensate! Wish I could meet those gals, as I discovered them AFTER my formative years and yet they inform my views on girls kicking ass power!

[Marion]

Frankly,I think it is so cool that you still get nervous with Lucy & Renee. Makes you human! People who are not Xenites or at least fans of the show just don't understand the impact this show had on its fans. They don't understand the personal strength people garnerd from it to stand up & fight for the 'Greater Good' and for themselves as Woman. It is also such a great story of redemption - no matter what how bad things are, or the awful things you may have done, there is a way back. That is a very powerful message to receive & it was delivered with such passion, loyalty & dignity by Lucy & Renee which they still show to their fans today. I wouldn't just be nervous meeting Lucy & Renee - I'd pass out!!

[MLD]

I'm impressed you interviewed Gale Harold (my fangirliness kicks in) He's a hard one to get, I understand

[Christie]

Yes, some interviews are easier to set up than others. It has nothing to do with how big of a star they are, either -- some people who don't have a lot of fame are still very interview-shy, or known as tough interviews, and even when it would be to their advantage and their publicists must be sitting there BEGGING them to get interviewed about something, they won't do it.

Most of the time it's context; a huge star can be very easy to interview if you have something they want, such as doing the interviews for our coverage of the film "Milk," when I was able to interview Sean Penn. But I'm sure if I called out of the blue I'd be highly unlikely to be able to get an interview with him just because I asked for one.

I would say Gale Harold cared very, very deeply about this film, and thus made himself available to the media in Austin in a way he normally doesn't. They sent out the notice that he'd be available very late, after all the interviews were already set up and I, at least, already in Austin; as far as I know AfterElton.com was the only outlet that asked to talk to him, or at least, the only one that actually did. Or maybe I was just the only reporter who actually knew something about Scott, although I spoke to someone from the Canadian press at the screening who did, so perhaps it was just that he was between projects at the time and was off the radar of the straight media. Honestly, no clue. But it worked well for the story at AE, so it's good.

Lucy and Renee are extremely accessible to the lesbian and gay media, and they're very warm to their large lesbian fan base. I have interviewed both of them a number of times now, and they're always gracious.

Sharon Stone is someone else who was amazingly gracious to us at AfterEllen.com. At the GLAAD Media Awards last year, I was supposed to interview her, but she was so late for the red carpet that some reporters were getting ready to leave. They announced she wouldn't be doing any interviews, and her publicist said loudly, "Except the reporter from AfterEllen.com; we'll talk to them." So I was the only one who got to interview her officially, although she did talk to people on the red carpet even though she wasn't supposed to. Still, it was kind of nice, and she was also a very easy interview.

Then there was this one actor, I forget his name, he was in Sex and the City... he had some huge beef with something someone said on the blogs at AfterElton.com and he absolutely ripped me a new one right in front of god and everybody, LOL. I suppose if I'd ever heard of him before I got the assignment I'd have been upset, but as it was, I had a hard time not laughing. It was SO uncool.

Other than Lucy and Renee, hands down the nicest person I ever interviewed is David Bromstad from HGTV. Just the nicest, most genuine, funniest, warmest guy ever. And he loves his dog, so you can imagine how that works for me, LOL.

Most of my favorite interviews are of people who aren't actors, though. Stephen Kijak was a fantastic interview, many of the veterinarians I've interviewed, a few other filmmakers, some bloggers -- and other journalists, of course, are usually the best interviews of all! They give good sound bite. ;)