Older celebs are a hoot!
I’ve been doing this celebrity reporting thing for years. I’ve talked with everyone from Donald Trump to Betty White to people on every reality show known to man. And I have come to the conclusion: the legends are way more fun.
You can talk with a young up-and-coming singing sensation and they have the naivety and innocent excitement for what they are doing. Then you get someone considered music royalty and they have a lot to say – probably because they’ve been through everything.
Every summer on my syndicated radio shows we have a Retro Flashback series of guests and I chat with those who have been in the music biz for decades. I’ve talked with the Village People, KC and the Sunshine Band, Petula Clark, Kool & the Gang, Gloria Gaynor, Davy Jones, Dolly Parton and a bunch of others.
Our interviews are always scheduled to run six to eight minutes. When we tape the legends it always runs long. Maybe it is because they do a bit of rambling, but they are still so passionate about music that it is fascinating to hear their insight.
When I interview reality show people I often forget what we chatted about and sometimes can’t remember their name minutes later, after all they are a dime a dozen nowadays. But to chat with Ms. I Will Survive about her disco hit, it was remarkable to see/hear how down to earth she is.
I’ll be the first to confess my cynical view that maybe the music veterans are clinging to any sort of interview that will keep them in the spotlight. Regardless if they are doing the casino circuit or chatting about their charity, there is something friendly about these celebs that makes you comfortable and feel like you’ve known them for years.
Perhaps it is because we’ve all grown up with their music, I don’t really know. What I do know is how humble and grateful they are and if they are faking it for the sake of being a pleasant interview, I didn’t feel that one bit. And coming from someone who’s feigned interest in as many reality show wash-ups as I have, I can tell when people are being fake.
