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The Dan Schneider Video Interviews: Taking Interviews To The Next Level!
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Latest Interview
201) On Robert Frost: Taking on the man.
**** Good look at a complex artist..
Comment: Understanding the misunderstood.
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202) On Bertrand Russell: Taking on the ideas and man.
**** Peter Stone sorts it out.
Comment: Good interview.
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203) On Polygamy: The controversy continues.
**** Henrich is detailed and brisk.
Comment: Good interview.
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204) On Karl Popper: Another philosophic giant.
**** Good but too short slice into the life and ideas.
Comment: How do we know what we know?
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205) On Mormonism: America's native religion.
****½ The myths and realities.
Comment: Good sorting of the history.
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206) On Jared Diamond: Illustrator or obfuscator?.
**** Jason Antrosio takes on Diamond's views.
Comment: Good interview.
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207) On UFOs: Great take on a controversial topic.
****½ Terrific talk
Comment: Are they out there?
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208) On Free Will: Coring into the issue with Alfred Mele.
****½ Excellent probe.
Comment: Putting the determinists to rest.
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209) On Cliches: Taking on the monster.
**** Good if limited take on banalities.
Comment: Good interview.
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210) On Free Will: Great take on free will.
****½ Terrific talk.
Comment: Do we choose?
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211) On Buddhism: Is it a philosophy or a religion?.
**** Good look into things.
Comment: Could have been a little more in depth.
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212) On Ludwig Wittgenstein: The man and the ideas.
**** Good take on the life and career.
Comment: A little more passion might have helped.
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213) On Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Great take on the great musician and composer.
****½ Great overview and probe.
Comment: Was Amadeus Amadeus?
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214) On Erik Satie: The piano master.
****½ Taking a deeper probe..
Comment: Traveling through time and music.
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215) On Sherwood Schwartz: The sitcom guru.
****½ Great look at the man and the career with his daughter.
Comment: Personal and thorough.
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216) On Antonio Vivaldi: The Baroque Master.
**** Probing the life and music.
Comment: A look at an early pillar of Classical music.
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217) Richie Cerda On Acting: A rising actor.
****½ Talking on acting and filmmaking.
Comment: Terrific look at life outside of Hollywood film.
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218) On Nothingness: Andre Halaw on the opposite of everything.
**** Opening up the nothing box.
Comment: Good take on the Eastern view of it.
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219) The Decline Of DVD Commentaries: Taking on the demise of a pop culture phenomenon.
***½ Solid conversation.
Comment: Why a crucial element in DVDs is now gone.
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220) On Judaism: Sorting through the mess.
***½ Scattered and disjunctive.
Comment: Solid walk through history.
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221) On Hell: Dissecting the afterlife..
****½ Great discussion.
Comment: History, religion philosophy....
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222) On Nothingness: Alexander Vilenkin on nothing.
***½ The scientific approach.
Comment: Good take on the void.
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223) Good Bad Films: Sorting through the schizoid.
**** Good stroll through pop's detritus.
Comment: Daniel Budnik is your guide.
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224) On Roland Barthes: Dissecting the afterlife.
**** Good discussion.
Comment: The structures of a mind....
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225) On James Joyce: The titan of stone?
**** Good take on Joyce.
Comment: Not the usual Joyceana.
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226) The Beatles' Music: The Fab Four's sound.
****½ Great overview of the legacy.
Comment: Not gossip, all beef.
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227) On Nothingness: Is it real?
****½ Excellent take.
Comment: Taking it on from different angles.
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228) On Martin Heidegger: The contradictive mind.
**** Delving into the 20th Century's most divisive mind.
Comment: Good take.
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229) Gender Dysphoria: Marci Bowers on transgenderism.
***½ Could have been broader.
Comment: Some good and bad points.
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230) Net Neutrality: The pros and cons.
****½ Mostly cons.
Comment: Excellent talk on the history of the Internet.
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231) On Soren Kierkegaard: Man or mythos?
****½ The odd but firm mind.
Comment: Great take.
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232) On Ludwig Van Beethoven: The genius and the man.
**** A different approach.
Comment: A look at the music.
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233) American Life in 2018: The pros and cons.
**** Broad discourse on life in Trump's America..
Comment: Excellent talk on the current state of things.
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234) Addiction Is Not A Disease: Debunk time.
**** Steven Slate rips it apart.
Comment: A needed tonic.
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235) Women In Science: The state of things.
**** Two scientists on sexism in 2018.
Comment: Good discussion.
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236) On Richard Wagner: The great composer.
**** His relevance today.
Comment: Marc Weiner discusses.
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237) On TV Movies: A Fun time.
**** Taking on a neglected art form.
Comment: Good conversation.
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238) The Uncanny Valley: The uneases.
****½ Two scientists on a phenomenon.
Comment: Great discussion.
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239) Sex Wars: Roy Barzilai's thesis.
***½ Is it so?
Comment: Hit and miss but interesting.
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240) White Racial Pathology: Investigating.
**** What makes white people tick and ticks them off?
Comment: A black man on white bigotry.
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241) On Rainer Maria Rilke: The great poet revealed.
**** One on one about the Master Poet.
Comment: Good discussion.
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242) On Free Will: Timothy O'Connor tackles it.
**** Is it real or not?
Comment: Good take on religion and God and free will.
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243) Victim Culture: We know the cons. Any pros?
**** Micro and macro looks.
Comment: Ben Hourigan opines.
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244) On Humor: Great discussion.
****½ Great interview.
Comment: Excellent take from all corners.
245) Stream(s) Of Consciousness(?): A friendly discussion.
****½ Or is it a debate?
Comment: Susan Blackmore vs. Jonathan Schooler.
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246) On Immanuel Kant: The common philosopher?
****½ Great intro to the great philosopher.
Comment: A detailed take on the main ideas.
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247) Patricia Bethune On Acting: Good discussion.
**** On the art and craft.
Comment: Her career encapsulized.
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248) Fredflix: Pop culture prismed.
**** One man's romp through the decades.
Comment: On Fred Smith's Youtube channel: Fredflix.
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249) On Sikhism: Religion of peace?
**** Great take on a little known religion.
Comment: Very good exchange.
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250) Knowing Better: YouTube's top social studies channel.
**** Good take on the channel and its contents.
Comment: Will from Knowing Better speaks his mind.
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251) On Friedrich Nietszche: The rock star philosopher grounded.
****½ Great take on the misunderstood man.
Comment: Really good debunking of some misconceptions.
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252) On Justice: Sociologist Steven Rytina.
**** Breaking down the many sides.
Comment: Good exchange.
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253) Sean Hartofilis On Film: Great interview.
****½ An independent filmmaker speaks out.
Comment: Charting a different cinematic course.
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254) On Justice: George Klosko on the political aspects.
**** A historical perspective.
Comment: Sociologically speaking.
255) Dan Schneider: Interviewed by Hrishikesh Jha.
****½ Good talk.
Comment: Good exchange.
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256) On Justice: John Kelsay on religion and justice.
**** How do Christianity and Islam fair?
Comment: Good conversation.
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257) Infinity: Adrian Moore opines.
**** A delve into math and ideas.
Comment: On point on the pointless.
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258) Infinity: Graham Oppy opines.
**** Good talk.
Comment: Delving.
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259) Universal Basic Income: Karl Widerquist speaks.
**** The pros and cons.
Comment: Good conversation.
260) Lynn Rogoff: on edutainment.
**** Her career in children's tv.
Comment: From Big Blue Marble on.
261) Jason Culp On Acting: The actor on the acting life.
**** From Robert Culp to General Hospital.
Comment: Excellent talk.
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262) More on Universal Basic Income: On the need.
**** The pros and cons.
Comment: Guy Standing and Talal Rafi.
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263) Aquatic Ape Redux: A new look.
*** Audio issues mar a good interview.
Comment: A new take.
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264) On Hinduism: Delving the history and ideas.
***½ Some Tech issues.
Comment: Good talk.
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265) Modern Political Philosophy: Hobbes and Locke.
**** Good take.
Comment: Karl Widerquist opines.
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266) The Philosophical Method: John McCone.
*** Philosophy's answer to the scientific method?
Comment: Solid talk.
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267) Dan Schneider: Interviewed by Hrishikesh Jha #2.
***½ Good talk.
Comment: No real tech issues.
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268) Doctrine Impossible: Religion or not?
**** Steven Tiger tackles the big issues.
Comment: Excellent talk.
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269) On Tennessee Williams: Johns Bak and DiLeo.
****½ Coring in to the work and man.
Comment: Looking at both.
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270) On Dr. Who: Richard D. Carrier.
****½ Great talk.
Comment: Clever Dick Films.
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271) On Silent Films: Memory Lane.
**** Great talk.
Comment: Chaplin and the gang.
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272) Laurence Fuller On Acting: Great stuff.
****½ In depth and personal.
Comment: Fuller rocks it.
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273) Musician Joey Kipfer: Americana music.
***½ A brief chat with a good musician.
Comment: A preview of the future?
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274) Casey Biggs On Acting: Great talk.
****½ Legate Damar speaks!
Comment: Casey Biggs rocks the interview.
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275) Leigh J. McCloskey On Acting: The full view.
****½ Acting and beyond.
Comment: McCloskey discourses.
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276) On High Feather: A classic PBS kids show.
**** Looking backwards.
Comment: Terence Taylor on the classic show.
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277) The Covenant: Bernard Lamborelle on God and his origin.
***½ Solid thesis.
Comment: Makes a case.
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278) Painter Melton R. Guthrie: American painter.
***½ The canvas and more.
Comment: Good look into the process.
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279) Presidential Candidate Mark Charles: A cut above.
****½ Looking forward.
Comment: The Independent Presidential Candidate speaks.
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280) Malcolm J. Brenner: A Life.
**** An odd but interesting journey.
Comment: A rare interview.
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281) Intimate Alien: David Halperin opines.
****½ Great talk on modern mythos.
Comment: Superb exploration.
282) Einstein, Michael Jackson & Me: Life in pop.
**** Howard Bloom riffs
Comment: Life in rock and elsewhere.
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283) Presidential Candidate Brian T. Carroll: The interview.
****½ America Solidarity Party.
Comment: Solid stuff.
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284) Presidential Candidate Phil Collins: The interview.
½ Bad talk and tech issues.
Comment: Ugh.
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285) High Feather 2, Cindy (O'Neal) Carlson: Going home.
**** Nice talk of a kids show.
Comment: Cindy reminisces.
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286) On Mary Tyler Moore: Laura or Mary?
**** Herbie J Pilato shines.
Comment: Great talk.
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287) On Elizabeth Montgomery: Bewitched?
**** Digging in.
Comment: Great talk.
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288) Presidential Candidate Gloria La Riva: Peace and Freedom Party.
****½ Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Comment: Tackling the issues.
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289) On Pornography: A history.
**** Terrific talk.
Comment: Clarissa Smith shines.
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290) Rare Or Mediocre? ET Life: The question.
**** Taking aim.
Comment: Jim Kasting on the possibilities.
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291) The Cosmic Revolutionary's Handbook: Taking aim.
**** Great discussion.
Comment: Lewis and Barnes.
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292) Rare Or Mediocre? ET Life: The question, again.
**** Barnes and Lewis.
Comment: Is it possible?
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293) Cyrus the Great: Or not?
****½ Great talk.
Comment: John Hyland hits a home run.
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294) Alexander the Great: The man and myth.
****½ Great discussion.
Comment: His 11 year odyssey.
295) Music Reactor Ed Caggiani: Music reaction videos.
****½ Unhinged Music Reactions.
Comment: Great talk.
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296) On Tamerlane: The Sword of Islam.
****½ Great talk on Tamerlane.
Comment: Timothy May on the conqueror.
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297) Tea and Ink Society: A lit blog for women.
***½ Good discussion.
Comment: Elsie Callender speaks.
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298) Paul Lieber On Acting: The actor opines.
**** Great talk.
Comment: Going into the mist.
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299) On Anne Of Green Gables: The icon.
****½ Great talk on Lucy Maud Montgomery's creation.
Comment: Digging deep and broad.
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300) On Persia: The history.
****½ Great discussion.
Comment: The long and the short.
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After reading some mediocre interviews, wherein the interviewees did not even bother to pretend to care about the questions asked them, nor the reading pleasure of Cosmoetica’s audience, the site’s fans wanted me to invoke a ratings system for interviews, figuring that the interviews that are great deserve more readership than the bad ones. And, since the high quality of the questions is static from interview to interview, it really points out how much of the interview’s success depends on the interviewee and his or her willingness to open up. Ironically, even the ‘lesser’ interviews are successes because they often unwittingly reveal the negative and/or malevolent side of the interviewee, just as the great interviews reveal the positive and intelligent side of the interviewee. Yet, even the lesser DSIs are miles above the fellatio and relentless hucksterism that passes as interviews online and in print.
Along with the rating, I will add comments relevant to the interview- be it quality, background information, and recollections of the pros and cons of the interview and interviewee.
So, herein I will invoke a 0 to 5 star rating system, with ½ stars invoked as needed.
***** 5 stars- a great interview, one that shows interviewing is an art form. The answers are in depth and treat the reading audience as the intelligent people they are, plus being highly quotable.
**** 4 stars- an excellent interview. The interviewee is often witty and intelligent, but perhaps is a bit reticent in a few areas, due to PC or their own nature. Still quotable.
*** 3 stars- a good, solid interview. Some high points that are quotable, but some negative points and ho-hum moments.
** 2 stars- a mediocre interview. Some good quotes but more often the interviewee is agenda pushing or being reticent and/or not taking the interview and the audience seriously. Good and bad points are about balanced.
* 1 star- a bad interview. Not quotable, and the interviewee thinks that DSIs are just run of the mill interviews found elsewhere. Rote answers and/or interviewee delusions can be seen. Not quotable.
zero (0) stars- an atrocity. The interviewee has no real reason for doing the interview save to serve their own ego and/or ax to grind.
Enjoy the interviews, but make sure you compare the great and bad interviews with each other, and the differences between how the interviewees approach the questions (and often the exact same questions) and the quality of the interviews.
Copyright ©2001-2011 by Dan Schneider