나를 망가뜨리자

90년대 중반 아프리카 북동부지역 국가들과 거래를할 때 딱 한번 사하라 사막을 가본 적이있었다. 낙타를 타고 보자기로 얼굴과 머리를 뒤집어쓴 아주 검은 얼굴을 한 사막사람들인 배두인을 만났을 때 평소의생각하던 그런 신기함보단 외경스러움이더욱 진하게 느껴졌었다. 하늘의 천체를 쫙 다 끼고 있기에 초순 중순 보름의 달과 별을 보면서 방향을 찾고 기후를 예견하는 정도는 상식이라 한다. 오히려모래 냄새를 맡아 보고도 어디쯤에 물이 있는지를 안다고하며바람의냄새만으로도부근 동물의 움직임과종류또 어떤 식물이 어디쯤 있는 것까지 안다고 했다. 그들은 자신의 일에, 생에, 삶에 달관한 탁월하고도 확실한완벽한 전문가 그룹 개개인들이었었다.

인생 50년, 미국의 전문 방송인 거물 프로 앵커 래리 킹의 방송 50년을 축하하여 cnn이 그를 인터뷰 했다. 방송인이 되기 전 그는 물류회사인 ups의 트럭 보조원으로 배달원이라고 한다. 공부도 고등학교 출신이며고졸도엄마가 교장 선생님에게 졸업만 시켜달라고 통사정을하여 겨우 졸업장을 받았다고 한다.

50년 동안 4만번 이상의 인터뷰와 3억 이상의 단어를 방송에 솓아부었다는군요.그 중에 특히 기억에 남는 인물로는 인권운동가 목사 마틴 루터 킹, 대통령 루즈벨트 , 흑인 혁명아 말콤 엑스, 미 상원의원 베리 골드 워터 등을 언급했다. 그의 첫 게스트는 24시간 문을 여는 레스토랑의 여급이었다고 했다

이 인터뷰에 내눈이 번쩍 뜨이는 한 대목이 있다. cnn 사회자가 어떤 게스트가훌륭한 게스트인가라고 물었더니 '아주 좋은 질문'이라면서 좋은 게스트 4개항을 언급했다. 이건 정말 지금을 사는 우리, 아니 세계적인 인물을 목표로하는, 비젼을 꿈꾸는야심가나아가 오늘을 사는 우리들 모두에게 필요한 참으로 절대적인 필수불각ㄹ한 내용들일지도모르겠다.

4가지를 언급했다. 열정,자신이 가장 멋지게 해낼수 있는 일을 온 계층이공감할 수 있도록표현할 수 있는 능력. 자신을 망가뜨릴 수 있는용기와 배짱 그런 인격, 또조화로운패션의식과 유머 감각을 가진 사람이라고 했다. 유머감각을 가지고, 자신과 상황과 여건에매치되고 어울리는 패션으로, 자신이 가장 잘 할 수 있는 일을 전체가 공감하도록 설명할수 있는 열정을 가진자를 최고의 게스트다라고 했다. 전부가 자신을 내세우려는 세상에 오프라 윈프리는 양아버지에 성폭행 당했노라고 자신을 망가뜨렸다.

그 게스트가 벨리 댄서든, 대통령이든, 가수든 다 마찬가지라면서 이 4요소를 다 갖춘 인물로 시나트라를 꼽았다. 시나트라만을 위한 것일까. 그렇지는 아닐 것이다. 출세를 꿈꾸는, 성공을 그리는, 위대한 자화상을 꾸려 나가는 이 시대 우리 모두를위한 것일것이다.자 이젠 오직 실천할 일만 남았다.

실시 !!!

KATIE COURIC, CBS News Anchor: Tonight, it’s all about “The King.” 50 years of unforgettable interviews with presidents, prime ministers and royalty, celebrities, newsmakers, even a few journalists. Larry King, 50 years in broadcasting. First of all, congratulations.

LARRY KING, CNN Anchor: Thank you, Katie. I’m thrilled that you’re doing this.

I’ve Had a Joyous Ride for 50 Years
COURIC: Well, let me start by asking you to use one word to describe your career. You’ve done 40,000 interviews over the course of 50 years, some 300million broadcast words, by one calculation. What one word would you use to describe this whole crazy ride¹⁰⁾ of yours?

KING: Compelling. I’ve had a joyous ride for 50 years. It’s what I always wanted to do, what I dreamed of doing. When I was five years old, I’d look up at the radio and imitate the radio announcers. I’d pretend that it was my show.

COURIC: When you were just five?

KING: Five, six. I’d imitate anything I heard. I’d go to ball games and broadcast the game to myself. So I’m living out a dream. In fact, the last time I worked was 50 years ago for United Parcel Service. I was a helper on the truck. I was a delivery boy². And
then I went down to Miami and broke in. So compelling fits it.

A Waitress Was the First
COURIC: Tell me about when you started doing interviews at Pump... Pumpernick’s in North Miami, right?

KING: In Miami Beach, 67th and Collins. I was doing this morning disk jockey²⁴⁾ show. And the owner of Pumpernick’s, the late Charlie Bookbinder, he liked me. And he... that was a very successful 24 hour restaurant, packed.
But the slow period was like 9:00 to 11:00 in the morning. So he wanted a morning coffee klatsch²⁸⁾ show. So he liked me a lot.
So I would finish my radio show at 9:00 and then drive up to Pumpernick’s and go on from 10:00 to 11:00, do this interview show.

COURIC:Wasn’t your first interview a waitress?

KING: A waitress was the first. You know, I got the maitre d’, anybody. And then one day, I’m looking up and Bobby Darin. Bobby Darin! “Mack the Knife” was the number one song in the country. He walks in. Then Ed Sullivan came in. Danny Thomas. And then one day, I’m sitting... I'm doing the interview, “Good morning, folks³³⁾.” I look up, Jimmy Hoffa. Jimmy Hoffa!
What Makes a Good Guest?

COURIC: What makes a good guest?

KING: Good question. Four things. You want a passion, an ability to explain what they do very well, a little bit of a chip on their shoulder and a sense of humor, hopefully self-deprecating. If you have a sense of humor, a chip on the shoulder, explain what you do very well and passion, you’re a great guest. If you’re a ballet dancer or a singer or a president. Sinatra had all four.
COURIC: He’s your all-time favorite guest, isn’t he, one of them?

KING: Yeah.
(COURIC: Top ten. He’d be way up. Top ten easy, because he was hard to get. And because he liked me and therefore he did me in radio a few times.

I’m Intensely Curious
COURIC: Let me ask you about your style because I did a little research and people have used adjectives like conversational, easy-going, nonjudgmental.But I was curious how you would describe your interviewing style.

KING: I’m intensely curious. I have no agenda. I’ve never gone into an interview saying, “I’m going to kill this guy.” or “I’m going to praise this guy.” I have gone in trying to learn. What I've tried to do is ask short questions. I leave me out of it. I don’t use the word “I.
”
There Was Nothing Else I Wanted to Do But Communicate
COURIC: You know, we talked about Frank Sinatra being among your top ten favorites. Can you name a couple of other interviews you really loved?
KING: Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Malcolm X, Barry Goldwater, terrific interview. All of these people had the qualities you want.

COURIC: If you hadn’t done this for a living, what might you have done other than work for UPS?

KING: You know, I really don’t know. I had no particular talent at anything else. I didn’t go to college. I just got out of high school. I got out of high school by my mother begging the dean, let him out. I was not a good student.
After my father died, I lost all interest in school. I don’t know what I would have done. That’s a very good question. I really have no idea what I would have done. Maybe stand-up comedy, you know, because I liked that so much. I don’t know how I would have gotten into it. But there was nothing else I wanted to do but communicate.