Story Telling with Cal Fussman

Interviewer extraordinaire Cal Fussman joins Brian Levenson to talk about how essential curiosity is in the realm of interviewing. Cal has interviewed some of the most famous people in the world ranging from Kobe Bryant to Al Pacino to Dr. Oz. He is also a best selling author and not surprisingly the host of a very popular Podcast called Big Questions. In this free flowing episode they discuss how Brian should introduce himself and the power of motivation and inspiration (5:30), why he loves Podcasts (16:30), the use of opening interview questions to get a better sense of a person (22:30), how asking someone a question can open you up to something unexpected and what constitutes a hero (29:00), why getting out of your comfort zone and getting back up after being knocked down are essential for success (37:30), what drew him to writing about sports at a young age (41:00), Kobe’s interest in storytelling and how storytelling has changed as technology has evolved (51:00), how his constant curiosity led to him leaving a job and the love of looking for the next adventure (59:30), and the exhilaration of the unknown while traveling and how it taught him to interview (1:06:30). Finally Cal explains how family taught him to mix routine with his yearning for new experiences (1:17:00). Thanks to Cal Fussman for coming on, and make sure to listen to his Podcast . You can also follow him on Twitter: @calfussman Also, if you liked this episode and others, please support us at Patreon or follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @IntentionalPerformers. Thanks for listening. --Brian