What drives human conversation? Is it the need to communicate? But why do we want to communicate in the first place?
The answer is simple, really — humans are curious by nature. We have an innate desire to learn and experience new things, new emotions, new people, and new ideas. We love to hear stories — stories that inspire us to pursue our dreams and maximize our potential.
Without meeting new people and having interesting conversations with them, it’s easy to get stuck inside your own bubble of knowledge. Sure, you probably have a good grasp on things that are familiar to you, but other than that, your scope is limited. Don’t you want to learn more? Do you have a curious spirit that is urging you to step out of your comfort zone and discover new things?
If so, you’re going to love my guest today. And even if you don’t consider yourself a curious person, my guess is that you will be after listening to this fascinating interview.
“I like living because of curiosity.” – Larry King
That’s right — today, I have the one and only Larry King on The School of Greatness to share about his interviewing legacy, the importance of curiosity, and how we can all become better communicators.
Who Is Larry King?
I’m sure you’ve heard of Larry King, but just in case you haven’t, here’s an introduction:
Larry King is a world-renowned radio and TV talk show host who has won numerous awards throughout his career. Starting as a radio interviewer on WMBA, he later became the host of Larry King Live for over 25 years on CNN. Now, he hosts his own talk show, Larry King Now, on the internet, where he continues to interview amazing individuals.
On his web series, Larry King has interviewed the biggest celebrities and leaders the world has to offer — including Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Seinfield, Tony Robbins, Snoop Dogg, and many more. He has received several honorary degrees for his accomplishments.
Not only that, but Larry King is also a best-selling author, heart disease survivor, and generous philanthropist. Some of his best selling books include How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere and Truth Be Told — both of which I recommend!
I had the pleasure of connecting with Larry a couple times earlier this year at dinner, and then I met his stepson who actually plays in the Arena Football League as well! I really didn’t know how funny Larry was until I met him — in our interview, he shared two of his favorite jokes that I think you’ll love. He also talked about how he became the prolific interviewer he is today, how we can all become better communicators, and why curiosity is at the heart of everything he does. Lastly, he shared a moment from an inspiring interview that absolutely rocked my world.
It was an incredible experience to interview this amazing man — someone who has been doing what I’m doing for many more years. I know you’ll love hearing from Larry King as much as I did, so let’s dive in.
Why Larry King Is Still Fascinated by People — 60,000 Interviews Later
I think it’s safe to say that Larry King has probably inspired almost every interviewer in the world. His interviewing legacy is like no one else’s, and he admitted that he still has to pinch himself sometimes to remind himself that he isn’t living in a dream.
“Next May 1st, I will have been on the air [for] 60 years. I think I’ve done 60,000 interviews. I always wanted to be a broadcaster. I used to dream about it when I was a kid. When I was five years old, other people wanted to be doctors, lawyers, [or] firemen. I wanted to be on the air.” – Larry King
As Larry King rose to fame, that passion only grew. Now, after interviewing close to 60,000 people, he’s continued to be fascinated by people.
“I guess the word I would use would be passion. I have a passion for curiosity. I’m not the kind of person you want to sit next to on an airplane … because I want to just ask questions all the time, and that [impulse] has never left me.” – Larry King
If you sat next to Larry King on a plane, you’d never get any sleep. It doesn’t matter whether you’re famous — what matters to Larry is that you’re a person and you have experiences, thoughts, and feelings that are different from everyone else’s. Larry King loves asking people questions, but he genuinely wants to know the answers. He’s curious, and that’s what drives him to be the incredible interviewer he is today.
“These are little things I learned in the passing of life, you know? I never learned anything when I was talking — that was my motto on the air. So, I asked short questions. You [have] got to be a good listener. … And if you’re a good listener and you stay focused and you’re naturally curious, interviewing is a great way to make a living.” – Larry King
Before his interviews, Larry goes over some quick notes, but he said he doesn’t actually “prepare” for the interviews in detail. He said he always wants to ask questions that he doesn’t know the answer to. So, rather than coming into the interview as an expert, Larry King comes into the interview to learn. This is what makes him such an incredible interviewer, and as an interviewer myself, I can’t agree more with his tactics.
Even if you’re not an interviewer, I think Larry’s emphasis on curiosity has takeaways for all of us. Whenever we’re in conversation with someone, we should always aim to be the listener. When we listen intently, we learn about new things, we hear different perspectives, and we become well-rounded human beings.
