Am I the only one NOT getting the Barry Katz love? All Jay does is gush about how NO ONE on the Internet hates this guy....and while I don't hate him, the couple of times I've heard him I'm not knocked over with the level of incredible he supposedly brings with Jay.
He sounds like he is a parody of one of Jay's many f'd out impressions. "Now let me tell you, and I'm not afraid to say this, you have to be undeniable. When you're undeniable, you cannot be denied. I've told you this, you've not denied it, it's undeniable."
Every story I've heard him tell is painted as some moving, moral-filled narrative where he feels that he is just toying with the listener as he slowly gets to the end. There's always some bigger meaning to his stories. Deep stuff. I mean he consistently allows wild birds in his house....his amazing young son caught one....Katz then forgets to completely lock up his dog, who then chomps the bird to death right out of his young son's hand. I can't even start to tell you how incredibly pointed and moving this story was, and the number of things to take away from it (both literally and symbolically) are just too many to post here. At least according to Katz. The guy sounds ALMOST as pleased with his stories as Adam peppering us with observations he's jotted down while being waterboarded in first class. Almost.
Anyway, back to Jay. Listen back to any Adam-Eisen podcast "interview", then listen to Mohr's most recent podcast (which was a sitdown with Rich). There IS NO BIGGER EGOMANIAC than Jay Mohr, and he actually did a hummingbird's heartbeat of prep, pulled amusing stories out of Rich, and made for a SOLID and entertaining interview. So rather than excuse Adam's deficiencies as an interviewer as a byproduct of his narcissism, let's just agree that he just blows at interviewing people. I'd argue that Jay and Adam are on par as far as ego and narcissistic mania goes....yet Jay is able to somehow balance Jay stories AND talking TO the guest (not AT the guest).