I've long loved Jesse Thorn's unabashed fandom and enthusiasm for his interview subjects on Bullseye. Here, Jesse brings that air and professional curiousity for his craft to this podcast. It's equal parts a revelatory search for what makes the titans of the form good at their jobs, but also a warm and personalized look at how varied these people treat their subjects and end products. I'm never going to be a radio or podcast personality, but I loved every minute of this show. [2022 Update: This show still rules. Ignore the haters.]

Insightful and tremendously entertaining for anyone, not just those who do interviewing.

I just started a new podcast and have gotten TONS of value and encouragement out of these interviews. I often listen to episodes on my way to see a guest, or when I've had waves of feeling discouraged. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Whether you like or dislike show host Jesse Thorne, (see other reviews for the pros and cons about him), you can’t fault his choice of guests for this limited series about the art of interviewing. You’ll find the expected big names (Ira Glass, Terry Gross, March Mohan), and unexpected choices, too, like Werner Herzog. As the host of weekly interview podcast myself, I found this show invaluable and got new insights in every episode about how to talk to my guests and serve my audience better.

Reminds me of On the Media.

This show should be required listening for anyone who wants to be an better interviewer, or even just a better conversationalist. I love hearing the different techniques that the pros use to get what they're looking for out of an interview.

Jesse Thorn is gold. I so appreciate his candor, that he breaks down the barriers that most hosts put up where you don’t ever get to know them. His questions are incredibly thought through and his research is unparalleled.

Loved the conversation with Mark Maron.

I really enjoy the guests and their perspectives. But Jesse is, unfortunately, so insecure that it sounds as if he's fishing for compliments from his guests. It's like his own personal class on how to interview and I don't feel as if he has learned much. Someone like Marc Maron, for example, uses a lot of personal anecdotes when he interviews... personal anecdotes and stories are not the problem here- Marc is relatable and endearing because he knows who he is and who he is not, and doesn't have to constantly apologize for himself. The idea for this podcast is really great, but I wish they would get a more confident host.

I was so excited to learn about this podcast series. It's wonderful to hear these experts talk about their craft and their distinct approaches to interviewing.

So good!

Cool listening to interesting people, but not ground breaking and JT is a little too self deprecating throughout his interviews to the point where the guests react by giving him obligatory compliments, which makes for awkward moments with these famous and intelligent guests.

I've always enjoyed Jesse from Judge John Hodgman and Bullseye. Hearing him interview some of the greats about the interview process is utterly delightful and fascinating. And meta.

Just loved this series. So interesting and funny and smart. In particular loved the Springer, Morris and Combat Jack interviews. More please!

This is a limited series with Jesse Thorn. He is fun and interesting with very impressive guests.

This podcast really blew me away, Jesse Thorn does an excellent job breaking down what makes each of his guests unique and the different ways people get to the heart of a story.

The Turnaround is a great series by a great podcaster.

This is an amazing show! I am so grateful that I get to hear this perspective. Thank you so much!

Please don't let this be the end of the your show. You must do another season! I have an interview based show of my own (Art Dealer Show). And I've learned and grown so much but listening to Jesse Thorns series. I do not be lieve there is any one source that rivals the learning and insite that is offered in the Turnaround. This is a maters course in the art of interviewing as taught and explored by it's candid conversations with some of the best practicers of the art today. Jesse, you given a lot to us all with your show. Get some well earned rest, and them come back to continue the work. Go get Charlie Rose!

I just listened to the episode wit Anna Sale, which was actually an episode of her podcasst , Death, Dex & Money. I used to listen to The Sound of Young America and Bullseye despite thinking that he was pretty self-absorbed and indulgent. Well, those qualities are on full display here. His constant interruptions and chortles when the guest is speaking are so distracting. And how about editing? Not every minute of these very long interviews is going to be edifying. Cut to the chase! I realy want to hear some of the other great interviewers but I don't know if I can stomach more Jesse Thorn. Maybe I'll try blocking him out.

Love, love, love this podcast. I've listened to every episode and have found it great development on my own podcasting journey (I started a interview-style podcast a year ago). Wish he had started this project a year ago!

Great idea for a project, with a superb lineup. Fascinating insight into art and science of interviewing that I never appreciated until I listened to these. Fantastic job

Thank You Jesse!!! And all the wonderful guests, many familiar and the previously unknown to me, were just as great and lovely I king forward to following up on more of their work and careers!! Perfect summer listening!!! Loved it!!!

Jesse has been able to get these folks to open the theater curtains and let us see what's behind. And who ever knew that the stagecraft and intricacies behind the interview could be so immense!

Seriously, it's worth listening to every episode. I'm not even that into journalism and I find this enthralling!

Come for the Brooke Gladstone interview, subscribe for the Warner Herzog interview.

Really easy to listen to and a great insight into the world of interviewing.

I have been drawn into every single episode and have learned so much from hearing the insights of some of the media's greatest interviewers. Larry King was fantastic. Katie Couric was amazing. Anna Sale, Ray Suarez, and Louis Theroux were great. But every single episode I find myself wanting to scream "omg Jesse SHUT UP." Perhaps this was most evident in the Maggie Haberman episode, where it basically turned into Jesse wishing he could interview the president and was settling for a seasoned journalist with the access he wanted. Unbelievable. She clearly does not suffer fools and that came across with how she dealt with Jesse. Weird anecdotes only tangentially related, name dropping, baffling non sequiturs... maybe I'm not getting it--maybe the point is to demonstrate a terrible interviewer paired with a great one? Not sure. However, this podcast is fascinating, but that's in spite of itself.

This podcast is absolutely delightful. Jesse Thorn interviews a wide variety of interesting and accomplished guests. I expect to revisit a few of my favorite episodes.

Jesse Thorn is one of my favorite interviewers. He has a way of interviewing people, where even if I don't like them or what they do, in still fascinated by what comes out of his conversations. This show is all of this and more. It's listening to masters at work and I'm only upset it won't keep going after the summer. And that guy who thinks Jesse is a jerk can go fly a kite.

This has been a welcome addition to my podcast subscriptions. I love the balance between Jesse and his guests. It's funny, intriguing, insightful and I love that it doesn't feel scripted.

I learned of this podcast by listening to the interview with Anna Sale, the host of 'Death, Sex, And Money'. What started out as an intriguing idea, that of Jesse Thorn turning the microphone around and interviewing other known hosts and interviewers, turned out to be a sour, deflated, and sophomoric hour & twenty minutes of Jesse Thorn not being self-aware enough to properly interview another interviewer. I don't know of his full body of work, but simply from his lackluster interview with Anna Sale, I am no longer interested in hearing anything further from this podcast. It is a huge red flag when an interviewee has to twice ask the interviewer "I'm sorry, so what was the question?" Anna had to ask Jesse this question on two separate occasions. During the interview, Thorn was occupied with either talking about himself in multiple run-on sentences, or he was not listening attentively to his guest's answers. He also consistently and annoyingly inserted himself during the interview, with personal anecdotes that he clumsily used to interrupt his guest while she spoke. Very poor manners! In addition, his habit of laughing while the guest is answering a question was distracting and somewhat disrespectful. On so many instances, Anna, being the good interviewer she is herself, was tasked with turning the interview question around to bring the whole interaction back on track. Sometimes, when interviewers are self-deprecating, it is because they genuinely feel, admire, and acknowledge that others are better at doing something that they themselves strive to do. When Jesse Thorn was pretending to be self-deprecating, it was very evident that he actually thinks very highly of himself, but was putting on airs to come off as modest. Throughout this interview, he was inauthentic. He of all people should know that the foundation of all interviews is authenticity, transparency, and respect, no matter who is in front of or behind the mic. From his episode with Anna Sale, none of these qualities were evident in his style or delivery. Lastly, it is ok for an interviewer to ask standard interview questions in a different manner than is normal. However, Jesse Thorn asking Anna Sale flippantly "what is your baby called?" instead of a simple and caring, "can you share with us the name of your new baby?" was in very poor taste and uncouth. He asked it as if the baby was an inanimate object, or a pet, and not an actual human being. As soon as he asked this question at the end of the interview, I was done. If he was trying to be funny, he wasn't. Remember, in podcasting, you're either funny or you're not, and you should never laugh at your own jokes. Based on all the above, I won't be coming back for more episodes.

!

This podcast is fascinating, entertaining and inspirational. Hearing the differences and commonalities between the guests is especially interesting - so I highly recommend listening to the whole series, even if some of the guests are new to you. Although the show is geared towards learning about interviewing, I think the content is valuable for creatives and entrepreneurs in any field.

This podcast is basically Jesse Thorn trying to learn how to interview from of the greats. Their expertise only shows how bad he is at it and how much he has to learn. The episodes are way too long and feel longer because he is way too unprepared and self absorbed.

Love it, especially since the podcasts run as long as the conversations; nothing gets edited so I feel like I'm right there in the room. Plus love the interviewees he's picked. Errol Morris was fascinating, but then again they all are. I've been binge listening as I pack and clean for an upcoming move. Can't wait to hear the long-promised interview with Werner Herzog. Some suggestions/wishes for other guests: Malcolm Gladwell, Walter Issacsson, Alex Blumberg, Sarah Koenig.

The show is a blast. It feels more like a conversation you're sitting in on then an interview. I really enjoy getting this weird behind the scenes perspective.

I discovered Jesse Thorn on the Judge John Hodgman podcast. It is fun to hear him in a more serious context on The Turnaround. The collection of guests is outstanding, all the interviewing greats. The stories are interesting. In my work I often moderate panel discussions on diversity issues and have learned new tools to bring to my craft. Absolutely love this show. I get excited each time a new episode is released.

I have only heard one episode (Anna Sale), still I think it became pretty clear when he got bored with the interview. It was very distracting to hear him quietly laughing as she was talking and it made it hard for me to take it serious. He also made it pretty clear that he zones out while the guest is speaking. This started out well but declined as it kept going.

This podcast is so fascinating. I love the idea and the guests are amazing. Jesse seems to be unable to stop talking about himself though and it's hard to listen to him ramble on and on.

This show has been one of my favorites in the last few weeks. It’s refreshing to spend some time not hearing about politics and fascinating to hear intelligent people discuss their work with such nuance. I hope there are more seasons to come. My only complaint is that Jesse Thorn, who I haven’t listened to before, can take his affable self-deprecation a little far. I wish he’d accept a compliment and move on instead of spending five minutes trying to convince his guest that he really isn’t good at what he does. It does a disservice to everyone involved and distracts from the interesting parts of the interview.

This is just the greatest. I am so grateful to Jesse, the CJR, and all of the guests who took the time to discuss their craft.

I've always wondered about what is going on in the minds of all these Interviewers I listen to all the time. Peeking behind the curtains is so much fun. So much variety. Really worth listening!

This isn't an advice podcast, but it's loaded with advice for podcasters. I have a podcast (SheNomads), and I feel like sometimes I nail interviews, and sometimes I can't get people to open up. I listened to a few episodes, and I have a better understanding of why. Love the show! ~ LaToya from SheNomads

It's fantastic to hear the in's and out's of the thought processes behind some of the best interviewers alive. Really good stuff.

I'm a huge fan of Jesse Thorn so of course I was gonna check this out even if "interviews w/ famous interviews" isn't exactly something I'd think I'd be in to. and I was wrong. Thorn goes into these interviews w/ his usual humor and insight and they become immediately engaging. even if he interviews someone I've never heard of it quickly becomes something essential and amazing.

Jesse is my man crush.

Love this new series--keep up the great work, Jesse!

It's great. I'm currently trying to figure out the order in which the interviews acutally took place!

A really useful source of inspiration for documentarians and even hacks like me. Love it.