My Most Memorable Celebrity Interview Moments

A few years back, I had a real fun run interviewing celebrities for a publication called Times Square Magazine. Chazz Palmiteri, Michael Emerson of Lost, Lynda Carter, Larry Manetti of Magnum PI and Southside Johnny were among the more notable. Of course, having a global icon queued up for a conversation is a little unsettling. But I pretty much went about my business once the dial tone gave way. Here’s a few of my shinning moments.

Ato Essandoh

1. Ato Essandoh

Ato most recently appeared in Away on Netflix and has been in tons of stuff as a character actor. His recurring role on Blue Bloods as Reverend Potter is where I see him most. Conversely, the actor was playing a Civil War doctor in the BBC series, Copper. But just prior, he had inadvertently made noise for his small role in Django Unchained. He was the slave refusing to take part in the Mandingo Fighting, and the consequences are dire. He is mauled to death my vicious dogs. However, the internet gave the scene a life of its own. The actor was supposedly killed and there was a meme to prove it.

So I got on the phone and didn't waste any time doing my due dilligence as a journalist.

Rich Monetti : I’m confused, I heard you were dead.

 Ato Essandoh : Yes, I’m calling from Heaven. Actually, I’m calling from Hell.

Good improv Ato and it went from there.

2. Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds

Photo by Dark Dwarf

McCarty and the Yardbirds were still going strong by the time I got to him. But obviously a lot of the old names from the 60s moved on, and I decided to play dumb to point out the young newcomers.

Rich Monetti: It’s funny, three guys in the band have aged really well.

 Jim McCarty : (Laughing) Yeah, they look pretty good for 60.

Touche and the beat goes on

3. Ashley Bell

The actress was starring in a 1930s revival that followed the real life events of one Ruth Sndyer. A married women, she has an affair and ultimately ends up killing her husband. But it’s the trap Snyder is in that provides the true impetus for her crime and leads the way for my humor.

Ashley Bell : It’s a story of what happens to a woman who doesn’t fit into this industrial time, and how society beats her down. Then we see what it causes her to do.

The story doesn’t end there, though.

Rich Monetti : What was the impact of her execution?

Ashley Bell : It was incredibly shocking. Adding to that, a reporter hid a camera down his pant leg, the photograph taken from that angle. So what’s been incredible about the Rebecca Hill performance and how Lyndsey has staged the play, the audience is so shocked by the ending, you can hear audible gasps. People don’t know what to do. The cast is almost envious. We wish we could live through the reaction they see.

Now, that is deep, but I don’t hesitate. I step up and knock it off the tee

Rich Monetti : So this isn’t a musical?

Ashley Bell: (Laughing) No, we’re not talking about a musical.

That’s right, I know what I’m doing…Or maybe not.

4. Lindsay Mendez

I was interviewing a young actress named Lindsay Mendez. She was starring in a Broadway Play called Dog Fight and I innocently asked a fairly logical question.

RM: How does it feel to carry the burden of the lead where the success of the whole production rests so heavily on you?

Lindsay Mendez: I try not to think about it (laughing) but thank you for reminding me.

Ouch…

4. Tate Donovan

Photo by nationalwildlife.federation

When I found out I was going to be interviewing Tate Donovan, I asked myself the obvious question. Who’s Tate Donovan. Yes, he’s one of those actors whose face you know but not his name. Of course, I admitted my google search, and he was fine with the reality of his status. In fact, the actor likes how his stature helps carve out a niche. “It definitely allows you to do more projects."

So I doubled down as our conversation came to a close and took his anonymous typecast a step further. You see, fans from Damages are in the same boat and knew his face well. But they likely remember him more for how he made his exit.

Rich Monetti : Thank you for taking some time to talk to me.

Tate Donovan : You’re welcome, and I’m glad you figured out who I am.

Rich Monetti : Me too but I’m still going to tell my mother I just interviewed the guy who was drowned in the toilet bowl on Damages.

Tate Donovan : No problem. Just tell her I'm ok, I didn't really die.

A relief for sure...

5. Christina DeCicco

Christina Decicco was starring in Spider-man on Broadway at the time. I learned that she was a good girl personified. But I peppered her nonetheless and attempted to get her to admit to some degree of troublemaking over the years. No such luck...

Christina DeCicco : I've been with my husband since I was a teenager. We got married a few years after college

Rich Monetti: What does he do?

Christina DeCicco : He's an accountant.

Say it ain’t so, and I am forced to change course to up the banter.

Rich Monetti : How exciting.

CD: A nice stable guy. I'm the crazy in the relationship. He's the security.

Rich Monetti : Can you bring him to parties?

Christina DeCicco : I definitely can. He gets showed off well.

I guess there’s hope for all of us regular guys

6. Vanessa Bley

Vanessa Bley was an Indy Rocker from Brooklyn. Cool as hell, she played the part perfectly and wasn’t shy about sprinkling in an abundance of “fucks.” So I playfully called her on it…

Rich Monetti : I love the way you nonchalantly drop those F-Bombs.

Vanessa Bley : You seems like the kind of guy who can handle a few.

And she was right. I think she’s married with at least one kid in California. They say people who swear are more empathetic, perceptive and nurturing. Those kids are definitely in good hands.

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