Sticking with the context of my last post, I delved a bit more into the Indian media and their talk shows. Turns out this guy Karan Thapar is very famous and is known to rip their guests apart. He is also the first to take up the yelling at the top of his lungs style of interviewing in India. He has a show on which he interviews people and supposedly asks them tough questions and never gives up under pressure. That is the show where Kapil Dev famously cried.
I happen to see Karan Thapar a little differently as you might have guessed. He has modeled his show along the lines of Bill O'Reilly and Hannity and Colmes' shows. He has the douchebag countenance to go along with it. He yells and yells without listening to what the guest is saying. He is your typical bully that does interviews to further his viewpoints and ratings rather than conduct an actual meaningful interview. It is remarkable that many top notch people in India go on his show. My guess is he will call them cowards if they didn't.
But here is how a typical interview would go with him. Lets say his guest is called 'A'.
Karan: Mr.A from the happenings of the last few weeks you seem to be a despicable scum of a human being who should resign immediately. What do you say about that?
Mr.A : Karan, that is your opinion. You are entitled to your opinion.
Karan: I am not saying it, the media is saying it. In fact since we reflect the popular opinion of the people, the people are thinking you are a despicable scum of a human being who does not deserve a place any where on the planet. In fact you appear to be the worst person on earth. (ups the ante here!)
Mr.A : Karan if the people are saying so then may be I am the worst person on the earth. Like I said everyone is entitled to their opinion. (Lets assume the guest completely gives up!)
Karan: Mr. A are you saying you agree that you are scum? Are you saying you are the worst person on the earth?
Mr.A : Yes.
Karan: How does that make you feel? You being the scum on the earth. You get up in the morning and realizing that you are scum on the face of the earth. ( Notice how he repeats himself).
Mr.A : Yes. I feel alright. I go about my business.
Karan: So you have no shame that you are the worst person on the earth. You are scum but you just go about your business as usual. Mr.A why do you still live? (ups the ante again without giving up the one question he has).
Mr.A: If you say so. ( does not fall for it).
.... this goes on for about 30 minutes. Karan throws everything at his guest to make him cry or yell. Don't take my word for it. See some interviews on youtube yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=karan+thapar&search_type=&aq=0&oq=karan+tha
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Oh, I didn't know it was Karan Thapar who made Kapil cry. (Karan's famous talk show is 'Devil's Advocate.') Yes, he rips them apart and doesn't give up under pressure. And he yells for his own sake. The interviewees usually give up. Narendra Modi, 3 minutes after starting the interview walked out saying, "Let our friendship remain intact." I enjoy the show when he tears apart the politicians that I don't like.
At times you just cannot stand his accent and the unnatural stresses. "He gives them for effect.. very bad effect", said a Prannoy Roy fan (and Karan detractor.) Prannaoy Roy's stresses are equally distressing (though fewer than those of Karan.)
He is well educated; was classmate of Benajir Bhutto in London (Cambridge or somewhere.)
At the end of this half hour cornering-of-the-interviewee quite abruptly Karan says, "Mr.A, pleasure talking to you" and juts his hand forward.
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