The Gregory Mantell Show

When trying to find material to put together a good, in-depth look at Greg, we came across this interview from Pizzazz Magazine. We decided that this interview gives not only a peak into his background, but also a great look at his personality. Enjoy!

Pizzazz Magazine: What would you say is the highlight of your life so far and how does it compare to your overall goals?

Gregory Mantell: I love traveling and reading and writing, but without a doubt doing the talk show is the highlight. Just because it incorporates everything I like to do--all of my interests--and it's just a hell of a lot of fun.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who was the first person to tell you getting into what you are known for was a crazy idea? At what point did you agree (even if it was momentarily)?

Gregory Mantell: Well, if this show takes off, I will certainly have some amusing anecdotes to tell, especially concerning some comments from those in the industry. I don't really remember who was the first. When I first started doing this, "My father would always say, 'Don't quit your (day) job!' Because I have a nice career. But fortunately, especially lately, there have been some truly encouraging, positive comments--from people in the business--that make feel good about where this is going for the long run. Even Dad seems to get kind of excited when he watches a DVD of the show. Actually I am more amazed by the positive comments we've been getting, when I was expecting everyone to just say how hard it is too launch a national talk show. In particular, I would like to thank Jodi Gottlieb, a producer who has done a lot of promos for the networks, and Kelly Lange, the NBC newscaster turned mystery author, for being especially supportive and encouraging.

Pizzazz Magazine: Have you made contacts using the internet that you know you wouldn't have if it weren't for the web being so accessible?

Gregory Mantell: Absolutely. I do not do internet dating, but I do book almost all of my guests exclusively via e-mail. Because it's so much easier. I can send clips of the show, possible interview times, all sorts of information people would have to write down if you call them first. It's gotten to the point that if a publisher or publicist--even the major ones--don't accept interview requests via e-mail (some want you to fax them on letterhead) I simply skip them and contact the ones that do take e-mail. My usuals--some of the largest publishers in the world--DO, fortunately, accept e-mail.

Pizzazz Magazine: Funny how it usually works. We grow up wanting to be firefighters or nurses, then due to the glory of media, rock stars, actors, etc. and then reality sits in... We end up being ourselves... Good or bad... What's your story?

Gregory Mantell: When I was growing up, I was never even aware that there really was such a job category as talk show host. I did think a bit about becoming a movie star or a singer. But I also had other strong interests such as reading, writing, travel, business, etc. What I love about doing a talk show is that it is a way to incorporate all of your interests into your job.

Pizzazz Magazine: What one thing haven't you done you would still like to?

Gregory Mantell: Take my show national--hell, global! I want the Gregory Mantell Show to be on all seven continents. Maybe even other planets, though at the moment I am working on podcasting.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me one of the negative aspects of your field that everyone needs to know. Do not say there are none! The biggest lie about your work is:

Gregory Mantell: Well, there is a tendency for sensationalism and confrontation and pop psychology in some daytime talk shows--which is a huge turnoff for me. I don't believe in discussing every aspect of your personal life on TV. (Based on all of these reality TV shows, I may be the only in America who feels that way!) Of course, I don't really have time to watch much TV. We're trying to do something different. I was actually kind of happy when Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez got married, because I was tired of hearing about who they were dating.

Pizzazz Magazine: What are your 5 favorite or most frequently visited websites?

Gregory Mantell: #1 is definitely my e-mail account, #2 www.usatoday.com, #3 is www.cnn.com. My college's website. IMDB and Amazon are up there pretty high. There is also a public transportation advocacy group I watch and contribute to. Did I mention www.gregorymantell.com, which we will be upgrading soon? (You're looking at it, folks!)

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me something people do not realize about you, maybe it's not a secret, maybe it's not anything special, but it is something no one else has ever asked you about until now. What's boring to you is news to everyone else...

Gregory Mantell: Future #1 talk show host in the U.S. I shouldn't say that, should I? But the truth is, you don't go into this wanting to be #10 or #100.

Pizzazz Magazine: What's the craziest thing you have experienced in your work? Maybe it's something you witnessed and didn't participate in, but what would shock us, make us laugh or show us another side to things besides the obvious...

Gregory Mantell: Well, as far as the show goes, I think I am frequently surprised by the things people will tell me about their personal life before we start taping or during the commercial breaks. I don't have to pull it out of them. Actually I don't even ask. They just tell me. All kinds of stuff. I'll just leave it at that. Of course, I'm not suggesting they should stop; some of it is good stuff. And I do keep what people tell me confidential. It's like David Letterman said once. He would avoid asking personal questions but his guests would tell him all the details themselves anyway. These days people don't hold back much--they will tell you everything.

Pizzazz Magazine: Anything embarrassing happen when YOU were trying to look cool? What? Embarrassing and crazy are different things!

Gregory Mantell: Should I really tell you this? Well, I was in Athens this summer and I was walking down the street, feeling like Super Stud. When all of sudden I looked down and noticed something dragging behind my shoe. I had just come out of the public rest room, which had a lot of paper and garbage on the floor, and a very long piece of white tissue got stuck to the bottom of my shoe. I pulled it off very quickly with my other foot and tried to disappear pronto.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell us a few sites that friends of yours own that would appreciate a plug:

Gregory Mantell:

I guess I'll mention the site of our world class makeup woman, Francine Alex: http://www.cinefxart.com/
And Captain Getline, one of my favorite guests, who mentions me on her site: http://www.fromthecockpit.com/
And some of the fitness guys I've had on the show:

Eric Carlson: http://www.erockfitness.com/
Christian Boeving: http://www.christianboeving.com/
Greg Plitt: http://www.gregplitt.com/
Shawn Phillips: http://www.shawnphillipstraining.com/

There--is that enough of a plug for you?

Pizzazz Magazine: The biggest PLUS FACTOR about your line of business is:

Gregory Mantell: I think the TV talk show is the best kept secret in Hollywood. People move to LA wanting to be movie stars. But with what other job do you get to meet anyone and everyone and get paid to just sit around shooting the breeze? You see a movie and like an actor--you have them on the show. You read a book and like it--you interview the author. You like to work out, travel, you name it--you invite experts in the field to come over and talk about it.

Pizzazz Magazine: Did the people around you change when you went out looking to succeed in this field? Sometimes those who weren't so supportive in the beginning suddenly become supportive or possibly vice versa; they became thorns in your side....

Gregory Mantell: Yes and no. The main thing is that lately, as the show has begun building a bit of a reputation, I can tell some people are beginning to think, "Hey, he just may pull it off. You never know." The phonies are nice to you when you're big. The smart ones are nice to you when you're small, because they know where you may end up. But I like to travel and have met a lot of great people all over the world--and most of them have no idea about the show or my plans.

Pizzazz Magazine: What question makes you crazy whenever asked and hopefully saying so here will prevent it from being asked again?

Gregory Mantell: I'm supposed to tell you what question drives me crazy? :) There are thing that drive me crazy--waiting in long lines, etc. But interview questions per se don't drive me crazy. I suppose if anything would it would be personal questions that I would consider off-limits and something I would never ask someone I am interviewing.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who do you see on TV, in film or hear on the radio that just makes you wonder how in the hell they got where they are?

Gregory Mantell: I could get in trouble with this one. The truth is I have my own 'A' list of movie stars, and it greatly differs from what the powers that be in Hollywood will tell you. Let's just say there are some major stars who are lucky I haven't got anything to do with the hiring. In general I like a lot of the old-time movie stars and I'm one of the people who thinks there are few real stars in Hollywood any more. There used to be some glamour, but these days, it just seems to be--how low can you go, how sleazy can you be. I like some of the up-and-coming younger people more than some of the established names.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me a joke:

Gregory Mantell: I used to get a lot of those e-mail joke lists that everyone seemed to be sending for a while, though it has quieted down lately, fortunately. I rarely forward any of them. But I will share one joke someone sent me that I actually did think was funny and sent to my friends:

One day a man comes home from work. His wife comes up to him all excited and says, "Honey, pack your bags! I've got a surprise for you." He says, "Why? What's going on? Where are we going?" She says, "I don't know, but I just won the lottery and I want you to get the hell out."

Pizzazz Magazine: What music group do you listen to most often and what is their best album?

Gregory Mantell: I run a lot and I have to listen to music when I run. Unfortunately, I listen to a lot of cheesy pop music--uptime, high energy stuff to keep me running. But I'm not sure I want to admit or confess in writing what it is.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who should hang up their hat in your business? Why?

Gregory Mantell: On the one hand, I wish anyone who has made it in the talk show realm well-- more power to them. Especially, Oprah, who has really done great things for the talk show industry. On the other hand, all of the major shows have their own philosophy or voice, and I find some more appealing than others. So, as a host, I watch everything on occasion to see what people are up to, though as a viewer I don't have time to watch most on a regular basis. Perhaps because I am too busy doing my own show! I did use to watch Merv Griffin and Phil Donahue a bit when I was growing up.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me your favorite movie genre, name a few titles, think video rental or DVD's you own and watch the most:

Gregory Mantell: A good serious drama, comedies, sci-fi. Even a good action or horror film. Mostly I rent movies through one of the online / mail rental services. I have watched all the AFI Top 100 movies, quite a few of which I enjoyed and think tend to be quite a bit better than most of the new stuff. I did buy the boxed set of Superman, one of the few I've actually purchased.

Pizzazz Magazine: What TV show do you miss from childhood... I used to love Land of the Giants and Dance Fever (kidding on that one)....

Gregory Mantell: This will be used against me some day! I never watched Land of the Giants, but I was a fan of Land of the Lost. I even watched the Man from Atlantis, the Bionic Man, and Woman, Battlestar Galactica--my number 1 favorite TV of all time. And my number #2 favorite TV show of all time--Dallas. Even the Facts of Life. I could go on and on listing some old shows I watched that I thought were long gone but are now being resurrected as--bad--movies.

Pizzazz Magazine: Ever had someone from your past try and track you down and bug the tar out of you? I know this seems like the same questions as, "did people change" but it isn't meant to be.... Maybe we can put a little tact in people's future efforts here...

The Gregory Mantell Show: There have been a few times lately when I've gotten some e-mails from people I crossed paths with at some point apparently and mostly I was just sitting there thinking, "Who is this person?" In one case, it was someone I went to high school with and I said to myself, "I went 20 years without hearing from this person, and I'm sure I wouldn't mind if I went another 20."

Pizzazz Magazine: If you were anyone besides yourself, who would you be (even for just a day, on a good day, of course) and did you emulate them growing up or is this a recent admiration you have acquired?

Gregory Mantell: I have plenty of heroes, but there is no one else I would want be--perhaps simply because I never considered body-switching a possibility. I admire various people for various reasons: Plato as a philosopher, Jane Austen and a lot of English novelists as writers, Christopher Reeve as Superman and John Wayne as tough guys who didn't take any crap but who were still good.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who in your business would you like to say, "Hey, remember the time someone hooked you up and now look where you are? How about hooking me up with... (blank)?" Insert the BLANK....

Gregory Mantell: I am still waiting for someone to hook me up so that I can feel indebted to them! Actually, I have hooked other people up. Sometimes I feel as though I am a middleman on this show. No names, but one of my guests who is a successful TV and movie producer ended up going in to business with another guest he met on the show in the Green Room. (I had re-scheduled both a couple of times, so it was completely random that they were there same day. They could very easily never have met.) Another of my guests is dating someone--or was, last I heard--he met as a result of being on the show. Someone in the audience liked him and ran into him at a party and said, "Hey, didn't I see you on the Gregory Mantell Show." So, yes, I am waiting for someone to hook me up; I've been doing all the hooking up lately.

Pizzazz Magazine: What did we forget?

Gregory Mantell: If you'd like to be a guest on the show or know someone who would be a great interview, please do feel free to email me at greg@gregorymantell.com. You can now listen to podcasts of the show in the Apple iTunes store under Movies & Television / The Gregory Mantell Show.