This week, Lilah compares notes on interviewing with podcaster Sam Fragoso. Sam's show Talk Easy features in-depth conversations with some of the biggest names in culture: from Cate Blanchett and Judd Apatow, to Noam Chomsky. He tells Lilah about his highlights and difficult moments, and they discuss what makes a great conversation. Then, we challenged listeners to submit boring topics for us to make interesting, and this week we take on the UK citizenship test. To become a British citizen, you have to pass a uniquely esoteric test about "British customs, traditions and laws". What do the questions suggest about what it means to be British? And should these tests exist at all?

Note: After this podcast was aired, Jonathan Majors was arrested for assault. His lawyer says he is "completely innocent".

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Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.

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Links:

– Sam’s podcast, Talk Easy, is available to listen wherever you get your podcasts, and is on Instagram at Twitter @talkeasypod

– Sam and Lilah discuss conversations with Ke Huy Quan and Kara Swisher. Sam also recommends his conversations with Norman Lear and journalist Maria Ressa. Lilah recommends Sam's conversation with Lena Dunham: https://talkeasypod.com/lena-dunham/

– Professor Thom Brooks’ Ted Talk: ‘Should the British citizenship test be a barrier or a bridge?’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNHpyJPbXNI

– A guide to passing the citizenship test, by the FT’s Federica Cocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn9k29PWmMU

– The FT’s Alan Livsey on his experience of the test: ‘For Better or Worse, I’m British now’: https://on.ft.com/3JCRQtj

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Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Special shout out to producer Lulu Smyth.

Additional clips from Pushkin and the BBC’s Live at the Apollo.

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Audio changed to include an edit on 3/24/2023.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The art of the celebrity interview, with Sam Fragoso

Life and Art from FT Weekend

The art of the celebrity interview, with Sam Fragoso