Interview with John Griffiths, Entertainment Journalist/TV Critic at Us Weekly

[PHOTO CREDIT: FOX TV PUBLICITY]

As a television critic and entertainment journalist, John Griffiths has interviewed a long list of big names in the industry including Nicole Kidman, Christian Bale, Ellen DeGeneres, and on and on. When one of the writers at Collaj first read his work in Statement Magazine profiling Christina Applegate, she knew there was something different about his fun and absorbing writing style that set him apart (which you can catch a hint of below). We turned the tables and got a brief chance to interview the journalist, for a change, about his on-the-job experience to where his favorite spot in LA is.
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Collaj Magazine: What topic do you like writing about the most?

John Griffiths: Political rantings, er, comments on the The Daily Beast! But that can lead to an emotional hangover.

CM: Who are some of the most interesting people you’ve interviewed?

JG: Nicole Kidman, because she fed my ego by laughing at my jokes. And because she was very honest and thoughtful in her answers.

CM: And what was the most weird/awkward situation you’ve run into during your career?

JG: An actress pretended the house where I interviewed her for a major mag was hers, cried when it became obvious, then sent me the saddest little plant on earth after I kept it all hush-hush.

CM: If you could summarize your writing style in one word, what would it be?

JG: Fun—at least that’s what I aim for.

CM: How long does it take for you to write a story/profile?

JG: For writing a celebrity profile, it takes about five days overall, from interviewing to transcribing to chopping to polishing to fact-checking. But those days might not come straight in a row!

CM: What is your greatest fear?

JG: Used to be bees, then an audit, now it’s my own fear.

CM: What is your greatest accomplishment?

JG: Hmmm. My friendships.

CM: Who are your favorite writers?

JG: Right now, I’d have to say the wordsmiths of The Colbert Report.

CM: What is your favorite saying?

JG: “Love is all around, no need to waste it.”

CM: What are three things you’re passionate about?

JG: Gratitude, friends and family, my dogs, L.A. history, breaking bread with a friend at an interesting cafe, showbiz history, hummingbirds.

CM: What is your favorite talk show?

JG: Now with Alex Wagner on MSNBC; of the late-night talkers, Jimmy Kimmel Live.

CM: Best animal?

JG: Doggy-woggies! I have soft belly for Dachsunds.

CM: Where is your top spot/eatery in LA?

JG: The 101 Coffee Shop in Hollywood. Great black and white milkshakes.

CM: Where can people see and read your stuff?

JG: Us Weekly, Emmy Magazine, beauty parlors that keep magazines dating back to 1990.

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Read more of his work at Us Weekly and an article on Katheryn Winnick who stars in Vikings.