Q. You’ve taken “A Prairie Home Companion’’ around the world. What is it about the program’s format that makes it so universal?
A. The show is extremely flexible. It has evolved over the years to become, I think, more lighthearted and silly. Now we’re missing our old sound-effects man [Tom Keith, who had worked on the show since the 1970s, died of a heart attack on Oct. 30], so we have to find our silliness somewhere else. The broadcast is a variety show, so you just keep changing the subject. That’s always a good strategy, whether we’re talking about a conversation or an interview. Keep making sharp right turns.
Q. I’ve always admired your interview technique. How did you learn that skill?
A. I don’t think it’s a skill that I have. I wish that I did. It’s just a little game of Ping-Pong, and some people enjoy playing with you and they make you look good. Other people are reluctant and taciturn. Midwesterners are impossible to interview. They’re brought up to be self-effacing, and self-effacing is not what you want in an interview.
Q. How do you describe the role of music on “A Prairie Home Companion’’?
A. Music is the lifeblood of feeling, and that’s really what we’re looking for with musicians. We’re looking for a soulfulness no matter what side of the street they’re working. That’s what I look for when I listen to audio clips and try to figure out who to book for the show. I’m looking for something visceral that wants to give me something. Musicians who are ironic or conflicted or dark … I have no patience for it. I’m looking for something that passes directly from the artist to the audience that you don’t need to think about.
Q. Are there kinds of music you like that aren’t appropriate for the show?
A. Oh, absolutely. I love over the top. I love sacred music, but it just doesn’t work in a variety show. A little uptempo gospel is good. Every so often, because it’s the music that means the most to me, I do sing a hymn on the show, but then I promise myself that I’m not going to do it again.
Q. It was nice to see you on screen in Robert Altman’s 2006 film adaptation of the program, also titled “A Prairie Home Companion.’’ Were you a natural actor?
