How many times have you been to a Q & A or a panel where the moderator isn’t very good at moderating?

It happens a lot and it drives me so crazy that I want to change into a cape and tights in the bathroom and swoop in to save the day.

That’s cocky, I know, but I can do this stuff.

After decades of interviewing people for magazines like Movieline, TV Guide, Detour, Cosmopolitan, Out and The Advocate as well as on Sirius / XM radio and my own podcast Dennis Anyone? I know how to bring out the best in the people I interview.

Every interview subject has something that will be enriching to the audience, My job is to charmingly get it out of them. It’s like prospecting for gold and I believe I’m particularly well-suited for this format.

Here’s why:

• Apart from my decades of experience, I really love creative people. I think art and creativity make life worth living and I love to talk to anyone who has the courage and talent to pursue that kind of life.

• I’m a genuinely curious person. I ask my questions because I really want to know the answers not because they were written on a card. And if I’m curious about something, the audience will probably be as well.

• I prepare and do my homework. If there’s a book, I read it and make notes. If it’s a film or a show, I watch it in advance and come in with specific questions.

• I really listen, which leads to thoughtful follows and makes the guest think, ‘Wow this guy really cares about what I’m saying.’

• I have experience on stage, as an emcee and a performer, so I’m comfortable on a mic and in front of a crowd. I’m not going to be fumbling around with the mic and my notecards and asking the crowd to “bear with me because I’m really nervous.”

• I don’t need to hear myself talk. The crowd isn’t there to listen to me. They’re there for the guest and my ego is fed when the guest shines. I like to ask concise, thoughtful questions, without a ton of context, listing of past credits or starstruck gushing. Sometimes the simplest questions get the best answers. I often end my podcasts with “Why do you do it?” and the answers are almost always revealing, relatable and inspiring.

• I’m a funny who’s also a nice guy so I can bring humor to the conversation while still making everyone feel safe.