I just never expected all the things that happened to me the day I was to interview and meet Micky Dolenz’s lovely family. I mean, horseback riding with Debbie and Gina, a long ride with Coco in her new Le Mans and dinner with Micky’s sisters and Mom and Dad.
In the afternoon I stole Mrs. Scott away from the kitchen for a long interview. She talked so easily and was so charming, we chatted for hours. Then came the surprise. “You’ve interview me, now I get to interview you!” I thought she was joking at first, but I was wrong! Out poured the questions.
When I got back to the office I told my editor, Ralph Benner, about my wonderful day. He suggested we really run the story. Since so many of you have written me and asked how to get started in magazine work, I agreed. I hope this answers some questions for you.
Mrs. Scott: I’ve always been asked what it’s like to be a Monkee’s mother and be interviewed and all that jazz. Now we’re going to find out how the interviewer of a Monkee’s mother feels being interviewed. Right?
Ann: Right.
Mrs. Scott: And your name is…
Ann: Ann.
Mrs. Scott: And you work for…
Ann: Tiger Beat Magazine.
Mrs. Scott: Why are you working for Tiger Beat Magazine?
Ann: It’s the best magazine around.
Mrs. Scott: Plug, plug, very funny. How did you get started doing this sort of work?
Ann: I took journalism and wrote all through high school. I worked on the school yearbook for four years. Then when I started college I wrote (and later edited) the college newspaper. I went to college for two years.
Mrs. Scott: And how did you start interviewing pop people?
Ann: I was at a concert and I decided I wanted to meet a group called The Dave Clark Five. This was a couple of years ago. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be ingenious to tell them I wanted an interview for my college paper.” It ended up I got the interview (thanks to their great road manager, Rick Picone) and I liked that, because I loved the boys from Britain, right?
Mrs. Scott: Now how long do you think this will go on? Do you want to end up owning the magazine, or what?
Ann: Oh, no. I have sort of a short-range goal. I just want to really let the people who are interested in these personalities know what they’re really like. Because I’m lucky enough to know these people, I want Monkee fans, for example, to know as much as I do about the Monkees.
Mrs. Scott: What do you mean the Monkees? Who’s talking about the Monkees? We’re talking about you.
Ann: Oh, just anyone I write about, and that’s a part of my job, and that’s a part of me. Lately I’ve gotten some phone calls and they ask questions and there are so many things they want to know. All I can say is to read Tiger Beat, because all I know about the different personalities goes into that book.
Mrs. Scott: Stop plugging Tiger Beat! We’re sold. We take the subscription, the whole bit. If you hadn’t have gotten your job at Tiger Beat, what would you have done for your career?
Ann: I don’t know, because I didn’t have one particular occupation in mind. I never planned on a career. I was just going to go to college and majoring in journalism, because I love writing.
Mrs. Scott: Have you ever thought of writing serious things, very dramatic things?
Ann: My editor tells me that within a year I’ll be able to write a novel just from the experience I’ve had in the past two years. I can understand this because one time I agave him a 2,000 word story and he said “Write five more of these and you’ll have a novel.” I’ve never given it any serious thought because I don’t have enough to say for a novel, yet.
Mrs. Scott: What would happen if you started to interview somebody and they didn’t want to be interviewed and they didn’t like you and, as a matter of fact, they were very nasty? How would you handle that?
Ann: If I thought there was a cause for them to be nasty or they were in some way justified, maybe I’d just put everything away and try and talk as one person to another. Most people will talk to you as a person. They come around. You can start by talking about trivial things or beat around the bush, but maybe you’re finding out things, nonetheless, and they aren’t even aware of it.
Mrs. Scott: Do you consider yourself aggressive?
Ann: Yes, you have to be. I would never have met The Dave Clark Five originally if I hadn’t have had persistence. Rick Picone told me “no” three times, but finally I gave enough reasons that made him say “yes.” However, you can be aggressive without ever being rude. This is important.
Mrs. Scott: What was the happiest day in your life?
Ann: There hasn’t been just one happiest day, because I can’t think of many sad days. I just try and enjoy every day as it comes.
Mrs. Scott: Do you like you?
Ann: Yes.
Mrs. Scott: What do you think about being interviewed?
Ann: It really makes me think about what I’m saying and I really feel sorry for the people I’ve interviewed.
