Do you think you are shy?
No, I wouldn’t say that. I try to be as up front and straight-forward as I can. However, I am shy sometimes when I’m in public. I don’t mean the professional public, because when I’m performing I’m grooving, I’m good. I mean when I’m going to a show or something I always feel edgy. Not because anyone is going to jump at me. I just feel a bit withdrawn when I’m out in public.
Are you intelligent?
I’m intelligent enough to get by. I’m intelligent enough to adjust to the people that I’m involved with. I think I can handle what I’m doing now, but if it got any heavier, I don’t know whether or not I could handle it. I think I might, though, because I’m learning all the time.
Do you think you are handsome?
I think to a young girl, it’s not so much a case of looks, it’s more of a friend thing. You’d say that George Maharis or George Hamilton were handsome. James Darren—now he’s handsome. They’re really handsome cats, right?
I think there are different kinds of handsome. Like Jim Morrison, handsome. But he’s not really handsome, he’s pretty. There’s a Mark Lindsay handsome and there’s a Sajid handsome. I think Sajid is in the same bag I’m in.
What is that?
Well, Sajid is a goodlooking boy, but he’s not a handsome man. I suppose we’re attractive to young kids. I can’t look at myself and say I’m a handsome fellow. I don’t know what handsome is. Certain people have certain tastes. I guess I appeal to some.
Do you think you have a good sense of humor?
Yes, I have a good sense of humor. I laugh at the right places.
Are you knowledgeable of world affairs?
I’m aware of them. I’m not deeply involved in them so I can’t begin to be concerned with them. I think about what’s going on in Viet Nam, for example, what’s happening in Washington, but that isn’t my scene. It’s not my way of life. I’ll never be involved in it. I’m trying to do my bit by entertaining… keeping people happy… so I’m not too interested in what the guys in Washington are doing because I think they’re doing the wrong thing anyway.
Do you think you are conceited?
I think everybody has a certain amount of conceit. I can’t honestly say “yes” and I can’t honestly say “no” because I don’t know. I just live and do things the way I feel they should be done. Whether it comes out as conceited or whatever, I can’t help that. But I don’t feel as if I am, I don’t feel as if I ever would be.
Do you think you are a namedropper?
I find it hard to say, “Well, when I was at so and so’s house.” That came up the other night, in fact when I was in London. I was having dinner with Lulu and Maurice and I said, “I’ve been dating Dean Martin’s daughter.” And they said, “Oh, you’re dropping a name now.” It really let me know where they were at. I mean Dean Martin’s house, big deal. It’s never been that way with me. That’s why I get more involved with the Martins, because they don’t put anything on. I go in and I say what I think and he says what he thinks. He cracks a joke and I’ll come right back at him, even if he knocks me down because his jokes are usually better than mine.
Do you think you are extravagant?
I used to be. I just stopped being extravagant yesterday. That’s because I’ve already spent this week’s allowance. Next week I’ll start again. I’m very extravagant, yes!
Are you a dedicated follower of fashion?
No, definitely not. I wear what I feel like I want to wear. I’ve got so many different types of clothes. I don’t follow fashion at all. I like to see what everybody else is doing, what everybody else is wearing, but I don’t like to copy.
Do you think you are a good musician?
A musician is somebody who can keep a beat or somebody that knows time. It’s to feel something. If I feel something, I can say “Why don’t we do this…” I couldn’t do it physically on an instrument, but I know what it should be. If I could do it and if I could put my hands on an instrument, I’d do it. I think I’m a good musician, not in the strict sense of the word, but the ability to feel things.
