I spent a wonderful weekend in Washington DC. You can say what you want about the type of creatures that lurk in those waters (politicians, lobbyists, special interests, POTUS...) but that city is first class. From the hip cafes of Capital Hill to the cobble stones of Georgetown, Washington DC is a romantic city calling for the kind of attention reserved only for a special someone.
And so as I sat at DC Coast last night enjoying an impeccable dinner and taking in the scenes, I was reminded of one of the coolest characters to ever hit our television screens: Jonathan Goldsmith. You may know him by the title "The Most Interesting Man in the World" from the Dos Equis beer campaign. My American friends often laugh at me when I point to Goldsmith as a true picture of how human beings are meant to live this life. What do they know? They live to work and as I often tell them "everybody dies, but not everybody lives".
What is interesting about "The Most Interesting Man in the World" is that he is real. He is not some character Dos Equis or an Ad Agency made up. And thats what I find incredible. Goldsmith is a real, walking, talking, breathing modern man, and at age 72 he exemplifies how we should strive to live our lives. Male or female, married or single, parent or child, nationality and religion regardless.
I have always been a firm believer in the individual. I hold this belief higher than any other in my life. My spirituality and my values are tightly wrapped around my belief in individual human beings. It is my whole purpose for blogging. So as I walked the streets of our nation's capital and experienced the many wonderful aspects of DC life on a spring weather weekend, I could swear I was among the most interesting people in the world. And that made me think of "The Most Interesting Man in the World".
Below is an interview with Jonathan Goldsmith conducted in November 2010. It provides a glimpse into the man that reminds us we are all interesting in our own way, and have a little Nomad in us no matter where we are or what we do with our short time on this Earth.
The Most Interesting Interview In The World
by Andrew Del-Colle
He’s a pop culture phenomenon. He’s a lady’s man and a man’s man (but to be clear, he prefers the ladies). He’s an amphibious hero, having saved two people’s lives—once in a snowstorm and once in the ocean. Maybe that’s why he lives on a sailboat. Seriously. The most interesting part: it’s all true. So it’s no wonder Jonathan Goldsmith secured the role of “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” the Dos Equis beer campaign, now entering its sixth year. And sure, the commercials embellish his accomplishments a bit. But with a real resume so intriguing, the looks to match, and a gift with words, we’re not even sure he’s acting anymore.
Hoping some of his interestingness might rub off, we asked Goldsmith to share with us his insights on life, women, and always looking your best. He agreed under one condition: The interview had to be conducted entirely in Punic, an extinct language once spoken in Northern Africa. It was hell to prepare for, but damn was it interesting.
Andrew: What does it mean to be an interesting man? Do one’s exploits need to be larger than life, or do they merely need to be unexpected—or maybe a mixture of both?
Jonathan: I think it might be a mixture of both, but I find that people that have interests become interesting. People that are not interested are uninteresting people. It almost doesn’t matter what you’re interested in, but if you are open, you know, you’ll be more enjoyable to be around. The more that you can discuss, the more peripheral awareness you have of the events of the day—politically, in the arts, in whatever is au courant, on the scene, so to speak, de rigueur—is the way to be. Be open. Be aware. Drink it in and be somebody that people want to talk to.
A: What’s something specific guys can do to increase their interestingness?
J: Very simply read a good newspaper for starters. And read all the good books that you can. I find that women enjoy men that have a broad periphery of knowledge. Most people, from my vantage point, go through life just watching it like a parade. They live vicariously through other people, and they’re not in it. They’re not participating in their own experience. So I say participate. Branch out. Think out of the box. Do out of the box. Be open.
A: Does a beard automatically make someone more interesting?
J: Well I think it catches people’s eye. It’s quick to identify—you know, the guy with the beard. That’s better than the chick with the beard.
A: Can’t argue with that. Say a guy can’t grow an impressive beard. What’s a good accessory to pique interests?
J: Have a New York Times under your arm or some erudite, sophisticated publication. (chuckling) And it could also be something like House Beautiful. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with your feminine side [ed.–What Women Can Teach You About Real Strength]. Women like that.
A: In the commercials, your character always seems to be the center of attention. How can a guy keep people interested while regaling them with a good story?
J: Well, he should know the story that he’s going to tell pretty well. And he should not make it too lengthy. Verbosity will kill more good stories. People’s eyes start to roll. Get to the point. Make it vivid—see it. It’s like what a good actor does. He lives the character. Well, live the story. It’s much more exciting if you’re excited about the story you’re telling.
A: Also in the commercials, you’re often accompanied by a colorful group of characters from all around the world. How important is the company one keeps?
J: You know what they say about birds of a feather. You hang around with dolts and jerks and nonparticipants and slobs that don’t care about their physical appearance or their dress, it says something about you in the eyes of other people, and also, it should say something to you about yourself.
A: Well then, how should an interesting man dress?
J: Well, it depends, is he swimming?
A: OK, let’s try this again. What should be an interesting man’s approach to fashion?
J: Interesting clothes. Not anything that cries out to say, “Hey, look at me,” that you’re screaming for attention, because that’s really obnoxious, I think. But if you’re out in the country, there are some very stylish things to wear: North Face, Patagonia, L.L. Bean. If you’re in the city and you’re in a sophisticated area and it’s cold, you might want to put on a Burberry coat, the old trench coat style. You want to look sharp. You want to look like you’re hip, like you’ve got the latest, and you’re put together well. It’s not ostentatious. It’s a blend—kind of a sexy, sophisticated blend [hopefully, a bit like the Style section of The Cache].
A: What makes an interesting woman?
J: Same qualities. Same thing. No difference. One other thing that I didn’t answer before, but it’s the same. What I like in a woman is a sense of capriciousness, mischievousness, a childishness, but not an inanity. Somebody that can laugh, and that can laugh at themselves, is a good listener, and is just generally interested in hearing what you have to say. It’s very disarming to people. I’ve met some big celebrities, and important people and politicians in my life. I’ve lived for a little while, and one of the things that always stands out, the people that I remember, are the ones that made you feel like they really were interested in what you had to say.
A: Definitely. I’ve heard others say that exact same thing. So then where’s a good place to find an interesting woman?
J: It’s all around. (chuckling) I guess a place might be close to a coffee shop. Close to a girl’s college. Like when Willie Sutton was asked why did he rob banks, and he said that’s where the money is. Think where are women, and go to those areas. Certainly supermarkets I did very, very well at. I remember my line going back 50 years. It was, “Excuse me, how do you tell when a pepper is ripe. Could you help me?” They love that. Women like to help. It’s disengaging. It’s not threatening. Another line that worked for me—just the opposite—was, “Any chance of having a child with me? I know it’s sudden, but forgive me, I just had to ask.” Something just disarming that makes them chuckle, and you can get away with some really nice things. But you have to be very careful, and you would only make that approach with somebody that obviously shared or showed some interest and was approachable to you. Also, go to churches and synagogues when they have certain classes or night school for ladies. Those are very good, too. (laughing) You go where the fish are.
A: What are a few words every man should live by?
J: Be a gentleman, for sure. I think that really is so important. I think wise guys get wise-guy women. Nice guys, aware guys, gentleman get kind, thoughtful women that respond to them.
A: I think we’re seeing a bit of a resurrection of the iconic gentleman in today’s culture with the popularity of Mad Men and certain fashion trends [see our recent post on Nerd Boyfriend].
J: Absolutely, but then of course, it’s pulled right back into the sewer pit with the Jersey Shore and the housewife shows and some of the crap that’s on television. It’s boring and shallow. For God’s sakes, you don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar, but learn something about the world. Be aware. If you’re not aware, you’re deadly and boring as far as I’m concerned. And develop a vocabulary. I realized when I was a child—and certainly more now—that intelligent people speak better. So when I was a kid, for a long time, because I wasn’t a very good student, I would learn a different word everyday.
A: It’s amazing what one word can do.
J: Oh absolutely. They say, “Hey, this person has a brain in their head. That’s nice. I’ll remember that.” You want to be remembered. You want to be remembered for a sense of style, panache, charm, a smile. You know, you want to be different. Because most people just get by. They do the minimum. They’re lazy. I think that’s one of the most boring things that I can be involved with. I just flee from people that are inert, that don’t reach out, that don’t do things, that don’t take chances. Over with.
A: You’re 72. You’re in great shape and work out six days a week. What’s your secret to staying fit and active for so long?
J: Well, number one my father was my hero. My father was a Phys. Ed. teacher and track and football coach. He got me started lifting weights when I was in high school and got me into athletics. I loved being in shape, and I wanted to look good. When I became an actor, certainly I realized that that was important. I kind of resent people that are slovenly. I kind of resent people that don’t treat their body as a temple. At my age, life goes very, very quickly, and I want to make it last as long and be as healthy as I possibly can [best small changes for a healthier life].
A: And what’s number two?
J: I also had a health scare not terribly long ago in 2002. Although I thought I was in great shape, I had two blockages in my arteries, and I went to a cardiac surgeon. He says, “We’ll just do a simple, rather routine angioplasty on you. We’ll put in two stents.” So I’m on the table, I’m anesthetized, and the doctor comes up and says, “You have a choice. You can have open-heart surgery right now or two stents.” And I say, “What are you talking about? You said I had a little blockage.” He said, “My friend, you are lucky to be alive. You have a 100 percent blockage of the main coronary artery and an 87 percent blockage of another artery.” And I said, “My God, I don’t know. What should I do?” He says, “You can have the stents.” So I had the stents. After that, when I was conscious and completely coherent, he said, “You have no idea; at any moment, you could have died if it wasn’t for the fact that because of your exercise”—here’s the whole thrust of what I want to get out there for everybody—”you developed circuitous routes of blood flow, so that you had a decent supply for your cardiac needs even though you had the main artery 100 percent blocked.” So it was exercise that saved my life [Get Injury-Proofed in 5 Minutes].
A: Wow. What a great story. Our audience will really appreciate that one. Earlier you mentioned saving lives. You’ve actually saved two lives yourself. What’s it feel like to save a person’s life?
J: It’s very humbling. It’s very touching, and you never forget it. It feels really good.
A: I believe it. OK, so before we end this interview, there’s just one thing I have to ask: What’s your favorite line from the ad campaign?
J: “He once warned a psychic.” That would be it. Hands down.
And so as I sat at DC Coast last night enjoying an impeccable dinner and taking in the scenes, I was reminded of one of the coolest characters to ever hit our television screens: Jonathan Goldsmith. You may know him by the title "The Most Interesting Man in the World" from the Dos Equis beer campaign. My American friends often laugh at me when I point to Goldsmith as a true picture of how human beings are meant to live this life. What do they know? They live to work and as I often tell them "everybody dies, but not everybody lives".
What is interesting about "The Most Interesting Man in the World" is that he is real. He is not some character Dos Equis or an Ad Agency made up. And thats what I find incredible. Goldsmith is a real, walking, talking, breathing modern man, and at age 72 he exemplifies how we should strive to live our lives. Male or female, married or single, parent or child, nationality and religion regardless.
I have always been a firm believer in the individual. I hold this belief higher than any other in my life. My spirituality and my values are tightly wrapped around my belief in individual human beings. It is my whole purpose for blogging. So as I walked the streets of our nation's capital and experienced the many wonderful aspects of DC life on a spring weather weekend, I could swear I was among the most interesting people in the world. And that made me think of "The Most Interesting Man in the World".
Below is an interview with Jonathan Goldsmith conducted in November 2010. It provides a glimpse into the man that reminds us we are all interesting in our own way, and have a little Nomad in us no matter where we are or what we do with our short time on this Earth.
The Most Interesting Interview In The World
by Andrew Del-Colle
He’s a pop culture phenomenon. He’s a lady’s man and a man’s man (but to be clear, he prefers the ladies). He’s an amphibious hero, having saved two people’s lives—once in a snowstorm and once in the ocean. Maybe that’s why he lives on a sailboat. Seriously. The most interesting part: it’s all true. So it’s no wonder Jonathan Goldsmith secured the role of “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” the Dos Equis beer campaign, now entering its sixth year. And sure, the commercials embellish his accomplishments a bit. But with a real resume so intriguing, the looks to match, and a gift with words, we’re not even sure he’s acting anymore.
Hoping some of his interestingness might rub off, we asked Goldsmith to share with us his insights on life, women, and always looking your best. He agreed under one condition: The interview had to be conducted entirely in Punic, an extinct language once spoken in Northern Africa. It was hell to prepare for, but damn was it interesting.
Andrew: What does it mean to be an interesting man? Do one’s exploits need to be larger than life, or do they merely need to be unexpected—or maybe a mixture of both?
Jonathan: I think it might be a mixture of both, but I find that people that have interests become interesting. People that are not interested are uninteresting people. It almost doesn’t matter what you’re interested in, but if you are open, you know, you’ll be more enjoyable to be around. The more that you can discuss, the more peripheral awareness you have of the events of the day—politically, in the arts, in whatever is au courant, on the scene, so to speak, de rigueur—is the way to be. Be open. Be aware. Drink it in and be somebody that people want to talk to.
A: What’s something specific guys can do to increase their interestingness?
J: Very simply read a good newspaper for starters. And read all the good books that you can. I find that women enjoy men that have a broad periphery of knowledge. Most people, from my vantage point, go through life just watching it like a parade. They live vicariously through other people, and they’re not in it. They’re not participating in their own experience. So I say participate. Branch out. Think out of the box. Do out of the box. Be open.
A: Does a beard automatically make someone more interesting?
J: Well I think it catches people’s eye. It’s quick to identify—you know, the guy with the beard. That’s better than the chick with the beard.
A: Can’t argue with that. Say a guy can’t grow an impressive beard. What’s a good accessory to pique interests?
J: Have a New York Times under your arm or some erudite, sophisticated publication. (chuckling) And it could also be something like House Beautiful. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with your feminine side [ed.–What Women Can Teach You About Real Strength]. Women like that.
A: In the commercials, your character always seems to be the center of attention. How can a guy keep people interested while regaling them with a good story?
J: Well, he should know the story that he’s going to tell pretty well. And he should not make it too lengthy. Verbosity will kill more good stories. People’s eyes start to roll. Get to the point. Make it vivid—see it. It’s like what a good actor does. He lives the character. Well, live the story. It’s much more exciting if you’re excited about the story you’re telling.
A: Also in the commercials, you’re often accompanied by a colorful group of characters from all around the world. How important is the company one keeps?
J: You know what they say about birds of a feather. You hang around with dolts and jerks and nonparticipants and slobs that don’t care about their physical appearance or their dress, it says something about you in the eyes of other people, and also, it should say something to you about yourself.
A: Well then, how should an interesting man dress?
J: Well, it depends, is he swimming?
A: OK, let’s try this again. What should be an interesting man’s approach to fashion?
J: Interesting clothes. Not anything that cries out to say, “Hey, look at me,” that you’re screaming for attention, because that’s really obnoxious, I think. But if you’re out in the country, there are some very stylish things to wear: North Face, Patagonia, L.L. Bean. If you’re in the city and you’re in a sophisticated area and it’s cold, you might want to put on a Burberry coat, the old trench coat style. You want to look sharp. You want to look like you’re hip, like you’ve got the latest, and you’re put together well. It’s not ostentatious. It’s a blend—kind of a sexy, sophisticated blend [hopefully, a bit like the Style section of The Cache].
A: What makes an interesting woman?
J: Same qualities. Same thing. No difference. One other thing that I didn’t answer before, but it’s the same. What I like in a woman is a sense of capriciousness, mischievousness, a childishness, but not an inanity. Somebody that can laugh, and that can laugh at themselves, is a good listener, and is just generally interested in hearing what you have to say. It’s very disarming to people. I’ve met some big celebrities, and important people and politicians in my life. I’ve lived for a little while, and one of the things that always stands out, the people that I remember, are the ones that made you feel like they really were interested in what you had to say.
A: Definitely. I’ve heard others say that exact same thing. So then where’s a good place to find an interesting woman?
J: It’s all around. (chuckling) I guess a place might be close to a coffee shop. Close to a girl’s college. Like when Willie Sutton was asked why did he rob banks, and he said that’s where the money is. Think where are women, and go to those areas. Certainly supermarkets I did very, very well at. I remember my line going back 50 years. It was, “Excuse me, how do you tell when a pepper is ripe. Could you help me?” They love that. Women like to help. It’s disengaging. It’s not threatening. Another line that worked for me—just the opposite—was, “Any chance of having a child with me? I know it’s sudden, but forgive me, I just had to ask.” Something just disarming that makes them chuckle, and you can get away with some really nice things. But you have to be very careful, and you would only make that approach with somebody that obviously shared or showed some interest and was approachable to you. Also, go to churches and synagogues when they have certain classes or night school for ladies. Those are very good, too. (laughing) You go where the fish are.
A: What are a few words every man should live by?
J: Be a gentleman, for sure. I think that really is so important. I think wise guys get wise-guy women. Nice guys, aware guys, gentleman get kind, thoughtful women that respond to them.
A: I think we’re seeing a bit of a resurrection of the iconic gentleman in today’s culture with the popularity of Mad Men and certain fashion trends [see our recent post on Nerd Boyfriend].
J: Absolutely, but then of course, it’s pulled right back into the sewer pit with the Jersey Shore and the housewife shows and some of the crap that’s on television. It’s boring and shallow. For God’s sakes, you don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar, but learn something about the world. Be aware. If you’re not aware, you’re deadly and boring as far as I’m concerned. And develop a vocabulary. I realized when I was a child—and certainly more now—that intelligent people speak better. So when I was a kid, for a long time, because I wasn’t a very good student, I would learn a different word everyday.
A: It’s amazing what one word can do.
J: Oh absolutely. They say, “Hey, this person has a brain in their head. That’s nice. I’ll remember that.” You want to be remembered. You want to be remembered for a sense of style, panache, charm, a smile. You know, you want to be different. Because most people just get by. They do the minimum. They’re lazy. I think that’s one of the most boring things that I can be involved with. I just flee from people that are inert, that don’t reach out, that don’t do things, that don’t take chances. Over with.
A: You’re 72. You’re in great shape and work out six days a week. What’s your secret to staying fit and active for so long?
J: Well, number one my father was my hero. My father was a Phys. Ed. teacher and track and football coach. He got me started lifting weights when I was in high school and got me into athletics. I loved being in shape, and I wanted to look good. When I became an actor, certainly I realized that that was important. I kind of resent people that are slovenly. I kind of resent people that don’t treat their body as a temple. At my age, life goes very, very quickly, and I want to make it last as long and be as healthy as I possibly can [best small changes for a healthier life].
A: And what’s number two?
J: I also had a health scare not terribly long ago in 2002. Although I thought I was in great shape, I had two blockages in my arteries, and I went to a cardiac surgeon. He says, “We’ll just do a simple, rather routine angioplasty on you. We’ll put in two stents.” So I’m on the table, I’m anesthetized, and the doctor comes up and says, “You have a choice. You can have open-heart surgery right now or two stents.” And I say, “What are you talking about? You said I had a little blockage.” He said, “My friend, you are lucky to be alive. You have a 100 percent blockage of the main coronary artery and an 87 percent blockage of another artery.” And I said, “My God, I don’t know. What should I do?” He says, “You can have the stents.” So I had the stents. After that, when I was conscious and completely coherent, he said, “You have no idea; at any moment, you could have died if it wasn’t for the fact that because of your exercise”—here’s the whole thrust of what I want to get out there for everybody—”you developed circuitous routes of blood flow, so that you had a decent supply for your cardiac needs even though you had the main artery 100 percent blocked.” So it was exercise that saved my life [Get Injury-Proofed in 5 Minutes].
A: Wow. What a great story. Our audience will really appreciate that one. Earlier you mentioned saving lives. You’ve actually saved two lives yourself. What’s it feel like to save a person’s life?
J: It’s very humbling. It’s very touching, and you never forget it. It feels really good.
A: I believe it. OK, so before we end this interview, there’s just one thing I have to ask: What’s your favorite line from the ad campaign?
J: “He once warned a psychic.” That would be it. Hands down.
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