| Here are the questions that Bernard Pivot always asked his guests in the great French television series, Bouillon de Culture. Some of the finest intellectual minds in the world have responded to them, sometimes with great cheer, other times with clear discomfort. They say that Marcel Proust enjoyed asking them to his guests at parties. What do you think? Do the answers reveal something insightful about the responder? Intellectual exercise or Playboy Bunny questionnaire?
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What is your favorite word?
I need two: mushroom and shrimp
What is your least favorite word?
self-esteem
What turns you on, excites, or inspires you creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
Well, click here for the long list. But to do justice to Pivot's intention, one must be brief. So ... risk, rigor, loyalty.
What turns you off?
Moral rigidity, intolerance, Dr. Laura., reality television, rubricizing, ridicule, sarcasm, psychologists on television, the use of "impact" as a verb, fresh fruit, most vegetables.
What sound or noise do you love?
Children laughing (sweetly and from a safe distance). Soft rain. Muted, distant thunder.
What sound or noise do you hate?
Teenagers cackling (raucously and nearby). Hard rain. Nearby, cracking thunder.
What is your favorite curse word?
Ouch.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I've always wanted to direct  .
What profession would you absolutely not like to participate in?
All professions are honorable (but I wouldn't enjoy being a salesman).
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"I'm so sorry. I really am. What was I thinking? I tell you what . . . if you forgive me, I'll forgive you."
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