Both Lipton and the show frequently come across as pretentious, so unless you're seriously into acting as a profession, it's only worth watching the episodes with the actors you really like.

It tries very hard to be dull and SUCCEEDS!, when the guest isn't Robin Williams. It is however, the perfect treat to feed a hyperfixation on a certain actor. James Lipton reminds me very much of every elderly woman I have ever despised.

Sometimes insightful sometimes insanely ass kissery. Lipton was rife for parody as he is essentially a cartoon character.

A ridiculous show. Most successful actors have the same life story: they wanted to be actors, they failed a lot of auditions, they got their big break. Behind their charmingness is so little personality that they can easily suppress it and pretend to be someone else. Being likeable but not interesting is a career asset for them. Lipton had such unique and quirky mannerisms that it was a very watchable, memorable show in spite of being extremely bad.

The show is very it or miss and has a boring format.

Between 2 Ferns did it better. 😂 CHA is Lipton’s dump stat. A good episode was often solid, but there were many duds. When we wanted Didion or Hannibal Lecter or Klosterman, we got Oprah throwing softball questions. We would have settled for a less sinister Ellen. He was at once austere, yet not detached enough to evoke many deep psychological or professional insights. He didn’t seem to get people. The guests had to run the narrative. But 8/10 concept & sometimes execution 80% success.

chappelle's ep