Studs Terkel

A number of years ago, maybe twelve or thirteen, I got a call from a PR agency that told me that Studs Terkel wanted to interview me about Christian Pentecostalism, for a forthcoming book called The Great Divide. I had read his book, Working, in high-school, so I had some idea of where he was coming from.

Studs was a sort of down-home kind of guy. He had checked into a flea-bag hotel in New York, the kind that rents rooms by the hour. I went to his room and knocked on the door. Studs opened the door and I was greeted cherrily by his gravely voice. He was ready to go, and had a tape recorder ready.

He asked me all kinds of questions about Christian Pentecostalism (the kind that Gov. Sarah Palin is involved in.).  I readily answered all his questions. 

Then he asked me to speak in tongues. As that is gibberish, I told him that it was gibberish and refused to do it.

Shortly, the interview ended. It had taken about an hour. I never heard from Studs Terkel again.

A couple of years later, I think, I saw his book, The Great Divide, in an airport bookstore somewhere. I went in and picked it up. The Table of Contents listed everyone Studs had interview for the book. I wasn't included.