Although the interviewer is in charge of the interview, there are times when he should follow his subject's lead. Following a tangent, for instance, is often more productive than trying to rein the subject back in. NBC's Red Barber once asked Hall of Famer Willie Mays if he spent much time in the batting cage taking practice.

"I asked him this as the first question," recalls Barber, "just to start things smoothly. All players, even pitchers, love to hit. They won't give their mothers a swing in batting practice.

"I counted on Mays smiling and allowing as how he certainly did, and that this would break the ice and get us going. Instead, he replied to the effect that he hit well, so he didn't fool around the batting cage much, but spent his time working on what he didn't do 'good.'

"Well, we went on from there, for suddenly he had put his finger on one reason he is a star - he works on what, as he put it, 'I don't do good.' Let me say that I don't know today what Willie doesn't do very well, but that remark opened up a fine interview." Follow that tangent.