Stephen Dubner

But outside of Clamato, this is the most excited I've heard you in a long time.

And it strikes me.

that you are the one that's engaged now, plainly.

And it also strikes me that the way that you got engaged in this project, at least, was by actually, I hate the cliche phrase, but like going out of your comfort zone to actually become an interviewer.

Because when we first met, that was one of your least favorite things to do.

So I feel like you having done People I Mostly Admire for the last five years, it feels like it changed you fundamentally.

Yeah.

I say that I deeply dispute that.

For instance, we recently had a little 20th anniversary Freakonomics party and I made a little speech and then I said, Levitt, would you like to say a few words?

And you literally said no.

And then I keep going because it felt like it was too short.

And then five minutes later, you start telling the story and it was great and you're just going.

So I think you have this image of yourself as less, I don't know, whatever you want to call it, adept or...

excited about.

Look, I've known you a long time now.

I know what I feel is pretty much the real you, the inside you, the always you.

And I think you give yourself not enough credit for what's the inside always you.

I literally just want to be alone.

Let me ask you this.

Over the five years you were doing People I Mostly Admire interviews, who were your...