ENDORSEMENTS
The idea LIFECAST for was born out of my weekly podcast DENNIS ANYONE? where I interview various creative types about how and why they do their thing. Here's what some past guests have to say about the experience of sitting down to yack with me.
(To LISTEN to that guest's episode, just CLICK THE PIC)
"Dennis is the perfect person to help capture those special occasions that we all want memorialized. He’s kind and patient and talking to him is about the easiest thing in the world. I was interviewed by Dennis not long after I had my first child. I remember feeling so out of sorts but Dennis calmed my nerves and made me feel comfortable. And when I listen to that interview now I think, who is that totally put-together woman who just had a baby!?"
Writer-Performer JACKIE CLARKE
"I’m always a little nervous before an interview. I worry about long pauses… repeating myself… talking but not actually saying anything useful or interesting… the list goes on. Let me just say that I LOVED being interviewed by Dennis. LOVED it! I wouldn’t even call it an interview. It was a fascinating, fun conversation where I felt we were discovering things together. Dennis has a warm, engaging and just slightly “naughty” personality that had me instantly relaxed. He’s an incredibly intelligent and genuinely curious person – a combination that makes him truly brilliant at what he does."
- Financial Mentor / Actor MIATA EDOGA
“Getting interviewed by Dennis is like hanging out with an old friend - you know, the one who brings out the best, smartest, funniest version of yourself. It’s more than painless, it’s a pleasure…”
- Producer / Actor PETER PAIGE (The Fosters, Queer as Folk)
"Most interviewers ask the same basic questions, and so most people being interviewed give the same, mechanical, practiced and predictable answers -- but not Dennis Hensley. Dennis is amazing at getting the basic information that every interview needs in a way that is interesting, cool and surprising. You find that you’re talking about yourself without feeling awkward, arrogant or dare we say it, boring. In fact, Dennis makes you realize you’re kind of awesome. Dennis Hensley asks questions that no one else has the insight to ask. He asks questions that engage you and explores connections in your life that you normally don’t see. His interviews are thoughtful and most importantly, fun. Dennis is hysterical and brilliant and after he interviews you, you strongly suspect you might be also. The only thing more fun than being interviewed by Dennis Hensley is reading or hearing an interview conducted by Dennis Hensley. Everyone should have the experience!"
- Comediennes / Radio Personalities FRANGELA (Angela V Shelton & Frances Callier)
"Talking to Dennis is like shooting the shit with your best friend. He elevates the everyday stories into raconteur status."
- Drag Performer WILLAM BELLI (Rupaul's Drag Race)
"When Dennis Henley interviews you he immediately puts you completely at ease and you are quickly just talking with an old friend. It’s friendly, it’s insightful, it’s smart, it’s fun — and sometimes, yes, it gets deep. Frankly, it never really feels like an interview, but instead, just a great conversation."
- Playwright / Filmmaker DEL SHORES (Sordid Lives)
"Dennis Hensley is incredibly talented. I am so honored to have been part of his show. His funny and honest interview style brings out the best in everyone."
- Comedienne LAHNA TURNER
“Dennis Hensley’s intelligence, warmth, and enthusiasm make talking to him a special treat. He’s so genuinely interested in other people that he brings out the very best in everyone lucky enough to cross his path.”
Playwright JONATHAN TOLINS (Buyer & Cellar)
"Dennis Hensley is a modern day Barbara Walters...but way more fun! He’ll get you to reflect back on your life experience without wishing you hadn’t and he’ll keep you entertained in the process. You’ll feel like you’ve known Dennis all of your life."
- Comedienne DEBRA PRAVER
“Being interviewed by Dennis is a great pleasure. He goes about it in a very thoughtful, methodical way that made me forget I was being interviewed. It was like having a really great chat except that I was the main subject of the conversation. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?!”
- Filmmaker VICTOR MIGNATTI (Broadway Damage)
"I’ve sat for many interviews, but being on Dennis's podcast was easily one of my favorites. He’s able to put you at ease, while also asking the most insightful questions. Beyond that, he’s just a great guy. I’d spend an hour talking about myself with Dennis any day of the week!"
- Television Writer BEN WEXLER (The Comedians)
"Dennis is a complete pro when it comes to interviewing- he puts you at ease, fires off a couple of jokes, and before you know it- you're sharing stories like reunited old friends."
- Kiva Brand Ambassador CHRISTIE STRONG
"When I was interviewed by Dennis, I was shocked that our interview actually lasted 2 hours!! It really seemed like we were talking for less than an hour. Dennis has a gift in getting to the heart of talk. He really got me to open up comfortably about stuff I haven't even thought about for years. I felt like I could just talk to him all day long!"
- Yoga Teacher JAKE FERREE
"I met Dennis when I was an editor at Marie Claire Magazine. I had read one of his profiles in another magazine and I was so impressed with it I tracked him down and cold called him. That was the start of a great working relationship, and also a great friendship. Over the course of many years I assigned Dennis dozens of interviews.
Being able to interview someone takes a specific set of skills, and I don’t know anyone better at it then Dennis. He has an uncanny ability to connect with people and make them feel at ease. He asks the right questions at the right time, he is compassionate and understanding, and he is truly interested in getting to the core of who a person is. What’s more, Dennis is able to do it whether he is interviewing an A-level actor or a real person. He just knows how to find that common ground, which inspires trust on the interviewees part, which is one of the reasons Dennis is able to get people to open up in such a natural and organic way. I have worked with hundreds of writers over my many years as an editor and Dennis is the best there is.
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- Editor / Writer SUSAN SWIMMER
"Dennis Hensley is one of the best interviewers I've ever encountered. Period. I don't make this claim lightly. I say it, instead, as someone who has been doing interviews himself on radio and television and on behalf of some of the finest newspapers and magazines in the country for more than 30 years. My standards as a journalist are high and Dennis doesn't just meet them, he surpasses them. Dennis makes his interview subjects -- of which I've been one -- feel comfortable and lets them be gloriously themselves. "
- Writer / Comedian FRANK DECARO
Dennis was able to get the depth of what I said and saw the value with guidance and so much care. I’ve sent him friends and family members that mean everything to me.
- Actor / Career Coach Barbara Deutsch
“Being interviewed by Dennis was so much fun! And so EASY! He seems genuinely interested in what I had to say, and we laughed a LOT. I hope we get to do it again very soon!”
- Television Writer JACK KENNY
“Dennis is the consummate journalist, but also the best long-lost friend who really is deeply interested and invested in who you are. He is one of the few in our profession who actually care more about your answer than his questions. Which are pretty off-beat and funny, by the way. We will, in an easy and playful way, get you to open up about yourself. You will not recognize yourself. He makes you want to be open, brave and funny.”
- Journalist Karsten Kastelan (The Hollywood Reporter)
"Backpacking around the world with my partner Steven is an experience I will cherish my entire life. Thanks to the Lifecast that Dennis recorded on the final day of our journey, we'll forever have a detailed snapshot of our thoughts and feelings at that important moment in our lives together."
- Game Designer / Musician JEB HAVENS (on right)
"Dennis Hensley is a mensch. I've interviewed and been interviewed by him multiple times, and it's always a sincere pleasure. Dennis brings curiosity, empathy, compassion, and humor to everything he does. He cares deeply about people and has a generous heart."
- Filmmaker JEFFREY SCHWARZ (Vito, I Am Divine)
"Dennis is an interviewer who is naturally curious about people. He made me feel comfortable and got the conversation going immediately. He loves pop culture and could not only ask me relevant questions but also contribute to the things I wanted to discuss. The interview was engaging, funny, and something I couldn't wait to share."
- Filmmaker / Actor DUDLEY BEENE (First Period)
"Dennis Hensley asked questions that were both entertaining and insightful. I thoroughly enjoyed the interview for my film Baby Steps! I wholeheartedly recommend Dennis for your landmark occasion!"
- Actor / Filmmaker BARNEY CHENG
"Dennis has a unique interview style, full of warmth and wit. His podcast is great and the Observation Deck of questions is a great touch."
- Writer / Director / Actor MILES ORION FELDSOTT
"Dennis is the sweetest guy who makes the interview process a blast. He's fun and engaging."
- Writer / Actor DIARRA KILPATRICK (American Koko)
“While being interviewed by Dennis, I found myself recalling incidents and experiences I hadn’t thought about for years—all brought on by his subtle and comfortable questions. I’d mention some person or event which would inspire him to ask something that took the conversation to unexpected--and sometimes thrilling—directions. What a pleasure!"
- Musician / Writer TOM JUDSON
"Dennis is charming, hilarious, engaging. I loved chatting and laughing with him. He's got an easy, smooth style. It didn't feel like an interview, it felt like two friends hanging out and I didn't want it to end. A billion thumbs up for Dennis!"
- Actor / Writer BYRON LANE (Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad On Craig's List)
"I’ve had the great pleasure of being interviewed by Dennis Hensley about my career as a travel writer, editor and book author. It was amazing. Dennis is an excellent interviewer who prepares ahead of time and listens in real time so he can adapt the interview as the questions are answered. He’s so deft and on point that I found myself telling stories I had completely forgotten about. At the end of the interview, I felt like we both learned a lot. I wholeheartedly recommend Dennis to help you create your own Lifecast!"
- Travel Expert ED SALVATO
"Dennis is a great interviewer! He great at asking just the right question to bring a story to life. And he’s upbeat and charming and makes the whole interview a joy."
- TV Writer CARTER COVINGTON (Faking It)
"Dennis kept the conversation going, never a lull or uninteresting topic exploration. He’s the perfect interviewers because his kind questions are born out of his curious nature and desire to connect and understand. Conversing with him feels like that of an old, trusted friend."
- Poet STEVEN REIGNS
"Dennis is by far the best interviewer I've had - not only in terms of making you feel comfortable, but in asking questions that led to interesting anecdotes and stories. Dennis has a real gift for it. Normally I dread interviews, but at the end of our session I felt like I'd lucked out at a cocktail party and sat next to the funnest and most interesting person!"
- Screenwriter PATRICK TOBIN (Cake)
"As a magazine editor, I always felt fortunate to have Dennis Hensley in my bullpen -- no one interviews celebrities (and regular human beings) better. Years later, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Dennis myself, and it was exciting to see first-hand just how great he is at making his subjects feel at ease while eliciting insights and observations that they might never have shared before. He knows what he's doing, and he does it supremely well."
- Film Critic / Author ALONSO DURALDE (Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas)
"Dennis Hensley is a fantastic interviewer, with smart and just-offbeat-enough questions that get you to look at your own life and career with new insight and perspective. At one point, I got up to refill our iced teas -- and couldn't believe that, with all the fun we'd been having, two hours had flown by!"
- Author JIM COLUCCI (Golden Girls Forever)
"Dennis Hensley is a disarmingly great interviewer. Never plodding, always engaged and effortlessly engaging, he seems to be one step ahead of the listener in asking the questions you wished you had thought of yourself, but hadn’t. You get the sense he’s a true fan of the person who sits across from him, and he brings out the best in them. It’s as if you’re talking to your best friend, but one who has done their homework!"
- Filmmaker GLENN GAYLORD (Leave It On the Floor, I Do)
"For three decades, Dennis Hensley has brought compassion and humor to the various print and audio profiles of iconic celebrities. His disarming wit and charm makes it easy to talk to him, which makes him a great interviewer. He treats his subjects with care and respect. He has interviewed me multiple times over the last twenty years, and each version has been something I have treasured. He has a way of getting me to state my own thoughts and feelings to create something to value for years to come. His work becomes a living memento, not just a touchstone, but also an investigative record that reflects the natural depth and levity found in every subject."
- Author LESLIE L. SMITH (Sally Field Can Play the Transexual)
"Dennis has interviewed me on several occasions and for most of them I wasn’t drunk and still had a blast! He can get you to talk about anything, anywhere, anytime and make it fun! He’s a killer with questions and tackles his interviewees with humor and focus. Okay, he doesn’t actually tackle them, that would be weird."
- Actor MAILE FLANAGAN
"Dennis has a genuine love for what he does and for the work of his artist peers. He possesses a unique ability to be both supportive and hilarious when he interviews his guests, making everyone feel like an old friend."
- Actor / Writer DREW DROEGE (Bright Colors & Bold Patterns)
"I have been interviewed by Dennis a few times and every time the back and forth was so easy that I forgot I was being interviewed. Dennis prepares and that commitment he makes to being his best makes you feel safe to open up because it is clear that Dennis really cares. I always laugh in the our interviews but Dennis can move beyond just the laughs to a deeper, richer conversation so that you feel that he captures who you are fully as a person/entertainer. Bottom-line is that Dennis gives great interview!"
- Performer / Writer MISS COCO PERU (Girls Will Be Girls)
"Sitting down with Dennis was an absolutely blast! Easy to talk to, funny, and one of those guys you just want to keeping hanging out with post interview! He had done his homework and asked all the right questions. He made me feel comfortable and created a great podcast I was proud to share!"
- Choreographer / Groov3 Founder BENJAMIN ALLEN
"Dennis is a natural interviewer. An astute listener, he makes you feel comfortable and at ease."
- Singer / Songwriter TOM GOSS
“I felt really comfortable with Dennis.
He was great at keeping the conversation lively and interesting.
He focused the conversation and kept me talking.
He’s and easy person to open up to.”
Filmmaker JIM HANSEN (You're Killing Me)
"Being interviewed by Dennis is more like having lunch with your best friend. I forgot we were even 'on the air.'"
- Blogger KENNETH WALSH (Kenneth in the 212)
"I will always remember my time sitting down with Dennis Hensley, because talking with him was intimate, fun, and thrilling. Dennis clearly has the gift of gab, and you can tell he loves being part of sharing your story. Anyone who has a chance to do a Lifecast with Dennis should absolutely do it!"
- Game Designer MYLES NYE (Survivor)
"If anyone can draw out an interesting story with a light and funny touch, it's Dennis Hensley. His interviews are always witty and entertaining."
- Filmmaker RANDAL KLEISER (Grease, It's My Party)
Being interviewed by Dennis was similar to talking around a campfire or at a friend's sleepover party as a kid. Thought-provoking, inquisitive questions about life and experiences, that I wouldn't normally think of, that were fun to talk about and share, asked in a way that was as comfortable as sharing with my best friend."
- Writer JOHN SOBRACK (The New 30)
"Dennis Hensley is always kind, prepared and entertaining. He's so nice from the moment he greets you, that you totally relax and feel comfortable answering all his questions. When he interviews you, he already knows all the dirt so you can spend the rest of the time trying to convince him that you're innocent and someone else said all those terrible things you were quoted as saying. Plus, he so much freaking fun that you just want to go to a drag show with him when the interview is over...AND then YOU DO! Seriously, Dennis has a way of getting to the core of who you are and more importantly who you want to be and how you're working to get there. It's all about the journey and Dennis is always game for a good road trip!
- Choreographer FRED TALLEKSEN (The Real O'Neals)
"Interviewing people takes talent, finesse, care and a genuine fascination in people, and Dennis is such a renowned celebrity journalist because he overflows with all of those qualities. You can just see that and hear that in his engaging, lively and respectful writing and talks. He relaxes his guests with humor, asks pertinent and unveiling questions with thoughtfulness, and makes his exchanges as enjoyable as a chat between friends on a porch. As a fellow longtime entertainment journalist who has been put under the Hensley Microscope (for a podcast episode about the state of showbiz journalism and more), I can tell you Dennis knows how to make anyone feel like a star with gravitas!"
- Journalist & GALECA Founder JOHN GRIFFITHS
"Dennis Hensley asks the smart, human and often funny questions, while making you feel totally at ease. Sitting down with Dennis is one of the more enjoyable things you can do!"
- Playwright & Screenwriter GARY GOLDSTEIN (April, May & June)
"When I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Dennis Hensley I was a little nervous, but when he arrived, he made me feel completely comfortable. The whole thing felt like it was just two friends having a cup of coffee. His interview style is smart, thoughtful and very FUN. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and have your cup of coffee with Dennis, you'll be glad you did!
- Spruce 0132 Owner GARRETT ANDERSON
"When Dennis Hensley interviews you, it makes you feel like you've made a new friend, who's somehow known you for a long time. His questions will bring out the best in you for others to see; and you'll be surprised yourself at just how interesting you are!"
- Writer / Activist CONNER HABIB
"Dennis is an interviewing MAGICIAN! He makes the whole process so fun and easy that you forget the microphone and just get lost in what always end up being a witty, surprising and thought-provoking conversation. He has a way of making any topic interesting, any story feel spontaneous, and any person absolutely riveting. Maybe it's because Dennis is just so dang entertaining. He's a genuinely caring and smart and funny funny guy!"
- Actor / Writer / Director JACK PLOTNICK (Disaster: The Musical, Space Station '76)
"Dennis is as passionate about his subjects as he is genuinely engaging. His questions are probing and insightful but also laced with levity. He’s that rare thing - an interviewer who is every bit as fascinating as the interviewee."
Filmmaker DARREN STEIN (GBF, Jawbreaker)
"Dennis is not only loads of fun, he's such a terrific interviewer! Great questions had me gabbing like I was just hanging out with that super curious buddy we all have who truly just wants to know!"
- Performer / Professor KATHLEEN ANTONIA TARR
"There's nothing more important than telling your story and in your own words--especially for your posterity! If there's anyone who can put you at ease and ask the questions that will bring out your best answers it's Dennis. He's interviewed me several times and it's always a cozy, fun, inspiring convo! Ask him about the time he interviewed me in a theater after my show in the middle of a rainstorm in L.A. We kept talking and sharing as if no thunder, lighting, or pouring rain were happening above us. Come rain or shine, Dennis is your man!"
- Actor / Writer STEVEN FALES (Confessions of a Mormon Boy)
"Dennis makes the interview feel more like storytelling.
Dennis makes the interview process fun & light. Before you know it, it’s over and you STILL have so much more to talk about.
Dennis has a gift of pulling out the best stories from inside of you. By the end you feel shocked you even remembered some of what you told him. Interviewing with Dennis is like an intellectual orgasm. You’re left on a high & wanting more. He gives you a safe space to share about your life. Good or bad he never judges. Unbiased and keeps you on track in conversation.
- Actor JAYLEN MOORE (Six)
"I had a blast being interviewed by Dennis for his podcast! He demonstrated that he had done his homework and was extremely interested in my work by asking insightful, intelligent and caring questions and follow-ups. Combined with his brilliant humor and easy going nature, Dennis made our interview a relaxed and enjoyable experience and one that I would definitely repeat!"
- Webseries Co-Creator WALT BOST (The New 30)
"Talking to Dennis is like spending time with an old friend. He makes everything so easy and expertly guides the conversation with insightful questions developed from years of experience and a genuine curiosity about the human spirit. On top of that, Dennis is an incredible listener who lets his interview subjects shine. I loved our conversation."
- Bestselling author STEVEN ROWLEY (Lily and the Octopus)
"Dennis is one of those few who is sincerely curious about other people. He listens, deeply, which allows him to find the most interesting aspects of your story, perhaps the parts you wouldn't have even through to share otherwise."
Actor-Writer JEN RICHARDS (Nashiville, Her Story)