Getting into the Ariel Helwani Vibe
Alright, so I spent some time trying to figure out this whole “Ariel Helwani lady killer” thing. Not in a weird way, mind you. It was more about his interview style. You watch the guy, right? He gets people talking. Like, really talking. Fighters, promoters, guys who usually just grunt answers. He somehow gets them to open up, spill the beans, sometimes even get emotional. I started calling it his “lady killer” technique, kinda jokingly, ’cause he disarms people, makes them comfortable enough to drop their guard.
Breaking Down the Method
So, my practice started pretty simply. I just watched a bunch of his interviews. Like, back-to-back. Took some rough notes. What I noticed was:
- He asks simple questions first, builds a bit of trust.
- He’s persistent. Doesn’t just accept the first non-answer. Pushes back, but usually gently.
- He shows he actually listens. Remembers stuff from past interviews, brings it up. Makes the other person feel heard.
- Sometimes he just sits in silence. Lets the awkwardness hang until the other person fills it. Kinda gutsy.
I thought, okay, this looks easy enough on the surface, but doing it? Probably harder.
Putting it into Practice (Sort Of)
So, the “practice” part. I wasn’t exactly interviewing UFC champs in my living room. I started trying bits of it in regular conversations. Sounds dumb, maybe. But I tried being more persistent when asking friends about stuff, you know, not letting them just brush things off. I focused on really listening, not just waiting for my turn to talk. I even tried the silence thing once or twice. Mostly just made things awkward, gotta be honest. Didn’t quite have the Helwani touch there.
Then I tried scripting some mock interview questions for imaginary scenarios. Like, how would I ask a tough question without pissing someone off immediately? How do you follow up when someone dodges? I tried to frame questions like I imagined he might. It felt a bit forced, writing it down. His style seems more natural, flows better in the moment.
What I Found Out
It’s harder than it looks. Big surprise, right? That persistence thing? It’s a fine line between getting information and just being annoying. I definitely crossed into annoying territory a few times with my friends. They were like, “Dude, what’s with the interrogation?”
Building that rapport, that trust? That takes time and genuine interest. It’s not just a switch you flip. Helwani’s built relationships over years. You can’t fake that in a five-minute chat.
The silence technique? Yeah, that needs confidence. And probably the right context. Using it when asking your buddy if he wants pizza just gets you weird looks.
So, end of the day, my “Ariel Helwani lady killer” practice didn’t exactly turn me into a master interviewer. But it did make me appreciate the skill involved more. It’s not just about asking questions; it’s about listening, timing, empathy, and knowing when to push and when to back off. Made me watch his interviews with a different eye now. Still trying to absorb some of that mojo, bit by bit.
