Andrew McCarthy on the Proust Questionnaire (and Brat Pack legacy)

“I had a great day in Cambodia, and I was like, ‘Oh my god I’m so happy right now.’ I had no idea what I was doing, or what I would discover, and I just trusted that I would be OK.” –Andrew McCarthy

In this episode of Deviate Rolf and Andrew discuss his relationship with interviews and the origin of the Brat Pack (3:30); fear and journaling in the time of pandemic, and treasured possessions (12:30); regrets, and artistic truth (23:00); writing as a way of thinking, and what Andrew values in his friends (29:00); and happiness, quarantine-reading, The Great Gatsby, and coming to terms with ones youthful success (38:00).

Andrew McCarthy (@AndrewTMcCarthy), who rose to fame as a teen actor during the John Hughes 80’s era, is a television director and writer of such books as The Long Way Home and Just Fly Away. 

Notable Links:

• Proust Questionnaire (set of interview questions)
• Confession album (19th century autograph book)
• Pretty in Pink (1986 film)
• St. Elmo’s Fire (1985 film)
• Camino de Santiago (pilgrimage route)
• Weekend at Bernie’s (1989 film)
• “Hollywood’s Brat Pack,” by David Blum (article)
• Brat Pack (group of young actors in the 1980s)
• Mannequin (1987 film)
• Emilio Estevez (actor)
• George Carlin on “stuff” (comedy routine)
• Off the Road, by Jack Hitt (travel book)
• Joan Didion (American author)
• The Art of Memoir, by Mary Karr (book)
• The Big Lebowski (1998 film)
• Stoner, by John Williams (book)
• The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (book)

This episode is brought to you by AirTreks, an industry leader in multi-stop international travel. The AirTreks website offers suggested pre-planned travel itineraries to help you get started, but can customize to fit your journey.

This episode is also brought to you by Tortuga Backpacks, which set the standard for the best, most durable, organized, and comfortable travel backpacks. Tortuga products also include daypacks, duffels, and other travel accessories made with the traveler in mind.

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber. 

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