Interview a subject with no fear of being lied to or spun. He’s into “Radical Honesty.” You get to tell him some of his answers are boring. He gets to tell you that you’re self-indulgent and the magazine you work for is pretentious. It’s for the story. And besides, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

This was the interview A.J. Jacobs did for Esquire six years ago and we wanted to hear about any lasting effects the experience had on him. Esquire‘s digital editor tweeted the story out over the weekend. Jacobs didn’t know for certain, but suggested, “Maybe he thought it was a particularly lie-heavy news cycle?” Explains Mike Nizza, Esquire‘s Digital Editor, “On the weekend, we like to recirculate the Esquire classics. It’s when people seem to have more time to dig in to a longer piece.”

But first, a look back: To interview with Brad Blanton, a 66-year-old psychotherapist in Virginia who unsuccessfully ran for Congress twice, Jacobs traveled to “buttfuck” Va. The setting: Radical Honesty HQ, i.e. Blanton’s house. During their talk, so and so downed Bourbon, farted, burped and and said his dog once licked his dick. so and so didn’t get upset by any of the questions. There was an expectation that both men would be radically honest.

Favorite lines: Jacobs: “I’m glad you picked your nose just now,” I say. “Because it was funny and disgusting, and it’ll make a good detail for the article.” Blanton: “That’s fine. I’ll pick my ass in a minute.” And this...”Then he unleashes his deep Texan laugh: heh, heh, heh. (He also burps and farts throughout our conversation; he believes the one-cheek sneak is ‘a little deceitful.’)”

After the interview, in real life, the reporter was supposed to try out radical honesty on friends and family, a task he tried hard to avoid.

What do you think? Could you hack it?

See our discussion with the author on lasting effects the experience had on him. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Good morning Washington.

Got a blind item, interesting link, funny note, comment, birthday, anniversary or anything of the sort for Morning Reading List? Drop us a line or let us know in the tips box below.

We’ve got your morning mix of media Muesli after the jump…

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.