An Interview with Evan

For background on Evan and Tamara, go here, here, and here, and read all my posts from last week. (It will be worth it, I promise!)

The following is a transcript of my interview with Evan. I didn't record our conversation like a real reporter, as I knew this would freak him out (I am his sister after all.) I just did my best to type in his words with a 2 year old straddling my lap while singing Annie songs. So here and there it might not be quite verbatim, but I have tried to preserve the integrity of the interview. My words will be italics, Evan's won't be. (What do you call the opposite of italics?)

So, Evan, now that you’re a big time celebrity, I wanted to thank you for taking some time out of your busy press schedule to talk to me. My readers and I have some questions for you about your 31 dates in 31 days experience. Are you ready for me to fire them?

Really? Your readers? Okay, I'm ready.

My first question is, had you heard about Tamara and the experiment before you got the phone call from their mutual friend?

No, not at all. I had heard nothing.

When you did find out about the premise of the experiment, what did you think?

I thought, eh, good idea. Could be fun.

Did you go on your first date with any preconceived notions?

I don’t think I knew anything about her except that she worked for GMA, that she had gone to Columbia, and that she was recommended by a friend as someone I would have fun with.

How did you feel about being one of 30?

Well, I didn’t really care about the one of 30. What I was more concerned about is, is this date going to be like she’s at work? I’m going in order to get to know her and have fun, not for an interview for a reporter. I just hoped that she was really interested in getting to know me and not just on writing a story, because I've got other stuff to do than give interviews.

Were you jealous of any of the other guys after she wrote about them?

She was very complimentary about all the guys, so it was hard to know. I think the one that worried me the most was date number 5 (the night before me) because I know him and I know he’s a great guy.I could see how he would be competition.

What did you think of her post about your first date?

I thought she was rather flattering.

What was your first impression of Tamara?

I thought she was cute, funny, and energetic.

What do you like about her most now that you’ve gotten to know her a little better?

I like her willingness to go on any adventure—her zest for life. I like that she doesn't just talk about her dreams--she's out there chasing them.

What things do you and she have in common?

Let's see. We’re both right-handed, we both like music, we both like to sing, we both went to Columbia. We both love NYC and the gospel.

What were you most nervous about on your first date?

I was nervous that I might be boring. I felt like she was going on all these dates, and I hadn’t planned or thought of anything because I was the last-minute guy. If we want to do something at the end of the night, I needed to think of something that’s fun to do. She’s probably already been on cool dates and I want to compete with that, rather than be "the boring date".

What about your second date?

I don’t think I was that nervous. I did buy new clothes. The cameras were going to be there. I wasn’t nervous about the cameras, but I knew that it was going to be a little weird. Okay, I will admit that before I left, I told my roommates, “I can’t believe how nervous I am?!” I guess because I liked Tamara and didn’t want to mess it up.

I talked to our brother, Tyler, the day of the 2^nd date, and he said, “We’re going to have to use Michal’s blog after this to get you dates with LDS girls.”

“Dude, she’s LDS!” I said.

“What?! Then don’t blow it, jerk!” Tyler's words haunted me all night. "Don't blow it, jerk!"

(Laughing.) Did you think that you had a chance at the second date?

Oh man, I hoped I did. I tried not to get my hopes up because there was so much good competition. I kind of figured that whether I won or not, I would ask her out again.

How many times did you vote for yourself?

Ho-ho. Good one, Michal! I vote for myself twice. Just to see if I could.

What was it like having all the buildup for the second date? That’s a lot of pressure to have the date be good.

With the second date, the guy couldn’t plan for it at all, since he wouldn't know until that morning. The pressure was less in a way, because I didn’t have to set up the plans. But on the other hand, since there were 30 guys vying for the date, I didn’t want to have it be lame. There was pressure for it to be fun for her--I didn't want her wishing that she'd picked someone else halfway through the night.

You got in some good zings during the restaurant interview. Were you really as cool as you looked?

Yeah, I feel like they were kind in editing—my answers weren’t always so quick and snappy. They edited out the "ums" and the pauses to make me sound like I had great timing. And I got to have two shots at the interview, because the first time their mics didn’t work.

Did you feel awkward when you bumped into another of the guys while you were on your 2^nd date?

It was a little awkward, yeah, especially because I know him, too! We had hung out a week before his date with her with a bunch of mutual friends. He was very cool, but it wasn’t as natural as it had been before we both took out the same girl. Now I was the one on the 2nd date, so yeah, it was a bit awkward.

Now a few questions about your television premiere: Did you get to pick out your own clothes, or did they choose for you?

I just showed up in my clothes.

How early did you have to get there?

I had a car waiting outside my apartment at 6:15.

Had you slept at all? They did announce on the air that the date went until 2am.

I had slept a few hours but I was afraid that I would sleep through my alarm.

What was it like being behind the scenes? Did they give you a lot of prep?

Well, there wasn’t really prep, and the interview wasn’t scripted. We talked about it a bit before the cameras were on, and then they ran the cameras live and asked questions to prompt our previous comments.

Since Tamara works at GMA, did they grill you there off-camera?

Oh, no. They were cool. Everyone was really nice and just said things like, "So this is the 2nd date!"

Are you nervous about dating a journalist—that she’ll expose your secrets to the world?

(Laughter.) What secrets? Nothing that you haven’t already done. I’ll just have to always say “off the record.”

Will you take out Tamara on a third date? Have you set it up yet? Why not? What’s wrong with you? (I had already written this, knowing my brother too well.)

Yes. Definitely. No, I haven't asked her yet. I actually need to call her. I’m trying to give her some space. (Me: Girls don’t want space!) No, I’m giving her some down time after a month of dating. Don’t worry your little heart out, I’m bugging her with incessant chats. I'll call her. I'll call her.

How are you going to top your 2^nd date? Do you have a helicopter reserved?

(Laughter.) There’s an ice climbing expo outside of town this weekend that I want to take her to.

This weekend? Do you realize that it's Wednesday night?

I know, I know, I’m going to call her. I'll call her right now.

And there you have it, folks! I hope it answered all your questions. I must say that Tamara's post about the date made my heart swoon. She has done a great job on this project and I can't wait to see it in book or movie form. But I know that wasn't her main objective in doing this--and we can keep our fingers crossed that that main objective is met, too. (See, Evan! I didn't say "love" or "marry"! I am such a good sister!)