Spike Jonze [filmmaker]

By: Julian Chavez | August 20, 2009 | Ten by Ten

Tell us about someone or something we probably don’t know about, but we should.
Not wearing shoes — something new I just found out about. Four days is my record. [Cinematographer] Lance Acord reigns supreme at 88 days. They wouldn’t let him fly without ’em. Fucking FAA fucks up everything good. Oh also, Richie Jackson. He rules. Youtube him right now.

What’s a good rumor that you’ve heard about yourself?
That my brother (Sam Spiegel) finally finished his record NASA. He’s been working on it for four years and ... it’s called The Spirit of the Apollo. He doesn’t sleep. He’s a full vampire, so it’s got to be the most positive record ever made by a vampire. Some of the vampires on it are David Byrne and Tom Waits and Ol’ Dirty Bastard and M.I.A and Method Man and RZA and Karen O and Chuck D.

What has been your most challenging project personally or professionally?
Olives, mushrooms, wine and beer — I’m trying to learn to like all of these. It’s been very hard.

How would the 13-year-old you feel about the person you are now?
Stoned.

What’s your biggest professional failure?
I care too much.

On average, how many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Naps are the only things that get me through, especially after lunch. Nothing like a good sweaty nap.

What was your closest brush with death?
I think I blocked out a lot of them. There’ve been a few car wrecks, getting hit by cars, and some others. I haven’t even told my mom about most of them because it would freak her out too much. I better not say anymore.

To what extent does money influence your career choices?
I told you I’m slow. One of the problems with being slow is you take too long working on one thing and you don’t get paid for a while.

What’s the strangest number you have programmed into your phone?
I like having Delancy Car Service in my phone. It just makes me feel good. It’s not my strangest, but it just makes me feel good. Especially when you call for a car and they say “five minutes.” You can’t really understand the dispatchers when they say it; it sounds more like “mehh nehh mehh.” But if you get a three-syllable answer you know you’re good. If it’s an answer that sounds more like six syllables, then you’re in trouble because they probably just said “no cars available.” You just hope it’s not pouring rain out.

How will you spend this evening?
Dieting.

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