Steve Buscemi: What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

The question

What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Steve Buscemi

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Playing the Cowardly Lion in our fourth-grade production of The Wizard of Oz. Thank you, Mr. Riccobono.

Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2025 source ↗

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Alan Dale New Zealand actor

I have never been happier than I am now. As for when I was happiest in my work, playing King Arthur in Spamalot in the West End.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 March 2009 source ↗

Kate Humble

The first time I stood on top of the hill that I now live on, in 2007.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 December 2023 source ↗

Patti LaBelle

Having fun with my sisters back in the day. I miss playing cards and fighting over crabs with them every weekend.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, December 2020 source ↗

John Cleese

There are different kinds of happiness, but the simplest was when I was 13 because what one had to do was so obvious.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 October 2012 source ↗

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Question What do you fear most? Identity & self

Losing family, friends, and loved ones.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2025 source ↗

Question Which quality in your friends matters most to you? Relationships

Being there for each other during good times and bad.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 2 September 2025 source ↗

Question Which trait in yourself do you like least? Identity & self

Being judgmental.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2025 source ↗

Question If you could alter one thing about yourself, what would it be? Identity & self

Procrastinating. I saved answering this questionnaire until the very last minute.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 2 September 2025 source ↗

Question Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them? Values & belief

Gabby Giffords. She’s a survivor of gun violence and a relentless champion of sensible gun safety measures.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, September 2025 source ↗

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