Fear of flying.
Which trait do you most dislike in yourself?
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What does love feel like?
Relationships
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Which moment embarrassed you most?
Failure & regret
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What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?
Failure & regret
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What is the worst job you have done?
Craft & work
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What is your greatest fear?
Identity & self
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How close have you come to death?
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Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
The Guardian's The Q&A has retained this Proust-derived prompt from at least 2007 through 2026, and ABC independently put it to the Obamas in 2011.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Thinking that singing makes me fit.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 November 2024 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 253 →
Courtney Pine
British jazz musician
I am not studious enough. I get easily distracted.
Erin O'Connor
English model
I'm too diplomatic. I tend to edit my mind before I speak - it can be incredibly draining.
Judy Blume
Novelist
My phobias. I’m down to two, so I take that as a positive sign.
More from Bryn Terfel
View profile →Full of passion and laughter.
One horrible afternoon in Chicago when I forgot my words in The Marriage of Figaro, in a role I’d sung hundreds of times.
“You’re a wonderful musician but a terrible friend.” It was Daniel Barenboim, the famous conductor, because I didn’t have time in the calendar to work with him.
I cleaned the toilets at the local pub every Saturday morning.
I’ve been a strong advocate that all my five children should be great swimmers, so you can deduce what my fear is.
In 2006, I went fishing for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. On the way back, one of the engines caught fire and then we had one engine for 70 miles. Slowly but surely, we got to Baton Rouge in the darkness but then got very close to a very large passing ship – they didn’t see us and we didn’t see them.
More on identity & self
Also answered this
Julie Andrews, Jason Derulo, Dolly Parton, Courtney Pine, Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Etheridge
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