Eric Morris was a professional actor as a child, working the theater circuit around his Illinois hometown. In sixth grade, words of praise from a novelist perhaps put him on the path to writing. In sixth grade, he wrote to Joseph Heller, who replied with a handwritten letter. “He said, ‘Eric, you might want to be a writer one day and you’ll probably be a good one,’” Morris said. After a stint writing for TV, Morris switched to studying transportation and writing weekly for the Freakonomics blog. Read more about him below.
Q. What music have you listened to today?
A. I have a playlist on my iPod titled “Triumphant,” which is all sorts of music I listen to when I’m in a good mood and I’m feeling particularly fine. I thought I would get myself psyched for the journey over here by putting on Triumphant.
Q. What is your favorite word?
A. Now that I’m a grad student, my favorite word is money.
Q. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A. I wanted to be a soldier in the military. I don’t think I’m quite cut out for that lifestyle. I think I made a good choice by growing up. Being a television writer always looked good to me. I watched “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” and Rob looked like he had a pretty good life.
Q. What is your favorite cocktail?
A. I don’t drink anymore, but the vodka martini used to be a big favorite of mine. I don’t really miss it, but when I see people drinking those martinis, there’s a little pang of remorse and regret.
Q. If you could take only one more journey, where would you go?
A. Bhutan. It’s a Himalayan kingdom and more than almost any other country, it has tried to keep out all Western influence. They didn’t have television until the 1980s, and people were required by law to wear native clothes. They’ve loosened it now, but I think it would be fascinating.
Q. What profession would you like to practice in your next life?
A. Professional basketball player, for sure. I need to be reincarnated with 12 more inches.
Q. What is your fondest childhood memory?
A. In my junior high school, I played Oliver, and the local professional theater was doing “Oliver.” This was a theater I was in awe of. I decided to audition, thinking even if I don’t get it, just the fact that I stood on this stage. I got called back, and on the bus, I told Sam Samuelson – he ended up on Broadway, he’s very handsome – that I had auditioned. He hadn’t, and even though the auditions were closed he barged in. A week goes by and I didn’t get cast in the show. I was so miserable. I called them – which you’re never supposed to do – and said “I guess I didn’t get in,” and there was this long pause and they said, “Eric we’ve decided to cast you.”
Q. What is your most prized material possession?
A. The prosaic answer is the iPod. I really can’t be without it anytime night or day. I love my book collection, too. I have a thing for the printed word even though I buy three books for every book I read.
Q. What promise do you make to yourself that you break the most often?
A. Work harder.
Q. What should you throw away but haven’t been able to part with?
A. Written material. I have drawers full of New Yorker magazines that might have an article from three years ago that I might be interested in reading.
Q. Who is the one person living or dead you would most like to meet for dinner?
A. Karl Marx. I think he is a despicable human being with a bad ideology, but I find him fascinating. I tried to write a screenplay about him. He was a brilliant, talented dude who could have done so much in the world and instead he sort of turned to the dark side of the force. I think he’d be interesting to talk to even though anyone who disagrees with him in any respect he calls an idiot.
To read about Morris’ event with Zocalo, click here.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.