Those who know me outside of my cranky blog persona know that I have a fascination with the art of the interview.

It doesn’t get any better than David Letterman’s interview with the crew of U.S. Airways flight 1549 this past Tuesday.

David Letterman has gone through some distinct periods in his career before arriving at his latest phase as a master interviewer. For years, he could be downright obnoxious and mocking toward guests for whom he had contempt. He can still be mocking in a less offensive way toward dumb, venal actors, although it’s probably also true that the really bad ones are screened away before they get anywhere near Dave. In later years, Letterman appeared to be tired of his career, and uninspired by the situation he found himself in.

It seems to me that there were three distinct, powerful events which have altered Letterman’s outlook on life, and which provided him with a more inspired appreciation of his role in society.

Letterman had what might otherwise have been a near-death experience, when a simple angiogram appointment turned into a quintuple bypass surgery. How could one not feel lucky to have a few extra years left on earth after such an experience? But Letterman treated the event with exquisite, self-deprecating humor.

Then there was 9/11. Letterman’s first live broadcast was gut-wrenching. How could it not be? He was required by his position to say something. His only other option would have been to quit. But he rose to the occasion, and his remarks were akin to a confession — an expression of contrition, and humility about the superficiality of his role in society up to that moment.

The birth of his son, Harry, late in life, may have forced Letterman to see life through the experience of his son, further disarming his misanthropic cynicism.

Leading up to the interview with the crew of flight 1594, Letterman had been talking for days in his monologue about the safe landing on the Hudson. It was almost an expression of joy that a tragedy, which he couldn’t personally bear the weight of, had been lifted from his shoulders. His concern for the well-being of the crew and passengers was a revealing betrayal of his previous years as a misanthropic critic, but as I said, he’d been forced to think about how precious life can be, and how quickly it can be extinguished, through other experiences.

Now watch the interview.

As you do, think about how there is absolutely no hesitation from one poignant question to the next. There is an efficiency to the line of questioning, as Letterman asks all of the questions which one would want to ask, but might not have the courage to ask. And there’s no fluff. There are no questions which aren’t germane to the discussion. He’s on point at every step of the interview. Letterman isn’t working off of his notes, although the questions might be on the table. Instead, he interacts with the crew with a profound sense of care for the fragility of their emotional states, and yet, his ability to find humor in the interaction establishes moments of levity that break the serious nature of the conversation. Letterman’s use of humor helps to relax the crew so that they’re comfortable sharing their stories. To be sure, there are a couple of uncomfortable moments when Letterman’s remarks might be questioned — such as singling out for criticism a passenger who opened an airlock door when the plane was on the water. But overall, it’s a really strong interview. Also watch the use of his hands, and other non-verbal interactions — the way he leans in and touches the shoulder of one of the airline stewards, for example.

Why do I like this interview so much that I might put it into a top ten? Because I can’t think of anyone else who could possibly treat the subject matter with such grace — to extract the details of a challenging, traumatic, life-threatening experience, with delicacy, poise, and revealing, ironic humor. Letterman’s personality is stamped all over that interview in positive ways, and the results of the intimate connection he establishes with his guests is nothing short of magical.