Allison Kugel spills on best and worst celebrities she’s interviewed

A WOMAN who has interviewed more than 200 celebrities has written a book revealing what some of the world’s biggest stars are really like.

According to celebrity interviewer Allison Kugel, the Kardashian family have vastly different ways of approaching an interview. Picture: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

A WOMAN who has interviewed more than 200 celebrities has written a book revealing what the stars are really like.

In Journaling Fame: A Memoir of a Life Unhinged and on the Record, which will be released next year, Allison Kugel will spill the beans about her one-on-one time with stars including the Kardashians, Elle Macpherson and (her rather creepy experience with) KISS member Gene Simmons.

Speaking to news.com.au, Ms Kugel said each of the Kardashians had incredibly different personalities.

“Kourtney is one of those people where you can forget that she’s even famous because when you’re having a conversation with her she really just seems like one of your friends,” Ms Kugel said.

“She’s self-deprecating and a little insecure. She was telling me that she doesn’t really feel comfortable as a celebrity because she constantly worries about things she does or says on camera and afterwards she beats herself up worrying about how those things will come across when it airs.”

Khloe Kardashian too is incredibly friendly and down to earth.

“The first time I was meant to interview Khloe I actually had to cancel on her about 30 minutes before the interview because I was pregnant and I wasn’t feeling well,” Ms Kugel said.

“We rescheduled for the next day and when I spoke to her I apologised and she said, ‘Please, I’m not important. How are you? How’s the baby?’ She was really kind. She has a really big heart and I think very fondly of her because of that.”

But Kim Kardashian, well, that’s a different story.

“I’ve interviewed Kim twice and both times I’ve found her to be focused on the wrong things,” Ms Kugel said.

“I’ll never forget when I tried to get her to talk about politics, I tried to get her to talk about life and she really just wanted to focus on things that were a little bit more superficial.

“She’s a sweet person, very accommodating, very professional but she didn’t really let me in or let me get to know her in a way I had hoped for. Kim is a little bit more ‘circus’ than her sisters, to be honest.”

As guarded as Kim Kardashian was though, Ms Kugel would much rather chat to her again than KISS band member Gene Simmons.

Gene Simmons doesn’t sound like the nicest bloke.

“I was very uncomfortable during that interview,” she said.

“When we spoke he launched immediately into this misogynistic schtick about how women are this and women are that ... it was every stereotype in the book. I would try to speak and he would say, ‘See, women don’t let you get a word in edgewise.’

“He’s a sexist guy and I guess because I was the only woman there, it was all projected onto me. I just had to roll with it. It was a horrible experience.”

Ms Kugel has also interviewed celebrities including Mike Tyson, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Chelsea Handler, Demi Lovato and even Aussie model Elle Macpherson.

“She’s very brand focused,” Ms Kugel said of the 52-year-old.

“She’s a business woman through and through. When I first asked her for an interview she said, ‘I’ll do the interview but I have to proof read it afterwards.’ I said, ‘Why?’ And she said, ‘I’ve been burnt so many times. I’ve done interviews and have been misquoted. It’s not personal I just don’t want to get burnt again.’”

In the upcoming book, Ms Kugel will also share stories about how she was able to get access to some of the world’s biggest stars.

“There’s this publicist called Jill Fritzo and at one time she had THE list in Hollywood,” Ms Kugel said.

“If you were on the magazine covers each week, chances are Jill represented you. But I couldn’t get her to give me the time of day.

“One day she turned me down and I had nothing to lose so I wrote back to her and said, ‘Look, throw me a bone. Can you give me a clue what you’re looking for in an interview? I’m really just interested in telling your clients’ stories in the best possible way. I have absolutely no interest in who they’re sleeping with.’ And she wrote back, ‘You’re funny. I’ll work with you.’ That’s how I got some of my biggest interviews.”

Elle Macpherson in Paddington. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Journaling Fame: A Memoir of a Life Unhinged and on the Record by Allison Kugel will be released in early 2017

Originally published as Allison Kugel spills on best and worst celebrities she’s interviewed