Gazette Fonz Exclusive Oct 09

Amy Hood: You were The Fonz (an American icon), you’ve directed, you’ve produced, and now you are a best selling children’s author. Forget Tony Robbins’ way to success, what’s your secret?

Henry Winkler: Anything that comes into your mind, if it’s in your imagination then you can probably accomplish it. Even if you don’t know how, you can figure it out. If you think, “Oh, I think I’m going to try that, I think I can do that, that sounds like fun to me,” then somehow you will find your route there.

AH: What books did you grow up on?

HW: I didn’t. I did not read until I was 40 because I’m dyslexic. Reading was so difficult for me that I literally thought I couldn’t. Now I realize I have to work a little harder at it. I read thrillers and I have so much fun that I now try and tell young people, “Try and read because it will make you laugh. It will take you to places you never dreamt of going without even leaving your armchair.”

AH: You’re 63 now right?

HW: I am. Almost 64. I’m 63 and three quarters.

AH: And you look great by the way.

HW: I do?

AH: Yes!

HW: Thank you.

AH: Is it hard to remember back to your childhood when you are trying to come up with story lines for your books?

HW: That’s a good question. There’s an argument [Hank Zipzer] has in the 15th book that I had with my father when I was 11, and it came jumping out of my head as if it were yesterday. So you remember. The emotion of the dyslexia is very honest and true here [points at the book]. Sitting at my desk not being able to get anything done, losing my backpack, losing my permission slip, not being able to read, all of that is honest and true. Which is why kids say to me, “Oh my gosh. How did you know me so well?” The humor is made up. I never flooded my classroom. My dog never got a ticket. One child said to me, “I laughed so hard my funny bone fell out of my body.” What a great compliment. [laughs]

AH: Your daughter’s a preschool teacher. Do you ever have her do reconnaissance on the kids for story ideas?

HW: No, I go and I watch her teach, but that just makes me proud.

AH: So what are you reading right now?

HW: Right now I just finished Gone Tomorrow which is by Lee Child who is an English thriller writer. And this is the ninth novel of his I’ve read. Daniel Silva is also a great thriller writer. I read a lot of thrillers.

AH: They’re making the children’s book Where The Wild Things Are into a movie. Can you see Hank Zipzer on the silver screen?

HW: I don’t know… Maybe, but you can’t count on that so I don’t think about it. My biggest connection with Where The Wild Things Are [is] my son was Max (the main character) in the play in third grade. So I watched him running around in that suit.

AH: So what’s next for Hank Zipzer?

HW: Well we just wrote the last novel, which is the 17th book, and he graduates from the fifth grade and goes on to middle school. He will go to the performing arts school and he will meet his bliss: a teacher actually says to him on the first day, “You’re very smart”.

AH: Thanks so much for talking to us.

HW: You know what, this was a great interview.

[We shake hands, take a picture together and then I try to make way out of the VIP room mid-swoon. The Fonz has still got it.]