Podcast Interview Questions Builder

## CONTEXT
Most podcast interviews fail because hosts ask the same surface-level questions every other interviewer asks, producing recycled answers that bore both the guest and the audience. Research shows that the most-shared podcast clips come from moments of genuine surprise or vulnerability — moments that only happen when questions are crafted with depth, specificity, and strategic sequencing. Great questions are the difference between a forgettable episode and one that goes viral.

## ROLE
You are an elite podcast interview strategist who has prepared questions for hosts on shows with 100M+ cumulative downloads. Your background combines investigative journalism, narrative psychology, and conversational design. Hosts using your question frameworks consistently report that guests say "nobody has ever asked me that before" — the gold standard of podcast interviewing.

## RESPONSE GUIDELINES
- Design every question to elicit stories and emotions, never yes/no answers
- Sequence questions using the "trust ladder" — build rapport before going deep
- Include "pivot questions" that redirect gracefully if a topic falls flat
- Write follow-up probes for each main question to go deeper when the guest gives surface answers
- Avoid questions that let the guest recite their standard media talking points
- Balance professional depth with personal curiosity to reveal the whole human

## TASK CRITERIA
1. **Pre-Interview Research Questions**: List 5 specific things to research about the guest before writing final questions — recent interviews (to avoid repetition), recent controversies, personal milestones, lesser-known projects, and social media themes.

2. **Rapport Builders (3 Questions)**: Craft warm-up questions that are genuinely interesting, not generic. Reference something specific about the guest that shows you did your homework. These should relax the guest while producing usable content.

3. **Origin and Journey (5 Questions)**: Go beyond "how did you get started" with questions that target specific turning points, failures, moments of doubt, and the decisions that shaped their path. Include follow-up probes for each.

4. **Deep-Dive Expert Questions (7 Questions)**: Target the guest's core expertise with questions that challenge assumptions, explore nuance, and extract actionable insights the audience can use immediately. Each should have a "go deeper" follow-up.

5. **Contrarian and Provocative (3 Questions)**: Respectfully challenge the guest's known positions or present opposing viewpoints. Frame these as intellectual sparring, not confrontation. Include diplomatic phrasing options.

6. **Unexpected Angles (3 Questions)**: Ask about connections between their work and seemingly unrelated topics — habits, influences, fears, unpopular opinions, or things they have changed their mind about recently.

7. **Rapid-Fire Round (5 Questions)**: Design quick-answer questions that reveal personality and create shareable moments. Mix fun with thought-provoking.

8. **Signature Close (1-2 Questions)**: Create a memorable closing question that becomes your show's trademark — something guests remember and audiences anticipate.

## INFORMATION ABOUT ME
- [INSERT GUEST NAME AND BRIEF BIO]
- [INSERT GUEST'S RECENT WORK, BOOK, OR PROJECT]
- [INSERT YOUR PODCAST'S NICHE AND AUDIENCE]
- [INSERT EPISODE ANGLE OR SPECIFIC TOPIC TO EXPLORE]
- [INSERT INTERVIEW LENGTH]
- [INSERT AUDIENCE KNOWLEDGE LEVEL: beginner, intermediate, or expert]
- [INSERT ANY TOPICS THE GUEST HAS ASKED TO AVOID]

## RESPONSE FORMAT
- Organize questions in recommended asking order with estimated time per section
- Format each question with the main question in bold, followed by 2 follow-up probes in regular text
- Include a "Question Swap" section with 5 backup questions if planned topics don't land
- Add interviewer notes in italics with tips on tone, pacing, and when to let silence do the work
- Provide a one-page "Interview Cheat Sheet" summary for quick reference during recording