Robert Pattinson shares a few freewheeling details -- you listening, John Mayer?

In the March issue of Details magazine, cover boy Robert Pattinson steps right up to what could've been the edge of John Mayer territory -- then cleverly walks away from that line, demonstrating that it's possible to discuss lady parts, man parts, porn and more without ending up thrown to the media wolves.

One tip: Don't run your mouth for years in advance like some sort of new-age, "meta-aware," cooler-than-all-of-us Twitter prophet.

Some other takeaway guidelines we gleaned from reading the interview:

-- If you say you want to snort something, let it be wasabi peas, not Jessica Simpson.

-- If someone's going to use an old-fangled word for black people, let it be the interviewer, not you.

-- It's OK to mention your man parts as long as you don't ascribe political beliefs to them.

-- If you're going to discuss porn, discuss the quaintness of '80s porn compared with the no-holds-barred smut fest that's available now, rather than relishing the fact that you can see 300 anonymous private parts online before you get out of bed in the morning.

-- If you're going to admit that sudden fame (and the attendant gabillions of interviews that come with something like "The Twilight Saga") gave you a  sense that you had "a responsibility to be fascinating," rather than attempting to be fascinating for fascinating's sake -- or as some would say, embarking on a  "quest to be clever" -- draw a parallel to an interest you once had in becoming a political speech writer. Which is sort of fascinating.

-- If you in the past possessed mad confidence, and admit to it, show that you now realize some folks might know more about some things (say, your career choices) than you might: "[Y]ou have to figure out whether the way you think at 19 or 20 has any value. And eventually I understood, with all that control, which was probably illusory, I wasn't progressing. So now I'm relinquishing a bit."

-- Tell endearing stories about experiences with elephants.

-- Talk about how much you love your dog.

-- And, finally, don't kiss and tell. 

"As an actor," he tells the magazine, "you can elevate the human condition or cheapen it. I would assume it's the same with anything you do -- you try to elevate and maybe someday you will."

Pattinson's Details interview is geared to adults -- we'll link you to the one page without an f-bomb -- but it's an interesting read.

And now we know that elephants purr.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

Click here and scroll down for lots of posts from the Robert Pattinson genre. And if you've missed recent John Mayer dispatches, here's a heaping helping:

PREACH IT! John Mayer stops tweeting, leaves us with Tila Tequila

John Mayer and Playboy, Part 2: The self-loathing Twitterpology

John Mayer opens his mouth to Playboy and makes our brain hurt

John Mayer in Rolling Stone: Not over Jennifer Aniston, but an innovator in masturbation

John Mayer back on Twitter; year 2010 now free to proceed

John Mayer equates dating with shame, presses on somehow

PREACH IT! Why pay for cable when you can watch celebrity Twitter wars for free?

Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Facebook and Twitter (we're @LATcelebs). Become a fan at facebook.com/ministryofgossip.

Comments

[AnnewithanE]

@Christie D'Zurilla,
Thank you so much for your insightful analysis of this interview as you were absolutely spot on in your conclusions. I especially appreciate the pointing out of the differences between Mayer and Pattinson. In no way are these two men alike. I have to admit to having to scratch my head with a 'huh?' though at some of these comments. I suppose some can only see the surface of things and cannot look beneath to see a person's true intent and if someone's looking for an insult, they'll find it. But sadly, I think this may follow Robert for awhile as Joe Kennedy (the president's father) once said, "it doesn't matter what is true. It only matters what people THINK is true". So true. But thank you Christie and for keeping tabs here.

[aleia]

i really hope john mayer is listening... and that he gets the sarcasm implied

[Jean]

I enjoyed your article almost, but not quite as much as the interview. I have watched and read most of his interviews. You must have also, as you seem to appreciate his sense of humor and intelligence. I find him to be a very attractive and fascinating young man. There are hundreds of good looking young men in Hollywood, but few are so interesting and so funny. Thank you for a good evaluation.

[Claudia]

Thank you, thank you. Finally a news source that isn't trying for the hot headlines but actually understands Rob Pattinson. I loved his interview in Details. I thought it showed a very endearing side of Robert. There were so many beautiful things that he said about caring about his craft and caring about audience reaction to the roles he plays. Worrying and agonizing over getting things just right because he feels a responsibility to the people going to see his films. I like his outrageous sense of humor and more than that, I love that he isn't afraid to be awkward in awkward situations like having a 12 hours photoshoot with scantily clad women that you weren't prepared to have and worrying about what to say to them. We sometimes tend to forget that this is a 23 year old, new to the spotlight young actor who may make some missteps from time to time but in general is handling the craziness pretty darn well. The interviewer seemed to me to get it right when she said he was like the "good son or a good mum".

[Claudia]

May I just make one more observation to the poster who was offended by Robert using the word Negro. If you read that part or the article, the interviewer made the observation that he used the word Actor in a very quiet voice as if he were saying Negro (a word I assume she felt people no longer use because they feel it is inappropriate or shameful to say.) Robert's response, not in these exact words was, just imagine if I had said "acting" like Negroes". You wouldn't be able to hear me at all. Get it? Two words said very quietly added together might be silent. It wasn't an insult, it was a play on her original comment. When I read bloggers who are offended by this or say he is a racist for this joke it just makes me kind of laugh at how quick we are to take offense. No offense was intended. It is just his quirkly sense of humor in response to a rather strange comment from the interviewer.

[bellemeer]

As a fan of Robert Pattinson I appreciate the fact Christie that you obviously read the article in Details magazine thoroughly instead of picking out comments and quoting them out of context. I think it is sad as a society that we seem to feel the need to tear down those that are successful and/or different. Robert Pattinson is a breath of fresh air. His interviews show is is a deep thinking, sensitive, creative and somewhat shy young man. We should perhaps ask ourselves how we would cope were we thrust into mega stardom with our every word, movement or gesture photographed, recorded and analysed? For a young man of 23 I think he is coping supremely well.

[Danielle]

Christie,
Thank you for getting it right.
I cannot believe how many stupid, resentful, ignorant people--and so-called journalists--there are out there who think they have a right to judge Robert Pattinson. These people either don't get his humour, or have found the excuse they've been waiting for to jump on him.
None of them are "trying to elevate the human condition", as he so eloquently and humbly put it; they are trying to cheapen it. They have the audacity to jump on the 'N' word, and the 'v' joke, disregarding the context. Yet they ignore his really quite profound statements. They don't care that they are being unfair to someone who hasn't intended to hurt anyone.

[Puchu]

Some of the comments left here are truly vicious and cruel. I find it strange that people are so eager to pass a judgement on a person they don't know at all and that too just by reading some words taken wholly out of context.

To people who are rubbing their hands with glee about the "bashing" Robert is getting on various boards for this interview...all I can ask is why the hate? I have read some of those comments and most of them are either prejudiced, or the commentators are uninformed about Robert's natural speaking style.

And to those who think that this will come back and bite him and that this would damage his career or whatever, that is truly wishful thinking on your part! The public has poor memory and this interview will be forgotten in no time.

[Hanna]

These accusations remind me of Phillip Roth’s “The Human Stain”. False Political Correctness covering awful defamation.

[Renate]

Thank you very much! Your review of Mr. Pattinsons story was much appreciated. I think Rob is an intelligent, thoughtful but shy person. He loves to take on challenges and the Roles he already played show a versatility only a few have. He is still very young but I'm impressed by the way he handles this every Day Pressure. He for sure is no average Hollywood /Disney Character.

[Maggie]

What a delightful read on this most interesting interview that Details did on Rob. It amazes me that so many have tried to slant this article away from what it really is and made it anti female. Unfortunately, many don't understand Brits and their humor which many times is very dry and you have to really understand how deep it is. If you really look at certain statements you can see how intelligent,perceptive,clever,and deep Rob is. This is definitely an adult magazine and the articles should be for adults; I don't believe that it can truly be interpreted correctly by most 12 - 17 year olds.

[Jenson]

Thanks!
A least somebody got/nailed it!
People who don´t understand that artikel/interview should grow a sense of humor.

[janey]

It's not wishful thinking on my part that this interview may damage Robert Pattinson's popularity. It's just an observation based on what I have read in different columns and blogs in reaction to this Details article. What I think is wishful thinking is the author's claim that this article is an example of how to give an interview without being thrown to the media wolves. Wishful thinking because that is exactly what has happened already.Even the people commenting on this article positively note it themselves by saying "finally a journalist who gets it" implying that most of the media does not.

[India Andrews]

Jane. Did you even read the article before you sounded off on your opinion of Rob and his acting ability?

[just me]

and why did you think we love him? i am glad to see it sank in.

[patty c.]

i looked over the interview again and had a comment...i wish the interviewer had followed up with some of his more interesting remarks...i wanted to say something about being paid ridiculous sums of money to do your craft. he brought up a good point. if it were me, i'd take the money but think of it as unrelated to my art, whether it's writing, or acting, or dance, music, painting, whatever. you need to keep your relationship to your art separate and pure. what they're paying you for is some acting and helping to open a film somewhat -- but at this level, mainly they're paying you a bribe to do this work and deal with the other, unrelated, awful stuff -- lack of privacy, security and so on. so i would think i would need that money to find a safe haven -- get a lovely, private place, hire security, and so on. also, i would give a lot of money to things that are important to me, like kids' hospitals and animal charities. there are ways of existing as an actor in this world without letting it swallow you up, i would think. i wish the interviewer had really gotten into a conversation with him about some of the more interesting comments he made.

[marge]

great article! very well stated and analyzed. thank you. finally, someone with a brain in their head interpreted the article as i did. brilliant! robert pattinson is wise beyond his years and knows exactly what he is doing and saying. love him to peices for his work, his witty sense of humor, his courage, and his endearing, sensitive heart. [absolutely loved the story about the elephants and his dog [which has sadly passed away.] he is awesome!!

[elsa]

People are tripping too much about this interview. It was AN INTERVIEW, NOTHING ELSE. Ideas being expressed based on questions posed by the interviewers and based on the interviewer's ability to let the interviewee respond to his questions. Why are people tripping about this interview by a newcomer unless people are really interested in him, else, why here on the this blog, right? Pattinson fans love him, others hate him. But the fact those who hate him are in this blog, expressing vehement dislike for a guy who only had 3 movies is fascinating. And saying that he should not act anymore is a total lunacy on your part. You are not buying the tickets to see his movies, but others are very much willing, so you have no say whatsoever if he should stop acting or not.

[Puchu]

@Janey, I don't think that most of the media "does not get" the interview. It is just that they do not want to be bothered to do even the minimum research on their subject before publishing sensationalist tripe. What most of the media has done is latch on to the sound bites and completely ignore the rest of the interview to generate shock value.

The people here who are saying "finally a journalist who gets it" are saying so because here is a journalist who has not printed any of the "shocking" quotes from the interview, has evidently tried to understand where Jenny and Robert come from and has written a very well balanced opinion.

Kudos to you Christie D'Zurilla.

[Puchu]

Also regarding whether Robert should grow a filter, I suppose it will naturally happen with time. He is 23 and relatively new to stardom. He has many many fans no doubt, but there are also many who believe all his fame is undeserved and are eager to take anything said against him to pull him down and create more hate. Would this interview have lost him some fans? Perhaps yes, but I don't think he has said anything that will damage his career in the long run.

[cagla]

Yes, now we know that elephants purr.
But it's not the today's hottest tip of animal kingdom, is it?
It's the fact that a certain super hot, 'homo sapiens-holywood' who has talent, quirkiness and honest randomness of his age, also has an intelligence of his own. It's not everyday that you discover inetersting species like this one. :p
It was a great article, thank you Robert.

And thank you for the read&objectivity.

[L]

That had me chuckling; good article. The difference between Pattinson's and Mayer's interview...I wasn't left disgusted and annoyed. Mayer should definitely take notes.

[ironicbarbie]

After all the backlash the DETAILS interview has gotten in the past 24 hours I was nothing short of thrilled to read an article where the author actually GOT what Robert Pattinson was saying. Thank you Christie D'Zurilla, for actually paying attention to his words and tone and not getting so caught up on a word or two as so many others seem to have. I would have thought that his quoted comment in which he jokingly suggests that he do the whole interview in the sex-shop outfit Jenny Lumet mentioned, and further joking that he'd then do the entire interview from the equine perspective, would have tipped people off to the fact that he was clearly comfortable enough with this interviewer to talk off the top of his head and make jokes at will. He is, in my opinion, a hilariously funny man, with a delightfully insightful and darkly humorous view of the world in general. I, for one, am always thrilled to hear or read interviews where he does feel free enough to speak his mind, because whether he is being spontaneously sarcastic, or deeply introspective, he usually has something very interesting worthwhile to say (in spite of the fact, or perhaps due to the fact, that he's worried that neither might be the case). I wish people could learn to appreciate him for what he is; a unique person with multiple gifts and talents, a fiendishly funny sense of humor, and a perspective on many things that few attain in a lifetime, let alone 23 years. No one has to like him; he's not expecting or asking anyone to like him, but if you're going to take the time to follow articles about him then at least pay attention to what he's actually saying before you bash him, predict his doom, or otherwise cast negativity toward this very entertaining, very admirable and very real young man.

[Lisa]

Leave it MoG to give Pretty Boy-Toy Patterson's spewings the weight and the brevity of a presidential speech.

[Linda]

I love Rob. i believe he is intelligent and talented. i do not believe he is gay or racist. His comments were taken out of context and or partially read. Critics are greedily racing to have something negative to say about him. I do NOT understand the hate and the desire of some people to rip him to shreds. I wish him the best of luck and happiness.