Of the folks I’ve interviewed, Melvin Van Peebles may hold the distinction of most peculiar opening gambit. The film director’s latest, Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-Itchy-Footed Mutha, has its Chicago premiere this week, playing at Facets from Friday 4 to September 10. Here’s the full interview with Van Peebles, who, in his long life, has worn more hats than the entire cast of Mad Men, but first: his starting volley.

Time Out Chicago: Hi, Mr. Van Peebles, how are you?

Melvin Van Peebles: Habla español?

TOC: Uh, no…

MVP: I’m just fuckin’ with ya. [Laughs]

TOC: You always start your interviews that way?

MVP: When I was a reporter, I discovered you could tell an awful lot about people just the way they dealt with that—and so I would usually break the ice with that.

TOC: Ever get any interesting responses?

MVP: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. You got a moment?

TOC: Sure.

MVP: My very first coverage was of a murder, and I uncovered stuff that changed the whole tenor of the trial. In fact, they used my notes because—you remember, what was that guy, Kojak? No, not Kojak. Who was that? The slumpy detective who had the raincoat.

TOC: Columbo.

MVP: Columbo, that’s it exactly. I would find often if you would go interview people—and I ate garlic with whiskey often before—and I learned if you’d go in very sharp, then people are very paranoid about what they think they’re saying, but if you don’t go in sharp or seemingly sharp, they just drop their drawers and tell you everything.

TOC: So this was when you were a crime reporter.

MVP: Paris, France. ’62, ’63.