That's what Philip Seymour Hoffman's Lester Bangs tells the young journalist William Miller in one of my all-time favorite films, Almost Famous.
In his latest film, Capote, Mr. Hoffman is definitely nobody's friend - he is someone who fails to see the 'big fuss' about To Kill A Mockingbird (written by his loyal sidekick Harper Lee) . The real-life Truman Capote was the one guy you don't tell secrets to.
But as young William Miller discovers in the cut-throat world of rock journalism, friendship (or some form of it, anyway) is a useful lubricant that can lead to an exclusive interview behind closed hotel doors.
Capote left me uneasy, and feeling more than slightly guilty. Like many journalists, I have had to charm - well, it would be a real stretch to say 'seduce' - reluctant sources into talking to me. I am not sure that I wouldn't sink to the tactics used by Capote if I had to talk to a mass murderer. The question is, would I feel bad if my new pal died?
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