Fantasy Dinner Guests - The Classic Interview Question - Who would you invite?
Originally published on LinkedIn - August 18, 2025
The infamous classic icebreaker that often comes up at interviews, workshops, and social events:
“If you could invite three people, past or present, to dinner — who would they be, and why?”
It’s a deceptively simple question, but the answers reveal something deeper about our values, our sense of wonder, and even our humour.
For my part, if I could host one fantasy evening of conversation, laughter, and reflection, I know exactly who would be at the table:
Carl Sagan, Billy Connolly, and Jack Hargreaves.
Carl Sagan – The Voice of the Cosmos
Carl Sagan was more than an astronomer; he was a poet of science. Through his Cosmos television series, his books, and his public lectures, he invited millions to look up at the stars and feel both humbled and inspired.
At the table, I imagine Sagan swirling a glass of red wine while describing how “we are made of star-stuff.” He would bring not just scientific knowledge, but a profound sense of perspective — reminding us that our lives, however small in the cosmic scale, are deeply meaningful. His presence would anchor the evening in wonder, curiosity, and a sense of humility.
As a child, I always looked to the stars. Experiencing Mr Sagan's Cosmos series growing up was truly mindblowing and magical. As I grew older, reading more about his work reveals a truly inspired man. Mr Sagan pioneered work at JPL and NASA. He led the Voyager missions and created the Golden Record that now flies outside of our solar system.
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/where-are-voyager-1-and-voyager-2-now/
Indeed, it was this very Voyager mission that took the famous Pale Blue Dot photo, which inspired Sagan's book. If you're feeling low about life. Take a look at this picture.
PALE BLUE DOT
This is a photo taken by the Voyager 1 space probe on February 14th 1990.
Our planet, everything we have created as a race, ever known and ever will be, as seen 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles) away.
Earth is there as a tiny dot within deep space: a blue/white speck almost halfway up the rightmost band of light.
And you are worried about forgetting to put the bins out? This is Sagan's legacy.
If you have never seen Cosmos, then you truly owe it to yourself to do so.
Sagan's wonderful presence, turn of phrase, and profound vision for a better humanity are life-changing.
One of my favourite episodes, he talks about the evolution of Heikegani - I will leave you to discover that for yourself.
Here is the first episode of what I hope is the first of many that you enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXnNU7t4OzE
Billy Connolly – The Philosopher of Laughter
Then there’s Billy Connolly, the Big Yin himself. A man who has made generations laugh, cry, and sometimes both at once.
Connolly isn’t just a comedian — he’s a storyteller, a philosopher in disguise.
While Sagan unpacks the mysteries of the universe, Connolly would likely cut in with a story about a Glaswegian pub fight or losing the power of his legs after drinking Zombies, bringing the conversation crashing back to Earth with tears of laughter.
And that’s important: without humour, even the grandest ideas can feel heavy. Connolly reminds us that life, at its core, is to be enjoyed. I couldn't get out of bed in the morning without remembering my sense of humour. Billy is a testament to that worldview.
Billy's outrageous style and presence hide a profound heart. A real heart. Borne out of the Glasgow tenements. His childhood was a well-documented, difficult one. Although he brushes it off with his humour, claiming he didn't know any different. Whether it be coats for eiderdowns or club singing herry haw, he's everyone's big brother and a reminder to be yourself at all times.
I consider the greatest stand-up set in history, An Audience With Billy Connolly. It's all here, jam-packed with an audience of legends in their own right. The sight of Bob Hoskins at near seizure level in hysterics is worth the price of admission alone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npq9XxFGmeQ
Jack Hargreaves – The Gentleman of the Countryside
The third seat at the table belongs to Jack Hargreaves, the much-loved broadcaster best remembered for Out of Town and Old Country. Hargreaves had a rare gift for making the ordinary extraordinary. With his quiet voice, pipe in hand, and deep knowledge of the countryside, he could turn a walk through a hedgerow into a lesson on history, tradition, and the passing of time. You may remember him too from the classic children's TV series How where he entertained viewers with facts and demonstrations. He was joined on that show by Fred Dinenage, Bunty James, and Jon Miller. Who were our own British Mission Impossible team able to explain and demonstrate the most innovative and complex in an accessible way for children.
This and the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures were must-see TV for me as a child.
Hargreaves would likely bring a balance to the evening — grounding Sagan’s cosmos and Connolly’s comedy with a reminder of the beauty and wisdom in the natural world right outside our doors, right now.
He’d remind us that you don’t have to travel light years to find wonder; sometimes it’s in the fields, streams, and stories of home.
There will never be another Jack Hargreaves. He was of his own wonderful time. A time sadly gone. I often say that my childhood was rivers and trees, and my adult life is circuits and WiFi! Mr Hargreaves is a great reminder to go back to that as often as I can.
There are many episodes of Out Of Town, Further Out Of Town, How, and Old Country for you to enjoy on YouTube for free. This is a good one where Mr Hargreaves, with his unique take, visits a farm sale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM_ohQHnLNE
Why These Three?
For me, the magic lies in the contrast:
Sagan offers the infinite, the stars, and the cosmos
Connolly offers joy, the social, the earthliness, and the present
Hargreaves offers rootedness, tradition, and the soul of the countryside
It would be a dinner of ideas, humour, and nostalgia — with plenty of great food, I imagine.
And by the end of the night, I’d like to think we’d all walk away a little wiser, a little lighter, and a little more connected to the world and each other.
The Bigger Question
The dinner guest game is fun, but it also invites reflection:
Whose voices do we crave in our own lives?
Who challenges us, grounds us, or makes us laugh?
So, I’ll put the question to you:
If you had three seats at the table, who would you invite, and what would you hope to learn from them?
#Leadership #Curiosity #CarlSagan #BillyConnolly #JackHargreaves #Wisdom #Humour #Mindfulness #Storytelling #Inspiration
