Out Of The Question Revived To Promote Provocative Conversation

Try to recall, if you will, an animated and thought-provoking dialogue in which none of the participants resorted to name calling, finger pointing or inappropriate theatrics. It seems almost antiquated, but “reviving the lost art of provocative conversation” is exactly why Warren Strugatch—a writer and consultant—is resurrecting Out of the Question, a forum where some of the biggest names on the East End can exchange fresh perspectives and new ideas with audience members on hot topics, and not a single punch will be thrown.Out of the Question—which will hold the first event in the series on Thursday, May 4, at the Southampton Arts Center—is a new incarnation of the series Mr. Strugatch brought to Guild Hall in 2003 for two lively seasons. The new season will feature five panel discussions on everything from real estate to architecture to restaurants,

“In a way, it’s an extension of my own work as a journalist, meeting interesting and accomplished people, getting to know them and ask them interesting questions,” Mr. Strugatch said. He arrived at the idea, he said, when attending a celebrity-congested Hamptons soirée in 2002. “I knew that all of these interesting conversations were going on, but it was so loud. What were they saying? And I thought, ‘Let’s get these interesting people together and talk about subjects that are national in scope but in a community setting.’”

This year’s panelists include artist Eric Fischl, restaurateurs Mark Smith and Eric Limonides, architectural writer Paul Goldberger, and other local luminaries. The inaugural event on May 4, “What’s Trending in East End Real Estate?” will feature guests Pamela Liebman, the CEO of Corcoran Group; Joe Farrell, the founder of Farrell Building; Peter Turino, the president and principal broker of Brown Harris Stevens; and Zach Vichinsky, a co-founder of Bespoke Real Estate. Future conversations include “The Business of Art: Passion or Profit?” on June 8, “Restaurants: Where’s the Fork in the Road?” on July 13, “Architecture: Does Modernism Still Matter?” on August 10, and “Business and the Economy” on September 28.

Mr. Strugatch is quick to point out that this is not just another panel discussion. “The audience and I interview the speakers together. The audiences are very engaged. It’s an opportunity for them to sit down and talk to people who are basically their neighbors. At the same time, they may be people who live down the block, but they’ve actually never met.”

There is also a certain intimacy level maintained when the topics are universal but also hit close to home, Mr. Strugatch said. And this time around, Southampton-based public radio station WPPB 88.3 FM will be broadcasting the talks.

“The give and take will be brisk,” Mr. Strugatch said. “I encourage the speakers to be concise, and humorous when appropriate. And to be opinionated. The show will succeed to the degree that they can bounce opinions off each other.”

“As an arts center we put on all kinds of programming,” said Amy Kirwin, the director of programs at the Southampton Arts Center, “and we’re always looking for interesting ideas to incorporate.” This talk series, she said, appeals to a large audience. “Everybody likes the idea of being part of an intimate conversation that under normal circumstances you wouldn’t necessarily get to hear. You are party to exclusive information that is usually only shared behind closed doors.”

After a break of more than a decade, why bring back Out of the Question now? “The campaign was disheartening to me in the extreme,” Mr. Strugatch admitted, thinking back to the 2016 presidential election season. “My fellow Americans were utterly losing the ability to conduct rational conversations. The inability to have differences and still have a polite and respectful discussion, to respond to what people are saying instead of responding to their stance. This is my very small way of doing what I can to revive the lost art of provocative conversation. I bring people on purpose who have different opinions, conflicting points of view, who are strong presences, and have them talk to each other. Good things come out of it.”

He remembered what he called the “most human” moment of the campaign, when an audience member at one of the debates asked the two remaining candidates what it was that they admired and respected about each other. “It put a different spin on the evening. It made the candidates and the audience think differently, if only for a minute or two. But it also brought a kindness and humanity to what was basically a free-for-all up until then. And that’s what our conversations are like.”

Mr. Strugatch pointed to the Irish word craic to describe the “Out of the Question” series. Craic is defined in the Cambridge English Dictionary as “an enjoyable time spent with other people, especially when the conversation is entertaining and funny.”

Past participants included Wilbur Ross, Tim Bishop, Steven Gaines, Jerry Della Famina and Lizzie Grubman. “We had everyone from Nobel Prize winners to town workers, sitting on the same stage,” Mr. Strugatch recalled. “The liveliest conversation was about immigration assimilation, in the last incarnation. It was a big panel, seven or eight people. I wanted many perspectives, as many as I could realistically have. The question morphed throughout the event, until we were concentrating on ‘Who are we as Americans? And how did we get that way?’ It was fascinating.

“I don’t think we’ve ever needed more that ability for true interchange,” he continued. “Where new ideas are offered, and new opinions are formed.”

All “Out of the Question” discussions begin at 7:30 p.m. More information and tickets are available at ootq-show.com, or at the Southampton Arts Center, 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton Village.