character-author conversations

Do you ever interview/record conversations between you and your MC? I'm writing a crucial chapter right now--my MC is supposed to fail spectacularly--in public--at his first attempt to do something, and the full narration is going to entail some heavy research (why my character wanted to play football--when I'm such a non-sporty person--is beyond me, but it's the pefect backdrop for my character's real struggles). I decided I'd rather break the chapter and have him just summarize the awful details in his own words for me, keeping in mind my football handicap. Wow, it really cut to the heart of what his problem is! The funny thing is, the book is in first person, but it was rather freeing to have him just talk, without having to give all the setting details, etc. A totally different voice, if you will. And now I'm feeling his pain along with him, and seeing the way this incident mirrors the theme in general. And it's waaay more focused on the character.

I still have to do the research and put the relevant details into "narration," but I'm going to try to keep as close to this inner voice as I can. Or maybe I should just tell the whole story like this?

This isn't the first time I've chatted with my character on paper. What about you? Do any of you talk with your characters? Or am I just crazy?