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Theyre in the middle of Big Brother fever in Australia at the moment
Posted Friday, July 23, 2004
They’re in the middle of Big Brother fever in Australia at the moment –and it looks like a black guy might win-he’s a Surfie he’s got the dreads and the laid back attitude. He’s the kind of guy who waits behind a door for twenty minutes so he can surprise one of his housemates by going ‘Boo!’ I say put this man in government!I’m enjoying the radio side of the promotional duties out here much more than the telly (although the telly has been big fun). I think with TV the expectations are much higher, you know, the people can see you, I have to dress up ( or at least I think I do) there’s slightly more pressure to be ‘on’ -you know, ‘you will be funny won’t you’ …but on the radio it’s a different vibe – if you’re on a show with professional s -they are clever enough to engender this feeling of conversation, where jokes just sort of slip in naturally and appear unforced –rather than the weird TV thing of feeling that you have to have every thing prepared. On the radio, you can jam/improvise because you don’t have an audience –apart from the person you’re talking to –and therefore you relax a bit. Its been an enlightening trip. I’m in Perth at the moment, and I happened to be on the Rove McManus Radio show – he’s also got a TV show (the one I was on with Will Smith)-Rove’s a TV comic, with a very warm personality. He really looked after me when I was on his show, and I appreciated it cos I was (a ) Jet lagged and (b) freaking –trying to think of ‘stuff’ to do. Luckily, he’d organised a Custard Pie fight at the end of the show, well, it wasn’t really a fight –he just sort of stood there while all his guest threw pies at him ( my first shot was a doozie –got him smack dead off centre of the forehead –TISWAS Posse in the house, baby) and also, he had a huge bowl of jelly beans on the table in front of us, which I very helpfully tried to snort plunging my head directly into them.
There is a thing though when comics interview comics, Rove didn’t do this, but others do –particularly when its two or three comics doing a show; they all try to top each other all the time, comics tend not to listen, because they’re heading to a comedy punchline and they don’t want anything to get in the way. I’ve been told by someone close to me, that ‘just because you’re the loudest person in the room, doesn’t mean you have anything to say’…and it hurts to hear that because when you’re a comic, you think most everything you say is fascinating darling….So – a good tip for when I do an interview show is : Be interested in what the guest has to say / give them room when they’re talking / only jump in, if you feel its flagging / don’t jump in before they’ve reached the punchline – (unless of course it’s a deathly dull story –in which case, hit them with a piece of two
by four –its allowed) and –do your research… it really helps.
I had remedial massage in Sydney yesterday, because of my back – and the woman who came to do it had an ear piece and mouth mike round her head – I said’ are you gonna take calls during the massage’ implying, of course, ‘I hope you’re not going to be taking calls. etc’
She said, ’yes, I have to, my boss is away on holiday and has left me in charge of the bookings’ I mumbled under my breath, something like ‘ I don’t think I’ve ever had a massage before, where someone took phone calls’ The woman wouldn’t take the hint – so my supposed serenity was devastated by DRRRING, DRRING ‘yes, Hello – oh yes, we do sports massage, remedial massage, aromatherapy massage, Friday at noon – lovely –ask for Jan’
I’d just be slipping off into the ‘zone’ and then DRRRRRING, DRRRRRING –‘ No, I’m sorry, she doesn’t work for us any more – well I am very strong –I do the deep tissue mass- ok, well, we do sports massage, remedial massage, aromatherapy massage – ok – Friday 3.30 is fine for me ; DRRRRRING DRRRRRING ! Ahhhghghghghghghh, I hate mobile phones….
I can’t imagine, anyone thinking that’s a good idea – You’re a top heart surgeon, ‘ Yep, get me a visual, ok that left ventricle’s looking DRRRING DRRIIIINNNG ! Sorry about this, my secretary’s on holiday – now, lets see –I can fit you in Friday at noon –oh yes, we do heart by pass, triple bypass, unblocking, we fit pacemakers – Ok Friday at Noon – ask for Professor Aftab –ok …now where were we? Why’s that line flat like that? On the machine you idiot?
Ridiculous- I don’t take my phone on stage –‘Folks, good evening, I just flew in from Sidney and boy are my –DRRINNG, DRRING –Hi, sorry about this, I’ve got to take this –yes, hello, I do do Corporate functions yes – very reasonably priced actually – well my agents on holiday at the moment, I’m having to –yes – Ok, we can send you a brochure…Oh yes, I can do character comedy, blue comedy, impressions comedy, physical comedy –ok –ok, thank you. .where was I –Oh yeah, ‘Boy are my arms tired…come on you people, these are the jokes – ‘DRIING, DRRINNG –let me get this …let me get this!
I’m really looking forward to seeing my wife and daughter –hoorah! I can’t wait.
I’ll sign off now – Check out Kath and Kim if you can –I think its on DVD –v.funny.
Peace
Len.
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