1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: This man, my next guest, came to my attention at 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: least and I'm sure probably yours too, some what ten 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: fifteen odd years ago with a great show on television. Gosh, 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 1: I was in hysterics watching it all the time, Little Britain. 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: And since then, well there's been other TV shows. There's been, 6 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: of course, appearances on talent quizzers and shows. He's written 7 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: a stack of books. I've read some of those as well, 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: because my kids picked them up at school and started 9 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: reading them. He's coming to Adelaide meet David Williams. David, 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: good morning, very good morning to you. 11 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me on the show. 12 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: Pleasure tell me about the creativity that drives all of 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: this for you. Where did all that come from? Little Britain, 14 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: The range of excellent books that I thoroughly enjoy reading 15 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: let alone kids. 16 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 2: Well I didn't know exactly where they came from. 17 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 3: But all I'll say is that when I was younger, 18 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 3: I didn't mind being on my own in my bedroom 19 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 3: thinking up characters and stories, pulling funny faces in front 20 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 3: of the mirror, just being alone with my imagination. I 21 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 3: wasn't out playing football with everybody because I wasn't invited 22 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 3: because I wasn't any good at football, So I think 23 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 3: that's maybe where for me the sort of creativity really 24 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 3: started being able to daydream. And then obviously I've been 25 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 3: lucky to work with some brilliantly talented people like Matt 26 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 3: Lucas on Little Britain. And as for the books, it 27 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 3: was like fifteen years ago and a sort of door 28 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 3: open to that that I'd never never foreseen before. So 29 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 3: I feel very lucky to have had these different stages 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 3: in my career. 31 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: Was writing skits for comedy and all the other things 32 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: you've done on stage and a little written, et cetera. 33 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: Come Fly with Me was a big change to write 34 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: a novel, to plan that out and the longer dialogue 35 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: and everything else involved there. 36 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 3: It was different, Yeah, definitely, because also writing those shows, 37 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 3: I was always with Matt and we sat in the 38 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 3: same room together and wrote everything together, and so it's 39 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 3: a different kind of It's just a different process because 40 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 3: we're sat in the kitchen trying to make each other 41 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 3: laugh and if we think, well, if we're both laughing, 42 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,399 Speaker 3: maybe other people might find this funny too. 43 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: But writing a book is lonely. 44 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 3: Because you're on your own two people can't really write 45 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 3: the same book at the same time. And I realized 46 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 3: I had to get better at well, at least try 47 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 3: things I hadn't done before, which was plot, you know, 48 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 3: actually have a proper story that you care about. And 49 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 3: also I realized, you the characters needed to be sort 50 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: of a bit deeper in a way, and they needed 51 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 3: to have an emotional dimension to them if you were 52 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 3: going to spend you know, a much longer time with them. 53 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 3: So but like anything, it's like the more you do it, 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 3: the sort of bester you get at it, and you 55 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 3: learn by doing it, you know. And that's what happened 56 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 3: to me. The Boy in the Dress was the first 57 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 3: book fifteen years ago, and the writing of it, you know, 58 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 3: my writing it is sort of taught, you know, have 59 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 3: to write. It was hard to say exactly, but I 60 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 3: just had a story in my head, and the more 61 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 3: I worked on it, you know, the better it got. 62 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: And I love doing it. And I thought, we'll have 63 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 2: to do that again. 64 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 3: And fifteen years later, and I think it's forty three 65 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 3: books later, I'm still doing it. 66 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: That's amazing. Well, I reckon I've read ten of those books, 67 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: including Boy in the Dress, Love the cameo in the 68 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: film by the way, it's a soccer riff that that 69 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: was very funny. But there's always a theme to them, 70 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: isn't there There's a message, and whether kids get that 71 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: or not, there is an underlying and suddle theme to them. 72 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: Well, I think if you're going to go to all 73 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 3: that trouble of writing a book and someone's going to 74 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 3: go to all the trouble of reading your book, I. 75 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 2: Think there should be a theme. 76 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 3: I try and sugarcoat the pill in a way, as in, 77 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: I don't want the theme to be sort of front 78 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 3: and center or feel like you're being lectured in something. 79 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 3: I mean, the boy in the dress is ultimately all 80 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 3: about what it is to be different and celebrating different. 81 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 3: So I think that's a good message for kids, and 82 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 3: it's it's as relevant to it was fifteen years ago. 83 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 3: So I think I like to have a theme, but 84 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 3: I don't want it to be too heavy, and I 85 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 3: don't want to sort. 86 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: Of put labels on things exactly, but I. 87 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 3: Sort of want children to come away with, you know, 88 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 3: with something to think about something they might you know, 89 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 3: feel deeply about they hadn't before, and to hopefully put 90 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 3: a positive message out there. 91 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: Absolutely. Well, look, let's talk about what you're doing here 92 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: in Australia. There's two shows in one day and different shows, 93 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 1: once for kids, the book show, and then an audience 94 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: with David Williams as well. Getting your head around two 95 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: different shows types of shows in one day, presumably No 96 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: Hide the Sausage and the book show for kids. 97 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: The force is strong with you. 98 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 3: No, basically, well we you know, first of all, I 99 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 3: was coming over to do the grown up show audience 100 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 3: with really focused on my comedy, lots of funny story 101 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 3: is I mean, not too rude, but you know, some 102 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 3: slightly slightly naughty stories and talking about you know, some 103 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 3: of the characters, the sketches that a bit controversial. And 104 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 3: then I was getting lots of messages from families, you know, saying, oh, 105 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 3: is it going to be suitable for my eight year old? 106 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 3: I was thinking, you know, really no, And you know, 107 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 3: I'm very lucky to have this whole other audience of 108 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 3: kids who don't really know me for any of that 109 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 3: television stuff, and they know me as an author. And 110 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 3: I've been touring a one man book show around for 111 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 3: a little while. I've kind of I feel like I've 112 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 3: got it good and we're making it bigger and better, 113 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 3: bigger and better for Australia, and so yeah, I mean, 114 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 3: if you're really crazy, you might want to come and 115 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 3: see the kids in the afternoon and get a babysitter 116 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 3: and come back in the evening. 117 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: But I'm really glad to be doing both actually, because I. 118 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 3: Mean one of the things is when you're doing something 119 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: in the theater, something live, the being on stage bit 120 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 3: is great. 121 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 2: The waiting around. 122 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 3: Is all always a little bit you know, boring, you 123 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,679 Speaker 3: feel a bit listless, you're kind of getting a bit nervous, 124 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 3: all that kind of thing. So actually, I'm really excited 125 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 3: and it will be really fun entertaining two different types 126 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 3: of audience, and I'm really glad I'm getting a chance 127 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 3: to reach out to people who like me for sort 128 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 3: of different reasons or different types of people, and so 129 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 3: no one feels excluded. I'm really happy about that. 130 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 2: Excellent. 131 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: Well, all right, good luck with that. Look forward to 132 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,119 Speaker 1: seeing you here in Adelaide. You've mentioned a little britten 133 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: a couple of times and working with Matt. We're ever 134 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: going to see you collaborating again, the two of you 135 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: in anything. 136 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 3: Yes, of course, we're working on a few different things 137 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 3: at the moment, so you know, we wanted to be 138 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 3: like the second coming. We want but you know, we 139 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 3: want to be really ready to share something great with people. 140 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 3: So you know, these things take time, and we're working 141 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 3: on things at the moment. We're writing together and we're 142 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 3: planning a few different things together. So yeah, it's exciting. 143 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 3: Something something on a podcast, something for TV, and something 144 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 3: for stage. So we are working on it and hopefully 145 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 3: because we did a fantastic tour of Australia in two 146 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 3: thousand and seven, we had a brilliant time. We played 147 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 3: to a lot of people across a lot of cities. 148 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 3: So we are eager to come back because we had 149 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 3: the best experience with audiences in Australia, because Australians are 150 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 3: up for it, they're up for a laugh, they're unshockable, 151 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 3: and you know, it felt little Britain sort of found it. 152 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 3: It found its home I think in Australia in a 153 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 3: weird way, you know what I mean. It felt like 154 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 3: the expectations of the audience and what we wanted to 155 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 3: do were like sort of just completely came together. When 156 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 3: we're on stage in Australia. 157 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: I reckon I reckon you're right about Australian's being unshockable 158 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: when you see the hit. I suppose that's the word 159 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: that comedy has taken around the world in the political 160 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: correctness aspect of it, and some thing's becoming taboo when 161 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: comedy should be just there, should be pushing the envelope. 162 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: It's done on stage. It doesn't necessarily mean the performer 163 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: believes what they're saying. It's done for a laugh, as 164 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: a joke. How do you feel about all that, the 165 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: death of comedy? 166 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 3: Well, I don't think it's quite died, and otherwise I 167 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 3: wouldn't be doing it. But I think I mean John Clees, 168 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 3: I think, you know, hit the nail on the head 169 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 3: when he said people are thinking too literally about it. 170 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 3: It's that if you're very literally my you know, you 171 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 3: see everything literally, as in you think that a joke 172 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 3: is an actual point of view or sort of poking 173 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 3: fun at something is therefore denigrating it in some way. 174 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 3: If you can't see that comedy is playful, then it's 175 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 3: not for you. And I think there is some truth 176 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 3: in that, and I think that's probably where we've sort 177 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 3: of gone a little awry. And I think also The 178 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 3: thing about the Internet is it takes the context away 179 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 3: from lots of things, like, for example, if you've paid 180 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 3: to go and see Jimmy Carr, you've had a couple 181 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: of drinks. You love Jimmy Carr, You're gonna go and 182 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 3: watch him, and you want to hear some You've had 183 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 3: a couple of drinks, you want to hear some rude jokes. 184 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 3: And you know that's what you're going to get. You 185 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 3: wake up in the morning, go on to Twitter. It's 186 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 3: eight am. You haven't chosen to see Shimmy Carr. You 187 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 3: read some jokes that he said that you feel is importaste. 188 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: The context is completely different. And I think if you 189 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 3: are not the kind of person who wants to go 190 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 3: and see jim stop reading tweets listing certain jokes and 191 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 3: getting getting upset about it, and I just I think 192 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 3: it's a shame, but. 193 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 2: I think it's. 194 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: But interestingly, you know those kind of controversial comedians like him, 195 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 3: who's a great friend of mine, but also you know 196 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 3: Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, they're all doing brilliantly 197 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 3: because actually people still want to be shocked, still want 198 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 3: to be offended, because actually it's fun and exciting. 199 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: Excellent, David. Great speaking with you this morning. Really appreciate 200 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: the time. Look forward to seeing you. You and Adelaide. 201 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: Come let me see the day the twenty first of 202 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: September at the Adelaide Entertainment Center. 203 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 2: Do you bring the kids to the afternoon show? Were 204 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 2: they too old? Now? 205 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: Well eighteen and fifteen, so you know, bring them, bring 206 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: them to the evening show me okay. 207 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 2: So that's safe. 208 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 1: Love to see it. Thank you, David. Lovely meeting you 209 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: today and all the best with the tour. 210 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 2: Thank you very much.