1 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: So much. 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: You're listening to a Muma Mia podcast. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: waters that this podcast is recorded on. 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 3: I think this is just across the board for everyone, 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 3: and it's definitely for me. When you do the thing 7 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 3: and when you get the thing, yeah, you're going to 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 3: be instantly happy. You know. Happiness is like sadness. This 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 3: is a fleeting thing that comes and goes. 10 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to But are you happy? The podcast 11 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: that asks the questions you've always wanted to know from 12 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: the people who appear to have it all. Rob Mills 13 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: is actually my boyfriend? No he's not, But when I 14 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: was thirteen, I truly believed he was my boyfriend. Millsy 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: was on Australian idol and he was a bad boy, 16 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: which meant he sometimes wore eyeliner. The country fell in 17 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: love with him, and then he came out the other 18 00:01:04,679 --> 00:01:08,199 Speaker 1: side realizing he had been told who he was by 19 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: audiences without ever having the chance to work it out 20 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: for himself. You had that fame, you had kind of 21 00:01:15,479 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 1: that external success. Were you happier than you had been previously? 22 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 3: No, it was way worse. 23 00:01:21,679 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: Now he's one of the biggest musical theater stars in 24 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: the country. I chat to Rob about the experience of 25 00:01:28,199 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 1: working out what it is you really truly want to do, 26 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: achieving it, and then having the media bring the focus 27 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: back to a fleeting moment from the past. 28 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 3: I remember this article. I made an interview about me 29 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 3: finishing the show and I was heading over to New 30 00:01:43,199 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 3: York to go and do auditions, and the person that 31 00:01:45,759 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 3: interviewed me hadn't even seen the show. I've done it 32 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 3: for two years and the titles is ell of that 33 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 3: Paris Hilton. 34 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,279 Speaker 1: We also talk about his relationship with alcohol, the mental 35 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: health crisis facing men, and the magic of falling in love. 36 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: Here's my chat with Rob Mills. Rob Mills, You're an actor, 37 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: a singer, host and author. You've been a household name 38 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: for over twenty years since your time on Australian Idol 39 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: in two thousand and three. I was prime Australian Idol audience. 40 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: I was absolutely obsessed. I had your poster on my wall. 41 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: I would have been thirteen thirteen, so you're really knew 42 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: your demo. I've told Gorgie, I'm like, you're dating my boyfriend. 43 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 3: She did, Okay, it's fine between me. And Georgia contractual space. 44 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: Since then, you've had a solo music career as well 45 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: as primetime TV hosting gigs and a role on Neighbors, 46 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: and have gone on to become one of the biggest 47 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: names in Australian musical theater. You released your book in 48 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, and you're currently playing Shakespeare in the 49 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: Australian production of Anguliette, which I saw a few weeks ago. 50 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: That's the big picture stuff, bringing you back to the 51 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: present moment. How are you right now? 52 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 3: Right now, I'm pretty good. I'm having a sweet treat 53 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 3: with some lovely humans here in the office. I was 54 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: up in about I caught up with a friend this morning. 55 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 3: Spoke to Georgie last night. When I got home. I 56 00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 3: was like, that was really good little FaceTime. We're living 57 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 3: in separate cities at the moment. She's in Melbourne, I'm 58 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 3: in Sydney. If you asked me this a week ago, mate, 59 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: I was low as I've had this cold and sickness. 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 3: I was off work. I was having a really, really 61 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 3: tough time. If I've been brutally honest, I had suicidal 62 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 3: thoughts for the very first time in like seventeen years Wow, 63 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 3: on stage during a show, what I say suicidal thoughts. 64 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: I will also clarify this as a fleeting thought which 65 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 3: was clearly irrational. In the moment. There would have been 66 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 3: a lack of food in my stomach because of the 67 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 3: show schedule, but also just I was exhausted. I was 68 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 3: so tired. I miss Georgie, I miss life. Like I 69 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 3: work every single night. I give my heart and soul 70 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 3: to this production, which I love so much. But at 71 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 3: this moment of like, I just can't do this, and 72 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 3: I was like, why is my body failing me? Why 73 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 3: am I sore every day? Anyway, it was just this 74 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 3: really crazy moment last week, Mate, and I got on 75 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 3: the scooter on the way home calling Georgia. I'm like, oh, 76 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 3: this is very hard. I just so I was a mess, 77 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 3: an absolute mess. Anyway, the following day I was like, 78 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:33,840 Speaker 3: I probably just needed a really big cry, and I'm 79 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 3: a big cry, Like it's releasing the pressure valve in 80 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 3: your life and you're like, ah, cool, cool, cool, feel better. 81 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 3: But at the moment, this week fantastic, And as I said, 82 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 3: it's just obviously a build up over over time. But yeah, 83 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: it was a really scary moment though, having not had 84 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 3: any of those kind of thoughts for many, many, many years, 85 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 3: and yeah, now feeling like, oh great, okay, I'm just exhausted. Sickness. 86 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 3: Does that makes you feel very irrational, like a sleep 87 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 3: makes you feel those things? 88 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: You know this as a young one, Yes, And I've 89 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: always thought that. I notice every time I get sick, 90 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: like fluey or anything like that, I think I have depression. 91 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: And I think it is actually like inflammation of the 92 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: brain and that kind of thing, and you have to 93 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: remember that it passes, but in the moment it is 94 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: so distressing. In a moment like that where you're on stage, 95 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: do you feel almost trapped by the stakes of what 96 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: you're doing, like you can't stop. 97 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean there's the moment on stage like at 98 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 3: least I know I have the show. I can just 99 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 3: sit in this character for a bit longer. The character 100 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 3: gets yelled at by. 101 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: His wife and you're probably like, don't yell met it worse. 102 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 3: But also like I was, like, I just as I said, 103 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 3: rational Robbers, like you're doing the pit the character, and 104 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 3: then I see can't stop the feeling, and I'm like, oh, 105 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 3: I got the feeling I'm like, I've got this feeling 106 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 3: so funny feeling yeah, so funny, so strange. But there's 107 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 3: also the security of the character. I suppose if you're 108 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 3: not going out there, but doing the same thing over 109 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: and over again, can sometimes feel a bit like groundhog Day. 110 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 3: But like, luckily for me in this show, it is 111 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 3: full of joy and wonder and love and hope and 112 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 3: positivity and progressiveness. That's it ticks all these boxes you 113 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 3: said about feeling depression of there's where they gets thrown 114 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 3: around quite a lot. There are different levels of this. 115 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 3: There as new ones to any kind of sadness or 116 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 3: your ups and your downs. And I think if sometimes 117 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 3: people forget that it's okay to just be sad just 118 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 3: for a moment. 119 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. 120 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 3: I think it was that movie Inside Out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 121 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 3: that really cemented that for me. I was like, oh, 122 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 3: sadness just plays a really important role in your life. 123 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 3: You have to have sadness or else you can't have joy. Yeah, 124 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 3: and they have to be best friends. Well, they don't 125 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 3: have to be best friends, but you know, I mean, like, 126 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 3: it's okay to sit in the sadness for a bit. 127 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 3: If it goes on for a long time, It's definitely 128 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 3: worth seeking help and talking to friends and counselors or psychologists, 129 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 3: rabbi whoever you've got. But to diagnose yourself with depression, 130 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 3: I think is problematic. And I think a lot of 131 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 3: people go I'm depressed, Like go for a run. Did 132 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 3: you feel better after the run? You're probably just a 133 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 3: bit sad. 134 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: And to acknowledge that it is just a state that 135 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: you move through, yeah, it stead of I think the 136 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: thing is when you feel really low, you tell yourself 137 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: it's forever and you cannot imagine your mood ever changing. 138 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: But the nature of being human is that we move 139 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: through all these different emotions in a day, and they 140 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: can be quite extreme. 141 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, and for the people who are struggling with that, definitely, yes, 142 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 3: seek help. I'd put your hand up and say a 143 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 3: should not doing so well at the moment, and then 144 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 3: you might get some clarity from that. You're like, oh, 145 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 3: I was just in a moment and now I'm okay. 146 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 3: As I said, my thing the other night on stage 147 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 3: was just a moment. As I said, I'm pretty self aware. 148 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 3: Like I've done a lot of work with so collegists 149 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 3: over the years. I've got a great psychotherapist. Now in 150 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 3: that moment, I was like, yep, I was just having 151 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 3: a moment and knowing that I had that moment and 152 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 3: just knowing that I needed to talk to my person 153 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 3: and talk it through was yeah, quite confronting, but also 154 00:07:57,920 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 3: therapeutic for both of us as well. 155 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: You were the heart throb of Australian idol. 156 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: Oh thank you? 157 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: Were you twenty one when you're on that chain? 158 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 3: I just turned twenty one. I was twenty with my 159 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 3: first audition. I turned twenty one before I went to Sydney. 160 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: You go to Sydney, Well, I remember it's so vividly. 161 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: What did the public not see about that experience? Like 162 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: I can't imagine what the actual day to day reality 163 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: was of being on that show. 164 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 3: We were really busy, Like there was so much publicity 165 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 3: and stuff that we had to do little stories every day, 166 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 3: Like the producers were pulling a left, right and center 167 00:08:33,079 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 3: to go and do stuff. And the singing was really 168 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 3: the small part of it. We're saying for a minute 169 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 3: and a half, And I found that really strange as 170 00:08:40,079 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 3: a kid who spent the last three years singing in pubs, 171 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 3: singing thirty forty songs a night, three or four nights 172 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: a week, I only have to sing for a minute 173 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 3: and a half. Sure, let's get a little bess Like, 174 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 3: it's so weird that. 175 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,199 Speaker 1: It was only a minute and a half. Yet to 176 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 1: audiences it felt like that was your whole week. It's 177 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: really strange looking back on it, that it was such 178 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: a fleeting moment and it would have been so easy 179 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: to stuff up that minute and a half. 180 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 3: I remember thinking like afterwards, like, you know, people talk 181 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 3: about you fifteen minutes of fame. I actually calculated. I 182 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 3: was like, it literally was fifteen minutes of singing time 183 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 3: on stage. Wow, which is wild to be. What they 184 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 3: didn't see probably a precocious, super inquisitive young kid. I 185 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 3: think they sort of painted me a little bit as 186 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 3: the boy next door, maybe a party boy kind of guy, 187 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 3: which I kind of was as well. I also, I 188 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 3: spent the last three years singing in pubs. I didn't 189 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 3: really have weekends. My weekends were working. So it's the 190 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 3: first time I'd ever been in a plane before, first 191 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 3: time i'd like met all these new people, and I'm 192 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 3: super extroverted, so if there's people around, my energy is up. 193 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 3: So I spent so much time in the van with 194 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 3: the director and learning from the camera guys, talking to 195 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 3: the producers about what they were doing. I was super 196 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 3: inquisitive about how they're creating the show. And as soon 197 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 3: as I heard guy Sebastian Sing, I was like, what 198 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 3: am I doing here? It's like, what, I'm not going 199 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 3: to win? So I just remember going I'm here for 200 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 3: the ride. 201 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,079 Speaker 1: What was it like to go on a show and 202 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: develop this profile and then have people tell you who 203 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: you are before you know who you are? 204 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't think it's healthy. Every time I've gone 205 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 3: and talked to kids at schools like and performing art schools, 206 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 3: whatever one teach workshops, and I get asked, you know, 207 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:21,959 Speaker 3: would you recommend my daughter or do you recommend me 208 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 3: going on the shows? Like do you have a good 209 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: sense of self? They're like, I don't know what that is? 210 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 3: Is like no already. So if you have self confidence, great, 211 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 3: But I always talk about self worth, which is just 212 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 3: knowing what your value is or your integrity or your reputation, 213 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 3: and like, growing your self worth will lead to your 214 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 3: self confidence. So you know, read more books or like 215 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 3: listen to music and understand why you like these songs 216 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 3: or understand why they resonate with you, which is really 217 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 3: difficult to know all that stuff as a teenager. I 218 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 3: don't think your brain is quite developed yet. So yeah, 219 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 3: my advice is always try and work out who you 220 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 3: are as a person, which evidently will change over time 221 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: as well, but when you're younger it's much harder to 222 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 3: get it set. A sense of self, is it. 223 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: Something that you have even going into something like Australian 224 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: idol and the years before that when you're performing, do 225 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: you experience any jealousy or competitiveness or comparison in the context. 226 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 3: Of no, not, okay, how's this? This is weird not 227 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 3: in the real world, but when I see it online, 228 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,679 Speaker 3: like if I'm on my phone, then I feel a 229 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 3: pang of jealousy or like fomo or whatever. Wow, So 230 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 3: it's really strange if I see it just in the world, 231 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 3: like I see like a performer perform, like this is amazing, 232 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 3: You're incredible. I never go I want to do that. 233 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 3: I'm like, you are doing that, so that's okay, you 234 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 3: are performing. That's fine. But like there's something about seeing 235 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 3: it online. I have a weird reaction to it. Every 236 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 3: now and again, I. 237 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 1: Kind of get that, like if I'm seeing somebody in 238 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: person and they're at their best. I have a weird 239 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: sense of that's you. You do you, I do me, 240 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: Whereas when I see something online, there's something about the 241 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: flattened sense of reality where you're not really seeing the 242 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: difference between who they are and who you are. You're 243 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: just making kind of a snap comparison. Yeah, I totally 244 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: get that good right, That's when I find myself feeling shit. 245 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, I hadn't thought of that before. Yeah, you asked 246 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 3: me that question, but yeah, I think that's a strange phenomenon. 247 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 3: Hence why I've maybe deleted Instagram in the last week 248 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 3: and I'm having the best week. I just I just 249 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 3: don't care. It's not like I don't care, but like, 250 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 3: I've got a great job. You know, the marketing team 251 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 3: is doing a great job with the Angeliette stuff. People 252 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,439 Speaker 3: know what I'm doing the show. At the moment, my 253 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 3: life is literally get up, do some exercise, and go 254 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 3: to the show. A lot of people want to know 255 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 3: how my day is. A lot of people don't want 256 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: to know about my day. 257 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: Because you grew up without social media, you were just yeah, 258 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: and because I'm very grateful that I grew up without it. 259 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: Have you kind of seen how that, especially in your industry, 260 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: how that plays with how you feel about yourself and 261 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: feel about what you do. 262 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a really weird one because most artists, entertainers, 263 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 3: or people have a creative people have a sort of 264 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 3: creative flair, but we also have this weird imposter syndrome 265 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 3: that comes with it. It's like the double edged sword maybe, 266 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 3: and I struggle with it at times. So like, I 267 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 3: love being part of the team. I grew up playing 268 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 3: team sports like baseball and cricket and footy and OZI rules, 269 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 3: I should point out, And I love being part of 270 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 3: the team. And a musical does that for me. Sometimes 271 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 3: I'm the back pocket player, small bit parts. Sometimes I'm 272 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 3: the full forward and being part of the teams are 273 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 3: like I can't do my job without the lighting person. 274 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 3: I can't do my job with that sound person. We're 275 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 3: all cogs in the machine, and I like being part 276 00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 3: of that. Social media what it does is it's all you. 277 00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 3: It's just you. Everyone is becoming their own brand, and 278 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: they see that's the only way to success these days, 279 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 3: not so much this is the way to be famous, 280 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 3: but this is the way to success. This is how 281 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 3: you make your money, this is how you get free things, 282 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 3: This is how you exist in the world. But like, 283 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 3: is it because we still exist in the world's world? Like, 284 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 3: how does that skill set make them a better person 285 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 3: or connects better with people? And I see it across 286 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 3: the board that so many are doing that at connecting 287 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 3: with people and they're becoming a community of people. But 288 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 3: I fear sometimes, Yeah, with social media, it just makes 289 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 3: you more narcissistic and it makes you more individualized, when 290 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 3: really we know scientifically it's been proven if you want 291 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 3: to live a longer, happier life. Community, yeah, real community, 292 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 3: real physical contact, real humans in the rooms together. All 293 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 3: this working from home stuff is just dispose my mind. 294 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 3: But like we need people, yeah, even introverts. 295 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: I just yes, and I'm an introvert. But I think 296 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: that idea of there's a selflessness that comes into play 297 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: when you are a cog in a machine. I've noticed 298 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: it in the workplace a little bit. It reminds me 299 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: a lot of team sports, and I always say, I 300 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: reckon you can tell people who played team sports when 301 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: they were growing up, because when you're in a team 302 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: and you might say to somebody, hey, can you fill 303 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: in on that shift, like because so and so sick. 304 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: And there are two tapes of people. There's the person 305 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: who says, oh, yeah, I'm part of the team, and 306 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: I see what the team is working towards and that helps. 307 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: And then there's a person who's like, but that's inconvenient 308 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: for me. Why would I do that? And and it's 309 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: so interesting, and I can see in musical theater you 310 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: have to be that first type of person. You have 311 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: to be because you're working for such a long period 312 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: of time together. No one wants to work with that 313 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: person who's just in it for themselves, which is interesting 314 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: because at the same time you're a performer and you're 315 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: getting applauded at the end of the night. 316 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 3: And it's should point. It's the only job in the world. 317 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 3: We finish a shift and someone goes someone it's the 318 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 3: weirdest jealous I just clocked off many years ago, and 319 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 3: I think I still think it's a good idea where 320 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 3: you go out and give standing innovations to people. When 321 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 3: they finish, their job will be at the office and 322 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 3: it will stand. 323 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: Up and chairs, well done, well done. I deserve it. 324 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: At the end of the day of parenting. If my 325 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: daughter could just give me a round of applause before 326 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: she goes to bed, that would. 327 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 3: Be Well, they just put it on the screen, or 328 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 3: like a have a flash mob of people that just 329 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 3: come with chairs. They just get up with everybody. 330 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: Everyone deserves. After the break, Rob tells us what happened 331 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: after Idle when he performed at a concert I was 332 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: incidentally at, and how getting the thing is not a 333 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: recipe for happiness. We also chat about his frustration with 334 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: the media's focus on his fleeing with a Hollywood celebrity. 335 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: You've gone from Australian idol, you become a household name, 336 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: you have a solo music career. Australia is obsessed with you. 337 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 3: Well, I wouldn't say obsessed. The album only went goals, 338 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 3: not even goals. 339 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: There were a whole lot of people obsessed with you. 340 00:17:08,919 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: How do you not turn into a complete nasist? How 341 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: does that not totally? 342 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 3: You can tell you right now. I've got two older 343 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 3: brothers and older cousins, and we're a pretty tight knit family. 344 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 3: Like I would say, my cousins are like brothers and 345 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 3: sisters to me as well. So my oldest brother, Chris, 346 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 3: he's very good at keeping me grounded. He'd never let 347 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 3: me get too big for my boots and just kept 348 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 3: it real. I would say sometimes to the point of, 349 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 3: like you can actually just give me some complience, like 350 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 3: it's just SOMEBM it's all be nice. No, but that 351 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 3: was really helpful. There was a weird period though, where 352 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 3: did I say my fame was lots, you know, during idle, 353 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 3: and I don't think he knew how to deal with that. 354 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 3: You know, you have a dynamic with your sister or 355 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 3: sibling or whatever, right one of you is more alfa. 356 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 3: You just sort of have the dynamic, right, And it 357 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 3: was weird because I became the more popular person and 358 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 3: I was like, oh, I don't sit well in this. 359 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 3: I'm a beata kind of person, right, Like I don't 360 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 3: know my personality, so I will fit whatever needs to 361 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 3: be fit, kind of like Georgie, we're the pretzel, right. 362 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 3: If you need a leader, I'll be your leader. But 363 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 3: I'm a reluctant leader. But I'm much happier being the wallflower, 364 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:20,879 Speaker 3: joky person right than the leader type anyway, So that 365 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 3: shifted for a while where I was sort of I 366 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 3: don't know, knowing more about the world, but not knowing 367 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 3: more about the world than my brother. And then it 368 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 3: shifted back we started having kids, and then I was like, oh, great, 369 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 3: you can now be the guy. 370 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: You can be the grown up. 371 00:18:34,120 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 3: You can be the grown up. And now we've got 372 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 3: to an equilibrium of equalness, which is great. We talk money, 373 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 3: we talk kids, we talk all the adult stuff, which 374 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 3: is really really helpful. But yeah, there was a weird 375 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 3: period there which had to be acknowledged, you know, years 376 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 3: later with therapy. I was like, oh, cool, cool, cool, 377 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 3: that was what was weird. And we didn't really talk 378 00:18:50,120 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 3: about it until years later and go on our brother 379 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 3: walks and you know, oh, yeah, that was a weird time. 380 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: When you do have this really public success. I always 381 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: think this really public success. I can imagine you go 382 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: to like family gatherings and everyone's like, I saw you 383 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: on the television, and you're getting a whole lot of attention. 384 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: Do you think it makes people around you feel like shit? 385 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: Do you think it made your brother feel actually? 386 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 3: Possibly, No, he's pretty good at keeping his drive. I 387 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 3: think he was okay with it. I think it was 388 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 3: kind of like he would always say, you're my younger brother. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 389 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 3: I'm not Mills his brother. 390 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 391 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 3: Your Chris brother, which was always good at keeping it real. 392 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: We talked about this in the past and I think 393 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 3: he's always been okay, well, I think he's pretty proud, 394 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 3: but yeah, the family gatherings are weird because also people 395 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 3: ask you questions and you forget you also have to 396 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 3: ask questions, yep, yep. And I think I went through 397 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 3: a period of that where I just talked about myself 398 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 3: and this is probably through my twenties early thirties and 399 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 3: started getting therapy. I was like, oh, you're not a 400 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 3: good person. Not a good person, but you know, like 401 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 3: if you want more from people, you need to do 402 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 3: the work. It's weird because you're constantly on all the 403 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 3: time when you're doing a gig or post the show 404 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 3: or like and then you're like, I got I don't 405 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 3: have any more to ask of anyone else. 406 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: It's weird with fame because people have kind of a 407 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: short it's like a a shortcut to intimacy, so people 408 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: know a sort of surface level things about you, so 409 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,360 Speaker 1: there it's like a fast track to ask you certain questions. 410 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: And I notice it even with industry things that it's 411 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: really easy to go up to someone and say I 412 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: heard you on a podcast and connect with them, and 413 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: then you think, hold on, the person next to you 414 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: is just as interesting as you. 415 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 3: Correct and their plus one Yeah, exactly, all the plus 416 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 3: ones out there bloody love for you. Yes, And you 417 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 3: do a lot of heavy lifting yes for the friendship. 418 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: And you think it's a bit dicky to kind of 419 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: only talk to this person who you have this surface 420 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: level of things that you know, did you find after idle, 421 00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:53,160 Speaker 1: you had that fame, you had that external success. Were 422 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: you happier than you had been previously? 423 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 3: No, it was way worse. Like if you don't have 424 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 3: a good sense of self, you know, and everyone has 425 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 3: this sort of an idea of who you are and 426 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:05,880 Speaker 3: you're just floundering, like but you're like, yeah, you're this party. 427 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 3: I'm like, I'm really not. And then you drink a 428 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 3: lot and then alcohol is a depressant and then you're like, okay, 429 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 3: this is also not good either. I don't want to 430 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 3: beat this party boy. This is a very sad place 431 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 3: to be. Also, no one knows who I am. I 432 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 3: don't know who am I. That was when I had 433 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,719 Speaker 3: a pretty horrific moment if like that was the very 434 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 3: first time I thought about maybe just ended Robert, just 435 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,360 Speaker 3: end it. When a hotel room in the Gold Coast 436 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 3: at Indie weekend after I got kicked off the show, 437 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 3: it was just terrifying, and we were calling my brother 438 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 3: and just need to hear a familiar voice and really 439 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 3: not knowing what I just felt, but it was definitely 440 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 3: a That balcony door was open and I ran to it. 441 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 3: I was like quickly slammed at short and I was like, oh, 442 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 3: this is a real panic attack, this is real. I 443 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 3: didn't tell my brother what had happened. I just needed 444 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 3: to hear his voice and he's like, yeah, I'm mistaid, 445 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 3: Indy having a good time. It's going great. Never again 446 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 3: will I ever lie to myself or yeah, especially to 447 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 3: my loved ones. That's why I called Georgie straightaway the 448 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 3: other day. So it was a happier No. Lots of 449 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 3: things were happening, you know. We did a tour of 450 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 3: like the Country and all the bigger I went, what 451 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 3: an amazing concert, right, it was so much fun great. 452 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 3: I was like it was just all these kids just 453 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 3: it was so great. We sold out Rod Labor, like 454 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 3: not as many times as Pink, but we did too. 455 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 3: Sold out shows at rod Labor. Yeah, we got paid 456 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 3: two thousand dollars a night. Amazing. 457 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: You would have been like, I'm rolling in it. 458 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 3: Oh my god? How much money did make. 459 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: Off your path? 460 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 3: Oh my god? 461 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: Have there been times where there's been negative attention on 462 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 1: you and you've felt it in your day to day life? 463 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 3: Yeah? I still feel like a dick when someone mentions 464 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 3: Paris Hilton, especially if I'm with Georgie or I'm just out. 465 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 3: I'm like, oh, this is over twenty years ago for 466 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 3: someone I was with like a day, Like, yep, do 467 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 3: you want to talk about someone that you were with 468 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 3: in high school twenty years ago? What is this for? 469 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 3: Even if it's like a congratulatory thing, I find that toxic. 470 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, it's like great. 471 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: And quite sexist, dehumanizing to her yeah yeah yeah and 472 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:21,679 Speaker 1: me and. 473 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 3: To Georgie, who's right here. Yeah that just always makes 474 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 3: me go ah yuck. And I think for a while 475 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 3: I was like, who am I with that? And I 476 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 3: was like, I want to be someone. I want to 477 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 3: be someone who's it has a good work ethic. I 478 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 3: want to be someone who performs, who entertains, who makes 479 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 3: people laugh, it makes people feel good. That doesn't make 480 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 3: me feel good, Like I'm working towards making people feel good. 481 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 3: Why are you? Why are you making me feel yuck? Yeah, 482 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 3: that's the only time. As I said, that happens very rare. 483 00:23:52,120 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 3: It's usually like in pubs around blokes. Blokes, please read 484 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 3: my book realize that this behavior is, yes, not great. 485 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: We often ask on this podcast about a time the 486 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: world told you you'd be happy and you weren't. When 487 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: you kind of hear that, are there any moments that 488 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: come to mind? 489 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 3: I think this is just across the board for everyone, 490 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 3: and it's definitely for me. When you do the thing 491 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 3: and when you get the thing, yeah, you're going to 492 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 3: be instantly happy. You know. Happiness is like sadness. It's 493 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 3: a fleeting thing that comes and girls. I was so 494 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,920 Speaker 3: happy when I got Wicked because it completely changed my life. 495 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 3: But at the end of it, I remember this article. 496 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 3: I made an interview about me finishing the show and 497 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 3: was heading over to New York to go and do auditions, 498 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 3: and the person that interviewed me hadn't even seen the show. Wow, 499 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 3: I've done it for two years and the titles something 500 00:24:47,120 --> 00:24:50,199 Speaker 3: about Paris Hilton, rob might be catchy up was like, no, Rob, 501 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 3: it's not catching up with her. He's not even seeing 502 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 3: he's going to New York. I remember, like I was 503 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 3: meant to be so happy because I was finishing the show, like, 504 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 3: and I was so sad. I cried the whole day. 505 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 3: It was my last day at work. 506 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: I was like, what is happening? 507 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, but going back to the other thing, Like you 508 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 3: will always think that you were going to be happier 509 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 3: when you get the thing, but you're not, And that's okay, 510 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 3: you are you should also. Actually, Georgie has been very 511 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 3: good about this because I have always lived in a 512 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 3: gig economy, so you do the gig and then you're 513 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 3: looking for the next gig. Always she's like, you got 514 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 3: to stop and celebrate the wins. 515 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: So when you do, like right now you're in Anguliette, 516 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: there's something fascinating about being on stage, the adrenaline rush 517 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: you get, the being the center of attention, and then 518 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: right now, for example, are you living on your own 519 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: while Georgie's in Melbourne? 520 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, yeah. 521 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: Is there a bit of a calmdown? 522 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm pretty lonely at the moment. 523 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. 524 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 3: Facetiming Georgia quite a lot, and then catching up with mates, 525 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 3: but there has to be early morning because a lot 526 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 3: of them go to work. You can go catch up 527 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 3: with someone on the weekend, but then you've got two 528 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 3: shows that on the Saturday, and then you got to 529 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 3: so you need to like this is that I'm extroverted, 530 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 3: so I do need outside energy from people energy vampire, 531 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 3: I'm not like that. But then you need to conserve 532 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 3: your own energy for the show because you need that 533 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,919 Speaker 3: for the show to make sure you're not talking too 534 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,639 Speaker 3: much because you need your voice to sing. It's a balance. 535 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 3: I think this will be my last one for a while, 536 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 3: just because of life circumstances, and I don't think I 537 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 3: can do the distance again. It's too hard. I've been 538 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 3: in Singapore, Perth and now Sydney, so for the better 539 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 3: part of a year we've lived apart. 540 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: Is it tricky wanting two things at once because from 541 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:40,360 Speaker 1: the outside, yeah, it feels like you and Georgie are 542 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: obviously two people who Georgie, for anyone listening, is a 543 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: host on the project and is an established journalist in 544 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 1: her own right, and both of you are very career 545 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: focused and your careers are in two different places. I 546 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: can't imagine what that's like to navigate every decision knowing 547 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: that there's a very real cost. And I guess you're 548 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 1: pursuing something that makes you happy, but there's a big 549 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 1: component of it that challenges happiness. 550 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 3: It's the and every psychologist will tell you this compromise. 551 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,879 Speaker 3: It's the common promise that you make with your partner. 552 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 3: What is the common promise? What are the non negotiables 553 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 3: or the negotiables? And do we need to schedule in 554 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 3: time for us? What does that look like? Is it 555 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 3: in a Monday morning, is it after the show on 556 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 3: a Thursday night? You know? What does that look like? 557 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 3: How much contact hours can we have do we need 558 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 3: in order for us to maintain a healthy, lovely, sexy 559 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 3: relate like we're still young enough to you know, like 560 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 3: how do we do that bit of it? As well? 561 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 3: Georgie said, do not talk about our sex less. I 562 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 3: think I shared way too much in the last podcast. 563 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 3: It's difficult, but yeah, it's writing your lists and scheduling 564 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 3: your schedules, which is hard because we're both have schedules 565 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 3: done for us, and then it's like, all right, what 566 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 3: are our schedules? And that's yeah, that's so I was 567 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 3: tough because also she needs downtime and I need energy, so. 568 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 1: She's trying to relax and you're like, hey, hey, yeah. 569 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 3: And then we talked about this with my psyche the 570 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 3: other day, and I think this is really important for 571 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 3: people who are doing long distance relationships or even just 572 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 3: couples who can't spend as much time as possible with 573 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 3: each other. When you come together, this is immense pressure 574 00:28:32,120 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 3: to make it a thing that it has to be 575 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 3: a date night and it has to be perfect, that 576 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 3: it has to end in this most wild and passionate 577 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 3: sex that we haven't had in ages, when really you 578 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 3: shouldn't put the pressure on it, because what if it's 579 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 3: just you just need to hang out with TV and 580 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 3: eat pizza and that's enough. Was in Melbourne the other 581 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,719 Speaker 3: day and I reckon I fell asleep within half an 582 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 3: hour being on the couch, like it was the best 583 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 3: sleeve I've had in months. So maybe that's that's all 584 00:28:59,040 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 3: you need. 585 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: When did you know that Georgie was different slash that 586 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: Georgie was the one? 587 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 3: I think it was like after a couple of dates, 588 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 3: I was like, Oh, she doesn't like the thing that 589 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 3: we're in like it doesn't not like it, it just is. 590 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 3: It's not a I am not striving for more fame 591 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:23,920 Speaker 3: or celebrity or for more things. This is just part 592 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 3: of my life, part of my job. And I loved that. 593 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 3: I was like, you don't meet many people now that 594 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,959 Speaker 3: everyone's like how many followers, how many lives she get? 595 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 3: How many the world's obsessed with social media and your presence. 596 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 3: And I'm like, can't just be a job and then 597 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 3: can we just do other stuff that's not online and stuff? 598 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 3: And I don't think we even talked about it. I 599 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 3: think it's just the way she presented her world in 600 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 3: her life and talked about her friends. And I was like, oh, 601 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 3: you're like me. You're just like a little nerdy, like 602 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 3: he's just doing a good job and just wants the 603 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 3: world to be a good place, and like you like 604 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 3: good art and good movies and films. And I was like, 605 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 3: and you think deeply about things and you write it 606 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 3: down and we talk about her like, oh, and she 607 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 3: sent me some books. You gave me some books to 608 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 3: read while I was overseas. We started dating. I think 609 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 3: within a couple of months. I was on an overseas 610 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 3: trip with the Mate, which I was really planning on, 611 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 3: you know, having a good time, and I, God, damn, 612 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 3: I've been a really good one. She gave me on 613 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 3: the Jellico. 614 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: Road Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, and The Perks. 615 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:31,960 Speaker 3: Of being a Wallflower and I read them on the trip. 616 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 3: It was like, these are very good books. Like it 617 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 3: was the one of the quote from Perks of Being 618 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 3: a Wallflower. 619 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: We get the love we think we just serve yeah, yeah, 620 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 1: yeah yeah. 621 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 3: And I was like, that's the one. Yeah, because if 622 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 3: you think that you're not great, you don't deserve love, 623 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 3: you're never going to get it, or we're going to 624 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 3: get a yuck kind of love. And I was like, oh, 625 00:30:53,200 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 3: that's you. Yeah, I think that was it. I was like, oh, 626 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 3: I found it. 627 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: I found it. 628 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 3: I'm crying, crying, thank you, thank you. See when I 629 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 3: talk about tunny mm wh she's pretty cute. 630 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 2: Hey, it's producer to Lissa here. There was so much 631 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: goodness in this interview we had to split it into 632 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 2: two parts, but don't worry. You can listen to the 633 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 2: second part of this interview right now. In the next part, 634 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 2: Rob Mills talks about his relationship with TV presenter Georgie 635 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 2: Tunney and gives us a snake pick into their wedding planning. 636 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 2: He also shares his thoughts on why it's so important 637 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 2: for men to open up about their mental health and 638 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 2: reflects on his journey with his own sexuality after years 639 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 2: of media speculation. Part two of Claire stephens interview with 640 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 2: Rob Mills is live now. There's a link in the 641 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 2: show notes.