1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: Now New Zealand cannot get enough of Bill Bailey. After 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: selling out when he last toured here all the way 3 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: back in twenty twenty three, he's bringing a new tour 4 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: back to the country near the end of this year. 5 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: It's called Vaudevillion and he's going all over the place 6 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: around the country. The show is described as a celebration 7 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: of comedy, songs and skills. Bill Bailey, Good morning, lovely 8 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: to talk with you. 9 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: Hello there, and you also. 10 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: Now you have been there's been a couple of years 11 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: since you've been in New Zealand. You look like you've 12 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: been really busy, have you. 13 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 2: Yes, I have, And I mean I'm always busy. I'm 14 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 2: always doing something because I like to be busy, and 15 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:36,639 Speaker 2: so I was trying to find something meaningful to do. 16 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 2: So yeah, the last couple of years I've been making 17 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 2: TV programs, touring the world, writing books, usual sort of thing. Yeah. 18 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:48,279 Speaker 1: Are you an active relaxer? 19 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: Are you? But I like, yeah, I think so. I 20 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: tend to sort of feel nervous if I'm not doing something. 21 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: So if I'm doing one project, always try and get 22 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: it to overlap something else. And I do identify that 23 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 2: they do sort of you know tend to one will 24 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 2: we'll kind of sort of start to cross pollinate a 25 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: little bit, you know something, there's there'll be an element 26 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: of one project which you can use in another project. 27 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: So I think they all kind of tend to blur 28 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: together after a while and blend together. And that's good. 29 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: I love to be busy, you know. I just I 30 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 2: find I kind of get nervous. I get reckless if 31 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 2: I'm not doing something. 32 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: Why do you think that is? I'm asking you this 33 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: because Bill, I experienced exactly the same thing, and I 34 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: found that the only way to stop myself doing this 35 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: is literally put myself on a bath because you can't 36 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: get you You're forced to sort of sit there and 37 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: enjoy the thing. 38 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: Oh did you sorry? Did you say bath or bar? 39 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: Well, I mean a bar works as well, but at 40 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: home about. 41 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 2: I was going to say that would work equally for me, 42 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: But but yes, I know what you mean. You have 43 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: to sort of like actually program in a little bit 44 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: of time where you just do nothing. Yeah, And what 45 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: my sort of go to is puzzles. And I do 46 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: the spelling Bee every day. It's a it's part of 47 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 2: the puzzle on New York Times website and I try 48 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 2: and sort of do. That's my kind of moment where 49 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: I just zone everything out and I just concentrate on 50 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: that for a bit. 51 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: I don't believe I don't do the spelling I don't 52 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: do the Spelling Bee because it costs money and I'm 53 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: too tight to pay for it, so I just do 54 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: the money crossword and the word. 55 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 2: Ah, yes, yes that's true. Now you're right, Yeah, you 56 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: do have to have a subscription for that, But I 57 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 2: mean I do. I like the New York Times, so 58 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: I'm kind of it's a bit of a bonus, you know, 59 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: you get, I like the journalism, but I also, yeah, 60 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: the bone the spelling Bee is my is my go to, 61 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: and I get a bit obsessed about it, and I 62 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 2: actually start asking random people do you know a seven 63 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: letter word that starts with al that means this? You know, 64 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 2: and then just taxi drivers, you know, opt them into it. 65 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,399 Speaker 2: But yeah, I think so, I mean, I think that's 66 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: I've always been like that since I was a kid. 67 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 2: Even when I was at school, I'd always be doing 68 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 2: the school play and also playing in the cricket team 69 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 2: and also doing something else. So I kind of think 70 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 2: that's really been a pattern of my life since childhood, 71 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,679 Speaker 2: which I guess you know, once once the patent takes hold, 72 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 2: that's it. You know, we're cooked. 73 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: While we're on the subject of technology, are you asn't 74 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: ai as I am? 75 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm kind of fascinated by it, because like I 76 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 2: am with any new thing, you know, I always like 77 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: sort of, you know, try to avoid any sort of 78 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 2: sense of like, oh, you know, things are better in 79 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: the old days, you know, and it's all gone to pot. 80 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: There is an element of saying, well, no, we actually 81 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: live in a time where where technology has improved the 82 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: lives of millions of people, so why wouldn't this do that? Also? 83 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: And I'm slightly fascinated by the kind of how it's 84 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: come on in leaps and bounds, and you know, the 85 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: visual element of it. But I mean, I do explore 86 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 2: a little bit I have done in the last show. 87 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: I would say though that, you know, in terms of 88 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: an artistic process and certainly performing, there's something about live 89 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 2: performing where you interact with an audience which can't ever 90 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 2: be replicated. I don't think I think that's that's in 91 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: a way, in a way, I suppose I'm sort of 92 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 2: I feel kind of slightly relieved by that in a way, 93 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: and also an obligation to keep performing in a way, 94 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: because I think there will be a time won't there 95 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: shall shall we know? Let's imagine a time in the 96 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: future when when you say scripts are written by a 97 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 2: computer chat GBT AI AI does a rendition of actors 98 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 2: performing lines, and I mean, you know, I mean you see, 99 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 2: I mean, it's not beyond the realm of possibility, is 100 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 2: it that? You know, recorded entertainment might be computerized, but 101 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: there's nothing that can replicate that moment, that sort of 102 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 2: spark between an audience and a performer in a live context. 103 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 2: And so I sort of feel almost like it's something 104 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 2: I will continue to do and probably sort of to 105 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 2: a point where I want to concentrate. I want to 106 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: almost accentuate that that I want to focus on. I 107 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: want to make a virtue of the fact that it's 108 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 2: that there is this bond between an audience a performer 109 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: which doesn't exist. You know, it can't be replicated. 110 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 1: Bill, you know, on the subject of AI, I reckon 111 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: what we've lost through the smartphone is human interaction. You know, 112 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: where you see a family sitting around, everyone's on a smartphone. 113 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: They're not talking to each other. Is it possible actually 114 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: though that the further we go down this road where 115 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: we realize how many of our tasks can be replicated 116 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: by AI, which you start to value again the face 117 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: to face and the interaction. 118 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 2: Yes, I do actually think that's true, and I think 119 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: that I've noticed this in other forms as well. Like 120 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 2: one of the programs I've been making in the last 121 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: few years is about traditional craft, which is something which 122 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 2: I've always been interested because my father was a Stonemason, 123 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: and so I've always had a love for that, for 124 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 2: things that people can make things, you know, and during 125 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 2: in fact from But I think very sort of about 126 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 2: five years ago, when we were all incarcerated indoors we 127 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 2: can go out, people started to make things and film 128 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 2: it and then post it online and this became hugely popular, 129 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: and then it became enormously sort of shared viraly on 130 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: TikTok and so on. And so what I've discovered is 131 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 2: that now there is a resurgence in those sort of things, 132 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: almost like slow entertainment, you know, more there's a bit 133 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 2: more value intrinsically in it than something which is just 134 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 2: a kind of immediate, you know, sort of gratification that happens, 135 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 2: you know, in a minute thirty seconds from a video 136 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: or some kind of sketch. There's something a bit more 137 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 2: a value of that. And I think that there is 138 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 2: genuinely a kind of people recognizing the value in a 139 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: live performance. And that's that's replicated. I mean, it's it's 140 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 2: indicated by numbers of people going to see shows. I 141 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 2: mean there's like shows in London, but Thatt Western shows, 142 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: record numbers of people going to see shows, record numbers 143 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 2: of people that are going to see live concerts, music concerts, 144 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: comedy concerts. You know that it's almost like people are 145 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: genuinely craving this, seeking out something which you can't really 146 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: get in any other form. 147 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: Is that why you and I've noticed this with other 148 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: comedians as well, why you are increasingly you guys are 149 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: increasingly booking a lot of small venues rather than just 150 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: heading one big city. See it, because you're going from 151 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: Embercago through the road, rul all the way, you know, 152 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: like all of these venues. 153 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely right, yeah, because well, I mean that's the thing. 154 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: You know, if like, as you say, other comics are 155 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: doing I've started doing comedy when I was a teen, 156 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 2: you know, it's something I've I've loved my entire life, 157 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 2: and I've discovered, you know, more and more that actually 158 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: what I love about it is when you can interact 159 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: with audience. And sometimes that's that's that element is harder 160 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 2: if you if you're in a bigger venue, in a 161 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: larger venue which is a little bit more impersonal, some 162 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 2: of the smaller, well, you know, smaller mid medium sized venues, 163 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: you can do that. You can actually interact with you 164 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: can hear what everyone says in the room. And in fact, 165 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 2: recently I was doing a run in a theater in 166 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: London which was quite a cozy West End theater, you know, 167 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 2: it's one of those sort of small Victorian theaters where 168 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 2: you can literally hear every single but if there's any 169 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 2: comment from anyone in the room, you can hear it. 170 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: And that was just a joy to do that, and 171 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 2: in fact it led to a wonderful conversation with somebody 172 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 2: about nuclear fusion, and then it ended up with me 173 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: being invited to the UK Atomic Energy Authorities, you know, 174 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 2: for st and so. But but things like that happen 175 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 2: in those in those situations. If you love comedy as 176 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 2: I do, then you know, you you you just want 177 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: to get close to the audience, and sometimes it's not 178 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: feasible sometimes, you know, the practicalities of touring mean that 179 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 2: you end up in larger venues and I and equally 180 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 2: then the show becomes more of ReSpectacle. And I sort 181 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 2: of like that as well. I mean I kind of 182 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 2: adapt the show to fit the space in a way. 183 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 1: Tell me something, every time you come here you sell out. 184 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: Why do we love you so much? 185 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: I don't know. I mean I would say this right, 186 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: and that is that I've put in the hours, if 187 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: you like, I've been coming to New Zealand now for 188 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 2: nearly thirty years, and over that time, I think, as 189 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: someone said very eloquently, most of life is showing up. 190 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 2: And so if you if you turn up somewhere and 191 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 2: you show willing, then I think you draw people along 192 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 2: with you. And I think that over the years, I've 193 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 2: hopefully formed a bit of a bond with New Zealand 194 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: audiences and you know, they've they've found me as it 195 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: were when I first turned up. Of course, you know, 196 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 2: nobody knew I was and so you have to you know, 197 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 2: some people would come along and just just on a 198 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 2: sort of random night out lose this bloke, and then 199 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 2: gradually over the years people get to know what your 200 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 2: stuff is and you sort of develop an audience as 201 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 2: you go. And plus of fact, I think there's quite 202 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 2: a lot of similarity between our senses of humor. I 203 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 2: think there's a sort of a shared love of the 204 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 2: absurd and a love of language, and a love of 205 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 2: the general sort of oddity of life. Plus you know, 206 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 2: a sort of I kind of I find that the 207 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 2: New Zealand comedy are very warm and very and self deprecatory, 208 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: like very much like British comedy, So I think we 209 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 2: have a lot in common. There's an affinity between us. 210 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: Well, it has been delight to talk to you, Bill, 211 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: Thank you very much for your time. Look forward to 212 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: seeing you when you're here. 213 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. I will see you then. 214 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: Brilliant Bill Bailey coming with the tour of Vaudevillian. He 215 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 1: will be here from the end of October all the 216 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: way through to the end of November, and he's going 217 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: to Queenstown and Vigegel, Dunedin, Omaru, christ Church, Nelson, Hawks Bay, Wellington, Auckland, Palmson, 218 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,439 Speaker 1: North New Plymouth, Hamilton. Absolutely nobody is going to miss out. 219 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 1: How good is That. 220 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 2: For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 221 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 2: News Talks it' B from six am weekdays, or follow 222 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio