1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: Plum starts eight thirty this Sunday on the ABC. Brendan 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: cow the man behind Plumb all of it, he is 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,120 Speaker 1: with this now. Good morning, Brendan, Good morning everybody. 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me on. 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: Tell us about Plum. It's based on your novel of 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: the same name. You are the star of the show. 7 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: It's a real dense Waterman moment. 8 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 2: Somewhere between nepotism Knows No bounds and multi skilling. I 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 2: don't know which is which. People don't believe me, but 10 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: it was the ABC's idea that I played the lead 11 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 2: as well, So you know, oh, I believe it's just 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: an important disclaimer, But yeah, it's kind of ended up 13 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: quite timely, and I didn't really intend that. When I 14 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: wrote the book in Lockdown five years ago. You know, 15 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: CGE was a little murmur really re emerging into the 16 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 2: media landscap and now it's kind of front page news. 17 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 2: But it tells the story of an ex footy player. 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 2: I've always been interested in post career of athlete. It's 19 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: what do they do with their bodies and their minds 20 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 2: and depression issues can sleep in and so it's this 21 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 2: lovely kind of X forty player forty nine year old 22 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: guy with the son and the girlfriend, and you know, 23 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 2: the ex wife is still very much in his in 24 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: his world and everything's kind of He has beers with 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: the boys after training and kecks the ball with his son. 26 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 2: But he works at the airport and then he has 27 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 2: an accident at the airport. He has an epileptic fit, 28 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: finds out that he's got a brain injury as the 29 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 2: result of the thousand concussions he took on the field, 30 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 2: and that if he doesn't do something about it, you know, 31 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: he could face die consequences. And so that's the thing 32 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: I was most interested in, really is about a man 33 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 2: trying to communicate, you know, as a dramatist. That's why 34 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: I kind of lay my scene. How does the hells 35 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: his son and his girlfriend, How does he share the 36 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 2: fact that he's now scahead of something. 37 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I found out it's multi land too, especially for 38 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 3: the sports people who've you know, about their brain injuries 39 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 3: you talk about and one day they're making six hundred 40 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 3: grand and they're making bugger all. And they've also been 41 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 3: in a footy squad looked after by a football club 42 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: for a long long time, and they're in the real world. 43 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 3: So there are lots of elements there for you to tackle, 44 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 3: so to speak. 45 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a really good point, and it is true. 46 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: It's almost like you leave school and you go into 47 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,119 Speaker 2: another institution where they feed you and they clothe you, 48 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: and you have people looking after you, and you're also lauded. 49 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 2: You know, you're told you're the king and you're the greatest, 50 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: and then all of a sudden, if you're not one 51 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 2: of the lucky ones that walk straight up to the 52 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 2: promontory box in a blazer, you can be less gone shit. 53 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 2: And also, your body has just been going so hard 54 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: for a couple of decade. What does your body do? 55 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 2: And it's all about ident you know, what is your 56 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: identity now? And you know, add a little bit of 57 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: a possible illness coming for you. It's a scary time. 58 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: I'm really glad actually that you're putting this in the spotlight. 59 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 4: Some CCE. Isn't it? I can't say. 60 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: Thetu it because it's not much is known about it. 61 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 4: Isn't don't they say? You don't even You can't. 62 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: Be sure if you actually were suffering from it until 63 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: after you've died. 64 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, it's hard to kind of get into the 65 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:22,079 Speaker 2: brain while walking around. But there's a thing called TEES, 66 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: which is traumatic encephalopothy syndrome. So you know, it's pretty 67 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 2: obvious that some blokes, especially Peter the plum Lum in 68 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: my story, Yes, you know, he's ticking ninety seven percent 69 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: in the crick Do you have it? 70 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 4: You know what I mean? 71 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 2: So if you're showing all those symptoms and you played 72 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: a collision sport and you played it hard as possible 73 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: and you probably drank as hard off the field and 74 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 2: got in a few pub fights and in Thailand or whatever, 75 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: then I'd say it's coming for you. 76 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 4: And you never said out loud on suffering or struggling. 77 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, you just push it down with the beers. 78 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: And also because plumb Lum his dad's you know, his 79 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: dad's manchus. Never take a backward step, and that's how 80 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: he became a champion. Never take a backward step. And 81 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: he learns that if you want to grow in life 82 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 2: and you want to change, you've got to take a 83 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: backward step. You know, you've got to stop turn around 84 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: what's going on? And Peter the Plumlum ends up working 85 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 2: in security at a bar and there's a poetry night 86 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 2: and he starts getting haunted by these dead poets visiting him, 87 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 2: and he starts like this girl who's boun to a wheelchair. 88 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: She gives him a book and says, write a poem you. 89 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 2: He goes, I'm not. I'm on footy players. She goes. 90 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: Creativity is a state of mind. You know, you were 91 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 2: creative on the field, you're creative with your kids. You 92 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 2: know he can be creative exactly. Creativity is just how 93 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 2: you approach things. And he starts writing out his feelings 94 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 2: and writing them down, and the world starts to make 95 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 2: a lot of sense to him, and it starts to 96 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 2: heal his brain. So it's kind of about creativity and 97 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: men finding a way not to talk to each other, 98 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,799 Speaker 2: to talk to himself, men to find out how you feel. 99 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: It is tough because they're kind of It's a classic 100 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: case of a man straddling two worlds too, because it's 101 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: hard to break that habit of what your dad said 102 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 1: when you're plum and then you know, moving into a 103 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: new space. 104 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:22,679 Speaker 4: How is reuniting with Asha Ketty? 105 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: Of course I loved Love my Way and you guys 106 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: on that, so this has got to be good. 107 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was. I think it's pretty much. Twenty years later, 108 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: Asha and I were wandering around the set going, we 109 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:39,679 Speaker 2: still got it, but we still got. 110 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 4: It, We still got it, still got it. Yeah. 111 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 2: Now we we've been looking for something for a long 112 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 2: time to do together. We kind of admire each other 113 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 2: from Afar with filmmates, and we nearly, you know, a 114 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 2: few nearly came up. And then when she read the 115 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 2: book and loved it and gave me a quote for 116 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 2: the book that we kind of started talking and it 117 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 2: was just amazing. It was just like, this is this 118 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 2: feels this is the right. And when Ash comes onto 119 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: your show, you know you've got a big adult TV 120 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 2: show on your you know what I mean. 121 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, you can say the same thing. 122 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, she's just such a such a team player. You know, 123 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 2: she came on and she's a show runner. She's made 124 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: a few shows herself, so she just came in and 125 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 2: really helped me. You know, let's go, let's do this, 126 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 2: and she's yeah, she's amazing for me. 127 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I was so grateful, Brandon. 128 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 3: At the risk of handing a bit sick of congratulations 129 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 3: on what you did in the twelve series one mate, 130 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 3: I mean speaking about folks struggling, I mean you just 131 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 3: was someone's perfection, that one that was unreal. He must 132 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 3: have enjoyed that experience than. 133 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 4: He was a struggle, wasn't he? 134 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 2: Well yeah he was Gary. Yeah, I mean, gambling addiction 135 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 2: is real and compulsive, and he's just show it was 136 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 2: a really what I really wanted to show is a 137 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 2: lot of these guys who do bad things aren't bad people, 138 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. And Gary's got this big 139 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 2: heart and he really wanted to help Brooks Satchell's character, 140 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: but he just, you know, he's incorrigible and and you know, 141 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: I seem to get a lot of those kind of 142 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: smoke garries under bridges and stuff like that. That seems 143 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 2: to be my realm. But yeah, Gary was a gift. 144 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 2: And I'm hoping if I ever get called for jury duty, 145 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 2: I could say, mate, I've done it. Yeah check it 146 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 2: out of some bin done coming in. 147 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 4: Do you mentioned nepotism? Your mom's got to roll in. 148 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, she she she kind of Hollywood strong armed 149 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 2: the way in the cast. She just she just told 150 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 2: me she was in it. And yes, she she's been 151 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,679 Speaker 2: any kind of everything I've done, and she's my I guess, 152 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 2: my number one supporter, Like I just finished her third novel. 153 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 2: She read it in two days and called me and 154 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 2: gave me some notes, you know. And she's a retired 155 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 2: nurse but very eccentric woman. And so I thought, he 156 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 2: am I going to have him? I need an old woman. 157 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 4: In the club. 158 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 2: And I thought she just we just had Edie's eightieth. 159 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 4: You know, she qualifies that. 160 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 2: I thought we're giving her. We gave her a pink 161 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: mohawk to make her a punk, and she really rocked it, 162 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 2: you know, it was great. So yeah, so this could 163 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 2: be it for this could be you know, this could 164 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 2: really Trampoline mum in holiday. 165 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 3: We'll work for Jackie wean, you know, like exactly as 166 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 3: long as my hook look didn't look like a budget 167 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 3: look like a punk, that's. 168 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 2: What you want. Yeah, you be the judgment. 169 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, but I just want to know. I just 170 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 3: came back to the I'm talking about former sports stars, 171 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 3: especially footballer is in whatever code with the brain injury thing. 172 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 3: Did you see Angus Brayshaw, former Melbourne player, at the 173 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 3: Brownlow Medal and the way he spoke with such honesty, 174 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,439 Speaker 3: there was no gloss over what he's gone through. 175 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 2: Is it worth a look? Now? I did not but 176 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 2: I M look at this, I'm probably to a fault. 177 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,959 Speaker 2: I don't acknowledge AFL enough. But I am going to 178 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 2: Melbourne today, so yeah, probably time. But yeah, I've seen 179 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 2: that AFL for a long time, didn't really want to 180 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,719 Speaker 2: acknowledge CTAs a thing. Now they're really I reckon. You 181 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 2: can see in the way the tackles are so surprising 182 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 2: that that's definitely possible in that sport. So I'll have 183 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 2: a look. 184 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 4: Thanks for the reminder, it's worth a look at the speech. Yeah, 185 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 4: they really have held up. 186 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 1: I remember watching an interview with Greg Williams you know 187 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: don't player ages ago, and now they're finally talking. 188 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 4: About it more well. 189 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: Plumb starts eight point thirty this Sunday on the ABC 190 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: and of course ABC I view Brendan cow lovely to 191 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: chat to you this morning. 192 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 3: Thanks man, thanks for your honesty. 193 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: No, thanks for having me on and yeah a thirty 194 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 2: Sunday check it out. 195 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 4: Thank you by all the best.