1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: Nervous. I'm very nervous. 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 2: You know. 3 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: This is my number one. 4 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 3: This is we've all got like a top shelf interview 5 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 3: that we want to do in media. 6 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: This is definitely mine. Now he can't hear us. He's 7 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: over zoom. 8 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 3: It is Stephen Frye. Look if you don't know who 9 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,159 Speaker 3: that is, that's your problem and you've missed out. I 10 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 3: think he's the greatest person alive. We're connecting with him. 11 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 3: I think now we can't see him. 12 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: You might be able to hear us. 13 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 2: I'm so sorry. Sorry. It's Will and Woody, isn't it is? 14 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: Yes, Yes, very good to talk it is. 15 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 3: It's great to talk to you. Thanks for thanks so 16 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 3: much for coming on the show. It's an enormous that's 17 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 3: very kind of you. I Steve, and I just wanted 18 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 3: to start start off the interview by saying, because I've 19 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 3: really wanted to say this to you for a very 20 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 3: long time. You were very much my inspiration for getting into. 21 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: Performance and entertain terrible responsibility. Yes, I'm so sorry. Sorry, 22 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: I know you don't want to hear that responsibility. 23 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 3: That's because I was a very nerdy boy, and I 24 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 3: you know you were. I just grew in confidence knowing 25 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 3: that you were also a massive nerd, but you were 26 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 3: also doing fun things like you know, the work with 27 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 3: the Cambridge foot lights and a bit of Fryan Lourie 28 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 3: and all that sort of stuff. And then I just 29 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 3: was just like, oh, I can still be a nerd 30 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 3: and still have fun. 31 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: And then you on. 32 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 3: Top of that, I was really struggling with depression, and 33 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 3: you brought out the secret life and make depressive that 34 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 3: the doctor, and that was for me just hugely enabling 35 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 3: because I was like, oh, it's probably good that I'm 36 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 3: just honest about this and I can carry on. 37 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 2: So thank you, well, thank you. That's very very touching. 38 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 2: It's a delightful thing here, it really is. I mean, 39 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: you know, one never sets out in life to do 40 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: any good. You set up to do your best, but 41 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: necessarily good. But it's very very hard things like that. 42 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: I shall have to I shall have to pack that 43 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 2: memory away into a into. 44 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 4: A perfect what haven't he's not he's talking, he's. 45 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: Impac he's saying all the things I want to hear. 46 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 4: No feeling he received it well, Oh no, I feel 47 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 4: like he received it well. 48 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 2: I mean I couldn't hear all that oh my gosh, 49 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 2: I mean, come on, for heaven's sake, after saying that 50 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: I had to fly over as fast as I could. 51 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 4: Guys, I should probably tell you Stephen Fryan is actually 52 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 4: in the studio now. 53 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 1: He've been in the station the entire time. Huge titch 54 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: up on will. 55 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: It was a quick flight, but it was worth it. 56 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 2: Hello to see you. 57 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 4: To. 58 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. 59 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 2: Thank you. 60 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: Oh, I will never forget that. 61 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: Well. Always a pleasure at your service at any time, 62 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:17,959 Speaker 2: day or night. 63 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: So nice to meet you, to meet you too, Oh 64 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: my god. 65 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 3: Well then everyone, I hate each of you and equivocally, 66 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 3: oh my god. 67 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: Oh wow, that was a lot. 68 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, not at all. 69 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: Okay, all right, well I think we're done here. 70 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, oh my god. 71 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: Well what are you doing here? 72 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I thought i'd come say hello to 73 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: you because it's something anniversary of your career in show business, 74 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 2: for which I am personally. While there, I better pay 75 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 2: for the flight by doing some shows around Australia. So 76 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 2: that's what Which one I'm coming with my mum here 77 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: in Melbourne? Oh great, of course Melbourne obviously. Yeah, we 78 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 2: are in Melbourne. Yes, the Plenary, Yes, yes, good name 79 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 2: for it. Yeah, rather Sovieting Session of the Fifth Presidium 80 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: kind of thing. 81 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: Isn't it a strange place? There are beautiful places in Melbourne. 82 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 2: I've done the Hammer Hall, and I've done and I've 83 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 2: done the Civic, the Arts place on the river. 84 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 4: Yes didn't You didn't choose the plenary. 85 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 2: No, might find an excellent promoter, mister bowm chose I 86 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: say good reasons. 87 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: It was public. 88 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 2: That's financial. It's just thinking of the way promoters work. 89 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 2: It might have been something to do with the color scheme. 90 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 2: It may have been to do with the dollars. You 91 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: can make her own decision on that one. 92 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: And then the not inclodes questions from the audience. 93 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 2: We have these. Have you heard of quick response codes? 94 00:04:58,400 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 4: No? 95 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: No, yes, you have, just didn't know that's what it 96 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: stood for their QR codes, Yes, response codes. So we'll 97 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: have those in the lobbry and lobby and program and everything, 98 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 2: so people can can can program a question in and 99 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 2: then in the interval while everyone else is enjoying a 100 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 2: chocolate Freddo or something, I will be triarging the questions 101 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 2: finding out an answer. So really, on any subject of 102 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: anyone's listening, including you, will. 103 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:39,679 Speaker 1: I'm sorry the questions. 104 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 2: The words are available for us as well. Pick a 105 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 2: fresh one out of the bolt. 106 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: But now I'm nd, I'manda. 107 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 3: We I know there's a little bit of chat, and 108 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 3: I'm going to be very honest about the fact that 109 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 3: we don't want to bring up the King's recent visit 110 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 3: to Australia. 111 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 2: Listen, I see my published people in which yes, your sons, 112 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 2: if I'm Taylor Swift merged with a K pop band, 113 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 2: which I'm not. But but I think that obviously people 114 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 2: worried that my tongue runs away with me, I'm but 115 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 2: I'm not. You know, I'm not going to be impertinent. 116 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: Suggest that I have a view about whether or not 117 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 2: you should be a republic or a monarchy is absolutely 118 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: none of my business. And I can understand there. I've 119 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 2: met plenty of Australians who I love the royal family, 120 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 2: and then I've met others who will say, what the 121 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: hell is going on? And I stand back and say, 122 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 2: you know, help yourselves, guys. 123 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 4: Definitely, we definitely don't want to crow down the more 124 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 4: fun path. Will Will is a I mean, it's probably 125 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,239 Speaker 4: very clear to you now. Will is a huge, huge, 126 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 4: but but Will regales a story to me. I'm going 127 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 4: to say once every two months, and it's a story 128 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 4: about you around Christmas time and you were having Christmas 129 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 4: with Rowan Atkinson and you're a saved a fine call. 130 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: Yes, this is my house in the country. Let's see 131 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 2: how far from your knowledge of Will's version of this 132 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 2: story it is diverged from the truth of the matter. 133 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 2: But anyway, yes, I had a houseful in my in 134 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: my house in the countryside in Norfolk, which is on 135 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 2: the East coast, and i'd done one of some birthday 136 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 2: party for the Prince as he then was, and he 137 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: had said in the lineup you live in Norfolk, didn't 138 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 2: And I said yes. He said, we're always there for Christmas, 139 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 2: as you probably know, which I did. They have the 140 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 2: place Sandring of Its Call, which is not very six 141 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 2: seven miles from where I live, and he said we 142 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 2: must see each other Christmas, and he thought he was 143 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 2: just being polite. And so one morning it's after Christmas, 144 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 2: a week nearly a week after Christmas, and I'm making 145 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 2: eggs Benedict for the for the guests, and as you know, 146 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: Hollandais takes a little bit of concentration. He's got the 147 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: melted butter and you don't want to it's too hot, 148 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: little scramble and all the rest of it. So the 149 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 2: phone goes and I'm going somebody answer that, and everyone's 150 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 2: asleep or taking a shower or whatever they're doing. So God, 151 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 2: I pick up the phone. Yes, Hillo, is that Stephen Fry. Yes, 152 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: this is Prince of Wales. And part of me was 153 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 2: going to go, oh, f off Rory Rory Bremner, being 154 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: a well known impressionist, thinking, But somehow, when it's the 155 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,439 Speaker 2: real person, you know, don't you, You just know? So 156 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: I said, sir, I love didn't hear from you anyway. 157 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: He invited himself around fatigue on New Year's Day, And 158 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 2: so I stand in the sort of middle of the 159 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 2: hallway of the house and I yell up like like 160 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 2: Rick in the Young Ones House meeting, and people appear 161 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 2: in dressing gowns and sort of look over the bargaony 162 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 2: eight in the morning. I'm a very early riser, and 163 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 2: I said, we've got to get the house ready because 164 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 2: tomorrow the king's coming for the Prince of Wales there 165 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 2: was obviously is coming for Tea and they go, of course, 166 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: they don't believe me. But then in. About four hours later, 167 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 2: the two dark green range rovers appear with men in 168 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 2: short haircuts and dogs, and we're just just checking the 169 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 2: premises as Hisness hasn't been here before, is it all right? 170 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 2: And so of course now my guests are going, oh 171 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 2: my goodness, and they realize it's true. So suddenly Hugh 172 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 2: Laurie is hoovering, vacuuming the house virtually in a pinny, 173 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 2: but not quite. I mean, you can imagine the sight 174 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: of it. Rowan has investigated the kitchen and has decided 175 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: that we need two more cakes, and so he goes 176 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: off and most of the shops are shut. So he 177 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 2: comes back with us sort of shot bought ginger cake. 178 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:06,959 Speaker 2: It's all really ridiculous and it's just and we're polishing 179 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 2: the silver, you know. Anyway, the next day nervous as anything. 180 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 2: Of course, it's January, the first in it is only 181 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: a week or so after mid Winter's Day in the 182 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 2: northern hemispheres, you probably know. So it was dark by 183 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: about half past three, certainly, and so we're waiting and 184 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: waiting like children waiting for their parents to come home. 185 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 2: You know, when you think the headlights are going to 186 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: stab the windows and play over the ceiling. Oh, mommy 187 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: and Daddy are back, kind of feeling they're in the driveway. 188 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,719 Speaker 2: You know, it's that sort of ridiculous nerves. We're grown ups, 189 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 2: but we just can't help it. And then eventually they're 190 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 2: are there are the lights, Steven. 191 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: Who's in the house at this day? 192 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 2: There was Ron and Hugh and about six others you 193 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 2: wouldn't know, but the old friend. Yeah, that's right. 194 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: It's a quick quick question. Rowan Atkinson. 195 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, is it like mister Bean when when he goes 196 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 4: up to get because. 197 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:07,679 Speaker 1: That's all I'm figuring. 198 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 2: There is another Rowan who is very shy, so he 199 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: was more that run. But anyway, the doorbell then goes 200 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 2: and I turned around. They've all disappeared out of an 201 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 2: excess of childish shyness, have run after every corner of 202 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: the house. So I'm left to open it on my own. 203 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 2: And I open it and I get the immortal words, 204 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 2: I don't mind. I brought my wife, and Princess Dianah 205 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:44,319 Speaker 2: pokes her head around hell and so in they come, 206 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 2: and the detectives go around in the kitchen where I 207 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 2: knew they were coming. So I'd made a tea for 208 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 2: the detectives who were in the lovely and then we 209 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 2: went in to go into the into the drawing room 210 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 2: or sitting room what have you call it in Australia, 211 00:11:56,120 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 2: I you call it the city. Yeah, the lounge, the lounge. 212 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 2: We went into the lounge. I thought we need some 213 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: fresh air, so I got out a can of air 214 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:15,439 Speaker 2: fresh air and no anyway, sorry, don't insult your host 215 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 2: version of their accent. When do you behave? Anyway? The 216 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 2: thing went really well and it was charming. What was 217 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 2: very interesting was that all the men, apart from myself 218 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 2: there were straight and so when they eventually went as 219 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: soon as I shut the door, they all said, almost 220 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: in one voice, well I'm in there. I said, excuse me, 221 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:47,439 Speaker 2: and they all said They all said with the same 222 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 2: kind of amazement that I no one else had noticed it. 223 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 2: But you saw the way she looked at me, and 224 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: that when she died, and you know, the sort of 225 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 2: tragedy of it was over. That's what I That's what 226 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 2: I said. That was her gift. That did she looked 227 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 2: at you and you thought she was virtually going upstairs. 228 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: It was just a I mean, it wasn't I don't 229 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 2: think a calculated thing. Way she was. It was hilarious. 230 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 2: They were all convened and she was wearing cowboy birds. 231 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 2: That made them particularly excited. There was something about that 232 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 2: that made it so it was a very enchanting. I 233 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 2: don't know if that's the way you done it. 234 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: No, that's exactly extraory. 235 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 3: Obviously, of all the different parts of your life, I 236 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 3: was thinking about all the different. 237 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: People that you've sort of because obviously you were very 238 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: good friends with the late Carrie Fisher. 239 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 3: I was telling that I remember seeing you on Parkinson 240 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 3: with Rob Williams one time. You sort of had these 241 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 3: quite amazing interactions with a lot of these people who 242 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 3: now passed away. 243 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: And I mentioned those. 244 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 3: Two particular because I know both of them were sort 245 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 3: of deep in struggles, disturbed people, both them. 246 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,319 Speaker 2: Yes, indeed I did, and they were both also phenomenally generous. 247 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 2: They were extraordinary friends. I was reading just today about 248 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: someone who was whose wife was incredibly ill and probably dying, 249 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 2: and he was a friend of Robin Williams, and Robin 250 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 2: didn't know about this, and he told him and two 251 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: hours later Robin Williams was there at the bedside, making 252 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 2: her laugh in a way she hadn't laughed for for centuries, 253 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: the husband said, and he said, I'm not claiming it 254 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 2: was him, but she did recover. But it was that, 255 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: you know, he was there for four hours and just 256 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 2: giving her everything of himself, and that's what he did. 257 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: I remember when when Parkinson I did with him, you know, 258 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 2: the chat show host, and it was terrific fun and 259 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 2: he was on fire and they were having a great time. 260 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 2: And then afterwards his assistant came out to my dressing 261 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 2: room and says, Robin says, you're staying for dinner after 262 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 2: should have dinner and a or something like that. And 263 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 2: I said yeah, and he said, come into his dressing room. 264 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 2: We go together, and so I said yes and told 265 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: my driver he could go, and so and I went 266 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 2: in and there and Robin was changing his shirt and 267 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 2: it was literally dripping with ya, absolutely dripping. He had 268 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 2: been there in the chair seemed like so relaxed and 269 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 2: funny and fast, yes, but it was what the motor 270 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 2: inside was thrashing, absolutely, And it was almost frightening somehow 271 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 2: to think of how much of himself he gave all 272 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 2: the time and had nothing left for himself at all. 273 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 2: And Carrie was a bit like that. Carry's amazing house 274 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 2: in Beverly Hills, and it was eccentric and every tree 275 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 2: had weird things hanging from it, and you know, but 276 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 2: there were also tents in the in the in the lawn, 277 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 2: on the lawn and the yard, as they say, and 278 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 2: it was a mixed tents of people staying there that 279 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 2: she had said, good stay by homeless people, people recovering 280 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 2: from drug addiction at its height, a lot of people 281 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 2: with HIV and AIDS, and she was she could just 282 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 2: couldn't say no to people and except herself. 283 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: So yes, So do you think that's what I mean? 284 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: I was just going to ask what separates why you're 285 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: still here? 286 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 2: And then I had a very good fortune knowing a 287 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 2: little towards the end of his life the artist Francis Bacon, 288 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 2: and I remember once there was a lock in at 289 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 2: the Groucher Club in London and it was him, Gilbert 290 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 2: and George and a couple of artists, an art writer 291 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: I know, and a couple of other people. And at 292 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 2: about two o'clock I said I've got to go now, 293 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: and the other word stay stay and I said, no, no, 294 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 2: I'm I'm actually working tomorrow. I got a car at 295 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 2: seven and I'm just four hours sleeping. 296 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 297 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 2: And Francis said to me, he said, oh, you like me. 298 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 2: He said, You've got a little man, haven't you. I said, well, no, 299 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 2: I'm single. He said, no, I don't mean that, he said, 300 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 2: I mean, he said, your head, You've got a little 301 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 2: man in your head. I said, so, what do you mean? 302 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 2: He said, well, he said, I knew a lot of 303 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 2: people and soho in the fifties and sixties, photographers, painters, poets, 304 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 2: some of them geniuses. They didn't have a little man. 305 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 2: So the drink got them. They never stopped, they stayed 306 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 2: on and they But I have a little man, he said, 307 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 2: He said, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week. I'll have been 308 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: on this vicious bender, drinking and drinking as I'd love 309 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,439 Speaker 2: to do, as you know, he said, And then the 310 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 2: little man will say no, Francis studio, and I have 311 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: to obey him. He just goes on and on at me. 312 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 2: He says, studio studio now, And that's why I'm alive. 313 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 2: He said, you keep your don't you drown your little man, 314 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 2: Keep your little man alive. And I remember that and 315 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 2: thinking it's true, I mean we The little man could 316 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 2: be described as many things. 317 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 3: I mean demonized, isn't it. Yeah, it can become it 318 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 3: can go the other way. It can be whipped into subservience. 319 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's Jiminy Cricket on your shoulder. 320 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 1: Thinking it negative things, and. 321 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 2: The you know, the devil of me on the other 322 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,959 Speaker 2: But but somehow this deontic voice I think philosophers call 323 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 2: it is is stronger in me than it is in 324 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 2: some people I've known who just could tell yeah it is. 325 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 2: In the end, it means sometimes that I'm with groups 326 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 2: of people having a good time and I feel slightly 327 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 2: bourgeois because part of me thinks and I needed that 328 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: dreadful drug in order to stop me from being my 329 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 2: real self. You think you take drugs because it amplifies 330 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 2: who you are, but actually it often smothers who you are. 331 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 2: And it made me into a party animal, which I'm 332 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 2: just not temperamentally meant to be. Meant to be in 333 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 2: bed at nine with a book on my lap. You 334 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 2: know I'm a dull, dull person. 335 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: I've only got one more questions with you. 336 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 3: But speaking of books on your lap side, question very quickly, 337 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 3: I only need a quick answer. Is have you have 338 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 3: you read the Song of Achilles. 339 00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, Medlyn Miller, yes, yes, I think it's we 340 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 2: all loved that, love that. Yeah. One of the things 341 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 2: I've enjoyed about, you know, bringing these Greek myths to 342 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 2: life in my own ways, is that it seems to 343 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 2: accidentally maybe it's morphic resonance, I think is the phrase 344 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 2: coincided with a zeitgeisty thing of the increase in interest 345 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,239 Speaker 2: in Greek mythology everywhere. I mean, more people read at 346 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 2: university now than they did fifteen years ago, and writers 347 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 2: like Madeleine Miller have become very, very great. 348 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 3: So obviously your your mythos if people from read it 349 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 3: is awesome, and it really sort of there's humor, but 350 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 3: it makes all of those tales accessible. I was going 351 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 3: to ask you, if you're going to write a story 352 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 3: about like today, do you think that, you know, in 353 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 3: one hundred years, in a thousand years, if there's an 354 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 3: Ai Stephen Frye or equivalent of you sort of romanticizing 355 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 3: tales contemporary tales, do you think that there is a 356 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 3: story or a set of stories in sort. 357 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 2: Of modern videin the way we are now, which which would. 358 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 3: Catch as much interest. 359 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 2: The risk of sounding bloody minded in my paradoxicality. The 360 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 2: reality gets in the way of truth, which is why 361 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 2: fiction and myth are so much more revealing of the 362 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 2: truth of human desire and behavior, impulses and failings and 363 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 2: all the other things that make us who we are. 364 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 2: Whereas when it's reality, you can always say, oh, it's 365 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: because they're a middle class person, or it's because they 366 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 2: come from Perth, or it's because they're Scottish. Everything is 367 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 2: somehow contextualized into an identity. You can't escape what is 368 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: horribly called the discourse when you if you write a 369 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 2: modern novel, now, you cannot escape writing about sexuality, gender politics, race, 370 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 2: They're all implicit in everything we do and think about 371 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 2: in the way we think about them now, as opposed 372 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: to being an eternal verity, an eternal truth about what 373 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 2: it is to be human, which I think is. 374 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: When you've got infinite giant. 375 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: That's that's why I think, that's why the franchises, the 376 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 2: fantasy franchises. So it's the Harry Potter universe, the Magical World, 377 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 2: or it's Tolkien, or it's George R. R. Martin, or 378 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 2: it's Marvel exactly, and you don't say I hate that 379 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 2: guy because I know people like that who live in 380 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 2: that place and read that newspaper and use that language, 381 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 2: and everything's tribal in our world. You have archetypes and 382 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 2: you have mythic forms. You can then see the truth. 383 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: I think fascinating. It's been such a pleasure, real delight. 384 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for coming, Thank you, thank you. 385 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 2: For putting up with my silly trick. It was not 386 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 2: my idea, obviously, but nonetheless I am delighted to take. 387 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: We've never got in so well. 388 00:21:54,440 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 2: You've got to plan your revenge now, swift Davin, thanks 389 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 2: and match. Such a pleasure.