June 5, 2024 • 18 mins
During Dai Henwood's 25-year career he has won many major comedy gongs, including the Billy T Award, he's a regular on the country's longest running comedy programme, 7 Days - and he's hosted many shows including Family Feud, Dancing with the Stars and LEGO Masters.
His latest project is a memoir, The Life of Dai, co-written with his friend and fellow comedian Jacqui Brown. You can find it in all good book stores now.
Dai Henwood joined Simon Barnett and James Daniels for Six and a Song.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Simon Barnett and James Daniels Afternoons
podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB, News Talks EDB Well. During Die Henwood's twenty five
year career, he's won many major comedy gongs, including the
Billy Tyer Award. He's a regular on the country's longest
running comedy program, Seven Days Was So Funny. He's hosted
heaps of shows, including Family Feud, Dancing with the Stars,
and Lego Masters. His latest project is a memoir, The
Life of Die, co written with his friend and fellow
(00:33):
comedian Jackie Brown. You can find it in all good
bookstores now. The presales are outstanding. It is a pleasure
to welcome Diehindward on for six in a song, Gooday,
Die got it.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
It's great to be here. I'm a happy man at
the moment. I've been toiling away with Jackie Brown on
this book for Wow, the best part of a year,
and it's just a privilege to get it out there
and onto some shelves.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, well, we're going to talk about your book because
obviously it's it is really resonating with a number of
people that maybe are going through the similar journey. Or
have been there. So we'll get to that and a set.
Can we stay with your comedy mate, because obviously that's
where most people know die Hen. Would do you remember
what your first stand up show? Where it was and
what was it?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I certainly do. You don't forget something that is so
exciting and so traumatic. And they call part I was
from Wellington. I was at university down there and we
heard there was a university comedy competition up in Auckland.
So myself and a friend, Anna Kennedy, we put a
(01:36):
double act together called Die Anna very clear of a
little pun on words. There came up to do a
stand up comedy show and the host was ew and Gilmour,
the late Great ew and Gilmore. You and the West
is sort of an icon of the You had your
Billy Teas and Fred Dag and then the next wave.
Your sort of icons were like your Mike Kings, your
(02:00):
Ew and Gilmour's et cetera. And he was hosting the
show and he he saw to our set. There were
eighteen people on that night. We were seventeens. The audience
were pretty tired. We got up, We're so excited. We
talked a bit too fast we bumbled up a couple
of jokes, but we did pretty well, and you and
(02:22):
Gilmore said, You've got to keep doing this. He called
us the talll and Dean of comedy, which I had
no idea whole and Dean were and I had to
go home and research him. So I was just nodding
politely to him, but no, and you and just sort
of he spured us to keep going. And was that
(02:42):
same year the Classic Comedy Bar in Auckland open, and
then we sort of moved to there, and then Anna
went her separate ways into another career, and I just
kept doing stand up. So even though the first gig
wasn't that good, I just got the bug.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Nice, nice, Well, you've been all over the place, and
by that we mean performed all over the excuse me,
performed all over the place. We're the most favorite and
or strangest places you've performed.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Well, so I'd say my favorite was when I was
invited to just the last comedy festival. I was in
a show that was hosted by Joan Rivers, who's sort
of like epic woman who spanned many decades and got
to perform with amazing comedians over there, and the strangest
(03:35):
was actually a gag I was booked for at SkyCity
Grand and the lineup was myself, the hip hop artist Savage,
and buzz Aldron, who was the third man on the moon.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Wow, you're kidding.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
It's a very interesting lineup. Who's Savage and I have
a reasonably similar crossover an audience, Buzz, but sixty five
sixty five plus year old space nerd don't usually like
New Zealand hip hop that much. So I went out
(04:13):
and I sort of did my bit. Buzz Aldron came
out and he actually he was quite funny. And you
remember Neil Armstrong got on the moon person it was
one step the man, one giant leap to mankind. Buzz
Aldron when he got out of the rocket he had
planned something to say he was the last person out
(04:34):
of the rocket. He got out, shut the door and
patted his space suit, went I left the keys and good.
He actually had a joke plan and it was sous.
He did his sort of space talk. I was him
seeing so I didn't need to do comedy, but I
got a little bit out there, and you know I
(04:56):
had to go thanks to buzz Aldron. Now can you
please give it up for Savage. He comes out and
is just performing amazingly, give a all he's got, and
then these sort of slow space nerds are filing out.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
So that is too funny for in the career.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
That spanned some very crazy gigs. But that's what I
like about it because every day feels free.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Oh man, that's a funny story. You're you're naturally just
a very funny man died just to talk to you. Actually,
because buzz Aldron's are really prickly character. He really pretty character.
And there was a guy approaching him, you can see
this on YouTube, walked up to him and said, so
how is it to fake something like the moon landing?
And he just punches the guy fear in the face.
He just clocked him and the spects him right in
(05:43):
the chops. Yeah, it's brilliant because he was pretty old
and he.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Got the the you don't sort of question him. Yeah,
he was very I was just happy. He was actually
a very fascinating I love space and he is a
fascinating man to listen to.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yeah, yeah, I love space too. Who do you find funny?
Can you can you name three of the funniest people
that you just love to listen.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
To and what so to me, it's actually the sort
of same as almost when I started out. As my
earliest influences, the late great Robin Williams is he is
just I love his stand up. I just grew up
on his stand up, as well as the early Eddie Murphy,
(06:28):
and more recently there's an American comedian called Theo Vaughn
who I'm really enjoying, sort of in terms of a
current comedian, but also what I love is I've been
gigging around New Zealand a lot, doing lineup shows in
small towns in that just the quality of New Zealand
comedy and seeing it evolve and flourish over the last
(06:51):
twenty five years has been so joyful. It's so diverse,
there is a different style for whatever you're into, and
I'm so super proud to be part of the scene.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Hey, the Life of Die your book, how hard was
it to write there? But because I presume you were
going through chemo throughout that, weren't you?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah, it was tough because there was obviously the beautiful
part of looking back on a sort of illustrious career
and the privilege of amazing people. I've had the joy
to call friends and work with. But then there was
the other side of it, which has been my journey
with incurable cancer, and I was doing treatment at the time,
(07:31):
plus I was sort of, you know, bringing up pretty
traumatic events of sort of six about heavy rounds of surgery,
twenty rounds of chemo. By the time I finished the book,
I've done six more since then. But throughout it all,
it's very much to do with tips for people who
(07:52):
either have friends who are going through cancer or family,
or tips for patients. So there's a lot of actual
tangible takeaways, which are things I use. Breathing techniques, meditation techniques.
I use so to sort of keep my head focused,
because my motto in the life and especially in this
(08:13):
diagnosis is that optimism won't cure me, but pessimism will
kill me. So I need to keep optimistic, hopeful and smiling.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I read one of your stories a while ago, mate,
and it was very powerful because you're I'm sure you
were of the situation with my darling wife going through
that end. Yes, you made the comment, and I thought
it was so apt because a lot of people don't
touch on it, but you said it was a family
diagnosis and without wanting to you know, you know, I
certainly don't want to upset you or anything, but how
have your wife and your children coped? I mean, like
(08:50):
it is a family diagnosis, And the biggest thing for
me watching my wife get so sick and eventually passed
was I was so brift because I loved her so much,
but also for her, watching the pain that she had
to endure. It's something that unless you've walked that journey,
you can't ever imagine. You think you can, but you can't.
And oh man, it's just at times just crippling. I
(09:10):
couldn't find any optimism. Sometimes still struggle to. So how
are your wife and your children doing?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
No these things as you know they are. It's so heavy,
Like I just realized this was really a family diagnosis
because I have the painful side of it, regarding treatment
and all that, but the mental side of it is
just as hard on a partner like my wife is
(09:37):
when I'm doing chemo, doing these treatments, She's holding the
thought down, she's looking after the kids. And then there's
also well, it's not just the disease, is the guilt
I have the guilt I bought this in to the
family even though I know it's not my fault and
it's never a fault of a person who's got a disease.
(10:01):
But we're humans. That's how we often think, and we
can always go to the negative. Of course, your partner
is looking forward to the future and the things might
not work out. So it's so heavy, and I think
it's just a reminder to everyone that when you're going
about your daily life, you never know what people are
(10:22):
going through. So I think you just need to bring
a little bit more kindness and a little bit more
empathy and a bit more love to your interactions because
someone might be a bit grumpy, they might cut you
off or whatever in traffic, but it's not because of you.
They could be going through the heaviest things in the world,
and I just would love it if there was a
(10:44):
bit more empathy and a bit more love out there.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Well we'll have more of that, of course in your book,
The Life of Die, which is available in all good
bookstores now. But what do you hope that readers will
get out of your book, Die?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I really hope that they will get sort of equal
measures of laster thoughtfulness and tips to lead a more
positive and happy life. Regardless of whether they're someone who
is dealing with a chronic illness or they're just someone
(11:17):
who needs to just shift their mental perspective. I really
feel there are some good tools in there. And also
just because of the nature of who I am as
a human, there's plenty of laughs in there as well.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
You know, I genuinely find you an inspirational character because
you're walking this thing, and unless, as I say, you're
in it, you'll never know what you deal with. Can
I ask you one more quick question before we take
a break. It's very personal, but do you get scared
in the middle of the night at two am in
the morning, it's pitch black, everyone's asleep, and you're lying
there in your own thoughts.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Yes, I.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Talk about how I'm positive, I'm often laughing and so forth,
But don't you worry. I get scared. I cry. I
get often with fear in the middle of the night.
Actually comes anger, like a lot of anger. Is why me?
I've always been a pretty healthy thing, ensure. I might
have had a few too many beers here and there,
(12:09):
might have had a bit of junk food in that,
but I just get angry as to why me? And
then I realized that the universe is just events. It's
not fair or unfair. And it's how I respond to
this cancer that defines me. The cancer doesn't define me.
It's how I respond to it. And it's sort of
(12:31):
given me a deeper spirituality. And I honestly actually feel
like a happier person than I've ever been. But yes,
the fear the middle of the night, it's the worst
time to wake up. That's when your mind is really bother. Mate.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
I hear that you're a beautiful man, mate, did as
our guest for six and a Song. The new book
is called The Life of Diets and Bookstores. Now we're
back in a month with some rapid fire questions. This
is your station, Newstalks edb Newstalk's edb our guest for
six and a Song is Die Heinwood's book is called
The Life of Die in Bookstores. So again, mate, thank
you very much for time. These are rapid fire questions.
(13:08):
Do I see a bit to be funny or we
cut you off? That's how it works, like the Big
Red here, what's one place you never get tired.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Of the one place I never get tired of? Going
to Chipmunks A kids playground. I'm going with kids, by
the way, because I see my kids being happy. They're
hooning around having a blast, and I can coffee.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Hey, what's one of the nicest compliments you've ever received?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
The nicest compliments I've ever received was I someone came
up to me and they said, you were an absolute legend.
I love you. I think you're one of the best
warriors halfbacks ever. I had to say, sorry, I'm not tasty, Joan.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
It's the eyebrows. He was my next door nam And
by the way, I can say things like that.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Guy.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
If you had the power to change one thing in
your world, well, actually that's a dumb question because I
know what that would be. But I'll ask you when,
as you could have the power to change one thing
in your world, what would it be.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Look, if it wasn't just zapping away my cancer, it
would be that everyone loves each other. Regardless of what
they believe or who they vote for. They put that
aside and just love each other and create happy and
solid communities.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
That's lovely, mate. Hey, what's something you thought was important
when you were young, but as you got older you
realized it's not so important.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Really, The people at bars and nightclubs thought I was cool.
And when I was young, you can probably see a
few photos in the book. I really experimented with some
outfits that I definitely regret. Now I realized what matters
more as being entirely comfortable and possibly imbid by ten
(14:53):
per years. What.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
There's plenty to be proud of in your career thus far,
But what are you personally most proud of.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I'm most proud of the fact that I realized he
actually helps people. I thought when I started out that
comedy was just sort of talking rubbish and moving on.
But I had an interaction with a fan years ago
who said her partner had passed away very recently. She
was young, he was young as well, and she said,
(15:23):
tonight you made me laugh, and laughter is an involuntary reaction,
and it just took my mind away from a sad
place I was at. So that was when I realized,
I'm super proud of being a comedian because it can
actually help people.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Good on you, mate, that's lovely. If you could invite
any one person still alive for dinner, who would that be.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
This is such a such a hard question because I
have so many people on my list, I have to
say it would be the Delai Lama. Oh okay, he
is meant to be so funny, he is meant to
be this And because I have a very interesting Eastern
(16:07):
spiritual religion and he also apparently is just hilarious. I
watch a little video with him and Desmond too too
actually and they were really they were Yeah, they were
like two comedians setting it was brilliant.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
That's fantastic. No, And finally, mate, we're just going to
finish with your song choice very because you strike me
as a reasonably eclectic sort of a person, both with you,
the books, you read, your interest in I guess your music.
So what song have you chosen in?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Why? Please? I have chosen Night Moves by.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Both great song.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
This is just as just one of those songs, you know,
when I think of it, I know when I love
a good song. You're right, I have a very eclectic
taste in music. But Night Moves is the song when
I'm sitting in my car about to like, you know,
plug the thing in and listen to something when I'm driving,
and when I can't find a song, I always end
(17:04):
up on Night Moves and I love it. It just
evokes the perfect Mitch in the song where you get
happiness and maybe a little underlying sadness at the same time.
I just I love it.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Mate, We have loved chatting with you. Dye's book is
in stores now. It's called The Life of Die, and
thank you for writing it, thank you for being so
candid about your experience, and we just wish you every success.
My doctor said with my wife's diagnosis many years ago,
he said, never see yourself as a statistic and so
I echoed those sentiments to you, mate, and you're doing
so well, and long may that continue. God bless you
(17:39):
Die and thanks for your time.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Cured to mate, Thank you, Simon.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Fans Change Die Henwood and this is night Moves that
News Talks 'DB.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
But again we're again.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
For more from Simon Barnett and James Daniels afternoons. Listen
live to News Talk set B, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Simon Barnett and James Daniels Afternoons
podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB, News Talks EDB Well. During Die Henwood's twenty five
year career, he's won many major comedy gongs, including the
Billy Tyer Award. He's a regular on the country's longest
running comedy program, Seven Days Was So Funny. He's hosted
heaps of shows, including Family Feud, Dancing with the Stars,
and Lego Masters. His latest project is a memoir, The
Life of Die, co written with his friend and fellow
(00:33):
comedian Jackie Brown. You can find it in all good
bookstores now. The presales are outstanding. It is a pleasure
to welcome Diehindward on for six in a song, Gooday,
Die got it.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
It's great to be here. I'm a happy man at
the moment. I've been toiling away with Jackie Brown on
this book for Wow, the best part of a year,
and it's just a privilege to get it out there
and onto some shelves.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, well, we're going to talk about your book because
obviously it's it is really resonating with a number of
people that maybe are going through the similar journey. Or
have been there. So we'll get to that and a set.
Can we stay with your comedy mate, because obviously that's
where most people know die Hen. Would do you remember
what your first stand up show? Where it was and
what was it?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I certainly do. You don't forget something that is so
exciting and so traumatic. And they call part I was
from Wellington. I was at university down there and we
heard there was a university comedy competition up in Auckland.
So myself and a friend, Anna Kennedy, we put a
(01:36):
double act together called Die Anna very clear of a
little pun on words. There came up to do a
stand up comedy show and the host was ew and Gilmour,
the late Great ew and Gilmore. You and the West
is sort of an icon of the You had your
Billy Teas and Fred Dag and then the next wave.
Your sort of icons were like your Mike Kings, your
(02:00):
Ew and Gilmour's et cetera. And he was hosting the
show and he he saw to our set. There were
eighteen people on that night. We were seventeens. The audience
were pretty tired. We got up, We're so excited. We
talked a bit too fast we bumbled up a couple
of jokes, but we did pretty well, and you and
(02:22):
Gilmore said, You've got to keep doing this. He called
us the talll and Dean of comedy, which I had
no idea whole and Dean were and I had to
go home and research him. So I was just nodding
politely to him, but no, and you and just sort
of he spured us to keep going. And was that
(02:42):
same year the Classic Comedy Bar in Auckland open, and
then we sort of moved to there, and then Anna
went her separate ways into another career, and I just
kept doing stand up. So even though the first gig
wasn't that good, I just got the bug.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Nice, nice, Well, you've been all over the place, and
by that we mean performed all over the excuse me,
performed all over the place. We're the most favorite and
or strangest places you've performed.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Well, so I'd say my favorite was when I was
invited to just the last comedy festival. I was in
a show that was hosted by Joan Rivers, who's sort
of like epic woman who spanned many decades and got
to perform with amazing comedians over there, and the strangest
(03:35):
was actually a gag I was booked for at SkyCity
Grand and the lineup was myself, the hip hop artist Savage,
and buzz Aldron, who was the third man on the moon.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Wow, you're kidding.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
It's a very interesting lineup. Who's Savage and I have
a reasonably similar crossover an audience, Buzz, but sixty five
sixty five plus year old space nerd don't usually like
New Zealand hip hop that much. So I went out
(04:13):
and I sort of did my bit. Buzz Aldron came
out and he actually he was quite funny. And you
remember Neil Armstrong got on the moon person it was
one step the man, one giant leap to mankind. Buzz
Aldron when he got out of the rocket he had
planned something to say he was the last person out
(04:34):
of the rocket. He got out, shut the door and
patted his space suit, went I left the keys and good.
He actually had a joke plan and it was sous.
He did his sort of space talk. I was him
seeing so I didn't need to do comedy, but I
got a little bit out there, and you know I
(04:56):
had to go thanks to buzz Aldron. Now can you
please give it up for Savage. He comes out and
is just performing amazingly, give a all he's got, and
then these sort of slow space nerds are filing out.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
So that is too funny for in the career.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
That spanned some very crazy gigs. But that's what I
like about it because every day feels free.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Oh man, that's a funny story. You're you're naturally just
a very funny man died just to talk to you. Actually,
because buzz Aldron's are really prickly character. He really pretty character.
And there was a guy approaching him, you can see
this on YouTube, walked up to him and said, so
how is it to fake something like the moon landing?
And he just punches the guy fear in the face.
He just clocked him and the spects him right in
(05:43):
the chops. Yeah, it's brilliant because he was pretty old
and he.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Got the the you don't sort of question him. Yeah,
he was very I was just happy. He was actually
a very fascinating I love space and he is a
fascinating man to listen to.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yeah, yeah, I love space too. Who do you find funny?
Can you can you name three of the funniest people
that you just love to listen.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
To and what so to me, it's actually the sort
of same as almost when I started out. As my
earliest influences, the late great Robin Williams is he is
just I love his stand up. I just grew up
on his stand up, as well as the early Eddie Murphy,
(06:28):
and more recently there's an American comedian called Theo Vaughn
who I'm really enjoying, sort of in terms of a
current comedian, but also what I love is I've been
gigging around New Zealand a lot, doing lineup shows in
small towns in that just the quality of New Zealand
comedy and seeing it evolve and flourish over the last
(06:51):
twenty five years has been so joyful. It's so diverse,
there is a different style for whatever you're into, and
I'm so super proud to be part of the scene.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Hey, the Life of Die your book, how hard was
it to write there? But because I presume you were
going through chemo throughout that, weren't you?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah, it was tough because there was obviously the beautiful
part of looking back on a sort of illustrious career
and the privilege of amazing people. I've had the joy
to call friends and work with. But then there was
the other side of it, which has been my journey
with incurable cancer, and I was doing treatment at the time,
(07:31):
plus I was sort of, you know, bringing up pretty
traumatic events of sort of six about heavy rounds of surgery,
twenty rounds of chemo. By the time I finished the book,
I've done six more since then. But throughout it all,
it's very much to do with tips for people who
(07:52):
either have friends who are going through cancer or family,
or tips for patients. So there's a lot of actual
tangible takeaways, which are things I use. Breathing techniques, meditation techniques.
I use so to sort of keep my head focused,
because my motto in the life and especially in this
(08:13):
diagnosis is that optimism won't cure me, but pessimism will
kill me. So I need to keep optimistic, hopeful and smiling.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I read one of your stories a while ago, mate,
and it was very powerful because you're I'm sure you
were of the situation with my darling wife going through
that end. Yes, you made the comment, and I thought
it was so apt because a lot of people don't
touch on it, but you said it was a family
diagnosis and without wanting to you know, you know, I
certainly don't want to upset you or anything, but how
have your wife and your children coped? I mean, like
(08:50):
it is a family diagnosis, And the biggest thing for
me watching my wife get so sick and eventually passed
was I was so brift because I loved her so much,
but also for her, watching the pain that she had
to endure. It's something that unless you've walked that journey,
you can't ever imagine. You think you can, but you can't.
And oh man, it's just at times just crippling. I
(09:10):
couldn't find any optimism. Sometimes still struggle to. So how
are your wife and your children doing?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
No these things as you know they are. It's so heavy,
Like I just realized this was really a family diagnosis
because I have the painful side of it, regarding treatment
and all that, but the mental side of it is
just as hard on a partner like my wife is
(09:37):
when I'm doing chemo, doing these treatments, She's holding the
thought down, she's looking after the kids. And then there's
also well, it's not just the disease, is the guilt
I have the guilt I bought this in to the
family even though I know it's not my fault and
it's never a fault of a person who's got a disease.
(10:01):
But we're humans. That's how we often think, and we
can always go to the negative. Of course, your partner
is looking forward to the future and the things might
not work out. So it's so heavy, and I think
it's just a reminder to everyone that when you're going
about your daily life, you never know what people are
(10:22):
going through. So I think you just need to bring
a little bit more kindness and a little bit more
empathy and a bit more love to your interactions because
someone might be a bit grumpy, they might cut you
off or whatever in traffic, but it's not because of you.
They could be going through the heaviest things in the world,
and I just would love it if there was a
(10:44):
bit more empathy and a bit more love out there.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Well we'll have more of that, of course in your book,
The Life of Die, which is available in all good
bookstores now. But what do you hope that readers will
get out of your book, Die?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I really hope that they will get sort of equal
measures of laster thoughtfulness and tips to lead a more
positive and happy life. Regardless of whether they're someone who
is dealing with a chronic illness or they're just someone
(11:17):
who needs to just shift their mental perspective. I really
feel there are some good tools in there. And also
just because of the nature of who I am as
a human, there's plenty of laughs in there as well.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
You know, I genuinely find you an inspirational character because
you're walking this thing, and unless, as I say, you're
in it, you'll never know what you deal with. Can
I ask you one more quick question before we take
a break. It's very personal, but do you get scared
in the middle of the night at two am in
the morning, it's pitch black, everyone's asleep, and you're lying
there in your own thoughts.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Yes, I.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Talk about how I'm positive, I'm often laughing and so forth,
But don't you worry. I get scared. I cry. I
get often with fear in the middle of the night.
Actually comes anger, like a lot of anger. Is why me?
I've always been a pretty healthy thing, ensure. I might
have had a few too many beers here and there,
(12:09):
might have had a bit of junk food in that,
but I just get angry as to why me? And
then I realized that the universe is just events. It's
not fair or unfair. And it's how I respond to
this cancer that defines me. The cancer doesn't define me.
It's how I respond to it. And it's sort of
(12:31):
given me a deeper spirituality. And I honestly actually feel
like a happier person than I've ever been. But yes,
the fear the middle of the night, it's the worst
time to wake up. That's when your mind is really bother. Mate.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
I hear that you're a beautiful man, mate, did as
our guest for six and a Song. The new book
is called The Life of Diets and Bookstores. Now we're
back in a month with some rapid fire questions. This
is your station, Newstalks edb Newstalk's edb our guest for
six and a Song is Die Heinwood's book is called
The Life of Die in Bookstores. So again, mate, thank
you very much for time. These are rapid fire questions.
(13:08):
Do I see a bit to be funny or we
cut you off? That's how it works, like the Big
Red here, what's one place you never get tired.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Of the one place I never get tired of? Going
to Chipmunks A kids playground. I'm going with kids, by
the way, because I see my kids being happy. They're
hooning around having a blast, and I can coffee.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Hey, what's one of the nicest compliments you've ever received?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
The nicest compliments I've ever received was I someone came
up to me and they said, you were an absolute legend.
I love you. I think you're one of the best
warriors halfbacks ever. I had to say, sorry, I'm not tasty, Joan.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
It's the eyebrows. He was my next door nam And
by the way, I can say things like that.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Guy.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
If you had the power to change one thing in
your world, well, actually that's a dumb question because I
know what that would be. But I'll ask you when,
as you could have the power to change one thing
in your world, what would it be.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Look, if it wasn't just zapping away my cancer, it
would be that everyone loves each other. Regardless of what
they believe or who they vote for. They put that
aside and just love each other and create happy and
solid communities.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
That's lovely, mate. Hey, what's something you thought was important
when you were young, but as you got older you
realized it's not so important.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Really, The people at bars and nightclubs thought I was cool.
And when I was young, you can probably see a
few photos in the book. I really experimented with some
outfits that I definitely regret. Now I realized what matters
more as being entirely comfortable and possibly imbid by ten
(14:53):
per years. What.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
There's plenty to be proud of in your career thus far,
But what are you personally most proud of.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I'm most proud of the fact that I realized he
actually helps people. I thought when I started out that
comedy was just sort of talking rubbish and moving on.
But I had an interaction with a fan years ago
who said her partner had passed away very recently. She
was young, he was young as well, and she said,
(15:23):
tonight you made me laugh, and laughter is an involuntary reaction,
and it just took my mind away from a sad
place I was at. So that was when I realized,
I'm super proud of being a comedian because it can
actually help people.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Good on you, mate, that's lovely. If you could invite
any one person still alive for dinner, who would that be.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
This is such a such a hard question because I
have so many people on my list, I have to
say it would be the Delai Lama. Oh okay, he
is meant to be so funny, he is meant to
be this And because I have a very interesting Eastern
(16:07):
spiritual religion and he also apparently is just hilarious. I
watch a little video with him and Desmond too too
actually and they were really they were Yeah, they were
like two comedians setting it was brilliant.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
That's fantastic. No, And finally, mate, we're just going to
finish with your song choice very because you strike me
as a reasonably eclectic sort of a person, both with you,
the books, you read, your interest in I guess your music.
So what song have you chosen in?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Why? Please? I have chosen Night Moves by.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Both great song.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
This is just as just one of those songs, you know,
when I think of it, I know when I love
a good song. You're right, I have a very eclectic
taste in music. But Night Moves is the song when
I'm sitting in my car about to like, you know,
plug the thing in and listen to something when I'm driving,
and when I can't find a song, I always end
(17:04):
up on Night Moves and I love it. It just
evokes the perfect Mitch in the song where you get
happiness and maybe a little underlying sadness at the same time.
I just I love it.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Mate, We have loved chatting with you. Dye's book is
in stores now. It's called The Life of Die, and
thank you for writing it, thank you for being so
candid about your experience, and we just wish you every success.
My doctor said with my wife's diagnosis many years ago,
he said, never see yourself as a statistic and so
I echoed those sentiments to you, mate, and you're doing
so well, and long may that continue. God bless you
(17:39):
Die and thanks for your time.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Cured to mate, Thank you, Simon.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Fans Change Die Henwood and this is night Moves that
News Talks 'DB.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
But again we're again.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
For more from Simon Barnett and James Daniels afternoons. Listen
live to News Talk set B, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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