010. JOHN ALTEN [VIDEO]

WELCOME BACK! Crew Table returns for 2025 with an electrifying new episode to kick off the year!

This week, we’re joined by John Alten, a veteran Master of Ceremonies who has brought charisma and class to over 2,000 weddings. With decades of experience creating unforgettable celebrations, John reveals his secrets to captivating audiences, shares the highs and lows of his career, and gives a glimpse into the world behind the microphone.

In a rare and deeply personal conversation, John reflects on a transformative chapter in his life and how it reshaped his perspective on resilience, purpose, and joy. From navigating life’s challenges to mastering the art of connection, this episode is packed with wisdom, humor, and authenticity.

Whether you’re a wedding pro or someone seeking inspiration, you don’t want to miss this heartfelt and compelling season opener. Let’s start 2025 with a bang—pull up a seat and join us!

Episode Transcript

(00:11):
Test 1-2 do the honours. It works.
Does it work? It's working.
Mr. John Elton, welcome to the career table.
How exciting. You know what every sound check
test 1/2. You do it right?
Yeah, you do it right. I did it right.
Why do you do that? There's a method behind the

(00:32):
madness, right? Are you going to make sure that
Mike is not reverbing at a particular pitch or you're not
sounding wrong? But why test 12222 'cause you
don't do that too often, but 222222?
Well, one is a flat a flat number and two has it in it, so

(00:53):
it tells you whether you're going to red line on the gains
or not. Bro I'm convinced half his MCS
just do it because they feel like they have people like.
Worldwide. I won't get into that.
I'll let that fly. We're going to get into it bro,
whether you like. Offs or off?
I'm actually going to read the intro because I was really proud
when I wrote it. OK.
I tried to memorise them but I'mgoing to do you the honours so.

(01:14):
OK. John Elton Professional has a
name for himself as one of Australia's leading wedding MCS
known for his commanding presence, assertiveness and
unparalleled experience. John brings years of experience
to wedding coordination and styling as well to the table,
making him a go to for couples seeking perfection on their big
day. But John's story goes far beyond

(01:37):
the wedding industry. Also an accomplished real estate
agent and a man who's faced overcome many personal and
workplace balance battles. His unique ability is to inspire
and connect. So today we'll dive into your
multifaceted career. OK.
I want to get to know John Eltonbeyond the MC.

(01:58):
That's my goal today. I actually want to know a lot
about your insight with the weddings that you've done and
weddings that you've seen because I, I obviously fact
checked with you your 2025 yearsexperience around that, which is
anything above the 20 year racket point I find insane

(02:18):
because it's a lot of time, it'sa lot of big stories, it's a lot
of fuck ups, it's a lot of greataccomplishments and.
We can say the F word. Yeah, we can say whatever you
want on this table cheese, but our industry has no roof.
There is no point to reach the top.

(02:38):
There is. The climb will always continue.
So when you're in this game for 20 to 25 years, for people
listening that don't understand is what it just means is a whole
lot of resource, which is why you are who you are is why
you're at where you're at. I think there is a top, but the
problem is when you get to the top, it's about changing things
again. So you can't, you can't get to

(02:59):
the top and just stay there and think, yeah, I'm high on the
purge, I'm fine, I'm good. I think when it's harder at the
top than it is trying to get there and I.
Why? Because you got to, we got to,
you got to innovate, you got to change things up.
You got to say things differently, do things
differently. For yourself or for business?
Across the board in business, when you're at the top, you've

(03:21):
always got to innovate. You don't.
I mean, I know everyone's going to go, oh, so it's a weird ass
example, but look at Coke. Coke had one formula, but they
then said, well, we're at the top of our formula game.
So what other what? What else can we do?
Do you have to answer? Bro, Coke didn't just want more
money. Yeah, but you can't get more
money without innovating. Yeah.

(03:42):
You can't ask for more. You can't request more.
You can't value yourself more. And I think this is the thing
with the industry at the moment.Yeah.
See, you've opened up a bad can of worms here.
No, it's a great I. I think, I think what's happened
of late is that not just the wedding industry, but most
industries, there isn't a value placed on oneself to be in that
particular industry. I think people are just pricing

(04:03):
themselves to try and get to #1 or try and get to the top.
That's not how you do it, I think.
I think there's a, there's a level of the true that goes with
it, a level of professionalism. And I think a lot of people are
pissing on the craft. Yeah.
I mean, take what I do for as anexample.
I mean, at the end of the day, Ican't be everywhere.
Every single weekend they're thinking you.

(04:25):
But the guys out there that are coming new, I think to myself,
man, some of them, I want to piss them, piss on them if
they're on fire. I know it's a bad thing to say,
but there's an element, there's a craft.
You need to respect the craft. Well, what are the flaws that
you're seeing in your industry as a master of ceremonies?
Plagiarism. OK, plagiarism is the biggest 1

(04:47):
script kind of. Structure, pretty much
everything, mannerisms, scripts.But at the end of the day,
there's a difference between plagiarism and someone actually
looking up to you, right? But then again, is there because
at the end of the day, when you're looking up with someone
that that someone's going to be in, in your head, whether you
like it or not, have all the people to look up to.

(05:08):
Absolutely. As a presenter, as a video guy,
absolutely. Of course I do Steve Harvey,
Karl Sanderlands, Karl Stefanovic, John Laws as an
example for me. But I don't go and copy what
they say. I need to be very clear on
making things me rather than. How do you make your you?

(05:32):
Just be genuine, I reckon. Just sometimes it's innate.
It's a what? Sorry, like it's, it's, it's
inbuilt in you, it's innate. Yeah, it it's, it is, I think.
But sometimes for me and most people don't know is I'm, I'm
contrary to the contrary to the belief is I'm, I'm pretty much a
private guy. I like, I like things being

(05:52):
private. My, my suit that I put on on a
weekend, on a weekday or wherever, whatever event I'm
doing, whether it's a wedding ora corporate event, that's my, I
used to call that my super suit.That's my, that's my, that's my
safety net, right? Yeah.
People would think I'm probably arrogant.
I'm not arrogant. I'm just at a, at a particular
point where I want to do a job. That suit is my go time.

(06:17):
So I work with you often and I actually can see that side,
which is why I think we get along because if if I was to
believe what the persona is, maybe we wouldn't get along
because that's that's not my cupof tea kind of person.
You, you do have that kind of, Iguess you can say I can.
I not that I can see where people are coming from.

(06:38):
However, I can see where the blurred lines is with
confidence. Confidence to some people can
sometimes bleed into arrogance. I disagree with it, but I can
see how people are confused because maybe intellect's not
there or they just didn't botherto get to know a person.
I totally agree with what you just said.
Definitely don't think you're arrogant you're actually quite a

(06:58):
very nice person This don't tellanyone no.
I'm actually going to say it because and I take who I bring
on here quite seriously, particularly now we're in the
beginning face, right? Yeah, we're under 20.
Congrats, by the way. Thanks, bro.
I appreciate it. We're under 20 listeners.
So I, I, I really didn't want tobring on just anyone and to have

(07:19):
like chats and just blow, blow it up.
But the reason why I really wanted to have you on this
conversation is I think that there is a misleading factor of
who you may be perceived as and who you actually are.
And I want to kind of get to thecrux of it as well As for me to
take the chance to know you. Good.
But do you, how would you address that, that you find that

(07:39):
confidence as you have to be confident as an MC who is going
to get up and host a wedding no matter what scale it is and not
be confident as an MCA. You want your MCA to be
confident, but then how do you deal with that?
I'll, I'll let you know a littlesecret.
I couldn't get in front of my parents to read a letter that
came in the mail for them. I couldn't even read a letter.
Yeah. I think for me, wiring has a lot

(08:05):
to do with who we are. So we're wired and this is, you
know, this is a very deep rabbithole perhaps, but we're, we're
wired in a particular way when we're when we're born by our
parents and. Do you believe in nature or
nurture? Both.
OK, continue what we're saying. So I believe in both.
Random question, but hey, I believe.

(08:26):
In so so random. I, I think sometimes we, we're
born to be something, but our parents sort of hold us off and
wire us in a way, OK, probably tells us we shouldn't be doing
that or we shouldn't be dating that person or, you know, we
shouldn't be drinking alcohol. We shouldn't be doing this.
But I think for me, perhaps my way of exerting my confidence,

(08:49):
maybe I did it wrong in the beginning.
Maybe I should have been a nicerguy.
But in terms of trying to get people to, to like me more, but
that was a problem with me. I wanted everyone to like me
growing up. I wanted to be that that star
kid that everyone loved. Oh, John, John, John.
But can I tell you, you know, the, the, the older you get, the
quicker you realise that these guys don't pay your bills.

(09:10):
Yeah. Not only that.
And the smaller of the circle people you call your friends is
probably even better. The better it is, absolutely
100%. And, and for me, confidence is
one of the greatest things in the world because that leads to
a lot of things. Example, you know, networking,
you know, I think you feel without confidence, you can't

(09:31):
network without confidence, you can't stand out.
And I think that that for me wasthe biggest thing.
How do I stand out from the crowd?
It's always been my thing. You know, for a while I tried
standing out with a different jacket that I wore to an event
or a, or a lapel bit a bit of lapel jewellery or a, or a or a,
or a tie. But then I thought, you know
what, that's sometimes being theloudest in the room is not

(09:55):
really the key thing. My confidence comes from my
confidence comes from my upbringing pretty much.
To be honest with you. My confidence came from a set of
female cousins that I've got awesome who used to, I remember
used to dance a lot and listen to music a lot, whereas my
wiring was in your room and study.

(10:18):
And here are my cousins on the other side listening to music,
dancing. So when we'd go to their house,
I'll be in their room listening to music.
Before I knew it, and maybe not to the liking of my parents, I
became ADJ. Fuck, didn't know that.
Yeah, I, I was a DJ for many years.
No way. Absolutely.

(10:38):
I DJ Ed. What was your genre on choice?
Pretty much Top 40 R&B 80s. OK, yeah, it was pretty much
R&B. Yeah.
It's like you. Didn't look like a house DJ, no.
I can't do that. I can, but I can't.
Yeah, but I've I've still got all of all of vinyl.
Far out I've. Still got most of my vinyl and I
I. Genuinely didn't know that,

(10:58):
Didn't no. Wow and I remember back then my
brother bought me my first ever turntables.
John, we have so many similarities.
It's stupid because my brother bought me my first like camera
when I started out. Right.
And I was, but the the one thingthat we were opposite about is
my mum always was like go, keep going, strive.

(11:22):
She doesn't push me to like kindof.
Wiring. Wiring is what leads to many
people. Again, we're down the rabbit
hole, but what pre, pre wired dispositions is what leads many
males, males, even females to experience greater forms of
emotional distress in the forms of anxiety and all that sort of

(11:45):
stuff. But that's that's a big rabbit.
Hole I know, I'm I know I'm harping on confidence for a
little bit, but for me, the reason why it's important and
the reason why I want to kind oftouch on it is because we're two
guys at a table, right? And as men, we should be
confident, right? We should be providers.
We're taught to be this, we're taught to be that.

(12:06):
And I agree with all of the above.
I'm not here to fight it. I myself always wish I'm more
confident than what I am. I always struggle with it.
Sometimes I feel like I'm a confident guy.
I feel like I have presence in the room when I really try for
it doesn't come naturally. So it's always something that I
personally try to strive towards.

(12:26):
And there's areas where I'm not as confident than others.
And you know, it's, it's something that's my life's
journey and a lot of people's life's journey.
And I feel like a lot of men might listen to this and even
women that resonate with that because confidence to me is an
asset. And it's something that
shouldn't be kind of, it's not ajuxtaposition.
So it shouldn't be placed next to something that's not what it

(12:47):
is, right? It's not arrogance, it's not
rude, it's not exclusive. It's just it is what it is.
You can be confident and happy. You can be confident and warm.
You can be confident and kind. And one thing.
And also be confident and sad. You know that. 100%.
So you know, that that that super suit that I put on when I
get back in that car and drive home, I'd, I'd, I'd sort of

(13:11):
become a reclusive guy back intomy shell.
See, confidence is confidence isso important.
And you know, as parents, my wife and I, we try and instil
that in our kids, trying to get emotional.
I think, I think, I think confidence in children is the
most paramount thing you can do.How do you teach your boys that?

(13:33):
Stand up for themselves. You have three boys.
Two boys. Sorry, I wanted.
I wanted 3. Two boys.
The wife pulled the handbrake up.
Rania, we're not going to rap you at home.
I love. You her comment was you want a
third you can have it with someone else.
I said that's what I said to my wife.
So how do you teach your boys confidence?

(13:57):
To get them to learn things on them by themselves and for
themselves. OK, You know, like give an
example. My son was got a Lego thing the
other day. It's a scientific little Lego
thing. Dad, can you help me?
Well, I can, but I'm not going to mate.
Why? You're my dad.
You should help me. I said I'm your dad.
I'm going to help you by lettingyou help yourself.

(14:19):
And again, growing up, I didn't get that everything was done for
me. Everything was done.
And that's what we that's the problem with confidence that
that's a problem for getting prewired by your parents.
Your parents don't mean to wire you that way.
The loving, you know, ethnic nature of our parents do it
automatically because they thinkthat's what it's all about.
But it's not it it it's a case of letting our children try and

(14:44):
fend for themselves to a particular point and then and
then saying, hey, what are you? Did you do it right?
Did you not do it right? Yeah.
So of course I'm gonna go in andhelp you.
But I'm gonna help him when he doesn't understand the point
where, you know, he can't. He can't.
He can't help himself. Yeah.
Yeah. But he has to learn to problems
problem solve. Every child has to you've.
Done over 2800 weddings we. Had this conversation.

(15:08):
We had this conversation. 2822 Weddings.
That is a lot of weddings and that doesn't include events and
corporate whatever. Has there been moments where
confident has not been your greatest throughout that journey
of not being in MC? No.
No, I'll tell you why, because I, I think this is where, this
is where I think a lot of peopleneed to revalue or re evaluate

(15:34):
who they choose to be part of this special day.
I take it, I take it a big deal that you're part of someone's
wedding day, right? Or or or a corporate event or
whatever it is. If if George John isn't that
confident photographer who I want in my face all day, then
why? Why Why would I even go for him?
Yeah, right. So that you're hired for a

(15:54):
particular reason. OK, don't get me wrong.
People hire us because we might be at the top of the bracket.
Great. But you know, for for me.
And for you? Well, no.
Well, I'm at the top of the bracket because I'll have that
confidence. I, I am that person that you go
to and that's what I truly believe.
You know, people should be hiring those that are at the top

(16:15):
of the at the top of the top of the bracket because they are the
best of what they. Do the skill.
It's simple as that, It's a goal.
Do we charge for confidence? No, but confidence is part of
your skill set. Yeah, the skill set, right.
So I'm just trying to what I'm trying to itch out is that,
listen, I'm going to be alive for I was going to say that I
wasn't, I definitely wasn't the most confident person at the

(16:37):
very start of my career. I would agree.
Maybe I could have given people that persona, but he maybe it
wasn't the truth. But what made you what?
What made me seem what me look at you and go, this guy's pretty
good. He's confident.
I'm confident now because I'm confident in my skill.
You're confident. It's confident in your work, so
your work speaks for itself. But at the start I wasn't.

(16:58):
So are you telling me at the very first 10 weddings you had
or the 1st 100 out of the 2800 was there every moment where you
like hands were shaking? Oh no, I.
I still get I still shake now, yeah, confidence If if I don't
shake now, I'm going to get complacent.
And when you when you become complacent and you walk around
like you're king dingaling, you're going to make a mistake.

(17:20):
Yeah. You may not even take the the
the the photo that you're supposed to be taking.
I might say a different name than what's on what's on the
shape yeah. But you, you, you got to be on
your A game 24/7. Whether you do we like do we
make mistakes? Absolutely yeah.
And I, I make them. Yeah, absolutely.
But you're. Human.
We're human. We want to make mistakes per SE

(17:41):
these days, but but but that, that's what I truly believe.
I think a lot of the confidence comes from your work and you
need to sit. Everyone needs to sit back and
and think to themself, you know what?
My work is shit hot. Whether you're a photographer,
videographer, whether you're an editor, whether you're a an MC,
whether you're a ACEO, whether you're a marketing director,

(18:02):
whether you're a real estate professional, there's a point
where you got to go, OK, I'm shit hot, but let's keep my
myself in check and not not bounce around and think I'm king
dingling. Out of curiosity, when you got
married to Rania, your wedding was I'd call it a fairy tale.
It was. It was a very, very, I'd call it

(18:24):
a fairy tale because of your wife.
Was it was her birthday party tosay you know, right, Was
actually her birthday December 5.
She is so selfless. I would never share my birthday
with anything, especially my wife.
My birthday is my birthday but I'm just mucking around.
Did your influence as a groom atthat time shift?

(18:46):
Are you treated weddings after the fact of your wedding?
Now, like you, I, I went into everyone and we didn't have a
wedding planner. So I was, I was the wedding
planner, of course. Yeah.
And I said to Ranya, there's only one thing I'd like you to
organise, and that is your dress.
You did the rest. I did everything else, yeah.
It's your it. Well, it's your butt, right?

(19:09):
But yeah, but, but again, I wanted something different.
You know, I was offered, I was offered a free wedding.
No way. No, the answer was no, that's
stupid. No, because at the end of the
day, when I say free wedding on a venue, a venue approached us
and said, yeah, we'd like to do your wedding pro bono.
I said no. I said as much as I respect you
guys and love you guys, I can't,I can't do that because it's not

(19:31):
in our nature. In fact, every single person, we
didn't ask for a discount. We didn't ask a dollar.
Yeah, where that person chose to, it's up to them.
But. But that's something I've got to
repay somewhere down the track. Yeah, Right.
So look, our wedding was amazing.
It was. Incredible.
I was actually going through yesterday.
Did you? Yeah, of course I was doing my
research, went through everything I saw in three

(19:52):
different places. You know, I, I, I designed that
room and the venue pushed back. Crosses.
Yes. So I had two crucifixes in the
room and the venue goes, oh, youcan't do that.
I said why? Oh, it hasn't been done and
there's no room. I said I'm gonna come down with
masking tape and we're gonna be doing, we're gonna, I'll show
you how it's gonna work. It's mad.

(20:13):
So I went down with. Her.
It was beautiful, it was stunning.
It was really. Beautiful.
It was amazing. And Rania looked amazing.
And even her vision with her dress and Steven, you know how
it all goes. But look, it, it it's it's one
day. Yeah, right.
This is what everyone's gonna remember.
It's but it still brings back that feeling.

(20:33):
That's The funny thing. Like even as we're talking about
it, you're not gonna, I'm not gonna lie.
Like you feel it. It's, it's, there's something
about it that just draws you back to that emotion.
It just doesn't. I agree.
I know. I think I remember most, I
remember a lot of a lot of my speech back then as well.
So when, when you're when you'renext to the right person, it, it

(20:54):
makes me a bit different. So Rania's been a bit of a
different different thing for me.
What's Rania's difference in your life like in what
differences she made so. Tough for me to talk about South
Rania was like a, a lifeline forme, right.

(21:18):
So we, you know, we were talkingabout car rage and all the rest
of it and, and I, I was going through a, a really bad time.
OK. So, you know, grown men don't
talk about this sort of stuff, but I think, I think the more

(21:40):
we, we, we sort of shed light ona few things, probably the
better we are. So I, I, I, I was married
before, right? So I I wasn't married for over
10 years. Never knew that.
Yeah, and you know how people talk about, oh, I'll go through
depression or I'll go through anxiety and that sort of stuff.
So I I was going through all that so.

(22:02):
But anxiety isn't a an emotion we feel, right?
Yeah. Everyone needs to be very clear
about this. And the person that told me this
is the person who I'm whom I went and saw.
Yes, John did go see a psychologist.
Yeah. But there there's a point where
you've got to put things on a table and talk about them

(22:23):
because they're important, right?
Yeah. So this is very important.
You ask me, what did Rania do? So I was at a particular point
in my life where where things weren't good, dark.
And as human beings, we feel 4 emotions, mad, sad, glad and

(22:46):
scared, right. So notice there's no anxiety in
between all those. Yeah, what anxiety is is one of
those four emotions that are. In combination.
One of them in particular that that's injected with steroids,
OK? Just the person who told me
about it, it's like turning the volume up on that particular
emotion. OK, so in my life, I was scared

(23:08):
on where I was going to end up. Was I ever going to get married
again? Was I ever going to have kids?
Was I going to be successful? Is am I going to get a divorce
and not be booked as an MC anymore?
Yeah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Do you? Think that was a trigger.
That was a trigger, absolutely. OK.
So that that that scared emotiontriggered my anxiety.

(23:32):
Where Ryan came in was Rania's. Like real.
Like very. You know Rania, right?
She's the fucking best. She can be A bit of a fruit
loop, but hey, what? I disagree.
What woman? What woman?
You're married to her, you're gonna have a different opinion.
But so Rania, Rania kept things real for me.
Yeah. So you've got to remember my my

(23:56):
40 odd years of wiring had to beuntangled and sort of rewired
again. Yeah.
And that's, that's what causes us to get into anxiety and
depression because you don't allow yourself to be rewired.
You don't allow yourself to be fixed.
You don't allow yourself to go talk to a a complete stranger

(24:16):
where you can just vomit everything that's in your in
your head. But then it took me to do that.
It took me to go talk to someone.
Yeah, it took me to let my barriers down.
Anyone that knows me knows I'm pretty much emotionally I a a
barrier guy. I just locked myself.
Off pretty levelled. Yeah, I'm, I'm, I, I locked
myself away. Yeah.

(24:37):
Brick wall. You can't touch me.
I can't touch you. Stay right the hell away.
I'm. I'm fine, thank you.
But in this instance, I let myself, I let my guards down a
bit. So I thought this this girl
looks like she's worth it. She thought I was just, you
know, out for a bit of fun. But I wasn't.
And that's where I think relationships tend to grow, is

(25:00):
when one of us is more vulnerable than the other or
both of us are vulnerable at thesame time for different reasons.
Yeah. And I think that's where that's
where her and I sort of gel really well.
That's so beautiful, man. I just want to, before we
continue, thank you for opening up on that because, you know,
mental health and males are justsomething that's taboo for some

(25:21):
reason. We're told to be strong.
Can't really talk about this stuff.
Yeah. And I didn't know if I was going
to or if I wanted to bring it up.
So I'm very grateful and honoured that you did because I
feel like it's important for people to hear it.
And, you know, it's not easy andit's not a comfortable space to
talk about. So.
Especially in a public forum. But I think I think we've

(25:43):
reached a point in our lives where if someone like me can
talk about it and I'm the one special, right?
I just. No, I was going to say it.
It is if someone, if someone like me can talk about it, then
then it should open the doors for anyone else to talk about.
And then the reason why I say this is very simple is because
I'm on stage all the time. And and this is what led to part

(26:06):
of my breakdown, part of to me being in a dark spot.
I would always be on. You know, I've got all.
That's the fucking struggle. That suit was.
That suit was my, my, my Cape. Yeah.
You know, Superman and Batman had their capes.
I wish I had, wish I had a mask sometimes.
Well theirs look fucking shit. Your suits are nice bro.
So, yeah, so and so look at the end of the day, it's it's it's

(26:32):
important that anyone out there struggle talk about it.
Stop me if you're not, if I reach to a point where you're
not comfortable, but. Yeah.
It's beautiful that Rania obviously helped you get to that
stage, but during that period, maybe prior to meeting Rania or

(26:52):
even during that process of of healing, was there a point where
it affected work? Yes.
In what way? Well, I thought it was going to
affect work until I reminded myself that that suit that I was
putting on was my super suit. And it's not fair.
It's not fair for anyone who's booked me or sitting in the

(27:14):
audience to, to, to see a different, a different part of
me. It's not fair.
It's not, it's not right for them to to experience the in the
dark John rather than always, always on John.
During a celebration, yeah. Absolutely, yeah, mate, you,
you, you. And that's and that's again part
reason why a lot of males, a lotof females, I'll say males in

(27:35):
this case, as I know a lot of them that are in that space and
won't even talk about it. They think there's a certain
persona they got to continue with.
Of course. Yeah.
But I'm here to tell you that the quicker you release and and
talk and share, the better it isfor you.
Now, if anyone was to be listening right now and maybe

(27:58):
going through that. Yeah.
Or if you were to educate someone who may, God forbid, go
through that, yeah. What are some, what was critical
points of your life going through that that helped that
change other than Rania? Like what was the point of
reaching out or walk me through it a little bit?
I moved out at home, OK, so I wasn't even when I got when I

(28:21):
got divorced, I didn't move backhome for a while, so.
He changed your environment. He's changed your environment,
change your diet, do things thatyou think that you wouldn't
expect yourself to do anyway. OK.
Because of I, I, I'm very shielded on who I sit with and
who I dine with and who I have awho I have a drink with you any.

(28:44):
I think you know that, but I think, I think the, the, the
more you open yourself up to certain people, the better, The,
the more you look at life and go, you know what life's good.
And, and there are people who are in the dark that don't, that
don't talk. They don't talk.
They just go on it. They, they, they have to get on
drugs, drink a lot of alcohol, eat excessively and stop

(29:09):
communicating. You ought to communicate.
Communication is, is key to everything.
It's it's the weirdest thing when you talk, things just open
up and happen. When you share, you're going to
get someone that goes, oh, yeah,you too.
So you never, ever feel you're the only one going through the
bit of darkness ever Because there's everyone has, we always

(29:35):
hear this. Everyone's got a cross that they
carry. You know, whether they're,
whether they are Christian or not Christian, it doesn't really
matter. He's a thing, right, Going
through mental illness. There is no, there is no
absolute, no distinguished distinguishment between whether
you're a Christian or Muslim or Buddhist or black or white or

(29:56):
orange or green, or whether you live in Vaucluse or live in
Auburn or live in WA or live here in NSW.
There is no, there is no discrimination.
And that's what everyone needs to get over.
Yeah, you know. It's incredibly powerful that
this is being brought up, by theway.
Yeah, look, and I just, I can probably go on for hours.
It's oh, don't. Stop yourself mate, just keep

(30:18):
going. It's, it's so important.
I don't want to take out the next 365 days worth of guests
you've got coming on. But no.
But in all seriousness, people need to look.
If you can't afford to go see someone, ring me.
Ring like, ring me, ring someonelike.
I'm I'm telling you, it's I haven't got the answers right.

(30:42):
And here's the thing, psychologists and psychiatrists
don't give you the answer. They just help you walk through.
It they help you unravel the tangle, the tanglement that
you've got the wiring. You remember, I always get like
this wiring thing, right. If you open up a computer, the
old school computers is why it'sfloating everywhere.
They're all tangled. And that's how we are when we're
when we're in distress, we're all we're all in a tangle.

(31:05):
We don't know where to go, what to say in front of you know,
George ought to act like I'm, I'm a super cool.
I'm a super cool kind of guy when really I'm struggling with
the shootouts. So I say to everyone out there,
if you're going through a bit ofdarkness, the beautiful thing is
there's always light. Yeah, there's always, there's

(31:27):
light galore. How you find that light is going
to be up to you. I'm going to beg people, beg
everyone is to not take medicine, Do not get on the
meds. Doctors are gonna listen to this
and go, this guy needs meds for saying that, right?
But I'm gonna tell you I. Was gonna fucking ask the
question man, but I didn't. I didn't know if it was gonna

(31:48):
be. Yeah.
Did I take meds? No.
Yeah, 'cause. Was it?
Was it prescribed? In a broadcast and we're on a
public platform and we've already opened up this
conversation and you know it's it's like I said beautifully,
you've done that but you know there is someone out there's
many people out there that that suffer with mental health
equally as much as people sufferwith physical health.

(32:08):
And I was going to say like, what was that journey that
before you? And did you medicate?
Did you not medicate? But.
No, I didn't medicate. Was I prescribed the medication?
Absolutely. Why are you against it?
I know a family member that was and I can say the pros and cons
which is why I asked the question.
Let me give you another goosebumps.
Now, I coached my son's soccer team this year, right?

(32:31):
Yeah. And I'm a big, I'm a big
football fan, right? That's in soccer.
And there was one kid on his on his team that suffered ADHDI
didn't know this right? But I kept asking what's wrong
with his kid? Woman, he's on.
Woman he's off. Woman he's on.
Woman, he's off. I saw his dad at the at the

(32:53):
what's called pathways tryouts last year last week.
And I said to him, I go listen, just tell me what's why.
Why is your son off today? Because you know why he goes.
Why? Because my son and my daughter,
my wife gave him the meds this morning.
I just like plateaus them you feel like it just.
It zones you. Out.
It zones them out. I I I didn't want to take any

(33:15):
meds because I wanted to feel. I don't know enough about it.
Yeah, I don't want to preface that.
So I, I'm just, I'm just itchingoff you because I just, I'm, I'm
trying. To I don't know about and I'm
not, I'm not going to sit here and tell you what the chemical
makeup of these, these things are.
But when he told me his kid is mellow because of the meds and
he's not playing his greatest game and hence the reason why he

(33:36):
didn't make the 1st division sign, you know, it brought back
memories when I was told to takethe meds.
Now, the reason why I didn't take the meds was I wanted to be
present in my rectification, right?
I wanted to be present when I went to church and I turned to

(33:56):
God a lot more than as well. They I'm, I'm, I'm not AI wasn't
a bubble basher or you know, I don't know where 14 crucifixes.
I, I, I didn't do that. I think if you believe in a God,
whatever God you want to believein, and you believe that
strongly, there's no reason for you to go be vocal and, and, and
be Hallelujah or about at 24/7 And you do it in your own

(34:18):
private life and do it and you do it well.
And it took me back to me being where I was in the darkness with
this little kids story. And I thought, man, that's the
reason why I didn't take it. I wanted to be present.
I wanted to if I'm having a conversation with George, it's
that going to be a conversation I'm going to remember, not be
spaced out and and so cool and chilled.

(34:39):
Just going through the passage of time.
And This is why, you know, the alcohol thing is also another,
another thing, you know, I know we're having a bit of a drink
today, which is, which is cool. But again, when we drink
alcohol, we, we tend to drop ourbarriers.
We tend to be loose in what we are.
We tend to say things a lot morethan what what what we do.

(34:59):
So for me, this is medicine, alcoholism, medicine, but people
use it to medicate themselves. So for me, alcohol and these
tablets were almost on the same level they.
Just kind of change your. One has a different effect,
yeah. One I've got to take every
single day. It's almost like every drug
though, you can say. And this is the thing with

(35:19):
drugs, you know, and I, and I'vedread the day I've got to start
this discussion with my boys. And you know, it's, it's already
started. But you know, with this whole
mental health and drugs, man, the only way to heal is to talk,
share, talk to a stranger. As I said before, I'm sure my
number's all over this, all overthe place.

(35:41):
Hey guys, if you don't have it, I'll send it.
Call me, I'll keep them busy. Coming up on the screen here,
call, call me because look, you,you can't talk to someone who
hasn't about mental health, hasn't gone through it.
Look, you can and you can't. But the more of us that come a
bit, come, come out and say it, and you'll be surprised how many
heavy hitters out there have gone through mental health, you
know? So I think it's definitely more

(36:02):
common than not. Absolutely.
I just think it's never spoken about.
So, you know, if anyone, if, if someone was to, if one person,
if I'm going to save one person today, yeah.
Or by the time this person listens to this podcast, then
I'm, I'm, I'm happy because it'ssuch a bad place to be.
But here's the thing, right? You got to action you, you can't

(36:26):
expect John or George or anyone in this world to talk to and
expect them to get you out of that darkness.
You got to search for life. You know, you can't be a
mushroom all your life and be indarkness.
Mushrooms eventually end up coming out in the sunlight as
well, even though they've grown in darkness and, and, and you
know, the old, old antiges, you know, diamonds aren't made

(36:49):
unless they're under pressure. Yeah.
So I feel like I've been under pressure for a long time.
And I feel that I'm, I'm, I'm shining in ways I probably
didn't shine before. And I and I don't want to shine
a lot more than than what I havebeen in the past, so.
That's fucking incredible. Mental health's a big thing.
Big thing. That is bloody incredible again.

(37:12):
But look, it's, it's, it's an emotional, emotional thing to
talk about. It's not easy.
It's, it's and I, I'm laughing about it because I don't want to
go back into the I don't want toregress and and go back into,
into my emotional statement. And tap into that.
But I'm going to be very clear, you, you got to action.
You can't go all poor me, poor me.
Yeah. He's he's a thing.
No one gives a shit. I'm telling you no one gives a

(37:36):
shit unless you give a shit about yourself.
And if I see someone give a shitabout themselves then then up to
8 help even more. Man, I can look at your life as
like, you know, in the grand scheme of things now or in the
hindsight, and you clearly got yourself out of, you know, bad
space, met a beautiful human being.
My family didn't know what you're.
Connected. My my brothers didn't know.

(37:57):
No way. They're probably going to find
out if they listen to this. My parents didn't know.
Let's. See if they listen right, you
can get that text message I'm. Sure, I'm sure Ryan will send
him the link, don't worry. But.
You know, you connected with a beautiful human and started this
beautiful family and you have two beautiful boys and that's a
product of that, right? It's not the it's not the goal
for getting out of the darkness,but it's definitely the

(38:19):
beautiful side of it. 100% there's no silver bullet for
getting out of the darkness. There's no silver bullet for
anything in life, Right. And that's why there are many
factors that go in. It could be God, it could be
diet, it could be extra sleep, it could be distancing yourself
from certain people. And.
And I've learnt to cut people out of my life who I think are

(38:40):
toxic. We are telling them they're
toxic. I just, yeah.
Just distant. John, Well, you've been, I've
been busy, you know. Yeah, so.
And as you grow older, your circle of friends become
smaller. But do I have a lot of people
that I know? Absolutely, yeah.
Quality of a quantity? Absolutely, yeah.
But you know what? Everyone goes through mental
health in a different way. You know, I've got someone who's

(39:04):
a family member going through itnow.
And no matter what I say or no matter what his sister says to
him. It's just not that stage yet.
It's not it, it, it's not that stage because his set of
circumstances are a lot different to what mine were.
Mine were over a divorce. Mine, he's a a totally different
mate. And that's where I say to
everybody, just the conversation's got to start and

(39:27):
it's got to be from the beginning.
I've got to ask a couple more questions with you.
I'm sure there's. There's more than a couple, but
there's more for me to kind of understand.
And there's a lot of things I want to understand about your
placement in the wedding industry because.
And not just your placement in the wedding industry, but
there's a lace on it. Yeah.
Because because you're in, you're in, you're in MC, but you

(39:48):
also can coordinate, but you also offer styling coordination.
How did the evolution come about?
It started. It started with a friend of
mine. His sister was getting married.
At Miramar Gardens. And she wanted something
different. And I pushed him to go to

(40:09):
Miramar Gardens. Oh, yeah.
But I want something different. I said, yeah, I don't.
I don't know what came out of mymouth and why it came.
I said, why don't we do? Why don't we do an outdoor
wedding? And she was like, I'm in.
And she wanted something shabby chic.
But her wiring, again, I'm goingto go back to this wiring thing.
Her wiring. Her parents wouldn't.

(40:31):
And they come from a, a village in Lebanon called Zarta, right?
We know what they're like very hardcore, which we which we
love. They wouldn't, they wouldn't
know what shabby chic is. But she weren't shabby chic.
And I got her. Yeah.
And so I designed this outdoor fairy tale for her.
She loved it. Mad.

(40:51):
And everyone was like, we can't wait to see what you're doing
next. So you had the urine and you had
the itch to do what? Oh, absolutely.
And you pitched. It but I don't want to do just
for anything of yeah. Because you don't do it like I
would say the crazy amount of volume and I feel like it is
selective and I feel like every time you do do what it screams
your name. So I'm like, how did this guy
manage to choose? Is it?

(41:15):
What did you do? You choose your clients who you
want to style for I. Choose.
Choose will make me sound arrogant.
Yeah. But no, I don't.
I don't. What I mean is like how do you
select A quiet because once if someone doesn't want to book you
for it? Well, it's it's got they're
going to be different. They're going to not want to
come to me with, you know, 55 photos of someone else's wedding
that they designed, not one of my weddings that I've done and

(41:38):
I've been proud and happy to do.And you know, it's been the
same, not one. And I, and that's my goal.
My goal is to not have a weddinglook similar to the other.
And I, I don't care where it's at.
I don't care if it's seating arrangement, I don't care not to
write some of the recent things that I want that wedding you did
for. So do you turn down a client if
they come? Have I turned?
Yeah. Absolutely, yeah.

(41:59):
And so just says I'm not the right fit for you.
Absolutely. If, if, if it's at certain
venues, absolutely, yeah. So now do you find that by doing
that it's Better Business or made it worse?
I think it's Better Business when you put a, when you place a
value on yourself. Yeah.
And go. You know what?
There's no synergy between us. Happy for me to host your

(42:21):
wedding. Yeah, but I, I can't the
creative person that I want to be, I can't, I can't be for you
because you're telling me exactly what you want, how you
want it, where you want it. Then why do you need me?
I'm sure you've got the skills to to do it.
The reason why I asked that is because it's not just with the
styling world. It's more just anyone across any
business could understand that it's just a notion of it's just

(42:45):
another dollar. Like just take the job.
Yeah, you know, like they're paying you for it.
Do it even if it's not 110% of what you.
Want to do I agree. But I just don't see that side
to you. So I'm just wondering, is it
like you don't, like you don't care to reap that financial
reward? I don't.
No, I don't. I don't if it's not going to be

(43:06):
for the benefit of. Growth.
Growth and and betterment of myself and for the client then I
don't want to be a part of it and it's what clients have to
understand. It's for you.
So authenticity is literally like would you cut number one,
number one? That seems.
Can I say fuck yeah? Fuck yeah.
Being authentic and genuine is number one on my list.

(43:29):
You've got to be that to stand out.
And if you're out just a copy others, then I'm sorry to tell
you, you will never ever stand out.
Will you? Will you be busy?
Absolutely. But I'd rather be genuine,
authentic and innovative than a copy and follow.

(43:51):
I can't put it in the other way.That's a great fucking legacy,
bro. I can't put it in the other way.
That is a great legacy. How did you Then I will stage
you to real estate. Come through real estate.
That's one thing I really don't know much about you because when
I saw when I saw something researching and I saw something
publicly about like, you know, John Elton real estate, I was

(44:13):
like real estate. Why isn't he an auctioneer?
That's actually the first thing.And I'll tell you the truth.
And I think I don't know if I dropped that comment to you at A
at a job, but I was like real estate agent, bro, I can.
I can hear this guy screaming, going once, going twice, sold
like I can hear it. So let me correct you on one
thing. I'm not a real estate agent, OK?
A real estate partner. OK, what's the difference?

(44:33):
OK, so educate me. We're, we're talking about me
being different and unique like this is my, this is my
uniqueness. Say six years ago, seven years
ago, I got, I only got my, my, my, my real estate licence,
what's called a Class 2. OK.
I thought it it would be a greatthing to do in my voice cap to
become an auctioneer, right? So I was doing hosting corporate

(44:53):
events and weddings, doing voiceovers and I.
Don't want to talk about money, but you know auctioneers make a
lot of money. Yeah, but again.
I've I've. I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell you
that. And I keep telling you money's
not the be all end all sometimes.
Let me expand on that. COVID hit, right?
There's that C word again. And I just gave up.
I thought you know. What I like 1C Word.
I hate 1C. Word and Covid's the word.

(45:14):
I don't like. I like the other C word.
I use it quite a lot, don't I? Yeah, I smoking around.
I'd call a lot of people like boy, don't I?
You can't say the fucking thing.On the Bum Pass Rd.
I've said it, I've said it, so don't worry about it.
I'm just smoking around. No.
So COVID hit and I lost interestand then and again my belief

(45:39):
system in God sort of came to fruition all over again.
Again, borderline, I thought. Here we go again.
I'm starting to feel scared and anxious.
Yeah, but it depends. I mean, it's definitely a
triggering point for a lot of people.
But here's the thing, God does not leave your side.
There's always something plannedup his sleeve.

(45:59):
Yeah, His plan for me was simpleand that was Rania's.
And for many years I'd try and get a a big paying corporate job
because you know, I've come fromthe land of head of marketing
for Samsung and agency world. So my creativeness came from
working for advertising agenciesin Australia.
OK, so no matter which I swear to you, I reckon I've applied

(46:26):
for 1000 jobs in corporate world.
Are you too experienced? Are you going to want too much
money of poultry? You're not a fit or you know I'm
not a fit if you ever met me. So real estate and I had this
drive for property in real estate.
I've had this burning sensation for it since.

(46:49):
You're LED. Well, no hang.
Around. Hang on.
Hang on, I'm going to correct you.
I'm an Aussie with a Lebanese background.
OK, there you go. So the quicker we understand
that to the. But proud of MyHeritage, of
course. So.
So there. So yeah.
So I thought, you know what, I'mgoing to combine my love of
property. Yeah.
With with getting somewhere and I had a chat with the CEO of a

(47:14):
company called the agency. Yep.
And we hit it off. So I'm probably the only one
that he's brought on board that hasn't been an agent, so to
speak. So listen.
I, I definitely see that it'll fit.
Yeah. I, I, I definitely, I definitely
can see how your personality andthe professional side of that

(47:36):
marry well. So, so you know how we, there's
always a reason, there's a method of the madness, There's
an ends of the means and yeah, or means the ends and all that
sort of stuff. Me having these 2822 weddings,
yeah, has led me to have a database, you know, 5000 plus
people. Yeah.
And that database can be used for whatever any purpose.

(47:56):
If you're happy to, to let yourself off the database,
please do. But but for me, real estate is,
is again, I want to change the way that's done now.
So when I first started MC I, I changed the way it was done, the
way we dressed, the way we spoke, the way we got paid and
how much we got paid, how we metclients prior.
No one was doing that, the experience, all of it.

(48:18):
And I want to do the same in this particular industry.
And for me, it's a succession plan.
Am I gonna be an MC or a weddingplanner or no?
Forever. No.
Yeah. There's younger talent coming
up, which is great. But it's a, it's a succession

(48:38):
plan. And it's a show.
My boys that dad doesn't doesn'tjust go out at night at work.
He works during the day as well.So more boys need to see that
I'm working. They see their mom working 24/7.
Yeah. Yeah.
She's a workhorse. Yeah.
She's a, she's a powerhouse. She's she's done so my wife
Rania's done so well. Man, yeah, she's so.
Well, and the other day I said to her, I said, you know, I I

(49:00):
get teary up when I when I tear up when I speak about Rania.
I sent her a message A. Beautiful man.
Yeah, and I sent her a message and I said to her, I'm fucking
proud of you. That's fine.
And I said to her, I, I, I rarely say it, but I'm proud of,
I'm fucking proud of you becauseshe's gone and chiselled her way
into a market that's, that's doing very well for her, which
is right. And her persona's different, you

(49:21):
know, she's, she's down to earth, she's chirpy, she's.
I find her probably one of the most humble talents.
And humble's a great word because, but don't fucking cross
her whatever you do well. I'm going to touch on that, but
I find, you know, when you when you work in the industry, you

(49:44):
know, a little bit more so use. I know her, her clientele, not
to the full extent, but I say glimpses of it and I'm like, you
would never know it because she's just so humble.
Yeah. She's never going to boast about
it. She's actually there for the
craft, for the client. It's in, it's in we.
Talk about this craft. We're sitting there going, hey
guys, I'm at so and so's house doing so and so's hair every
Tuesday. Like she's very much about and.

(50:06):
Most of her clients want to be. Yeah, and most of her clients
want to be private and confidential.
Well, which is which? Is that's that market right?
Again, which is that market? So.
So we teach our, you know, the boys see us work 24/7.
Do we make time for them? Absolutely.
Yeah. You know.
But it's great lessons to be learnt.

(50:27):
But again, the whole real estatething for me is now a new
chapter in my book. I I still say like they're
straight to optioneering. Well, no, because I still do it.
I can. I can still if I'll sell your
house any day of the week, no issue.
I would actually fully trust youto someone else.
Mate, you get you get a second to none experience.
Let me tell you because I, I, I feel I just gotta.

(50:47):
I just gotta actually sell the house to.
Get that on board. I might have someone on the
database for you. Fucking great.
But I think I think. I could see you on the block,
man. We'll see.
Do you do you believe in this thing called where Where?
And I've said this at a a friendof mine who who we know, Jay
Productions, Jason Gazelle. Yeah, he's yeah, great.

(51:10):
Guy one one of my one of my closest mates, he he he opened
up a place called Factory Sound my I I knew this guy since he
was working out of his dad's garage anyway, so he asked me to
come and host his. I believe in everyone that.
Starts out in the. Garage.
Yeah. I swear to God, if the story
starts there, I'm like, I mean, well, I wanted.

(51:30):
My DJ equipment was in my garage.
My mic was in my garage. Because that's where it all
starts, Absolutely. But anyways, so.
At his at his opening, I said topeople that I this and I'll ask
you the question, right. I said it there and I'll ask
you, do you believe in chasing or do you believe in attracting?
You want to take a sippy of Scotch?

(51:55):
Before you. Oh man, that's very hard because
are we talking about work? Anything in life.
OK, are are you to categorise it?
Anything in life, in personal life, I believe in chasing I and
I stand by that. I don't need a simple discussion
to answer that because I believeanything to do with trying to
form a relationship or get deeper on a different level,

(52:15):
Yeah, is about chasing. You have to put the work in.
OK. I believe in that.
In business? In business, I believe in
attracting. Right.
The reason being is because I think about my world and in my
world as a photographer, it's a very visual world, so I'd want
couples to be attracted to the final product.

(52:36):
Yep, and and that's it. Yeah, you, you.
You see, and I'm, I'm a big believer of attracting, OK.
And in your personal life, you attracted to your Your wife was
attracted to you for a reason. Yeah, but then I also chased it.
Bloody hell, should have spoke to me first.
Ryan had chased me, just so you know.

(52:56):
Nah, I chased my wife. Ryan had chased my wife since I
first met her. Ten years later, don't.
Send her this bit of the podcast.
She's gonna get the whole raw footage, even the stuff that was
recorded before we said go. Bullshit.
Yeah, bro, Ryan is getting it all.
He's not. Yeah, bro.
So look, I, I, I and I and I sayto everyone like you, you, you
gotta what you put out there when even when someone says you,

(53:19):
what you put out there, you. Reap what you get, yeah?
That's attraction, the law of attraction.
Yeah. You know, you, you, you.
If you're negative all the time,you're going to get negativity
back. Yeah.
If you're positive, positive things happen.
If you're stressing about money,money never comes.
So. So you know.

(53:43):
Literally is the law of attraction.
Life is phenomenal. John, I've got so many things
sorted out and you're starting apodcast.
Of. Here and do you know why I say I
hear? I'll say I'll tell you why I
hear. OK go jumped on your website.
Yes, says podcast. OK, says coming soon.
Yeah, it was. It's been coming soon for a for
a long. Time Podcaster?

(54:04):
That's a podcaster. Is it happening?
I'm not a podcaster yet, but I think, yeah, look, it is
happening. And the reason why we'll use him
too. We we're going to use Daniel.
What's he charge? That was the most subtle plug
I've ever heard in my life. What's he charge by the way?

(54:25):
We'll talk about that record. Yeah, anyway.
So so yeah, I think, I think forme the podcast is not about and
hey, I was going to bring some Mesa for our crew table because
you know how crew tables they have any Mesa or food on them.
Thanks for that. I did bring a a, a bottle of
Scotch, but I think you'll Polish it off later on after

(54:46):
these podcasts, yeah. He got me a blue label.
I'm going to pour some coke and send my video.
I, I, I think for me, the podcast's a bit different.
I think, yeah, for me it's goingto be what's?
Your goal with that? My goal is to be recognised on a
different level. Get that?
I should have rephrased it. Yeah.
What's your objective in terms of like guest and audience or
your conversations that are going to happen?

(55:08):
My, my, OK, so it's it's the name is up in the Adam, but it's
it's going to be talking to people who want the fringe, who
are beyond the fringe of not greatness, but success.
OK, so so me, I'm joking. No, no, seriously.
Is it, is it business? Is it weddings?
Is it personal? Oh, you're not too sure?

(55:29):
No, that's a mix. It's a mix of human beings who I
think I look and go fuck me. They're they're amazing.
That's awesome. I think you're gonna absolutely
kill it. So it's I was cheating having
you on here because your voice is so good and I know your
guests are gonna, your guests are gonna go through that and
you're gonna hear it 100. Times.
No. No.
There are better voices that arebetter than mine.
Trust. Me, yeah, there's always better
than everything, but you have a very great sound.

(55:50):
You said that's. Right.
There's always someone better than someone.
And no matter how bad you got, someone's got it worse than you.
Yeah, you heard that one. Before 100%, 100% if you're if
you're to say anything to anyonethat is a master of ceremony.
Oh my God, I'm say she's going to say a master of ceremony.

(56:11):
Give them some friendly advice. Be original.
Be original, OK? Don't be afraid to be you, OK?
If no one's going to book you after, if no one's going to go
after you for being you, then they're not worth you being a
part of their day anyway. OK.
It's simple as that. What do you think your specialty
is or what do you think one of your greatest assets is as an MC

(56:32):
or what do you play? Not all stylist, actually, no,
no, not all three as a coordinator or an MC either or
what's your asset? Polished.
I'm polished. Genuine, OK.
And look, I have this uncanny ability to build relationships,
which is, which is again a big thing.
I think yours is management. I think you're wrong.

(56:54):
Really. Yeah, I'll take that.
Because one thing MC suffer withright when they're shit is
things go to shit. And how many shit MCS have you
seen lately? The family and friends that are
hired, I'm not going to lie, is the worst, the worst of it all.
It's the most stressful part. They can be great.
On the floor, I agree they. Just like start a formality.

(57:16):
Always hire a pro. And, and banned photo video.
Everyone's just like whoa. And we just run.
People forget that we use the bathroom.
People forget that we eat, forget that we sit down for 5
minutes, you know, and it's justlike we need someone who
actually understands that it takes time to set up a tripod
and make sure the mics are working and, you know, kind of
get your stuff ready. Great.

(57:37):
Point because I I had it on the weekend.
That's our biggest struggle. Yeah, I don't know.
We can. I know.
I think the the OK, I'll take the management thing on board
for me. The management's both ways, you
know, three ways. So much goes to shit at winnings
man. You have a senior that doesn't
show up, you have a senior that needs to leave.
All the lights. You have people that want 6
speeches and go drop down to three or start from three and
say that they want to do 6 and the whole timeline changes.

(58:00):
And then for instance, for me, for instance, sometimes my staff
will finish off earlier and I'm like, John, me and my second
shooter's going. We got to be wary of that.
And it's not the bride and groom's problem right in that
moment. And I just feel like there's so
many times you have commanded the change and just not thank
you, not ask for it. You come to us and you're like,

(58:21):
get up. We're doing all the speeches at
once. Yeah, we'll try like smart move.
I, I think, I think that's againfor the benefit benefit of the
bride and groom 100% always is, always, always is.
And I think there's a way of communicating all that.
If a bride and groom's listeningright now, yeah.
Are there any advice that you'd give to them about, from an MCA

(58:41):
perspective, keeping the party not just alive, but taking it to
the Max? Think run shape.
That that's an easy answer because for me it's about
changing the norm. Don't think, and I had this
conversation with someone the other day, don't think the
fathers need to speak. The fathers don't need to speak.

(59:02):
The best man doesn't need to speak.
My pet hates when a maid of honour speaks.
But hey, there's different cattle, fish all together.
I think the only person that should be speaking at their
wedding is the groom or the groom and his wife, which is the
bride. That's my opinion.
What are the dads going to say different?
What's the best man going to do different or say different?

(59:23):
Nothing. So really we are there to listen
to the groom or the bride and groom.
That's a That's an interesting text when I've really thought of
it. Yeah.
And, and cultural weddings are, you know, from a different
culture. They they are different.
I feel like if I told my dad he was going to speak I'd probably
get so butt hurt. My dad spoke at my wedding in an
Arabic language that was, yeah, like second or third tier, Not
not. Not even that language.

(59:43):
Yeah, we had the Arabic poem at my wedding and I, it's chucked
up a stink about. I told you about this.
Yeah, but I was like literally feuding about it.
But sometimes, mate, look, they're your dad, they're your
mummy. Like you got to, you got to, you
got to, you got to let them have, you got to let them have
that little, little moment. Yeah, little.
The thing is, is I love, and This is why I had a problem with
my wedding or just some weddingsin general.

(01:00:04):
I actually love the speeches themost, especially when I'm a
guest. If I'm at a guest at a wedding I
really enjoy them, but I only enjoy them when they're really
good. And you never really know that
it's going to be the case until the.
End How long did you speak for your wedding?
I can't remember exactly. Because I wasn't there to
remember. Pryor would.

(01:00:25):
Crucify me on a cross, John Elton, We.
Haven't had a crack about that before.
How long? How long was your speech?
I really don't remember, but allI remember is.
Did you cover all you had to cover?
Yeah, I think I covered everything I wanted to cover.
I think I read it because. I'm I'm going to tell a bit.
Groom out. There my wife spoke.
I I like. That and I really, really,

(01:00:46):
really liked it. And the reason why she did is I
actually said to her, I don't I'm going to thank your parents.
But I shouldn't be the person thanking your parents because I
came into your life as an adult and they deserve the respect to
hear you to thank them. They're your parents.
Yep, Yep. When my daughter gets married
one day, God willing, I don't expect her to say speech, but I
want my daughter to say thank you to me or I want her to speak

(01:01:08):
words from my heart. I'm sure I'm going to love my
son in law, but I don't need to hear him thank me for raising my
daughter. So you know what?
And I know that sounds harsh. It is, but you know what?
But look, I've got a daughter soI I can't I can't say, but I'm
going to say to everyone out there is just be different with

(01:01:28):
whatever event you do. Don't don't fall into the norm.
It it's just it's so it's becoming monotonous and boring.
OK. And don't think having five
hours, 6 hour weddings is is is normal.
It's not OK. It is not.
The idea is to get in party likeyour your so you're.
Saying more dancing segments areyou saying?
And more dancing segments, less speeches.

(01:01:50):
Different types of food perhaps?Not seated, semi seated,
standing. OK.
Food stalls. Like.
But, but again, it's going to all depend on budget.
It's going to all depend on the parents.
Again, it's going to all depend on the guests, family members
who who think they know more than your wedding planner that
you've chosen. But at the end of the day.

(01:02:12):
Do you struggle with couples? I'm sorry to cut you off.
That's all right. Do you struggle with couples
where you've pitched the best friend sheet and then they're
like Nope? My wife hears me every single
week. Why the fuck have they got me if
they're going to tell me what todo?
But he's what she says to me, right?
We're going back to grounded Rania, babe.

(01:02:32):
It's their wedding. If that's what they want, so be
it. So this is going to be one of
the last hard questions I'll askyou.
Last hard questions. I'm going to try to word it
nicely. Then word it.
Just word it hey. Yeah, I'm just going to word it
how I word it. So obviously you're strong,
you're confident, you're assertive as an MC.
Sure. Do you ever feel like that

(01:02:53):
there's a backlash towards that,where people might think that
you're too much? Absolutely, and that's probably
why people don't book me sometimes.
OK, Sophie, are you OK with being too much?
Also describe it in that sense. If you were to describe me as
being too much. As in, like too much experience,
too much assertive, too much confidence.

(01:03:14):
Oh, I take it on board. Can I turn that down?
Yeah, absolutely. And it's what pros do, right?
Pros will turn up and turn down whatever the brief is.
And this is what I say to everyone out there as well.
Actors. Yeah.
Actors are taught this way. Actors are taught to volume up
or volume down a particular attribute about their acting

(01:03:36):
based on the role. And it's the same thing with
with what we do. If you want John to be I, I had
a bride say to me that day, we don't want you to interact with
anyone in the room. We want you to be formal.
OK. Weirdest thing is a person in
the wedding industry was in the audience.

(01:03:56):
Veronica Duma VD. Yeah.
And she said, John, you're not yourself tonight.
Is everything OK? Right, so.
I can actually picture her saying that.
One hand, you've got someone saying.
Like are you OK? Yeah, yeah, One hand you've got
someone saying where's the John that we're expecting?
And you're trying to deliver? The and the other hand, I've got
the John that's trying to satisfy the brief.

(01:04:18):
Yeah. But the client is the bride and
groom. If they won't tone down, John,
done, they get it. It's it's it, mate.
It's simple. Because at the end of the day, I
bought people pay you to be you.I said, yeah, But for me, it's
like if someone was to pay me tobe an actor tomorrow.
Yeah. And they said to me, John, at
this particular scene, we want you to not be so flamboyant or

(01:04:42):
such an extrovert. We want you to tone it down.
Well, to bring on that question,the guests we had before, oh.
Here we go. We stay in Curry.
You had died here before? Yeah, before me.
Yeah. Oh, there's no ranking.
It's just. No, no, I'm saying like I'm OK.
What does she have to say? I'm saying.
I ask everyone to ask the next guest a question and I told her

(01:05:06):
it was you because I wanted to it.
Was her birthday well, at the time of this shooting, it's
yesterday. Yesterday.
Yeah, yesterday. Two days ago, 18th yeah.
And she asked what do MCS in weddings look like in five
years? How will it evolve so?
Good question. Almost 2030.

(01:05:27):
Good question. Yeah, great question actually.
I said that's that's stopped me that question actually in five
years. They look they're always
changing. I think it's up to us who who
lead to change it. OK, I I really think that.
Could you predict? I'm assuming that's maybe where
the question was going. Could you?
Predict. Could I predict?

(01:05:48):
Any changes? Yeah, for small.
I think maybe smaller weddings, I think change is the run sheet.
You, you, you mentioned before where people are actually
saying, yeah, you know what? I don't want dad and dad to
speak or the best man, I'll speak on my own.
It's going to depend on every culture and how that how that
works. I think you'll see more semi

(01:06:11):
destination weddings. What I what I mean by that is
either outdoor or further away from.
Using predictions for weddings in general or predictions for
MCS? In weddings in general.
OK, what about MCS? MCS, there's going to be another
400 of them going on more. Like I think my prediction would

(01:06:33):
be that more MCS will be doing. I think it's going to shift to
people coordination slash MC. Yes, that's.
My prediction I might be. Wrong.
I have a small problem with that, but at the end of the day
I can't stop anyone and everyonefrom doing what they think is
good for them to do. There has to be a time in your

(01:06:56):
life where you got to say what am I good at?
OK, what? Where am I best served?
Am I doing it just for the moneyor am I really shit hot at
managing someone's entire wedding day, even if it's two
weeks prior? OK even on the day am I shit hot
at what what I do? Could you actually serve any

(01:07:17):
good purpose? Is that what you're trying to
say? Yeah, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna
say something to, to to anyone and everyone out there and I'll
look down that camera there and I'll say record yourself and
watch yourself day in, day out, week in, week out.
I hate watching myself because Idon't think I'm good enough.
I fucking hate listening to my own voice and this podcast has
reminded me of OH. No, no, I'm I'm, I'm saying as a

(01:07:39):
what? Look, this is not but you.
Look at that. I don't know what you're.
Saying you look at your photos and you go, OMG, I'm that's hot.
No, bro, I go through so many galleries and I'm like, what the
fuck? I was thinking, yeah, and you
make the changes. That's it.
So and same with my team, I literally will flick him an
email, sent him 5 images like I know your settings what the fuck
did you do? I get to go through that, but

(01:07:59):
it's actually a great point. So I think that's where that's
where I get that self. Evaluation every week it's.
So important to self evaluate. You don't want people to blow
wind up your ass 24/7. Yeah, man.
Like that? That that's just boring back
shit. Does your wife told you photo
shit? No, there's been so many times
where no, no, I'm not going to lie to you because Alexia,
Alexia is very involved in the business.
She does all admin and collating.
And you know I ask. Her.

(01:08:19):
So you told me this was a candleor something?
Yeah. What is it?
It's a card game. It's a card game.
But Alexia will. So what was was Diane's answer
to that question? Did she there?
Was no answer. I thought she was What was her
thoughts I. Don't know, she'll told me after
when she gives your answer. What do you mean?
John, you're going to pick one of these cards and you're going
to read the answer. Really.

(01:08:41):
Yeah, it's all in a random order.
Right. And you're going to pass it to
me and I'll read you the question.
OK, so the me being unique, we'll pick the one that's not
blue, you know that. Well then there's Navy and
there's brown over there if you want but but they could be the
shit questions to be honest. It's the colours don't mean

(01:09:02):
anything. So why is it colours then?
I don't know bro. OK.
Oh, they're all fours. OK, all 5.
You know, I picked the one next to the blue.
Give it to me, don't look at it.That one.
Yep, mad. So when Diana was on, we were
doing this and I was grabbing a card and people would have

(01:09:23):
already seen it, but my I was drinking a glass of red wine and
went. Whoops.
Was she wearing white by any chance?
Yep. Has she sent you the dry
cleaning bill? I asked for it.
She won't. She's too humble.
To do that to you, he won't do that.
This is an interesting question.What are your thoughts on cancel

(01:09:48):
culture? This is worth another podcast
altogether. All right, define you.
You give me your definition of what cancel culture is.
It's it's someone does somethingin a public light, they get
cancelled for it. I fucking hate it.
I, I hate woke, I hate cancel. I hate all that sort of stuff.

(01:10:11):
I think, I think we're, we, we, we're living in a very fragile
society because of all this shit.
I really do. We're not living life.
We're just worried about what, what we, what someone might
think that that maybe listen to the podcast, whereas I don't
give a shit. I think the sooner we live life

(01:10:33):
the way it's intended to live, which is your way and not the
way of someone that got in your ear while you were smoking a a
bong or a joint somewhere, the sooner life will be a whole lot
better. OK, we complicate things too
much. I I.
I definitely don't disagree, I just want.
To There's a butt there. Hang on, there's a butt.
No, no, I just want to pick yourfriend a little bit because you

(01:10:54):
always say I'm not controversialenough, so I'm going to be
controversial and keep pushing you.
So in our wedding industry, there are people that are fucked
up many times, fucked up in one way many times.
As human beings in there or they.
No, no, let's talk about profession.
I didn't care what people do in their personal life.
Whatever anyone does as a human being, I don't.
I really don't give shit, but I kind of know what your brain was
going to be. I'm talking about in

(01:11:15):
professional life. So for example, fucking around
clients and not delivering, Yep.Anything to do with money, Yep.
Anything to do with deception? Yep, and they have now been
cancelled. I don't think they've been
cancelled. I think they've been put aside

(01:11:38):
and thought of differently or later than what they were
originally there. I think there's a difference
between what you're saying and cancel culture.
Cancel culture for me is pretty much a case of if you tell me
Joe Bloggs is an asshole, yeah, then I'm going to think he's an
asshole and I won't even talk tohim, whereas he might be a nice
bloke to me, OK? Right.

(01:11:58):
I get your perception. Yeah.
For me, for me, cancel culture is trying to influence a group
of people or a number of people for no apparent reason other
than your own, your, your selfish own reasons.
And I, I, I, I hate that what you're saying for me is that's
just. For me it's like someone got
cancelled. Death by practise.
You're just you're practising. To be an idiot, you're

(01:12:20):
practising. To be an asshole, you're
practising bad practises like it's just wrong what you're
doing. You're not getting cancelled,
you're just being put aside. You're being shoved aside.
Yeah. Do you deserve?
Do you deserve it? I see it as them being cancelled
because their actions have led to no future prosperity in their

(01:12:40):
business which has cancelled them out of of their profession.
I just think that's how I've perceived it.
It might be wrong. Yeah, I I look at cancelled look
look OK, so. So like, even like I think on
social media influences that have maybe done something wrong,
people have cancelled them. Right, why they cancelled them?

(01:13:00):
Because they find that their actions are wrong, whether you
agree with that or not, whether it's true or not, or.
Is it they don't fit their own narrative?
OK. So I think there's going to be a
distinguished, there's a bit like a definition between both.
I didn't agree with cancelled Culture, by the way.
I believe in change. I believe in second chances.
I believe that people make mistakes.

(01:13:22):
Yeah. No matter how they go, how
large, obviously some are worse than others.
I'm not talking about anything criminally here.
I'm talking about as, like, lifemistakes.
And I also believe there's the truth.
There's one side of the story, there's the other side of the
story, and there's the truth. There's always three sides.
But I do kind of understand why I can.

(01:13:43):
It's happened certain ways. Yeah, for.
Cultures to come around. And I think, I think there's a
reason why shock talks aren't around as much as more because
they'd be cancelled in 5 minutes, you know?
And I'm a big fan of people of shock talks.
I like guys like Kyle Sandilands.
Yeah, to a point. He can be a lot more influential

(01:14:06):
than what he is. Yeah, but he's needs to learn to
funnel that energy in, in, in the right way.
Yeah. You can't be all things to all
people. Let's be freaking clear about
that. 100% bro. You know, you, you, you, you
cannot. It's it's a simple.
You can't be all loved. You can't be all handed.
And, and that was part of my drama growing up, is when if

(01:14:27):
someone didn't like me, I, I'd, I'd lose my mind.
Yeah, that it'd be a problem. Let me let me to spiral out of
control. But let's go back to the whole
cancel thing. I mean, if someone's cancelled
because I've done wrong, then that's.
So be it. So be it.
But if you cancel someone because of their views, yeah,
that's wrong. That is, that's a big no no in

(01:14:47):
my in my in my life. So perfect summation.
Big no no. Mr. John Elton.
How was that? Were we good?
Thank you for coming. How long were we?
How long great? How long was the podcast?
I don't know, I don't really care.
To be honest, isn't there like aclock back there?
Yeah. But it's alright.
Should I tell people my secrets?Should I have a look?
But I'm on it. Mama.

(01:15:09):
I am honoured. That was my pleasure, really.
I've got to congratulate you again for for, for taking that
jump. Thanks bro, that's.
What it's all about Take the jump.
Trying to push the confidence out in Ray.
Your fault. Yeah, thanks bro.
Thanks. Pleasure.