April 30, 2025 • 57 mins
Mary Ronis is not just a wedding planner — she’s a powerhouse in the luxury events industry. With over a decade of experience orchestrating high-profile, large-scale celebrations, Mary has become one of Australia’s most sought-after planners. Known for her signature opulent aesthetic and deeply personal approach, her events are nothing short of unforgettable.
In this episode of Crew Table, Mary opens up about her early career in hospitality, her Lebanese heritage, and the turning point that pushed her to build one of Sydney’s most respected planning businesses. She shares the emotional toll of working in a high-pressure industry, the misconceptions people have about event planners, and the sacrifices behind the spotlight. From industry politics and navigating demanding clients to setting boundaries and managing burnout — nothing is off-limits.
Whether you're a bride-to-be, vendor, or fellow creative, this episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to thrive in the world of luxury weddings. Raw, inspiring, and fiercely honest — this conversation is one you won’t forget.
HOSTED BY @georgejohnphotographyPRODUCED BY @danieljohnmediaFEATURING @maryronisevents
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:10):
All right, guys. Mary Renis, welcome.
Hello, George John. How's it going?
It's really good. So you don't know this, but
you're back after a little bit of a break.
Oh, so I didn't announce it the last episode because I forgot,
but OK, I took an Easter break. So welcome back everyone.
Loving life, you know, loving life.
Easter break to be with the fan.Bam, little chickens.
(00:33):
My little Well, I have to tell everybody George John pranked me
this morning. Fuck I was.
Hoping you wouldn't say. He rang me first thing this
morning and told me it was all off and I actually believed him.
Guys, it's we're recording on the 1st of April.
Mary is in line with 50 people that I prank.
I love. No one should take me serious in
life. I love a good prank.
So I had woken up at maybe 6:00 AM and pranked about 30 people
(00:58):
before it's 7 even. Here.
So evil, George. You're so colourful and so is
everyone in my contact list, yeah.
Because we just. We believe you, George.
Yeah, but. What do you think to believe?
I told her I had Bells paused. I think we could have because I
had bills pausing the past and Ican go to back again.
She was about to cry on the phone.
I was, I was. So I was so upset for you,
George, I told. Like 30 people that Alexia was
pregnant, she's not pregnant. That's just everything you think
(01:21):
of it. But it's so like fool accident.
Oh my God, George. It's funny.
It's April Fools I can do. I can get away with it.
You know. I love it.
Even Daniel, poor Daniel got pregnant.
I turn around, I'm like, go home.
I'm not doing these podcasts today.
Poor Daniel. Anyways, we're back guys.
I'm excited to be here. Me too.
Excited to have his back on. And I'm just sitting with a
(01:44):
really good friend. Yes, her name's Mary.
She is the most eclectic. Sarah Jessica Parker, Where's
the newspaper on the day of her podcast.
That's right, that's right. We're going to read all about it
with a packet of chips. She's got Smith's chips if
you're listening in the car, like a packet of Smith's chips
on her ears, that's. Right, because chips are my one
(02:05):
of my favourite things in the world.
Chips are amazing. Yes, I have to stay away from
chips. George, I've tried it doesn't
work. Fuck, yeah.
It's a relationship. It's one of those relationships,
you know, it's like a bad boyfriend.
It's like I promise myself that I'm not going to go back there,
but I always go back there. And he always tastes so good.
(02:27):
Every fucking time. You know, man, 1030, you're
here. Yeah, some like stupid reality
TV show on pocket of Doritos. Exactly.
Kaziki and Doritos is my like. That is it.
Yeah. Game over, gamer.
Have you tried it? I have OK I've tried that.
I've tried data Masolata as well.
(02:48):
Data Masolata is we're talking English.
George, how can you not know? We have so much to learn.
It's it's red caviar dip, George.
Red caviar dip. It's a Greek thing.
It's a great thing. Sorry, George.
That's all right. Yeah.
Well, she decided to bring me everything about today, which is
(03:08):
nice, to bring an eggplant. What is?
What do I do with this now? Make Baba ghanoush.
We can make Baba ghanoush. Yeah.
Lucky I didn't bring you. OK, Yeah.
Try to say that, George. You know, like it's like picking
test lines or something. It's a, it's a, It's a sweet.
Oh, it's a sweet. I'm not a sweet person.
I'm a savoury person. Yeah, I am too.
(03:30):
Yeah, yeah, it's the chips. I I choose savoury over sweet
all the time. What's new?
What's happening? Things are good.
Yeah. Yeah, things are good.
Things are all happening back. Doing what I do, which I know
you're gonna ask me about. Yeah, still working on Picasso's
(03:50):
palette, which is the kids nursery stuff.
So that's really that. I'm really enjoying that which
has been, it's been a great journey so far.
Which is like decorating kids rooms, right?
Yeah, yeah. But it's sort of evolving.
So we're not just decorating kids rooms because before I was
doing events, I was also painting murals for kids
(04:11):
bedrooms. I didn't know that.
So it's almost like going full circle.
So I'm going back to physically painting for clients.
Yeah. Wow.
Yeah. Which has been so fun.
Yeah. So that's been that's, that's,
that's a work in progress. Yeah, event space busy.
(04:33):
Wedding space busy. Do you got a lot coming up this
year? I've got enough, OK, enough to
keep me busy steady. To make you happy.
Yeah, enough to make me happy. I'm trying to like hold off with
the elephant in the room as longas possible so I don't like drop
it right at the side of the episode.
Go on, George, Just do it. Go just do it.
Do I give everyone context? I'm sure a lot of people
listening to any other context, but I want to say two years ago,
(04:54):
yes. First of all, how many years in
the game now have it written down?
Almost 21 maybe. Yeah, it's a long time.
Approximately, yeah. It's a lot of experience, a lot
of wisdom. Long time George.
Like somebody, somebody said to me, you're like my industry mum.
And I said to them, dude, you're45, When did I have you?
(05:15):
When I was 8. You slapped that bitch straight
in her face. You never speak to that person.
So, yeah, so I've been around for a while, yeah.
When someone says do you look tired, I'm like, I feel great.
Oh gosh. Well, you've been around for a
very long time and about two years ago.
(05:37):
I already watched the video thismorning.
Yep. You know, picture this, you open
up your Instagram app. Yep.
And you see this real Yep. And it's Mary Rhona saying
goodbye. Literally, you're like goodbye,
yes, with this massive caption curated video.
I know like this farewell. Yep.
(05:59):
Comments I checked today was over 300 and there were essays.
I know, George. We cried, man.
I cried. Everyone cried.
I cried. OK.
Yeah, and you didn't retire? Well, OK, I don't.
Want to hear it? You didn't retire.
You had jobs. You've had clients who have
(06:20):
conceived, had baby showers, given birth, do the christening.
Cut me until George. Yeah, we can date check this.
I just need to get to the bottomof it because it's like 1.
What happened to make that video?
You got dressed up and you made that video.
Yeah, yeah. Came up with the idea, got a
videographer and two, what happened the next week when you
(06:44):
booked a client from your emails?
All right, let me, let me run. Let me let me go through the
whole process. I'll stop talking now.
OK, firstly, when I look when I did that video, right, like I'm
going to get really serious now,George, right?
When when I did that video, it was probably I was probably at
the lowest, worst point physically in my life.
(07:07):
So my, because I've got neck injury, like neck injuries from
C2 to C7. So it's the whole disc or like
if like all the discs in my neckare compressed, right?
So I live with pain every day. Even now when I'm talking to
you, I've got pain radiating through my body, right?
(07:29):
But I live with it because I've learnt how to live with it now.
At that time I was in such a badstate that I had to sleep with
pillows under my arms because the weight of my arms would
actually put too much pressure on my neck.
That's how bad it was. And this what happened from that
(07:50):
car accident you had. Yeah, so in 2016 I had AI got T
boned by a van and I literally got crushed in between two cars,
like a parked car and his car and they had to cut me out.
So I I sustained quite a bit of a neck injury from there.
And look, you know, I was because I was so fit back then
(08:12):
too. Like I was really fit back then.
My, I think my body sort of heldmy neck up through, you know,
through my core rather than through my bones.
So I didn't feel it as much. And so I got mismanaged a little
bit because I was, you know, I felt OK.
(08:33):
So I kept going. And then what happened was over
time, through wear and tear, theinjuries just got progressively
worse and worse. And then it got to a point where
I work like, you know, one day Icouldn't feel my arms anymore.
And I was like in a state of panic and I had went to hospital
(08:55):
and that's when, you know, I discovered exactly what was
going on in my body. And I got referred to the
proper, sort of, I got a rheumatologist and I got like,
you know, proper medics to look after me, who all told me you
need to stop what you're doing because you're causing too much
wear and tear. And by the age of 70, you're not
going to have movement. Like it's just, you know, and I
(09:18):
remember George at that time, like I was so stressed because I
loved what I did. I was so passionate about it,
like, because it was, you know, my job is not just a job to me,
it's an extension of myself, youknow, like, and so basically
when somebody tells you you can't do that anymore, it's,
(09:40):
it's quite, you know, like you have to change not just, you
know, what you're doing, but you've got to change your
identity because that's who I was for so long.
And that's. What now?
What do I do? Yeah, what do I do now?
Like I'm a bit lost, you know. So I decided and my husband was
(10:00):
really like, because, you know, he loves me and he could say
that his partner was deteriorating.
So he was like, you need to stopthis.
Like this is this is enough Like, no, more like I, I can't
have, I can't watch the person that I love in bed next to me
with like pillows, you know, struggling, not being able to
(10:21):
move at all. So I made that decision and it
was funny, George, because you've got kids, right?
And like the sort of not being able to dance at my daughter's
wedding. Do you know what I mean?
It, it, it just, it was all those little things, George,
that sort of, it was a hard decision.
(10:42):
That's why it took so long. But I made that decision to
stop. And I thought, you know what?
I have to do this for myself, for my family, for my kids,
because I need to be there. Totally fair, like all jokes
aside. All jokes aside.
Totally fair, but if you don't laugh and cry, right?
Exactly right. And I get it now from our
(11:03):
conversation, but as close as weare, I've never had you open up
to me about it. I don't talk about it, George.
Why? I don't know, it's like I find
because I enjoy life so much andI find the joy in things, I like
to focus on that more rather than focus on the stuff, you
(11:25):
know, the other, which I guess is good and bad because people
can benefit from, you know, knowing people's story.
I don't know, 21. It's more just about, you know,
giving that transparency so people don't jump to the
conclusion and of your narrativewhen you know, no one knows the
narrative of that. You have physical injury, True.
(11:47):
A lot of people can jump to likeit's fatigue, true.
Maybe she's not getting enough work.
True. Maybe it's still with finding,
you know what I mean? True, which which a lot of
people did assume. Naturally, you can't blame them,
right? Yeah, like somebody messaged me
privately and asked me if I had cancer.
Jesus. All right, that's too far.
Truly. And that's coming from April
Fool's King. I'm never going to let you live
(12:09):
that down, George. Oh, I'll see you next.
Year, yeah. So yeah, that's that's basically
how that all came about. So then you established that you
were legitimately going to be done.
Literally, I honestly was done at that point.
Like, the turning point was I had done Christmas like a big
(12:32):
corporate Christmas that that year and like Danny Hicks was
with me on the job at that time.God loved Danny Hicks.
Me too. That woman is.
Love love love her weddings in one of my.
Favourite so excited to shoot it.
Yeah, she's beautiful. Standing study, Can't wait.
So Danny was with she. She was.
She had come on the job because I needed help physically right
(12:54):
with stuff. So she had come along.
And I remember I was in such a bad way that I had to stop for a
second and lay on the park tree floor on my back just to ease
the pain, to take the pressure off, to take the pressure off
because it was just too much. And that's when I thought, this
(13:17):
is actually impacting my work. I need to stop, you know, like
I'm physically not able to do it.
Yeah, You know, so I I need to make a decision and it's hard.
It was really. But was there not the option to
be like I'm gonna sit back and direct and have.
Stuff I can't. Do that job or you just
physically, you just can't do that.
OK, George, like if you've seen me on a job, like if you've come
(13:39):
on job with me, yeah, you'll seeI'm up the ladder.
Yeah, I'm doing this. I'm, I'm moving stuff.
Like I'll move a chair if, you know, it's like an impulsive
thing, 'cause I, I work through feeling.
So it's like if I walk into a room and I feel something needs
to change, I'll change it then and there.
And that's why it's hard to sortof go because a lot of people
(14:00):
said to me, why don't you hire people?
Yeah, hire people to do the job.And you can just be the creative
behind it. But you know, as you know, on
the day things change, circumstances change, things
might be moved, you know, and you need to be able to problem
solve really quickly and you need to be able to move things
(14:21):
around or you know, sometimes it's.
Just easier to move it yourself than just ask someone to move
it. Yeah.
But sometimes that person's not in your mind.
Yeah. So they can't see what you see.
Yeah. So it's very difficult to
translate that. So then when did you then
timeline wise, when did you comeback?
OK. So I did have back like I did
(14:42):
have events that were sort of booked in.
Ready, booked and you're like top.
So like it was like I had eventsbooked in from two years, like
so I had to fulfil those. I couldn't let those clients
down, you know. So for a while I was just doing
maybe, you know, 5A year. OK, do you know what I mean?
5-6 not much manageable. Did you feel like when you made
that announcement, inquiries went dry as toast?
(15:08):
People were still inquiring. No, people were still inquiring.
People were saying it was so funny, George.
People were like, I won't tell anyone that you're doing it,
just do it for me. It's a great mystery.
Just do it, don't worry. But won't tell anyone.
I'm just like, I actually can't.Like, I physically cannot do it,
(15:29):
you know, and even even because it's not just doing it like
being on a computer, I couldn't do it because of my neck.
So I couldn't physically even type, like do a mood board, you
know, like it was everything washard.
Yeah. So I sort of, you know.
(15:51):
Fucking being neck pains talkingto you right now.
I'm don't, don't start. I'm serious.
It's not 12:00 yet, George. I'm sorry, I just so.
Bad. It's the right time.
(16:12):
I'm drinking stuff cheese. Cheese No, I just want to know
when it's a good health. Cheers to good health before we
forget I want to cheers mate. I want to know when you came
back like did you have it was 1 morning, you're like.
It was this year. Taran is in.
It was this year, great. It was actually, no, you know
when you're. I'll tell you the moment I
decided to come back. OK.
(16:34):
I got a phone call from a client, yeah, like a like a
regular client who I love. And they said to me, Mary, we
want to recreate the Willy Wonkascene, the one where they walk
in and it's all like a like a garden.
And we want to even have the tube that Augustus Gloop gets
like stuck in. And we want the kids to be able
(16:57):
to go in the tube and take photos.
And I was like. And you woke up like the
Undertaker from WWE. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm a resurrected I. Want to say Willy Wonka?
I'm, I have to, right? Yeah.
And then it's sort of like it woke up that whole sort of love,
you know, it's like I this is what I was born.
(17:19):
Physically, are you there now? Physically I'm never going to be
there, but I've learnt in the two years that I've given myself
a break to manage it and to be able.
I've, I've, I've now I've got a great team of people that look
after me too. I've learnt my limitations, you
(17:39):
know, I don't push myself like Iused to.
If I can't do it, I just can't do it, you know, And I just say
it, yeah, straight out. You've learned to say.
No, I've learned to say no. Yeah.
So I'm in a better place, George.
Yeah. I think it's good and healthy
for you to be back and I just feel like it's more of a
managing, controlling what you want exactly and just do the
(18:00):
jobs that you want to do. Yeah, and do the jobs that sort
of challenge my creativity, which I love, you know.
And yeah, that's that's, that's the direction I'm going in now.
Maybe just comes down to like, really strict and rigid
planning, Yeah, to kind of avoidthe like, the fuck ups.
Yeah, I'm like, chair needs to be here, this is a tablecloth.
(18:24):
I need an eye like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, to save you having potential changes.
Changes. Is that am I just talking
something that's just not in a plan as well?
No, that's not going to happen every George.
I'm just trying to help you out here.
You know what it is. You know what, I can dream.
That's a perfect world. You know, Look, I think the
(18:46):
thing that's changed is that I give myself breaks in between
jobs now. So, like, now I've had a big
week last week, I have this weekoff.
Yeah. So I've planned that, you know,
So I give my body time to rest, recover, you know, and I've got
people that help as well that like I've employed people to
(19:07):
come and, you know, sort of helpon the job.
So it's like I'm not doing it all myself.
I'm not doing all the lifting myself.
Yeah. So look, it's, it has changed
the direction of my business because I have learnt how to let
go a little bit, which is good. And I think that is important in
any business to, to let go and to delegate, you know, because
(19:29):
you can't do it all yourself. But yeah, it's, it's been an
interesting like, but I know every time I go somewhere
they're like, she's bad. Not doing, not doing events.
Yeah, yeah. How's retirement going?
It's like I need I need a refundon my tears.
I know I. Don't write big messages and I'm
(19:49):
like this big message. I know George, it's OK, but at
the time I promise you it was sogenuine, like.
Oh yeah, I'm sure it. Was I was in such a bad place
like? And you know.
How much did you see with a packet of chips and cry when you
posted that? I think I put on 10 kilos.
Sold up like a baby. Yeah, yeah.
(20:11):
Want like you know. It'll be a hard post.
It was, it was really hard. And even with Charlie, because
Charlie did my video, my dear friend and he like, yeah,
awesome. And like we were, we were like
editing it and he was like, oh, I'm so emotional and I'm like,
me too. I'm like.
(20:33):
Psych everyone. Yeah.
Yeah, it was. That's all right.
We get it. Well, we've put it to rest
Extra, extra. We got closure.
I feel closure. Do you feel closure, John?
Yeah, it was definitely like, I'm like, I couldn't get past
John. It should have been like that.
I'll be. On my deathbed and I'll be like,
hey, move that vase 5 centimetres.
(20:56):
It should be more like archive that post.
I'm done with hearing about it. It's very hard to find.
It was very hard to find. I was like scrolling, like,
where is it? Yeah, But this so should have
been spoken about later in the podcast just so people can
actually listen to the whole episode.
Now it's just like, you know, a real catch up all.
Right, that's it. We're done.
Guys, Mary had a brief with me that she just wanted to catch
(21:17):
up. She didn't want this to be like
a strict interview. So it's just like going to be
like a just. A.
Yeah, like no one's listening. We're just having breakfast.
Correct, right. We're having some, you know.
Michael Suckers. Yeah.
Look at mates. That's OK.
We make lamb. George.
What? You say it so well.
(21:37):
Do I say? Well, I get that I'm Greek all
the time. I think because my name is
George. Oh, you're a fucking bitch.
Fuck you. You don't need you don't take it
like a compliment. That's not April Fool's.
It's like saying hey, you're a good looking psych.
You're terrible at this. I'm going to.
I'm going to teach you. You have two beautiful girls, 20
(21:59):
years old and 17 years old. Yes.
Oh my God, to think about havinga 20 year old and a 17 year old
gives me like knots and ulcers in my stomach.
You'll get the jokes. Right and wrong reasons, you
know, like it's just scary. I have a 2 year old.
She's basically a 24 year old. You want me to?
She has better grammar basicallythan I do.
(22:24):
You know, you have so many yearsof wisdom, not just with work,
with parenting and stuff. But one thing I told you I pre
warned you about that I wanted to kind of pick your brain about
is if you were to talk to me like I was your younger self
when you had a 2 year old and a four month old, right.
I have two kids. You have two kids.
We're both in the same industry.Picture me in the industry for
(22:45):
20 more years from now. Yeah, I want you to be like very
open and candid and just talk tome.
Not everyone listening about allthe shit that's gone down and
all the good that's gone down with being a mum and being so
like a parent and being so hard working in the industry.
Like is there anything you can save me from and teach me?
(23:07):
All right, give me a hand. Oh.
Shit. George yeah.
The fact that you're asking me that question means you're a
good parent. Well, that's nice, Mary.
It's really emotional. No, no, I mean it because you
actually care, you know, like you're actually putting your
kids interests, you know, first,which which is beautiful,
George. So that's half the battle, you
(23:30):
know. But I tell you something I think
I would say to myself, my younger self, don't be so hard
on yourself because you do give yourself a really hard time
because you're not there on the weekends.
You're not there when they're doing Saturday sport or when
they're doing, they've got a birthday party with their
friends and you're working and they, you know, they're
(23:52):
celebrating and you know, it's, it's difficult, George.
It's not easy. And it's very easy to have that
guilt as a parent, you know, because you're not there.
But you in reflection, you're, you're always there because I
(24:12):
think I'm a better parent for it, because I actually
acknowledge that the time I spend with them is quality time
and I see them as people rather than just my children.
Do you know what I mean? So, so my best advice, look,
(24:34):
we're, we all do, It's our firsttime around the sun, right?
We all, we're all doing this forthe first time.
We've never been a parent before, you know, So we can only
do our best, George, you know, and and this is the thing,
that's what we're doing. And we can only show them
through example. So if we're a good person, if we
treat people with respect, if wetreat them with respect, if then
(24:58):
they'll they'll acquire those qualities.
So I don't know. Look, have there been times
where I've felt cried where I'vecried?
Yeah, for sure. Like I've even gone to the point
where I've been watching some movie on TV and some mother has
been washing salad, right? And I'm, I'm actually feeling
(25:21):
guilty because my kids haven't had salad for ages because I
haven't had time to cook. Do you know what I mean?
Like the parent guilt. Is real.
The parent guilt is real. And then, you know, some, you
know, you do get some mums not not for in the industry, but
outside, like sort of like, you know, say your daughter gets an
award at school and you can't bethere.
(25:43):
You know, she'll take a photo and go, oh, you know, your
daughter got an award today. Oh, that's right, you're not
here, do you know? That's nice of.
Her. Yeah, and you'd be like, you
know, that's hard, but it's not easy doing this job and being a
parent, but. I see 2 worlds of it.
(26:06):
It's not all doom and gloom. No, it's not because I say that
I'm like teaching my kids that even though I've gone to uni and
I've like tried to follow that path that you know, was etched
into my brain, I chose to take the risk and I chose to gamble
it and do what I love and find what I love and be who I am and
you know, in all aspects of my life, you know, work really,
(26:26):
really hard. I know like, even though my
daughter's too, I know she sees it because I know she sees me
like. And she's proud of you, George,
and. Like, watch her.
She like, sometimes will watch an episode and laugh.
You know what I mean? Yeah, this.
But you know, she'll be one day a 20 year old who can watch me
talk about my life and work whenat my age now.
But yeah, then there's times where I'm like, oh boy, like,
(26:48):
everything's so fun on the weekend.
Yeah. You know what I mean?
Yeah, it's like, am I doing the right thing?
Like, do I? You know what I mean?
But George, The thing is. Will affect them when they're
older and they're more aware because like when they're 20 and
and 17, it's different to when they're a four month old, you
know what I mean? Like they don't know right and
(27:08):
I'm it's like, do your daughtersfeel it when they're like 16?
Do they feel it when? No, no, I can honestly say like
I'm so my daughters, they've, they've actually seen their mum
follow her dreams. So that has given them the
courage to follow their dreams and I'm so grateful for that,
(27:33):
you know, And you know, they, they see that their mum, they
also see all the sacrifices as well.
Like they would never do mine. Like I've I've said to them, do
you want to take over mum's business?
And they're like, no, we want tofollow our own path, which I
totally respect, you know, but you know it, you know, it's not,
(27:56):
it's not all doom and gloom. Look, my dad, he works seven
days a week. You know, he, he was, he was
working a day job and a night job.
What was he doing? So he was a he's a air
conditioning refrigeration mechanic.
So he was contracted to three big buildings in the city.
Oh, awesome. And then at night, he used to
clean. Oh, wow.
(28:16):
He's clean buildings. Yeah, to to put us through
school for kids, you know, single parents, single income,
you know, and so we, I don't, I turned out OK yeah, we all
turned out OK. We.
Had chips in the ears, but you know that means you turned out
great. All right.
Like you, George. I'm telling my dad on you.
(28:39):
You gotta. Go.
I'm telling my dad I. Can look at Marty on my head,
Can I talk? To George.
I saw his study yesterday. I said that to all my friends
just to make them feel better about being my friend.
But he said that friends who lightly been to each other are
300%. Like there's more chance that
(29:00):
they'll have the longevity of a friendship because they have
that barrier that's gone where they can just swim 100%, do shit
and take it. Yeah.
I love it. It's very funny, yeah.
Is there anything? There is many things.
That's a very silly question, but you know, 20 plus years in
the industry. Yeah.
Let's talk about triumphs and failures.
(29:23):
That's heavy. You you take the lead with this.
Oh. Triumphs and failures, OK.
About yourself that you've learned.
I think triumphs is probably still being in the game after
all these years. That's a triumph.
I meant that. Yeah.
And and still being sane. Well, sort of.
(29:45):
Yeah, Yeah, I think one of my biggest triumphs too is just
probably respecting people and having respect from people and.
Boy, do you do that well. Right.
So that's a big thing for me. Another triumph I I feel is
(30:08):
probably nurturing creativity. So, you know, and being myself,
George, like I don't think I've ever been anything else.
It sounds like all your triumphscome from an inner self.
It's a lot of like self love or self respect.
That's what I'm getting at. It's, it's more, it's more, it's
more respect for others too. Like it's like I've, I think
(30:32):
everything has to be a relationship.
Even in work, you know if it's if you don't have that
relationship with everybody. Is there a reason particularly
why you're always so kind and giving with your time and energy
to others in the work field? Because you are.
Look, I don't even need to do this whole like testimonial
(30:54):
about who you are because everyone knows.
Look, George, there's because I,I've realised that through, OK,
so through my injury, through losing people in the industry,
I've realised that things aren'talways necessarily, you know,
permanent think you can lose what you've got in a in a
(31:18):
heartbeat, you know, in a second.
So one minute for OK, so for example, one minute I was fine,
I was lifting couches upstairs, I was doing all this stuff.
The next minute I was literally not being able to drive,
couldn't drive for six months, couldn't sleep, couldn't do
anything, you know, So it's likesplit second, another like, and
(31:41):
then I think about people who have left us in the industry,
like, you know, like Attila and Philip Carr, you know, and I
think, you know, I think about Attila a lot because I think he
used to rock up to our jobs all the time.
Nobody knew he was sick, George.He never opened up.
(32:01):
He never told anybody, but he got the job done.
He was so unwell, but he used torock up for us and he used to do
the job for us, you know, and heused to, despite everything, he
used to get the job done. Do you know what I mean?
And like. God bless his soul.
Yeah. And I think about it and I'm
like, you know, this job is so brutal and it's it's so
(32:25):
beautiful, but it can be so brutal as well, you know, and so
taxing that we have to be kind to each other because really we
rely on each other. You know, like if, if, if I
can't do my job, you can't do your job, George.
And if you can't do your job, I don't have my job.
(32:46):
Do you know what I mean? So it's like it's that a level
of respect for each other that Ifind so important, you know, and
I still, you know, I remember, Istill would love to have one
more conversation with him and just say, how are you, You know,
but I cut so I'm such suck. So fine.
(33:12):
You know, and then even with Phil, Phil was a great mentor to
me. Like he was so generous with his
knowledge, with his information.You know, he always had time for
you. So if he saw you in a social
setting, he'd always sit down and have a conversation, you
know, actually ask how things were going, give his worldly
(33:34):
advice because he's been, he wasaround even before, like I was
around like he was, he's like a,he was a veteran, you know, and
you know, like we were supposed to go out for dinner and then he
died and I just, it's gone. I'll never have that
opportunity. So it's like those moments where
(33:56):
you think life is so transient, like you really, really need to
be good to each other and sort of like make time.
And that's why I try, I try my best.
Like I don't always succeed, butI try.
I try my best to. Make time.
You're always a great friend to everyone.
Yeah. So I try and make time for
people and show up, you know? I wasn't fortunate enough to
(34:18):
have a close relationship with the tiller.
Yeah. If you were to reflect back on
your relationship with him, whatwas most memorable about it?
The most memorable thing was that he was so giving and he was
so he was just so generous, George, you know, and he was, he
was, he was a no shitter, you know what I mean?
(34:41):
Like he came, he did his job. He did it well.
He did it like it was his own job.
Do you know what I mean? Like it was.
And he he did it with all his heart.
He worked from his heart and he never complained ever.
You know, it was just, I don't know, he was an amazing person.
I just wish, I wish I had more conversations with him, That's
(35:04):
all. You know?
Yeah. Anyway, you told me something
over the phone that it's like etched in my brain.
If you're not comfortable for this to be shared, I'll edit it
out. Tell me.
But what was said? I guess my mind, before you
share it, went so deep in thought of how crazy that
(35:26):
perspective is and how true it is that it's like, yeah, never
really discussed. Yeah.
So at his memorial, is that whatyou're talking about, George?
Yeah. So at his memorial, his wife
actually did say to to everybodyin the room, Attila was married
to you, not me, you know? And that really hit home because
(35:49):
at that time, dude. Hearing it now it.
Really hit home, George, becauseyou know, as much as you bring
joy to people, you also sacrifice a lot for the people
that you love too, you know, anda lot of it's time, you know, a
lot, a lot. So, you know, you've got it.
(36:11):
It's. I don't know that that really
resonated with me. I'll never forget that.
Yeah, I'll never forget it. When you told me, I was like,
yeah, this. Is crazy.
It was one of those moments thatwill always stay.
Yeah, you know. We actually stand back and,
like, applaud so many people's lives.
Yeah. And just like you know which.
You're taken away from. Yeah, you know, and.
(36:31):
It's fine. It's part of the sacrifice,
yeah. It's a choice we made.
It's a. Choice we made and like, you
know, my mum always says when you enter the dance you have to
keep dancing, you know like. Like that, Yeah.
Have you always been eclectic like as a child, Like we always
colourful and not weird, you know?
So I've always been eccentric. So always.
(36:53):
Is that the word? Eclectic.
Eccentric. Same thing, right?
Same. Same salad.
Same. Same chips.
Same chips, yes, same flavour. So, you know, I've always been
very artistic, if that's. Yeah, I've always been very
artistic, even from a young child.
(37:15):
So art has always been a part ofmy whole life.
So when I finished high school, I did want to go to art school.
That was my first preference. And then I remember applying to
go to the College of Fine Art and submitting A portfolio and
doing the whole thing. And I did it all because, like,
my parents wanted me to go to uni and become a doctor, right.
(37:36):
But you know, obviously. But I got in and I went home and
I told my parents, mum, I'm going to the College of Fine
Arts. And she says no.
And I said, what do you mean? She said no?
And I said what? Why not?
And she said no, because you're going to paint nude men and take
drugs. That's where her mind went.
(37:59):
It's. Like and mom.
Mom, I've already done that. Anyone don't know, it's in all
seriousness. So, you know, back then, yeah,
parents were quite like, my parents were quite strict
growing up. So for them, because they came
from a background where they didn't have the opportunity to
have an education, they're like,don't discoverty, you know, so
(38:20):
they, they couldn't afford to beeducated.
So for them and, and they didn'twant us to be working so hard
our whole lives. So for them, education was
everything. Absolutely.
You know, so it was like, you have to go to uni, you have to
do something. So I I finished a psych degree,
OK, and I worked in a home for people with intellectual and
physical disabilities for 10 years.
(38:41):
Wow, that's awesome. Before I did this, yeah.
So I think it was there that, oh, going back to the eclectic
or should we go on this tangent?I don't know.
I like all tensions all. Right, let's do this first.
Yeah. So then while I was there, I met
this man. He was about 32.
And because my my thing was managing challenging behaviour.
(39:04):
OK, Right. So I met this man and he was he
had autism and he never spoke and he was non verbal.
But whenever we played ABBA Fernando, he would sing in his
chair shut. Up that's.
Crazy, right? And that's when I felt the power
(39:27):
of create, of art. It speaks to, it doesn't speak
to your mind. It speaks to your soul.
Do you know what I mean? And that was when I sort of
thought, no, this is where I want to be.
I want to be there. I want to be where I feel I can
(39:48):
give more to, you know, so in well.
Maybe that's very it's very cool.
Yeah, it was really cool. They I loved it there.
It was amazing, you know, and then we, we did a lot of art
therapy through, you know, because that was one of my
specialties. And then we even did like an art
(40:08):
exhibition at the end of the year.
Oh wow. For all the families and and
carers. That is awesome.
Yeah, and it was just wonderful to see how the world, parts of
the world couldn't connect to a certain part of somebody.
But art could, you know, music could, it could speak a
different language that we, you know, you can't see.
(40:31):
So this is this is another reason why I did what I'm doing
because it does, you know, I just feel like like I've never
done my work for, you know, perfection or for, you know, for
even praise George, I think it doesn't bother me.
Do you know what I mean? It's, it's, it's more because
it's made me find out who I am as a person.
(40:52):
You know, it's me, it's who I am.
I'm giving you a part of my soulto touch your soul, you know,
and that's, that's the whole relationship.
So that to, to, to go back on the whole, you know, eclectic
thing. That's where it all ties in,
because I've always just for seeing the world a bit
(41:12):
differently. I love it though do.
You know what I mean? So it's like I'll find joy.
Yeah, in the most. I just wonder how many people
like aren't comfortable enough to be their most like creative,
carefree, funny self. You know what I mean?
Yeah, if you can't laugh at yourself, George.
Yeah, but it's awesome that you just feel comfortable in your
own skin to just wake up one dayand just put a packet of chips
(41:35):
in your ears. Like, do you know what I'm
saying? Like, it's cool to be there.
It's like, awesome. It's like, I don't give a fuck.
Like, I just want to know. Like, do you look at husband?
You're like Smith's audritos. He doesn't even react anymore.
He doesn't react. You know when we got married, he
(41:55):
said to me, I don't care what you I don't care.
You know you can get whatever dress you want because but just
nothing to out there. Right, he knew he was talking
too. Right.
He's like. No, but I I think I've seen your
wedding photos. You were white.
You look like a bride. I did.
Yeah, you didn't go. Well I had 708 people at my
wedding. Fuck yes.
So. My big fat Greek wedding it.
(42:17):
Was it was in your new idea? No, really.
Promise. Just out of random.
Well, the movie had just come out.
OK. Right.
The first one, yeah. And they had found out that
there was this big fat Greek wedding in real life in Sydney.
So we got on the cover of the magazine.
Oh. My God, that is so funny.
(42:38):
They thought you were Tula. Did they did?
Where did you have your reception?
At the Bellevue. OK, like so many things have
been at the Bellevue, it's a room full of so many events.
Like it was such a different, such a different time.
Yeah, such a different time. Like you know the cake was from
the venue. Yeah, everything was all.
One you know the the flowers were from a florist who was
(43:01):
contracted with the venue. You know everything was from the
venue. There was no stylists.
Suppliers. Suppliers, there was no props,
nothing. Do you know, It was, it was
pretty much, you know, whatever was there on the catalogue, you
had to choose, you know, Don't forget, there was no social
media either. Except, you know, being on the
cover of new ID across the country like this.
(43:25):
Forget Instagram stories, we're going straight to buy it,
George. You couldn't see it.
You had to. Go buy.
It. No, it's true.
Glee. Yeah.
You still have a copy? I do.
That's awesome. Yeah.
You got to keep that safe. Still got it.
That is. That is really, really cool.
It's. Really cool.
Can I get a photo of it later? Don't forget today.
Yeah, I promise I'll send. It to you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I want a signed copy.
(43:48):
And I were like, that's OK, we make Lamb written on it.
I love Ian Miller. That is a great movie.
It's classic. I might watch it tonight.
It's classic. Just in honour of you in this
episode. It's a really good movie.
So, yeah, so to answer your question, yes, I have always
been a little bit outside the square.
Yeah, OK. I got a question from someone
that I want to. Oh.
(44:09):
Ask it's on my phone. Oh gosh, do I need a drink
before it? Yeah, yeah.
Go hard. Where is that?
It's from someone George from from Renvoy.
Oh yeah, I love them. They were the episode, yes, he
said. It's very theme.
OK, tell us what's on people's mind.
OK, Aspirationally, what is the end game for your business slash
(44:34):
U? Have you ever reached?
Have you reached it? And if you haven't, what do you
think you need to do to get there?
I love this question. Right.
I always feel people think thereneeds to be a destination, but I
never do. I've always thought everything
is a progression. You need to discover who you are
(44:55):
through the process of life, right?
And through the process of work,through the process of
relationships, through the process of family.
So the person I am now is definitely not going to be the
person I am in 10 years, but I'mopen to whatever happens.
And I'm going to take that on and I'm going to adapt and I'm
(45:15):
going to learn from it, and I'm going to reinvent myself every
time, you know? So like, I don't know about you,
George, but when I think of my life, I think of it as so many
different lifetimes. You know, it's like a whole,
every single thing is a different lifetime.
I couldn't imagine that I'd be doing this now when I was 19,
(45:36):
you know, when I was 19, I thought something totally
different. So what?
What changes now? Now that I'm, I'm, I'm 50, I'm
in my 50s. I'm not telling you my age, but
I'm in my 50s, Right? But how do I know what's going
to happen in 20 years? I don't.
So I have to roll with the punches.
You know, I don't know what the world's, I don't know what
(45:57):
life's going to bring me tomorrow.
Yeah, I'm just taken back by what you just said.
Yeah, that was insane. It's true, though.
We should have breakfast more often.
We. Should I love it?
Yeah, yeah, this is. Like I miss you, George.
I miss you more. This is awesome.
You're so wise, man. Tell me more.
Teach me more about life, Mary. Just don't tell me I'm your
(46:18):
industry mum. You're.
Definitely not my industry mum. My mum's much older than you.
She's not in her 50s. She wishes, yeah, if you could
look back at your whole career, Yeah.
Or even put career aside if you feel like that's true.
Like, Nah, yeah, it's, it's expected.
Yeah, if I could look back. If you could look back at a
(46:39):
certain moment and being like, well I really learnt a lot in
this time. Other than anything we've
discussed, does the Crystal Ballshow you anything specific?
Look, George, I think everythingthat's ever happened to me has
happened to me to create the person I am today, right?
(47:00):
So it's like, and I'm not just like it's the biggest.
I don't know. It's very hard question to
answer. It is a hard.
Question. But I think the biggest lesson
that I've learned from everything that's ever happened,
if I don't even know if that's answering your question, but
it's, it's to learn how to let go.
(47:21):
Because we try and control everything so much, you know,
and we feel like we, we, we needto control things, you know, in
order to progress. But sometimes you have to be a
little bit fearless, you know, and you have to sort of open
yourself up to the possibility of things that make you
uncomfortable because that's theonly way you're going to like
(47:41):
stretch your boundaries and stretch the person that you are.
Because if you're always in a comfort zone, what are you
learning? Nothing you know, but if if the
if life you know, if life bringsyou different things and you
explore different avenues, then that gives you an opportunity to
open yourself up to different things, things that you never
(48:01):
knew about yourself. You know, there are things about
myself I'm still learning are. You trying to say like, you've
got to be in it to win it. You've got to be.
Am I interpreting it wrong? No, you've got to be in it to
live it, you know, and and succeed in it, because the only
way to get good at something is to embody it.
(48:22):
If you chase it, George, you'll just keep chasing it.
It'll keep running away from you.
You need to embody it. It needs to be a part of you.
If it's a part of you, then it'sautomatically yours.
Fucking well, it's woman. Right isn't a trooper.
(48:43):
It's so true. You don't.
You just need to hear. It don't trace it, like
everything you trace. Have you ever noticed when you
trace it, it keeps running away from you?
Yeah, you know. I've learned that recently.
I, I do struggle with that. Yeah.
You know, I'll, I'll be vulnerable and I'll share a
little bit, but, you know, you work with me enough on the floor
when I'm actually shooting, likenot sitting on the table here.
(49:04):
Yeah, and Pierre is a really good friend of mine in the
industry. I have a very, very good
relationship with him. Classic occasions.
No Pierre Trey life. I I love Pierre.
Best guy? Yeah, love.
And I always say to like Alexia or anyone, I'm like, there's
just some people that like trulyknow me like that.
He knows my facial expressions. That's how she was spent.
(49:24):
Yeah, yeah. And he keeps saying to me or he
keeps saying to me at one stage he's like, I noticed when you
come to a job, you have this image in your head and you get
frustrated until you get it. And when you get it, you're like
calm. He's like, you need to just get
that image out of your head whenyou come to work.
And he kept telling me and I waslike, yeah, stop it.
Like I want to do it. Like I, I, I want to get this.
(49:47):
And I'm, and I'm a very stubbornperson.
And it's only been a few times where I'm like, I'm just going
to like plan, but then also leave room to just be.
And it's in that room to let be.I've created the coolest stuff.
Yeah. Not by accident, by purpose,
like on purpose, but like just allowing myself to breathe and
not expect something that I've put in my own mind and
(50:09):
roadblocked myself to 100. Percent.
My expectations and honestly, like it's it's changed who I was
in the last year. Like even for instance, over the
weekend, it's so mundane, but I'll just share it for like
anyone, anyone listening. I was shooting a really, really
beautiful wedding, beautiful couple, great relationship with
them. I felt like myself with them,
you know, I was just like, it was good momentum.
(50:31):
Then Bianca from B events was like, George, we have little
Felix available in the middle oflike Haitian shoot.
Yeah. Old me would never stick horse
from the round shape. Yeah.
I'm like, Nah, like we have to. I've already discussed what?
The bride. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I turned to the bride again, like the manager of Mary, I've
got little Felix available for you.
Whatever, yada, yada, yada. I'd want to go.
And they were like, yeah. And I was like, all right, let's
(50:52):
get in the car. And I was that's me.
That's me outside of work. But I never bring that into
work. And then when I did that and I
shot it, I swear till now I'm thinking about that shot because
how much I love it. See.
And I'm like, hey George, this is so cool.
And maybe because it wasn't in my mind when I woke up that
morning and. You know why?
Because you relied on your feeling in here, right?
(51:15):
You let this talk. Yeah, not this.
Never shot there right. Didn't know what it looked like.
Walked in. The whole room was green and I
was like. But that but George, that
allowed you to be a true artist because you relied on your
intuition, right? And that's what we are really
like all artists, like all, we're intuitive, you know, like
we, we rely on our feeling to create.
(51:37):
You have to do that more often. George, I do like, that's why
I'm, I'm trying. I'm only showing that because I
like what you said about embodying it and not chasing it.
Be you. You have to like, you know,
obviously run a business and be safe and plan and create.
But like sometimes when you're working in this field, you've
got to just trust that you've got the skill and you've just
got to let it take its course. We've got to remember right that
(51:58):
creativity and business are two totally different things.
Very hard to separate it there. Very different jobs, very right.
So like if you've struggled with, if you struggle right with
both of them, you need to hire somebody to do your business,
right? So you can be your creative
self, right? If you can't do that, because if
you, if you are just creative, then it just becomes a very
(52:21):
expensive hobby. You know, you're not really
making money, you know, and like, if you're trying to
support a family, if you've got children, you can't be doing
that because you're sacrificing your weekends for what you know.
And yeah. So yeah, like I, I'm, I'm with
you. Like, you definitely need the
discipline, you know, especiallywhen you don't have the
(52:43):
motivation every day, you know, you need the discipline, you
know, but like you, you also need to harness your creativity.
And the way to do that is to be fearless and to take risks and.
Opportunities I've only recentlyacquired I feel like.
I love that. Job for you.
It's so exciting, yeah. Yeah, feeling, yeah it does and
(53:10):
then you'll see so right it'll open up different avenues for
you Yeah that's what's happened to me like of The thing is you
don't it's. Like it opens the mind it.
Does right it opens fun yeah, you've and that's the thing
you've got more fun you bring itbrings you joy that.
Was a candle. How cool.
Oh amazing. I love when it does that.
(53:31):
So it brings you joy. So you bring joy, Yes.
It's to say it's like a win win situation.
Yeah, but you know. Where do you draw inspiration
from? This might be one of the final
questions I'm going to ask you. Where are?
Where do I? Where do you draw inspiration
from? Like when you walked in and
you're like, this is so me and Iwalked in and I was like, I
don't understand it. Like, it's nice, but it was
(53:51):
like, like, I have to do, you know, like there's people that
go to an art gallery and they totally pretend what they're
doing and. See, for me, I walked in and the
first thing I saw was the technique she's used to create
this. And this would have taken so
much time, right? Like this is all like, this is
(54:13):
all like gathered. Like this is this is amazing.
And it just reminds me because microphone.
Oh, sorry. Sorry.
I get carried away. Yeah.
So this is a perfect embodiment of who I am because I'm a little
bit of a party girl, right? Because I love my parties, but
(54:34):
I'm also like this person as well.
And then I'm a little bit feminine too.
Do you know what I mean? So for me, it's big.
Candles you just light shit on fire.
And and I love Cat. Oh, we love Cat.
Yeah, you do love Cat I. Love her, right?
So it's like, but see, see how it talks to me differently to
how it talks to you, right? Because, see, Tina's Tina.
(54:58):
Tina sort of knows me. Yeah, she does.
She didn't let me. She didn't let me decide.
She's like, she's coming like Mary.
She's like goodbye. I'm like, I love that it.
Didn't even it. Didn't even tell me what time
are you? But this is the thing I I'll
give you. I know we're running out of
time, but I'll give you this. There's no such thing as running
out of time. I'll give you this example of
(55:18):
thinking like really beyond the square, right?
So once we I got an invitation in the mail and it said Peter
and Mary are invited to a White Party.
So my husband comes home and I'll go, babe, we're invited to
a fancy dress. I'm wearing a nurses outfit.
You're going to go as a chef, right?
(55:39):
He's like, oh, okay. He's like, are you shot?
Yeah. I'm like, he goes, He goes, oh,
cool. My, my poor husband, man.
He puts up with so much, right. Anyway, so I went and bought him
a full chef's outfit, like the hat, everything, everything,
right? I've got a nurse's outfit.
I've got the stockings, the white stockings.
I've got the proper shoes. Like, I had to do it.
(56:00):
Yeah, babe, I had to go. Like, it had to be authentic,
you know, like it couldn't be, you know?
Anyway. They're like, this is a really
kinky couple. Right.
So we, we rock up to this party,we rock up.
Everyone's around the pool, George just wearing white,
right? I'm somebody yells out the
strippers here. My husband looks at me.
(56:24):
He goes, what do you want to do?He goes, do you want to roll
with it or do you want to go home?
And I said, let's just roll withit.
So we went and we rolled with a babe.
It's. Made out in a corner, he went to
the He's just like, guys, yeah, we're the freaks.
We enjoy the fancy party. George we had the best fun that
night, like the best. But when we got.
Home. How did you read that invite?
Come on man. Well, this is what I mean about
(56:46):
like really thinking outside thesquare, right?
So when we got home, my husband said to me.
Why? And he thought no.
I thought, why fancy dress? Wow, great.
I'm gonna go hard. We're gonna go hard, right?
Anyway, And my husband, we go home and my husband's like
you're never, never reading the invitation again.
Ever. I got some.
(57:12):
Loving. Yes, that's actually a true
story. Can't make that up surely,
sorry. It's a true story.
Oh my gosh, Mary, I love you. Thank you for coming on.
That's how we're ending. I've.
Had a great time George. Ohh guys, we're gonna stop
recording and just continue. I'm just letting you know, like
get jealous, I don't care. I'm having too much fun.
But you know, this is 3 hours long.
(57:32):
You just won't listen so. I know we've got so many
stories. I love.
Yeah. I love you too, George.
Yeah. Thank you for having me.
My honour.
All right, guys. Mary Renis, welcome.
Hello, George John. How's it going?
It's really good. So you don't know this, but
you're back after a little bit of a break.
Oh, so I didn't announce it the last episode because I forgot,
but OK, I took an Easter break. So welcome back everyone.
Loving life, you know, loving life.
Easter break to be with the fan.Bam, little chickens.
(00:33):
My little Well, I have to tell everybody George John pranked me
this morning. Fuck I was.
Hoping you wouldn't say. He rang me first thing this
morning and told me it was all off and I actually believed him.
Guys, it's we're recording on the 1st of April.
Mary is in line with 50 people that I prank.
I love. No one should take me serious in
life. I love a good prank.
So I had woken up at maybe 6:00 AM and pranked about 30 people
(00:58):
before it's 7 even. Here.
So evil, George. You're so colourful and so is
everyone in my contact list, yeah.
Because we just. We believe you, George.
Yeah, but. What do you think to believe?
I told her I had Bells paused. I think we could have because I
had bills pausing the past and Ican go to back again.
She was about to cry on the phone.
I was, I was. So I was so upset for you,
George, I told. Like 30 people that Alexia was
pregnant, she's not pregnant. That's just everything you think
(01:21):
of it. But it's so like fool accident.
Oh my God, George. It's funny.
It's April Fools I can do. I can get away with it.
You know. I love it.
Even Daniel, poor Daniel got pregnant.
I turn around, I'm like, go home.
I'm not doing these podcasts today.
Poor Daniel. Anyways, we're back guys.
I'm excited to be here. Me too.
Excited to have his back on. And I'm just sitting with a
(01:44):
really good friend. Yes, her name's Mary.
She is the most eclectic. Sarah Jessica Parker, Where's
the newspaper on the day of her podcast.
That's right, that's right. We're going to read all about it
with a packet of chips. She's got Smith's chips if
you're listening in the car, like a packet of Smith's chips
on her ears, that's. Right, because chips are my one
(02:05):
of my favourite things in the world.
Chips are amazing. Yes, I have to stay away from
chips. George, I've tried it doesn't
work. Fuck, yeah.
It's a relationship. It's one of those relationships,
you know, it's like a bad boyfriend.
It's like I promise myself that I'm not going to go back there,
but I always go back there. And he always tastes so good.
(02:27):
Every fucking time. You know, man, 1030, you're
here. Yeah, some like stupid reality
TV show on pocket of Doritos. Exactly.
Kaziki and Doritos is my like. That is it.
Yeah. Game over, gamer.
Have you tried it? I have OK I've tried that.
I've tried data Masolata as well.
(02:48):
Data Masolata is we're talking English.
George, how can you not know? We have so much to learn.
It's it's red caviar dip, George.
Red caviar dip. It's a Greek thing.
It's a great thing. Sorry, George.
That's all right. Yeah.
Well, she decided to bring me everything about today, which is
(03:08):
nice, to bring an eggplant. What is?
What do I do with this now? Make Baba ghanoush.
We can make Baba ghanoush. Yeah.
Lucky I didn't bring you. OK, Yeah.
Try to say that, George. You know, like it's like picking
test lines or something. It's a, it's a, It's a sweet.
Oh, it's a sweet. I'm not a sweet person.
I'm a savoury person. Yeah, I am too.
(03:30):
Yeah, yeah, it's the chips. I I choose savoury over sweet
all the time. What's new?
What's happening? Things are good.
Yeah. Yeah, things are good.
Things are all happening back. Doing what I do, which I know
you're gonna ask me about. Yeah, still working on Picasso's
(03:50):
palette, which is the kids nursery stuff.
So that's really that. I'm really enjoying that which
has been, it's been a great journey so far.
Which is like decorating kids rooms, right?
Yeah, yeah. But it's sort of evolving.
So we're not just decorating kids rooms because before I was
doing events, I was also painting murals for kids
(04:11):
bedrooms. I didn't know that.
So it's almost like going full circle.
So I'm going back to physically painting for clients.
Yeah. Wow.
Yeah. Which has been so fun.
Yeah. So that's been that's, that's,
that's a work in progress. Yeah, event space busy.
(04:33):
Wedding space busy. Do you got a lot coming up this
year? I've got enough, OK, enough to
keep me busy steady. To make you happy.
Yeah, enough to make me happy. I'm trying to like hold off with
the elephant in the room as longas possible so I don't like drop
it right at the side of the episode.
Go on, George, Just do it. Go just do it.
Do I give everyone context? I'm sure a lot of people
listening to any other context, but I want to say two years ago,
(04:54):
yes. First of all, how many years in
the game now have it written down?
Almost 21 maybe. Yeah, it's a long time.
Approximately, yeah. It's a lot of experience, a lot
of wisdom. Long time George.
Like somebody, somebody said to me, you're like my industry mum.
And I said to them, dude, you're45, When did I have you?
(05:15):
When I was 8. You slapped that bitch straight
in her face. You never speak to that person.
So, yeah, so I've been around for a while, yeah.
When someone says do you look tired, I'm like, I feel great.
Oh gosh. Well, you've been around for a
very long time and about two years ago.
(05:37):
I already watched the video thismorning.
Yep. You know, picture this, you open
up your Instagram app. Yep.
And you see this real Yep. And it's Mary Rhona saying
goodbye. Literally, you're like goodbye,
yes, with this massive caption curated video.
I know like this farewell. Yep.
(05:59):
Comments I checked today was over 300 and there were essays.
I know, George. We cried, man.
I cried. Everyone cried.
I cried. OK.
Yeah, and you didn't retire? Well, OK, I don't.
Want to hear it? You didn't retire.
You had jobs. You've had clients who have
(06:20):
conceived, had baby showers, given birth, do the christening.
Cut me until George. Yeah, we can date check this.
I just need to get to the bottomof it because it's like 1.
What happened to make that video?
You got dressed up and you made that video.
Yeah, yeah. Came up with the idea, got a
videographer and two, what happened the next week when you
(06:44):
booked a client from your emails?
All right, let me, let me run. Let me let me go through the
whole process. I'll stop talking now.
OK, firstly, when I look when I did that video, right, like I'm
going to get really serious now,George, right?
When when I did that video, it was probably I was probably at
the lowest, worst point physically in my life.
(07:07):
So my, because I've got neck injury, like neck injuries from
C2 to C7. So it's the whole disc or like
if like all the discs in my neckare compressed, right?
So I live with pain every day. Even now when I'm talking to
you, I've got pain radiating through my body, right?
(07:29):
But I live with it because I've learnt how to live with it now.
At that time I was in such a badstate that I had to sleep with
pillows under my arms because the weight of my arms would
actually put too much pressure on my neck.
That's how bad it was. And this what happened from that
(07:50):
car accident you had. Yeah, so in 2016 I had AI got T
boned by a van and I literally got crushed in between two cars,
like a parked car and his car and they had to cut me out.
So I I sustained quite a bit of a neck injury from there.
And look, you know, I was because I was so fit back then
(08:12):
too. Like I was really fit back then.
My, I think my body sort of heldmy neck up through, you know,
through my core rather than through my bones.
So I didn't feel it as much. And so I got mismanaged a little
bit because I was, you know, I felt OK.
(08:33):
So I kept going. And then what happened was over
time, through wear and tear, theinjuries just got progressively
worse and worse. And then it got to a point where
I work like, you know, one day Icouldn't feel my arms anymore.
And I was like in a state of panic and I had went to hospital
(08:55):
and that's when, you know, I discovered exactly what was
going on in my body. And I got referred to the
proper, sort of, I got a rheumatologist and I got like,
you know, proper medics to look after me, who all told me you
need to stop what you're doing because you're causing too much
wear and tear. And by the age of 70, you're not
going to have movement. Like it's just, you know, and I
(09:18):
remember George at that time, like I was so stressed because I
loved what I did. I was so passionate about it,
like, because it was, you know, my job is not just a job to me,
it's an extension of myself, youknow, like, and so basically
when somebody tells you you can't do that anymore, it's,
(09:40):
it's quite, you know, like you have to change not just, you
know, what you're doing, but you've got to change your
identity because that's who I was for so long.
And that's. What now?
What do I do? Yeah, what do I do now?
Like I'm a bit lost, you know. So I decided and my husband was
(10:00):
really like, because, you know, he loves me and he could say
that his partner was deteriorating.
So he was like, you need to stopthis.
Like this is this is enough Like, no, more like I, I can't
have, I can't watch the person that I love in bed next to me
with like pillows, you know, struggling, not being able to
(10:21):
move at all. So I made that decision and it
was funny, George, because you've got kids, right?
And like the sort of not being able to dance at my daughter's
wedding. Do you know what I mean?
It, it, it just, it was all those little things, George,
that sort of, it was a hard decision.
(10:42):
That's why it took so long. But I made that decision to
stop. And I thought, you know what?
I have to do this for myself, for my family, for my kids,
because I need to be there. Totally fair, like all jokes
aside. All jokes aside.
Totally fair, but if you don't laugh and cry, right?
Exactly right. And I get it now from our
(11:03):
conversation, but as close as weare, I've never had you open up
to me about it. I don't talk about it, George.
Why? I don't know, it's like I find
because I enjoy life so much andI find the joy in things, I like
to focus on that more rather than focus on the stuff, you
(11:25):
know, the other, which I guess is good and bad because people
can benefit from, you know, knowing people's story.
I don't know, 21. It's more just about, you know,
giving that transparency so people don't jump to the
conclusion and of your narrativewhen you know, no one knows the
narrative of that. You have physical injury, True.
(11:47):
A lot of people can jump to likeit's fatigue, true.
Maybe she's not getting enough work.
True. Maybe it's still with finding,
you know what I mean? True, which which a lot of
people did assume. Naturally, you can't blame them,
right? Yeah, like somebody messaged me
privately and asked me if I had cancer.
Jesus. All right, that's too far.
Truly. And that's coming from April
Fool's King. I'm never going to let you live
(12:09):
that down, George. Oh, I'll see you next.
Year, yeah. So yeah, that's that's basically
how that all came about. So then you established that you
were legitimately going to be done.
Literally, I honestly was done at that point.
Like, the turning point was I had done Christmas like a big
(12:32):
corporate Christmas that that year and like Danny Hicks was
with me on the job at that time.God loved Danny Hicks.
Me too. That woman is.
Love love love her weddings in one of my.
Favourite so excited to shoot it.
Yeah, she's beautiful. Standing study, Can't wait.
So Danny was with she. She was.
She had come on the job because I needed help physically right
(12:54):
with stuff. So she had come along.
And I remember I was in such a bad way that I had to stop for a
second and lay on the park tree floor on my back just to ease
the pain, to take the pressure off, to take the pressure off
because it was just too much. And that's when I thought, this
(13:17):
is actually impacting my work. I need to stop, you know, like
I'm physically not able to do it.
Yeah, You know, so I I need to make a decision and it's hard.
It was really. But was there not the option to
be like I'm gonna sit back and direct and have.
Stuff I can't. Do that job or you just
physically, you just can't do that.
OK, George, like if you've seen me on a job, like if you've come
(13:39):
on job with me, yeah, you'll seeI'm up the ladder.
Yeah, I'm doing this. I'm, I'm moving stuff.
Like I'll move a chair if, you know, it's like an impulsive
thing, 'cause I, I work through feeling.
So it's like if I walk into a room and I feel something needs
to change, I'll change it then and there.
And that's why it's hard to sortof go because a lot of people
(14:00):
said to me, why don't you hire people?
Yeah, hire people to do the job.And you can just be the creative
behind it. But you know, as you know, on
the day things change, circumstances change, things
might be moved, you know, and you need to be able to problem
solve really quickly and you need to be able to move things
(14:21):
around or you know, sometimes it's.
Just easier to move it yourself than just ask someone to move
it. Yeah.
But sometimes that person's not in your mind.
Yeah. So they can't see what you see.
Yeah. So it's very difficult to
translate that. So then when did you then
timeline wise, when did you comeback?
OK. So I did have back like I did
(14:42):
have events that were sort of booked in.
Ready, booked and you're like top.
So like it was like I had eventsbooked in from two years, like
so I had to fulfil those. I couldn't let those clients
down, you know. So for a while I was just doing
maybe, you know, 5A year. OK, do you know what I mean?
5-6 not much manageable. Did you feel like when you made
that announcement, inquiries went dry as toast?
(15:08):
People were still inquiring. No, people were still inquiring.
People were saying it was so funny, George.
People were like, I won't tell anyone that you're doing it,
just do it for me. It's a great mystery.
Just do it, don't worry. But won't tell anyone.
I'm just like, I actually can't.Like, I physically cannot do it,
(15:29):
you know, and even even because it's not just doing it like
being on a computer, I couldn't do it because of my neck.
So I couldn't physically even type, like do a mood board, you
know, like it was everything washard.
Yeah. So I sort of, you know.
(15:51):
Fucking being neck pains talkingto you right now.
I'm don't, don't start. I'm serious.
It's not 12:00 yet, George. I'm sorry, I just so.
Bad. It's the right time.
(16:12):
I'm drinking stuff cheese. Cheese No, I just want to know
when it's a good health. Cheers to good health before we
forget I want to cheers mate. I want to know when you came
back like did you have it was 1 morning, you're like.
It was this year. Taran is in.
It was this year, great. It was actually, no, you know
when you're. I'll tell you the moment I
decided to come back. OK.
(16:34):
I got a phone call from a client, yeah, like a like a
regular client who I love. And they said to me, Mary, we
want to recreate the Willy Wonkascene, the one where they walk
in and it's all like a like a garden.
And we want to even have the tube that Augustus Gloop gets
like stuck in. And we want the kids to be able
(16:57):
to go in the tube and take photos.
And I was like. And you woke up like the
Undertaker from WWE. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm a resurrected I. Want to say Willy Wonka?
I'm, I have to, right? Yeah.
And then it's sort of like it woke up that whole sort of love,
you know, it's like I this is what I was born.
(17:19):
Physically, are you there now? Physically I'm never going to be
there, but I've learnt in the two years that I've given myself
a break to manage it and to be able.
I've, I've, I've now I've got a great team of people that look
after me too. I've learnt my limitations, you
(17:39):
know, I don't push myself like Iused to.
If I can't do it, I just can't do it, you know, And I just say
it, yeah, straight out. You've learned to say.
No, I've learned to say no. Yeah.
So I'm in a better place, George.
Yeah. I think it's good and healthy
for you to be back and I just feel like it's more of a
managing, controlling what you want exactly and just do the
(18:00):
jobs that you want to do. Yeah, and do the jobs that sort
of challenge my creativity, which I love, you know.
And yeah, that's that's, that's the direction I'm going in now.
Maybe just comes down to like, really strict and rigid
planning, Yeah, to kind of avoidthe like, the fuck ups.
Yeah, I'm like, chair needs to be here, this is a tablecloth.
(18:24):
I need an eye like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, to save you having potential changes.
Changes. Is that am I just talking
something that's just not in a plan as well?
No, that's not going to happen every George.
I'm just trying to help you out here.
You know what it is. You know what, I can dream.
That's a perfect world. You know, Look, I think the
(18:46):
thing that's changed is that I give myself breaks in between
jobs now. So, like, now I've had a big
week last week, I have this weekoff.
Yeah. So I've planned that, you know,
So I give my body time to rest, recover, you know, and I've got
people that help as well that like I've employed people to
(19:07):
come and, you know, sort of helpon the job.
So it's like I'm not doing it all myself.
I'm not doing all the lifting myself.
Yeah. So look, it's, it has changed
the direction of my business because I have learnt how to let
go a little bit, which is good. And I think that is important in
any business to, to let go and to delegate, you know, because
(19:29):
you can't do it all yourself. But yeah, it's, it's been an
interesting like, but I know every time I go somewhere
they're like, she's bad. Not doing, not doing events.
Yeah, yeah. How's retirement going?
It's like I need I need a refundon my tears.
I know I. Don't write big messages and I'm
(19:49):
like this big message. I know George, it's OK, but at
the time I promise you it was sogenuine, like.
Oh yeah, I'm sure it. Was I was in such a bad place
like? And you know.
How much did you see with a packet of chips and cry when you
posted that? I think I put on 10 kilos.
Sold up like a baby. Yeah, yeah.
(20:11):
Want like you know. It'll be a hard post.
It was, it was really hard. And even with Charlie, because
Charlie did my video, my dear friend and he like, yeah,
awesome. And like we were, we were like
editing it and he was like, oh, I'm so emotional and I'm like,
me too. I'm like.
(20:33):
Psych everyone. Yeah.
Yeah, it was. That's all right.
We get it. Well, we've put it to rest
Extra, extra. We got closure.
I feel closure. Do you feel closure, John?
Yeah, it was definitely like, I'm like, I couldn't get past
John. It should have been like that.
I'll be. On my deathbed and I'll be like,
hey, move that vase 5 centimetres.
(20:56):
It should be more like archive that post.
I'm done with hearing about it. It's very hard to find.
It was very hard to find. I was like scrolling, like,
where is it? Yeah, But this so should have
been spoken about later in the podcast just so people can
actually listen to the whole episode.
Now it's just like, you know, a real catch up all.
Right, that's it. We're done.
Guys, Mary had a brief with me that she just wanted to catch
(21:17):
up. She didn't want this to be like
a strict interview. So it's just like going to be
like a just. A.
Yeah, like no one's listening. We're just having breakfast.
Correct, right. We're having some, you know.
Michael Suckers. Yeah.
Look at mates. That's OK.
We make lamb. George.
What? You say it so well.
(21:37):
Do I say? Well, I get that I'm Greek all
the time. I think because my name is
George. Oh, you're a fucking bitch.
Fuck you. You don't need you don't take it
like a compliment. That's not April Fool's.
It's like saying hey, you're a good looking psych.
You're terrible at this. I'm going to.
I'm going to teach you. You have two beautiful girls, 20
(21:59):
years old and 17 years old. Yes.
Oh my God, to think about havinga 20 year old and a 17 year old
gives me like knots and ulcers in my stomach.
You'll get the jokes. Right and wrong reasons, you
know, like it's just scary. I have a 2 year old.
She's basically a 24 year old. You want me to?
She has better grammar basicallythan I do.
(22:24):
You know, you have so many yearsof wisdom, not just with work,
with parenting and stuff. But one thing I told you I pre
warned you about that I wanted to kind of pick your brain about
is if you were to talk to me like I was your younger self
when you had a 2 year old and a four month old, right.
I have two kids. You have two kids.
We're both in the same industry.Picture me in the industry for
(22:45):
20 more years from now. Yeah, I want you to be like very
open and candid and just talk tome.
Not everyone listening about allthe shit that's gone down and
all the good that's gone down with being a mum and being so
like a parent and being so hard working in the industry.
Like is there anything you can save me from and teach me?
(23:07):
All right, give me a hand. Oh.
Shit. George yeah.
The fact that you're asking me that question means you're a
good parent. Well, that's nice, Mary.
It's really emotional. No, no, I mean it because you
actually care, you know, like you're actually putting your
kids interests, you know, first,which which is beautiful,
George. So that's half the battle, you
(23:30):
know. But I tell you something I think
I would say to myself, my younger self, don't be so hard
on yourself because you do give yourself a really hard time
because you're not there on the weekends.
You're not there when they're doing Saturday sport or when
they're doing, they've got a birthday party with their
friends and you're working and they, you know, they're
(23:52):
celebrating and you know, it's, it's difficult, George.
It's not easy. And it's very easy to have that
guilt as a parent, you know, because you're not there.
But you in reflection, you're, you're always there because I
(24:12):
think I'm a better parent for it, because I actually
acknowledge that the time I spend with them is quality time
and I see them as people rather than just my children.
Do you know what I mean? So, so my best advice, look,
(24:34):
we're, we all do, It's our firsttime around the sun, right?
We all, we're all doing this forthe first time.
We've never been a parent before, you know, So we can only
do our best, George, you know, and and this is the thing,
that's what we're doing. And we can only show them
through example. So if we're a good person, if we
treat people with respect, if wetreat them with respect, if then
(24:58):
they'll they'll acquire those qualities.
So I don't know. Look, have there been times
where I've felt cried where I'vecried?
Yeah, for sure. Like I've even gone to the point
where I've been watching some movie on TV and some mother has
been washing salad, right? And I'm, I'm actually feeling
(25:21):
guilty because my kids haven't had salad for ages because I
haven't had time to cook. Do you know what I mean?
Like the parent guilt. Is real.
The parent guilt is real. And then, you know, some, you
know, you do get some mums not not for in the industry, but
outside, like sort of like, you know, say your daughter gets an
award at school and you can't bethere.
(25:43):
You know, she'll take a photo and go, oh, you know, your
daughter got an award today. Oh, that's right, you're not
here, do you know? That's nice of.
Her. Yeah, and you'd be like, you
know, that's hard, but it's not easy doing this job and being a
parent, but. I see 2 worlds of it.
(26:06):
It's not all doom and gloom. No, it's not because I say that
I'm like teaching my kids that even though I've gone to uni and
I've like tried to follow that path that you know, was etched
into my brain, I chose to take the risk and I chose to gamble
it and do what I love and find what I love and be who I am and
you know, in all aspects of my life, you know, work really,
(26:26):
really hard. I know like, even though my
daughter's too, I know she sees it because I know she sees me
like. And she's proud of you, George,
and. Like, watch her.
She like, sometimes will watch an episode and laugh.
You know what I mean? Yeah, this.
But you know, she'll be one day a 20 year old who can watch me
talk about my life and work whenat my age now.
But yeah, then there's times where I'm like, oh boy, like,
(26:48):
everything's so fun on the weekend.
Yeah. You know what I mean?
Yeah, it's like, am I doing the right thing?
Like, do I? You know what I mean?
But George, The thing is. Will affect them when they're
older and they're more aware because like when they're 20 and
and 17, it's different to when they're a four month old, you
know what I mean? Like they don't know right and
(27:08):
I'm it's like, do your daughtersfeel it when they're like 16?
Do they feel it when? No, no, I can honestly say like
I'm so my daughters, they've, they've actually seen their mum
follow her dreams. So that has given them the
courage to follow their dreams and I'm so grateful for that,
(27:33):
you know, And you know, they, they see that their mum, they
also see all the sacrifices as well.
Like they would never do mine. Like I've I've said to them, do
you want to take over mum's business?
And they're like, no, we want tofollow our own path, which I
totally respect, you know, but you know it, you know, it's not,
(27:56):
it's not all doom and gloom. Look, my dad, he works seven
days a week. You know, he, he was, he was
working a day job and a night job.
What was he doing? So he was a he's a air
conditioning refrigeration mechanic.
So he was contracted to three big buildings in the city.
Oh, awesome. And then at night, he used to
clean. Oh, wow.
(28:16):
He's clean buildings. Yeah, to to put us through
school for kids, you know, single parents, single income,
you know, and so we, I don't, I turned out OK yeah, we all
turned out OK. We.
Had chips in the ears, but you know that means you turned out
great. All right.
Like you, George. I'm telling my dad on you.
(28:39):
You gotta. Go.
I'm telling my dad I. Can look at Marty on my head,
Can I talk? To George.
I saw his study yesterday. I said that to all my friends
just to make them feel better about being my friend.
But he said that friends who lightly been to each other are
300%. Like there's more chance that
(29:00):
they'll have the longevity of a friendship because they have
that barrier that's gone where they can just swim 100%, do shit
and take it. Yeah.
I love it. It's very funny, yeah.
Is there anything? There is many things.
That's a very silly question, but you know, 20 plus years in
the industry. Yeah.
Let's talk about triumphs and failures.
(29:23):
That's heavy. You you take the lead with this.
Oh. Triumphs and failures, OK.
About yourself that you've learned.
I think triumphs is probably still being in the game after
all these years. That's a triumph.
I meant that. Yeah.
And and still being sane. Well, sort of.
(29:45):
Yeah, Yeah, I think one of my biggest triumphs too is just
probably respecting people and having respect from people and.
Boy, do you do that well. Right.
So that's a big thing for me. Another triumph I I feel is
(30:08):
probably nurturing creativity. So, you know, and being myself,
George, like I don't think I've ever been anything else.
It sounds like all your triumphscome from an inner self.
It's a lot of like self love or self respect.
That's what I'm getting at. It's, it's more, it's more, it's
more respect for others too. Like it's like I've, I think
(30:32):
everything has to be a relationship.
Even in work, you know if it's if you don't have that
relationship with everybody. Is there a reason particularly
why you're always so kind and giving with your time and energy
to others in the work field? Because you are.
Look, I don't even need to do this whole like testimonial
(30:54):
about who you are because everyone knows.
Look, George, there's because I,I've realised that through, OK,
so through my injury, through losing people in the industry,
I've realised that things aren'talways necessarily, you know,
permanent think you can lose what you've got in a in a
(31:18):
heartbeat, you know, in a second.
So one minute for OK, so for example, one minute I was fine,
I was lifting couches upstairs, I was doing all this stuff.
The next minute I was literally not being able to drive,
couldn't drive for six months, couldn't sleep, couldn't do
anything, you know, So it's likesplit second, another like, and
(31:41):
then I think about people who have left us in the industry,
like, you know, like Attila and Philip Carr, you know, and I
think, you know, I think about Attila a lot because I think he
used to rock up to our jobs all the time.
Nobody knew he was sick, George.He never opened up.
(32:01):
He never told anybody, but he got the job done.
He was so unwell, but he used torock up for us and he used to do
the job for us, you know, and heused to, despite everything, he
used to get the job done. Do you know what I mean?
And like. God bless his soul.
Yeah. And I think about it and I'm
like, you know, this job is so brutal and it's it's so
(32:25):
beautiful, but it can be so brutal as well, you know, and so
taxing that we have to be kind to each other because really we
rely on each other. You know, like if, if, if I
can't do my job, you can't do your job, George.
And if you can't do your job, I don't have my job.
(32:46):
Do you know what I mean? So it's like it's that a level
of respect for each other that Ifind so important, you know, and
I still, you know, I remember, Istill would love to have one
more conversation with him and just say, how are you, You know,
but I cut so I'm such suck. So fine.
(33:12):
You know, and then even with Phil, Phil was a great mentor to
me. Like he was so generous with his
knowledge, with his information.You know, he always had time for
you. So if he saw you in a social
setting, he'd always sit down and have a conversation, you
know, actually ask how things were going, give his worldly
(33:34):
advice because he's been, he wasaround even before, like I was
around like he was, he's like a,he was a veteran, you know, and
you know, like we were supposed to go out for dinner and then he
died and I just, it's gone. I'll never have that
opportunity. So it's like those moments where
(33:56):
you think life is so transient, like you really, really need to
be good to each other and sort of like make time.
And that's why I try, I try my best.
Like I don't always succeed, butI try.
I try my best to. Make time.
You're always a great friend to everyone.
Yeah. So I try and make time for
people and show up, you know? I wasn't fortunate enough to
(34:18):
have a close relationship with the tiller.
Yeah. If you were to reflect back on
your relationship with him, whatwas most memorable about it?
The most memorable thing was that he was so giving and he was
so he was just so generous, George, you know, and he was, he
was, he was a no shitter, you know what I mean?
(34:41):
Like he came, he did his job. He did it well.
He did it like it was his own job.
Do you know what I mean? Like it was.
And he he did it with all his heart.
He worked from his heart and he never complained ever.
You know, it was just, I don't know, he was an amazing person.
I just wish, I wish I had more conversations with him, That's
(35:04):
all. You know?
Yeah. Anyway, you told me something
over the phone that it's like etched in my brain.
If you're not comfortable for this to be shared, I'll edit it
out. Tell me.
But what was said? I guess my mind, before you
share it, went so deep in thought of how crazy that
(35:26):
perspective is and how true it is that it's like, yeah, never
really discussed. Yeah.
So at his memorial, is that whatyou're talking about, George?
Yeah. So at his memorial, his wife
actually did say to to everybodyin the room, Attila was married
to you, not me, you know? And that really hit home because
(35:49):
at that time, dude. Hearing it now it.
Really hit home, George, becauseyou know, as much as you bring
joy to people, you also sacrifice a lot for the people
that you love too, you know, anda lot of it's time, you know, a
lot, a lot. So, you know, you've got it.
(36:11):
It's. I don't know that that really
resonated with me. I'll never forget that.
Yeah, I'll never forget it. When you told me, I was like,
yeah, this. Is crazy.
It was one of those moments thatwill always stay.
Yeah, you know. We actually stand back and,
like, applaud so many people's lives.
Yeah. And just like you know which.
You're taken away from. Yeah, you know, and.
(36:31):
It's fine. It's part of the sacrifice,
yeah. It's a choice we made.
It's a. Choice we made and like, you
know, my mum always says when you enter the dance you have to
keep dancing, you know like. Like that, Yeah.
Have you always been eclectic like as a child, Like we always
colourful and not weird, you know?
So I've always been eccentric. So always.
(36:53):
Is that the word? Eclectic.
Eccentric. Same thing, right?
Same. Same salad.
Same. Same chips.
Same chips, yes, same flavour. So, you know, I've always been
very artistic, if that's. Yeah, I've always been very
artistic, even from a young child.
(37:15):
So art has always been a part ofmy whole life.
So when I finished high school, I did want to go to art school.
That was my first preference. And then I remember applying to
go to the College of Fine Art and submitting A portfolio and
doing the whole thing. And I did it all because, like,
my parents wanted me to go to uni and become a doctor, right.
(37:36):
But you know, obviously. But I got in and I went home and
I told my parents, mum, I'm going to the College of Fine
Arts. And she says no.
And I said, what do you mean? She said no?
And I said what? Why not?
And she said no, because you're going to paint nude men and take
drugs. That's where her mind went.
(37:59):
It's. Like and mom.
Mom, I've already done that. Anyone don't know, it's in all
seriousness. So, you know, back then, yeah,
parents were quite like, my parents were quite strict
growing up. So for them, because they came
from a background where they didn't have the opportunity to
have an education, they're like,don't discoverty, you know, so
(38:20):
they, they couldn't afford to beeducated.
So for them and, and they didn'twant us to be working so hard
our whole lives. So for them, education was
everything. Absolutely.
You know, so it was like, you have to go to uni, you have to
do something. So I I finished a psych degree,
OK, and I worked in a home for people with intellectual and
physical disabilities for 10 years.
(38:41):
Wow, that's awesome. Before I did this, yeah.
So I think it was there that, oh, going back to the eclectic
or should we go on this tangent?I don't know.
I like all tensions all. Right, let's do this first.
Yeah. So then while I was there, I met
this man. He was about 32.
And because my my thing was managing challenging behaviour.
(39:04):
OK, Right. So I met this man and he was he
had autism and he never spoke and he was non verbal.
But whenever we played ABBA Fernando, he would sing in his
chair shut. Up that's.
Crazy, right? And that's when I felt the power
(39:27):
of create, of art. It speaks to, it doesn't speak
to your mind. It speaks to your soul.
Do you know what I mean? And that was when I sort of
thought, no, this is where I want to be.
I want to be there. I want to be where I feel I can
(39:48):
give more to, you know, so in well.
Maybe that's very it's very cool.
Yeah, it was really cool. They I loved it there.
It was amazing, you know, and then we, we did a lot of art
therapy through, you know, because that was one of my
specialties. And then we even did like an art
(40:08):
exhibition at the end of the year.
Oh wow. For all the families and and
carers. That is awesome.
Yeah, and it was just wonderful to see how the world, parts of
the world couldn't connect to a certain part of somebody.
But art could, you know, music could, it could speak a
different language that we, you know, you can't see.
(40:31):
So this is this is another reason why I did what I'm doing
because it does, you know, I just feel like like I've never
done my work for, you know, perfection or for, you know, for
even praise George, I think it doesn't bother me.
Do you know what I mean? It's, it's, it's more because
it's made me find out who I am as a person.
(40:52):
You know, it's me, it's who I am.
I'm giving you a part of my soulto touch your soul, you know,
and that's, that's the whole relationship.
So that to, to, to go back on the whole, you know, eclectic
thing. That's where it all ties in,
because I've always just for seeing the world a bit
(41:12):
differently. I love it though do.
You know what I mean? So it's like I'll find joy.
Yeah, in the most. I just wonder how many people
like aren't comfortable enough to be their most like creative,
carefree, funny self. You know what I mean?
Yeah, if you can't laugh at yourself, George.
Yeah, but it's awesome that you just feel comfortable in your
own skin to just wake up one dayand just put a packet of chips
(41:35):
in your ears. Like, do you know what I'm
saying? Like, it's cool to be there.
It's like, awesome. It's like, I don't give a fuck.
Like, I just want to know. Like, do you look at husband?
You're like Smith's audritos. He doesn't even react anymore.
He doesn't react. You know when we got married, he
(41:55):
said to me, I don't care what you I don't care.
You know you can get whatever dress you want because but just
nothing to out there. Right, he knew he was talking
too. Right.
He's like. No, but I I think I've seen your
wedding photos. You were white.
You look like a bride. I did.
Yeah, you didn't go. Well I had 708 people at my
wedding. Fuck yes.
So. My big fat Greek wedding it.
(42:17):
Was it was in your new idea? No, really.
Promise. Just out of random.
Well, the movie had just come out.
OK. Right.
The first one, yeah. And they had found out that
there was this big fat Greek wedding in real life in Sydney.
So we got on the cover of the magazine.
Oh. My God, that is so funny.
(42:38):
They thought you were Tula. Did they did?
Where did you have your reception?
At the Bellevue. OK, like so many things have
been at the Bellevue, it's a room full of so many events.
Like it was such a different, such a different time.
Yeah, such a different time. Like you know the cake was from
the venue. Yeah, everything was all.
One you know the the flowers were from a florist who was
(43:01):
contracted with the venue. You know everything was from the
venue. There was no stylists.
Suppliers. Suppliers, there was no props,
nothing. Do you know, It was, it was
pretty much, you know, whatever was there on the catalogue, you
had to choose, you know, Don't forget, there was no social
media either. Except, you know, being on the
cover of new ID across the country like this.
(43:25):
Forget Instagram stories, we're going straight to buy it,
George. You couldn't see it.
You had to. Go buy.
It. No, it's true.
Glee. Yeah.
You still have a copy? I do.
That's awesome. Yeah.
You got to keep that safe. Still got it.
That is. That is really, really cool.
It's. Really cool.
Can I get a photo of it later? Don't forget today.
Yeah, I promise I'll send. It to you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I want a signed copy.
(43:48):
And I were like, that's OK, we make Lamb written on it.
I love Ian Miller. That is a great movie.
It's classic. I might watch it tonight.
It's classic. Just in honour of you in this
episode. It's a really good movie.
So, yeah, so to answer your question, yes, I have always
been a little bit outside the square.
Yeah, OK. I got a question from someone
that I want to. Oh.
(44:09):
Ask it's on my phone. Oh gosh, do I need a drink
before it? Yeah, yeah.
Go hard. Where is that?
It's from someone George from from Renvoy.
Oh yeah, I love them. They were the episode, yes, he
said. It's very theme.
OK, tell us what's on people's mind.
OK, Aspirationally, what is the end game for your business slash
(44:34):
U? Have you ever reached?
Have you reached it? And if you haven't, what do you
think you need to do to get there?
I love this question. Right.
I always feel people think thereneeds to be a destination, but I
never do. I've always thought everything
is a progression. You need to discover who you are
(44:55):
through the process of life, right?
And through the process of work,through the process of
relationships, through the process of family.
So the person I am now is definitely not going to be the
person I am in 10 years, but I'mopen to whatever happens.
And I'm going to take that on and I'm going to adapt and I'm
(45:15):
going to learn from it, and I'm going to reinvent myself every
time, you know? So like, I don't know about you,
George, but when I think of my life, I think of it as so many
different lifetimes. You know, it's like a whole,
every single thing is a different lifetime.
I couldn't imagine that I'd be doing this now when I was 19,
(45:36):
you know, when I was 19, I thought something totally
different. So what?
What changes now? Now that I'm, I'm, I'm 50, I'm
in my 50s. I'm not telling you my age, but
I'm in my 50s, Right? But how do I know what's going
to happen in 20 years? I don't.
So I have to roll with the punches.
You know, I don't know what the world's, I don't know what
(45:57):
life's going to bring me tomorrow.
Yeah, I'm just taken back by what you just said.
Yeah, that was insane. It's true, though.
We should have breakfast more often.
We. Should I love it?
Yeah, yeah, this is. Like I miss you, George.
I miss you more. This is awesome.
You're so wise, man. Tell me more.
Teach me more about life, Mary. Just don't tell me I'm your
(46:18):
industry mum. You're.
Definitely not my industry mum. My mum's much older than you.
She's not in her 50s. She wishes, yeah, if you could
look back at your whole career, Yeah.
Or even put career aside if you feel like that's true.
Like, Nah, yeah, it's, it's expected.
Yeah, if I could look back. If you could look back at a
(46:39):
certain moment and being like, well I really learnt a lot in
this time. Other than anything we've
discussed, does the Crystal Ballshow you anything specific?
Look, George, I think everythingthat's ever happened to me has
happened to me to create the person I am today, right?
(47:00):
So it's like, and I'm not just like it's the biggest.
I don't know. It's very hard question to
answer. It is a hard.
Question. But I think the biggest lesson
that I've learned from everything that's ever happened,
if I don't even know if that's answering your question, but
it's, it's to learn how to let go.
(47:21):
Because we try and control everything so much, you know,
and we feel like we, we, we needto control things, you know, in
order to progress. But sometimes you have to be a
little bit fearless, you know, and you have to sort of open
yourself up to the possibility of things that make you
uncomfortable because that's theonly way you're going to like
(47:41):
stretch your boundaries and stretch the person that you are.
Because if you're always in a comfort zone, what are you
learning? Nothing you know, but if if the
if life you know, if life bringsyou different things and you
explore different avenues, then that gives you an opportunity to
open yourself up to different things, things that you never
(48:01):
knew about yourself. You know, there are things about
myself I'm still learning are. You trying to say like, you've
got to be in it to win it. You've got to be.
Am I interpreting it wrong? No, you've got to be in it to
live it, you know, and and succeed in it, because the only
way to get good at something is to embody it.
(48:22):
If you chase it, George, you'll just keep chasing it.
It'll keep running away from you.
You need to embody it. It needs to be a part of you.
If it's a part of you, then it'sautomatically yours.
Fucking well, it's woman. Right isn't a trooper.
(48:43):
It's so true. You don't.
You just need to hear. It don't trace it, like
everything you trace. Have you ever noticed when you
trace it, it keeps running away from you?
Yeah, you know. I've learned that recently.
I, I do struggle with that. Yeah.
You know, I'll, I'll be vulnerable and I'll share a
little bit, but, you know, you work with me enough on the floor
when I'm actually shooting, likenot sitting on the table here.
(49:04):
Yeah, and Pierre is a really good friend of mine in the
industry. I have a very, very good
relationship with him. Classic occasions.
No Pierre Trey life. I I love Pierre.
Best guy? Yeah, love.
And I always say to like Alexia or anyone, I'm like, there's
just some people that like trulyknow me like that.
He knows my facial expressions. That's how she was spent.
(49:24):
Yeah, yeah. And he keeps saying to me or he
keeps saying to me at one stage he's like, I noticed when you
come to a job, you have this image in your head and you get
frustrated until you get it. And when you get it, you're like
calm. He's like, you need to just get
that image out of your head whenyou come to work.
And he kept telling me and I waslike, yeah, stop it.
Like I want to do it. Like I, I, I want to get this.
(49:47):
And I'm, and I'm a very stubbornperson.
And it's only been a few times where I'm like, I'm just going
to like plan, but then also leave room to just be.
And it's in that room to let be.I've created the coolest stuff.
Yeah. Not by accident, by purpose,
like on purpose, but like just allowing myself to breathe and
not expect something that I've put in my own mind and
(50:09):
roadblocked myself to 100. Percent.
My expectations and honestly, like it's it's changed who I was
in the last year. Like even for instance, over the
weekend, it's so mundane, but I'll just share it for like
anyone, anyone listening. I was shooting a really, really
beautiful wedding, beautiful couple, great relationship with
them. I felt like myself with them,
you know, I was just like, it was good momentum.
(50:31):
Then Bianca from B events was like, George, we have little
Felix available in the middle oflike Haitian shoot.
Yeah. Old me would never stick horse
from the round shape. Yeah.
I'm like, Nah, like we have to. I've already discussed what?
The bride. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I turned to the bride again, like the manager of Mary, I've
got little Felix available for you.
Whatever, yada, yada, yada. I'd want to go.
And they were like, yeah. And I was like, all right, let's
(50:52):
get in the car. And I was that's me.
That's me outside of work. But I never bring that into
work. And then when I did that and I
shot it, I swear till now I'm thinking about that shot because
how much I love it. See.
And I'm like, hey George, this is so cool.
And maybe because it wasn't in my mind when I woke up that
morning and. You know why?
Because you relied on your feeling in here, right?
(51:15):
You let this talk. Yeah, not this.
Never shot there right. Didn't know what it looked like.
Walked in. The whole room was green and I
was like. But that but George, that
allowed you to be a true artist because you relied on your
intuition, right? And that's what we are really
like all artists, like all, we're intuitive, you know, like
we, we rely on our feeling to create.
(51:37):
You have to do that more often. George, I do like, that's why
I'm, I'm trying. I'm only showing that because I
like what you said about embodying it and not chasing it.
Be you. You have to like, you know,
obviously run a business and be safe and plan and create.
But like sometimes when you're working in this field, you've
got to just trust that you've got the skill and you've just
got to let it take its course. We've got to remember right that
(51:58):
creativity and business are two totally different things.
Very hard to separate it there. Very different jobs, very right.
So like if you've struggled with, if you struggle right with
both of them, you need to hire somebody to do your business,
right? So you can be your creative
self, right? If you can't do that, because if
you, if you are just creative, then it just becomes a very
(52:21):
expensive hobby. You know, you're not really
making money, you know, and like, if you're trying to
support a family, if you've got children, you can't be doing
that because you're sacrificing your weekends for what you know.
And yeah. So yeah, like I, I'm, I'm with
you. Like, you definitely need the
discipline, you know, especiallywhen you don't have the
(52:43):
motivation every day, you know, you need the discipline, you
know, but like you, you also need to harness your creativity.
And the way to do that is to be fearless and to take risks and.
Opportunities I've only recentlyacquired I feel like.
I love that. Job for you.
It's so exciting, yeah. Yeah, feeling, yeah it does and
(53:10):
then you'll see so right it'll open up different avenues for
you Yeah that's what's happened to me like of The thing is you
don't it's. Like it opens the mind it.
Does right it opens fun yeah, you've and that's the thing
you've got more fun you bring itbrings you joy that.
Was a candle. How cool.
Oh amazing. I love when it does that.
(53:31):
So it brings you joy. So you bring joy, Yes.
It's to say it's like a win win situation.
Yeah, but you know. Where do you draw inspiration
from? This might be one of the final
questions I'm going to ask you. Where are?
Where do I? Where do you draw inspiration
from? Like when you walked in and
you're like, this is so me and Iwalked in and I was like, I
don't understand it. Like, it's nice, but it was
(53:51):
like, like, I have to do, you know, like there's people that
go to an art gallery and they totally pretend what they're
doing and. See, for me, I walked in and the
first thing I saw was the technique she's used to create
this. And this would have taken so
much time, right? Like this is all like, this is
(54:13):
all like gathered. Like this is this is amazing.
And it just reminds me because microphone.
Oh, sorry. Sorry.
I get carried away. Yeah.
So this is a perfect embodiment of who I am because I'm a little
bit of a party girl, right? Because I love my parties, but
(54:34):
I'm also like this person as well.
And then I'm a little bit feminine too.
Do you know what I mean? So for me, it's big.
Candles you just light shit on fire.
And and I love Cat. Oh, we love Cat.
Yeah, you do love Cat I. Love her, right?
So it's like, but see, see how it talks to me differently to
how it talks to you, right? Because, see, Tina's Tina.
(54:58):
Tina sort of knows me. Yeah, she does.
She didn't let me. She didn't let me decide.
She's like, she's coming like Mary.
She's like goodbye. I'm like, I love that it.
Didn't even it. Didn't even tell me what time
are you? But this is the thing I I'll
give you. I know we're running out of
time, but I'll give you this. There's no such thing as running
out of time. I'll give you this example of
(55:18):
thinking like really beyond the square, right?
So once we I got an invitation in the mail and it said Peter
and Mary are invited to a White Party.
So my husband comes home and I'll go, babe, we're invited to
a fancy dress. I'm wearing a nurses outfit.
You're going to go as a chef, right?
(55:39):
He's like, oh, okay. He's like, are you shot?
Yeah. I'm like, he goes, He goes, oh,
cool. My, my poor husband, man.
He puts up with so much, right. Anyway, so I went and bought him
a full chef's outfit, like the hat, everything, everything,
right? I've got a nurse's outfit.
I've got the stockings, the white stockings.
I've got the proper shoes. Like, I had to do it.
(56:00):
Yeah, babe, I had to go. Like, it had to be authentic,
you know, like it couldn't be, you know?
Anyway. They're like, this is a really
kinky couple. Right.
So we, we rock up to this party,we rock up.
Everyone's around the pool, George just wearing white,
right? I'm somebody yells out the
strippers here. My husband looks at me.
(56:24):
He goes, what do you want to do?He goes, do you want to roll
with it or do you want to go home?
And I said, let's just roll withit.
So we went and we rolled with a babe.
It's. Made out in a corner, he went to
the He's just like, guys, yeah, we're the freaks.
We enjoy the fancy party. George we had the best fun that
night, like the best. But when we got.
Home. How did you read that invite?
Come on man. Well, this is what I mean about
(56:46):
like really thinking outside thesquare, right?
So when we got home, my husband said to me.
Why? And he thought no.
I thought, why fancy dress? Wow, great.
I'm gonna go hard. We're gonna go hard, right?
Anyway, And my husband, we go home and my husband's like
you're never, never reading the invitation again.
Ever. I got some.
(57:12):
Loving. Yes, that's actually a true
story. Can't make that up surely,
sorry. It's a true story.
Oh my gosh, Mary, I love you. Thank you for coming on.
That's how we're ending. I've.
Had a great time George. Ohh guys, we're gonna stop
recording and just continue. I'm just letting you know, like
get jealous, I don't care. I'm having too much fun.
But you know, this is 3 hours long.
(57:32):
You just won't listen so. I know we've got so many
stories. I love.
Yeah. I love you too, George.
Yeah. Thank you for having me.
My honour.
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