April 6, 2025 • 29 mins
Jaason Simmons, Tasmanian-born actor best known for his breakout role in the original Baywatch and cult favourite Sharknado, opens up about his Hollywood journey, how he changed his Australian accent to break into the U.S. industry, and the unexpected challenges he faced along the way.
He shares how acting helped him overcome being hyper-shy and hyper-sensitive, giving him the tools to communicate and connect. We dive into his childhood in Tasmania, being raised by his mum and grandmothers after his father passed away, and how being bullied helped shape the person he is today.
But just when we think we’re running the interview… Jaason flips the script and starts grilling us about podcasting, radio, and more!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Every day brings a new story. The life isn't perfect,
but it's perfectly ours, with raw conversations, inspiring stories and
laugh until you cry moments we hit him. I'm pack
it all and figure it out together, one episode at
a time. This is life as we know it, unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Not often we can say we've got a Hollywood star
with us, but we have a Hollywood star with us
in fact, Tasmanian born Jason Simmons, who was one of
the stars of the original Baywatch series and one of
the stars of the Sharp Nato movies. Now Jason flips
the script on us here. Instead of us interviewing him
at one stage, he starts interviewing us. I hope you
(00:52):
enjoyed this episode. Can I just check Simmons.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Or Simon's Simmons if you're correct.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Okay, and Simon's if I'm wrong. Alright, I'm going to
be correct. So we have a very special guest joining
us and a big welcome to do we say, Australian actor,
international actor.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Tasmaniananian actor not with that accent.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
That accent's not Tasmanian.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Is now got Tasmanian vibes. I'm feeling that, you know,
Australian check shirt looks so yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Hello, Hello, welcome, Welcome to our podcast.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Hello, Stoppy, stompiest.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Apparently I am the stompiest member of Gold one or
four point three. Listen before we start talking and asking
you a whole bunch of questions, because we've got heaps
of them. Wind up. We have a guest a gift.
I keep saying this is wrong.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
We have a gift.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yes, we have a gift that we give all our guests.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Came.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, we do it on camera. We haven't shown it
off on camera yet, but we do film it. So
easiest thing is rip it with that sticky t Yeah. Yeah,
because I say that because so many people try to
open the box and I'm like, just pull the sticky
tape off and it will open.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Can we can we get the camera to zoomed on
his nails?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Look at that?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
That's nowhere amazing talking about these earlier.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
You were You see how quickly you every day out
of every day.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Do you know what we would love like on your
on your Instagram page you could just say I'm having
a nice morning here in Australia. With my Tony and
leaves a bug point.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Jason, thank you so much for popping in. We appreciate it.
We know that you're you're busy, you're in Australia for
super Nova and that's all over the country, but you've
taken the time to pop in and say good ay
to us and we appreciate you doing that. So thank
you very much for coming in.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Thank you for having me in here. You didn't have
to do that either.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, there's so much to talk to you about. We
probably should establish and there's going to be some people
who do know who you are, but then there's going
to be some who go name Rings a Bell, face,
Rings a Bell and not quite sure why or how
you were actually in the original Baywatch series.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
It's so funny when you say original, is it not? No,
it is, but at the time it was it was
just be.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Watch because there's so many versions of it.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah, yeah, So we're on the series for three years,
is that right?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Nearly four years?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
It was like running on the beach.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Like any other day, running on the beach with a
pair of shorts. You don't have to run in slow motion.
They slow it down four years. People people have asked
me that question. Really do they realize they watched Pam
like and how do you run like that?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Really? And then oh my god, Okay, so we've covered
off the running. We're going to get to pen and
David in a minute. I think we both knew that
you didn't run slow ocean. I mean, I think we've
been in the nine.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
The whole montage thing was also new, so they sort
of saved money that way by putting like, you know,
running along it was a song whatever.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It would have been such a cool job though, to
be filming on the beach every day.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
It was, but it was like an audience of of
thousands and pressed. It was like doing a theater show
on about this much sand, So it was not what
it appeared, except for the winter time, where all the
water work was done facing down the water so you
couldn't see how rainy it was, so most of that
was done with nobody around. But the summer work was crazy.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
So how does a guy from Tasmania end up on Baywatch?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Good question. I went to Eli to study with an
acting teacher and then two year course and then after
the first year I came back to visit my family
and then I ended up on Paradise Speech for two months.
So yeah, and then when to America to come back
to Australia and booked by watched the day before I left,
and then came back to the movie with Chrissy Amplett
(05:06):
went back and so did be watching. That was it?
What was the meeting was in seventy three? It was
a short art film. It was like, it's it's great
you played my mum.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
I want to see that, like is an absolute Yeah,
it was fun.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
So do we do we ask what David PAMs we want?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Can I ask you whatever I want?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Love about actually interview? We don't know David Anderson. So
how did we meet? I like, I lectured at the
Radio Training Institute, So my my backgrounds radio. I work
in radio. That's while you're in a radio station recording podcast.
And I was lecturing at the Radio Training Institute here
(05:50):
in Melbourne and Lisa was one of my students and
we just sort of hit it off and we got
to be friends. And then I was content managing of
our digital stations called Chemist Warehouse Remix and needed to
bring in a researcher slash producer. Needed to bring in
on your personalities and so instantly thought of Lisa.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So it's like a cobra plays a relationship. So you're
the master and train.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yes, okay, yes, And then we actually had a third
person in our podcast, but she I'm not going to
say the word is everyone I say three Some people
look at me like.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
It is really weird. Some words don't cransly.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But we had a third person who was doing the
podcast with us and then has taken a break because
she's a new mum and married and stuff like that.
And she was one of my students in a different
course at the radio trains.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
What so many people are your students? So tell me
what what would I learn from you if I wanted
to learn something?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Well, do you want to be on radio?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Okay, so then I teach you how to be an
announcer on radio.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
I teach you even now with cameras and all that
sort of. Yeah, it's changed.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, well the thing is in the studio, Like we
do have cameras on us, but that's not a big
part of the broadcast.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I like talking in the talk without talking filmed.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
You could even start on community radio. That's what I
did community radio, and I was like, I love, this
is so much fun. And then I thought, I'm going
to train and so I did. And yeah, like Tony
was saying, that's that's where we met. But comedy radio,
you've got so much freedom to talk about whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And same with podcasts, yes, and podcasts as well.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
And it's it's great for people like us. I mean,
I you know, joke, but it's it's.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
True for me.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I used to get told off all the time for
talking and now I come here and no one's telling me. All.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
It's so nice.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Nobody for anything you say, no anything.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
You can talk about whatever, cast you can talk about anything.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I mean, I guess if we talked about really controversial well,
we don't get controversial.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
We just but what the laws about what?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
I don't know, Yeah, remember the radio laws.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
It's all on you now. It's like I don't know,
like how to talk with different media.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I don't know that there are laws with podcasts.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
I don't think. So I think you've got the freedom
to talk about whatever you want. I mean, you look
at like Joe Rogan, who's got the top one of
the top spot podcasts in the world on Spotify, and
so many controversial topics, but he doesn't care. He's just like, Oh,
talk about whatever I want.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I think with radio, obviously there's rules in radio because
you have licenses and you've got to pay for a license.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
There's no licenses, no ho if you had a podcast,
what would you be talking about?
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Are we talking about growing up in Tasmania. I've talked
about actors and artistic people that are from Tasmania or
Australia that want to go overseas and get their stories
and stuff. Yeah, do you mean just like hang out
in med Australians.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
So that's a great topic and we would love to
know more about growing up in Tasmania and what was
that like and do you feel it was a very
different life to say Melbourne or Sydney.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Well, yes, in Hobart and then I was born in
Glenorokee and then we had a place at a possum Bay.
My dad die when I was seven, Mum remarried and
then we moved across the river and then I went
to Think. I went to Sydney for like a year
and then from that went to la just start studying.
(09:18):
But it was like I was like you were the
mainland for me.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
I lived in Tazzy for two years, so I know
what you're talking about. Yeah, yeah, so Australia is referred
to as the mainland. And the other thing I realized
when I moved to Tazzy. Every car has the indicators
disconnected no car people don't use indicators and Tazzy oh
really yes, no, no, they aren't connected. What I'm saying,
(09:46):
that was what we used to say. Nobody used their indicator.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
It's sort of a metaphor for the disconnected to the mainland. Right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
If I had a podcast, like if I brought my
partner out, here's from Texas, right, I could see Texans
and Tazzi and making meat vegiemate and do stupid stuff
and you could talk about like stuff like that and
say anything you want. Is that what you're seeing? Podcasts
are Yes, I don't talk a lot this way. I
don't know that this is the possible. Right, listen to podcasts,
more audiobooks, stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
You have to you have to listen to life as
we know it.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Well I will now, because I've got a mug.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
I save you a suggestion. He actually put on his
inser stories he was on the plane and what podcasts
should he listen to and I said, like to know
it from our life has been about to.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Check it it.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
So you just gave us a little insight then. And
so you said that you don't talk a lot, so
describe the sort of person that you, well, I.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Mean, I'm from I grew up pretty much reased by
my grandmother's and my mum and my stepdad. But I
was hyper shy, hyper sensitive, just completely antisocial. So for me,
acting was learning how to communicate with people to begin with,
and then the other stuff the beach just came afterwards.
(10:54):
Wasn't what I was going for. It was just to
learn how to communicate, and so that happened. So that
was another thing I had to learn how to communicate
on a different level. And then it wasn't really from me,
so I could, you know, let's sort of backed up
a bit.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
It must have been so daunting though heading into the
movie TV industry, Like if you were someone who you know,
didn't want to be talking to people, communicating with people
was hard to then move into that industry.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
And that shows so in your face, just like you know,
I was more of a theater person. So with the
whole bay watching, it was the first time, it was
so tabloid, like making it every week I was doing
something different, and it was just I wanted to learn
how to act and I didn't want to I didn't
want to be like followed and it was a weird.
(11:44):
But like once you learn that it's it's it's not
what it seems. But it was a good lesson for
me to learn. But I didn't finished drama school at
the time, so I quit and went back to drama school,
you know, just because it was just too too much.
But fun, great friends, really really good. Yeah. Are we
getting so atracted?
Speaker 4 (12:01):
No? No, No, it's about knowing about people in their life,
and you know, I think having that insight, you know,
just gives us that sort of look into who you
were at school. Was it hard for you, like being
a shy person completely?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Oh yeah yeah yeah. Were you bullied?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Yeah, it's amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Not my original Notice what no.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
As in what you had people punched you in the nose?
Had fixed? Really you're being beaten up?
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Hang on, were you did you say your dad died
when you were sent Were you shy before he died
or did they come up?
Speaker 3 (12:43):
It was it was worse worse afterwards, but before as well. Yeah,
I mean seven is like you're not really really quite
computing stop by your learning stuff. You just don't realize
at the time, I just shut down. I didn't speak
to anybody unless you're in my family, like I wouldn't ye. Yeah,
So acting was was that safe space?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
So was that something you wanted to do or were
you was it suggested try acting to see if that helps.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
My imagination is so huge from being of trauma, being
of trauma as a kid, and then also being from
an island and all that stuff, like my imagination can
go please, And then I realized you can't get paid
for it. Yeah, So so they sort of both went
hand in hand. And so it's trying to find the
right gig that pays your good or one that doesn't.
But you grow as a person, you know, you sort
(13:29):
of weighing that up through your whole left.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
But yeah, yeah, so I'm really like just quite taken
aback that, you know, Like you're talking about your nose.
So how old were you when.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
First time? It was probably like nine and then last
time was seventeen?
Speaker 2 (13:48):
So is this how many times you've had your nose
worked on?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
We got no, hasn't been worked on, it should get
worked on.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
But your knows looking better than mine. I wouldn't complain.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I listen, it looks great. So for me, drama was
my escape through school, through everything. So yeah, that was
my thing. So that's what I started learning, and I
looked a particular way and that sort of helped me
get into the show. I mean it was a great experience.
(14:19):
So but it was a great learning experience.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Yeah, wow, can I can I ask?
Speaker 3 (14:26):
You know, that's enough.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
We're done, and you can tell me if you don't
want to talk about this as far you know, not
about this, but how did how did the passing of
your father? How did that shape you?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I would say everything, yeah, yeah, and like but being now,
like I'm fifty five this year, so it's like, but
when you're seven, you don't realize, like like you're still
getting attached to parents. And my mom wasn't coping very
good either. So my sister kind of sort of helped
raise me. She's two years older than me, so relationship
was really strong. But through my imagination and stuff, I
(15:04):
sort of didn't really when I went to school, Like
I've got all my school reports, you know that I'm
more of an observer than a participator. Yeah, but I
used to get constant no nosebleeds all the time, just
since I can remember, just from like being hot or
stress or whatever. So when I would get beaten up,
I could just say I had nose bleed.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
So it completely Yeah, they know, I think they found
out like a couple of years ago, but oh my god, wow,
I mean that's just a horrendous thing for a child
of that age to have to deal with. Yeah, well
enough losing a parent, but then.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Well I'm not even sure that whether they knew that
I had lost a parent or not. You know, I
don't think it mattered to them. All that mattered was
all the girls all over me. And I was really
pretty and really young and really gay. It's like, you
know what I mean, that's like, you know, they really
pissed them off.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Apparently its okay. And what was that like too, I mean,
being gay into.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
But well it was illegal at the time. But for me,
I hadn't even reached that age yet. I was this
was pre pre thirteen, so I was even thinking about
that stuff. I was just like a really artistic, really
like kid. But then those things, those things came afterwards,
that were being those labels will put on me. So
(16:26):
whether they knew or not, it was a good enough
slogan to you. Yes, Yeah, but I found out later
that I was so hooray for me.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yeah, Jason, let's I'm going to ask this question, and
knew it was going to come anyway. David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson. Now,
I'm sure you get asked about them all the time.
Do you still stay in touch with them now?
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Not as much now? David I saw his birthday last year.
Pam I've not seen for a couple of years, but
they're always in orbit. They've both got things going on.
Pam's doing really well in her arena at the moment,
Davids doing his stuff. I'm closer to the rest of them,
like Jasmin and Alexander and David and David and Nicole
and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Yeah, because that's the thing. I mean, you've worked with
each other, it was like so long ago, but do
you keep those friendships. I mean you've done other movies
since as well.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
The Shark Nato that I mean that to me is fascinating, hilarious.
Oh well, the things when that first came out, I
just remember when when the first movie came out, it
was like, is this going to be crap or is
this going to be so bad that it's really good.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
I just got back from London doing a play. My
hair was black. I was not like Logan looking, but
they were. They hired me off Baywatch, which I looked
nothing like at the time, So I just created this
bazz character. All my dilu mostly was improvised because it
was very Australian slang. They used, like very Paul Hogan.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
So you had an Australia because I've got to be honest, since.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
I haven't seen his name was Bas Hogan, Okay, bas
Hogan bads, so you would have to.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Put the Australian accent back on.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I had to do it.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Yeah, hard to put it back on.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Then it was fun. It was fun putting it on
because I knew exactly what I like, what how I
I know people like that, so it was great, yeah
to do that. But like I wasn't beachy or stuff
like that. So when it came out, like I was
in New Mexico at a friend's ranch and they wanted
me to fly back to do the premiere because it
(18:18):
was blowing up and like, what are you talking about? Like,
I didn't even tell my parents. I thought it would
be straight to video or DVD or whatever. It just
took off, took off exactly. My first social media was
that experience was from that on, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Because I was just thinking that because obviously, so the
American accent is quite strong, do you reckon?
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:38):
I thought it was like a bitza, you know, like
a little bit of stray and a little bit so
you can just hear you can hear it.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah, I hear Transatlantic, which doesn't exist.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I was about to say, just.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Head whatever accent you want me to be.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
People so much money.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
My parents were British, so I grew up one in there,
but I didn't really have a really strongness radio right.
But the characters in America they wanted me to play
that really Australian.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I played a male schutvenistic guy and they watch which
is so much fun. But like those characters that I knew,
those blogs, you know what I mean. But I'm sort
of more neutral. I think, I don't know, I don't listen.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
To I'm just thinking, like, is it like if you've
hadn't well, you would have had an Australian accent for
a while they're living here. Uh, and then obviously the
accent changes to become more American, Like is it is
it just a natural thing that the Australian accent comes
out as an Australian accent? Would you have to work
on it?
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Like what? You don't have to work on it, You
have to work on the stress of it. Americans are
very much like hype, like it's either you or them,
Like it's very direct with Australians are more polite. It's
a different so it's more the attitude and the words.
But for me, when I moved there, that they would
even see see us if they knew that we were
from Australia, so we had we had to put the
(19:56):
accent on, which was horrible. But now they want the accent,
which is fantastic because they know that we can do
it both we could, I can always do it, but
they would never let us do it, like I mean,
they wanted that guarantee of whatever. So now it's just
like whatever this is, I don't know. In America, it
sounds like this, so I can be understood.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, yeah, well that's the thing, isn't it, Like we
I lived in Ireland for five years. Yeah, my youngest
was actually born there, so my kids ended up with
an Irish accent. But I found that there was certain
words that I had to I never well, I can't
remember now at the top of my head, but I
had to when I was saying certain words with ours
in them, I had to really put an emphasis on
(20:36):
the art.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Oh yeah, exactly, I'm asking you to do it.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Yeah, good luck. Okay, Yeah, we lived in Dublin for
five years. Be sure you be sared.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I can't further.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Irish. It is, doesn't it iron? And my daughter here's
the funny thing, So my daughter's now twenty seven. We've
been back here over ten years, twelve year, all we
in we're back fifteen years, and people will talk to it.
In fact, I think you.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
An American accent.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah, because because and people will say she sounds Canadian,
especial when we first moved back, like and again, it's
because of the r's and the cane.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Where people are from right away from whichever country from that,
because we're to dialects and stuff and most people can't
pick that up.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was was sharing this story the
other day, so I met this girl from Canada. She
was out here and her name was Carla and she
met a group of my guy friends and they're like,
watch your name, and she's like Kurala and they're like
what and she's like Kurala and they're like what.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
She goes, oh, Karla, and they understood her.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
That's what I mean. I would rather just be understood faster.
So that's why I just like see stuff like that,
because that it doesn't compute, because it's just stressed differently
and it's like something you just have to give a
say that.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
But in Australia, like each state has its own accent
as well.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I've not broken that done or some but not all
of it.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Well, I lived in South Australia for quite a few
years because my ex is from South Australia. The accent
is very British and I had to adjust how I
would say things on it. So rather than say your
chance to win is coming up, I would have to
say your chance to wins coming up or yeah, yeah,
but that's the thing I'm now. I can't say castle,
(22:30):
even castle made I say castle. There are certain words
I will still say that way, grant or granto, yeah,
I say grant, but you know, like you probably say grant, grant, grant.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
How are you grand for me?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
But it is like when I was up in hob
I could tell Americans from from far because of the
volume and just that the whole experience of being so boisterous.
I was going to see big like, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Very out in your face, very sure, very very sort themselves.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
We're a bit more like, don't ask you any.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Questions except me.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I love being asked questions.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Oh yes, what question? Have you always wanted to be asked?
And bought it?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
No, I'm not, but I haven't been asked that question.
Now I'm thinking, what question would I like to be asked?
Ship Jason, You've got She got me on the spot.
I know, I know. I'm usually like I.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Don't think you really know until you ask the question.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Listen as a teacher sort of thing going on? Now?
Should she know what she's about to say? Should she
have already done the work?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
She should have done the word?
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Me thinking, but we were card game.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
I don't care about the card game, no exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Tony asked me a question and I said something, and
I said, that's not it. I feel something deeper, and
then as she was talking, it started to unraveling me
the thing that I wanted to say, So it might
unravel as we're talking.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Maybe that was the answer that you're looking for. Having
been asked that question, answer you yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
This guy plays mind games.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
I like that. But I can tell that you're an observer.
You're interested in people. It's trying to stump us. What
can I throw at them? I found something on your
Instagram page. I was really interested about, curious about it.
So you said this beautiful thing. You said, love is
love and acting is acting. Sexuality doesn't determine what type
(24:41):
of role you play, and I wanted to know since
saying that, do you feel that the perception of people
with different sexual preferences has changed?
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Like?
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Are we seeing more people playing because you'd said about
you know, if you're if you're a gay guy, you
can play a straight role and you know vice versa,
you can do that. Do you think we're seeing more
of that?
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Well, it's like, I mean, I took be watched mostly
because firstly, I was sleeping on the floor at the time.
I needed a bed. But the second part was to
show people that gay people can play straight characters, but
nobody had done it for me to see. Yeah, so
I sort of did it to say, you know, we
could play straight characters. And the way I'm taught the
technique is like I can believe anything, so like the
(25:27):
situation is different. So people believe me so much that
I was this straight guy from Australia that it was
like ridiculous. But then it's like, you know, it's acting,
but they didn't see this acting.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Good you are as an actor, but at the time
it was like.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Thirty years for people to realize what actually was going on.
So now it's a bit better, but like like like none,
there's there's a lot more, a lot more. Yeah, OK, yeah,
it's fantastic.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
But no, I just I just thought it was a
really interesting thing that you said me too.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
I don't didn't know that I said that.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
That far back down his Instagram account.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
But I do understand that that's from the interview from
the Bewatch documentary.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
But it made me think about you know, there's people
that are in relationships, like straight relationships, and they're acting
out being lovers with someone else and everything like that.
So it's sort of you know, my mind was a
little bit. You know, it just opened up my mind
a bit and thought, well, hang on, everyone is acting
and playing out different roles. And I've just seen the
about a month ago than Nicole Kidman movie with Antonio Banderas,
(26:34):
and she has an affair with a younger man and
it's it's explicit, like it's our yea, yeah, baby girl,
baby girl, that's the baby girl. Yes. And I was
just thinking, you know, like she's really going for it
in this film, but we all know that she's married,
but she's acting.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Well acting that's what we're good at school for.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
That's that's right.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
It's like it's I played different characters, Like the bay
Watch character was just character. It wasn't me. I'm the
opposite of that. I don't go out. I like swimming,
but I like my bath better. I mean, I'm not
like an active person, you know what I mean. But
I could play one on TV because that's the way
I'm trained. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
So then is that therapeutic being not having the bass?
Well it could be. But you know, if the character
that you're playing on Baywatch isn't really you and it's
drawing out these other aspects to you, that is that
really fulfilling for you to.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
It because I wasn't raised very physically, so with my dad, like,
it was very limited. So it was great because it's
like I would never do this as Jason, but this
logan guy would jump off this boat, speeding it whatever,
and I would just do it. And it was so
much fun to challenge myself to get over that hump
(27:49):
of not jumping or not doing it. So it was
great to learn that side of things. But also they
knew a bit about my life, so some of the
storylines were based on my dad and stuff, so I
got to exercise those storylines a little bit as well,
so that that was good. But being on the beach
with the parashorts, that's not I don't who you are.
(28:10):
I don't know. They look at me like that's the guy. Yeah,
you know, to Americans, because they thought that we weren't
really good actors, they wouldn't even know that. They would
think that he's just that guy.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
That's not the case. I didn't think you were a
good actors because it was Baywatch. Wow.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
But I'm just saying, you know, I don't dress like
wonder woman, but I would love to like explore that wonder.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Woman yeah, and you know, and that's what happens when
you like, I mean sci fi, fantasy, all that sort
of stuff or whatever you want to experience part of
my life. I took movies depending on where they were
shot in the world, just to say that part of them. Yeah,
because why not all people I want to work with
Chrissy or other people like, they don't be huge movies
(28:51):
by people you want to work with.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Hollywood actor Jason Simmons, star of the original Baywatch series
and shot Nado, got another episode which I and still
to come.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
You've been listening to Life as We Know It Unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron. If you liked this episode,
please leave us a review or drop a comment on
our socials. We love hearing from you. You can also
come hang out with us on Instagram at Life as
we Know It dot podcast, and on Facebook at Life
as we Know It. Oh and please see that follow
button on your favorite podcast app. If you're not following
(29:24):
us yet, catch up with you in our next episode.
Every day brings a new story. The life isn't perfect,
but it's perfectly ours, with raw conversations, inspiring stories and
laugh until you cry moments we hit him. I'm pack
it all and figure it out together, one episode at
a time. This is life as we know it, unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Not often we can say we've got a Hollywood star
with us, but we have a Hollywood star with us
in fact, Tasmanian born Jason Simmons, who was one of
the stars of the original Baywatch series and one of
the stars of the Sharp Nato movies. Now Jason flips
the script on us here. Instead of us interviewing him
at one stage, he starts interviewing us. I hope you
(00:52):
enjoyed this episode. Can I just check Simmons.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Or Simon's Simmons if you're correct.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Okay, and Simon's if I'm wrong. Alright, I'm going to
be correct. So we have a very special guest joining
us and a big welcome to do we say, Australian actor,
international actor.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Tasmaniananian actor not with that accent.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
That accent's not Tasmanian.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Is now got Tasmanian vibes. I'm feeling that, you know,
Australian check shirt looks so yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Hello, Hello, welcome, Welcome to our podcast.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Hello, Stoppy, stompiest.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Apparently I am the stompiest member of Gold one or
four point three. Listen before we start talking and asking
you a whole bunch of questions, because we've got heaps
of them. Wind up. We have a guest a gift.
I keep saying this is wrong.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
We have a gift.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yes, we have a gift that we give all our guests.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Came.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, we do it on camera. We haven't shown it
off on camera yet, but we do film it. So
easiest thing is rip it with that sticky t Yeah. Yeah,
because I say that because so many people try to
open the box and I'm like, just pull the sticky
tape off and it will open.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Can we can we get the camera to zoomed on
his nails?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Look at that?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
That's nowhere amazing talking about these earlier.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
You were You see how quickly you every day out
of every day.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Do you know what we would love like on your
on your Instagram page you could just say I'm having
a nice morning here in Australia. With my Tony and
leaves a bug point.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Jason, thank you so much for popping in. We appreciate it.
We know that you're you're busy, you're in Australia for
super Nova and that's all over the country, but you've
taken the time to pop in and say good ay
to us and we appreciate you doing that. So thank
you very much for coming in.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Thank you for having me in here. You didn't have
to do that either.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, there's so much to talk to you about. We
probably should establish and there's going to be some people
who do know who you are, but then there's going
to be some who go name Rings a Bell, face,
Rings a Bell and not quite sure why or how
you were actually in the original Baywatch series.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
It's so funny when you say original, is it not? No,
it is, but at the time it was it was
just be.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Watch because there's so many versions of it.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah, yeah, So we're on the series for three years,
is that right?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Nearly four years?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
It was like running on the beach.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Like any other day, running on the beach with a
pair of shorts. You don't have to run in slow motion.
They slow it down four years. People people have asked
me that question. Really do they realize they watched Pam
like and how do you run like that?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Really? And then oh my god, Okay, so we've covered
off the running. We're going to get to pen and
David in a minute. I think we both knew that
you didn't run slow ocean. I mean, I think we've
been in the nine.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
The whole montage thing was also new, so they sort
of saved money that way by putting like, you know,
running along it was a song whatever.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It would have been such a cool job though, to
be filming on the beach every day.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
It was, but it was like an audience of of
thousands and pressed. It was like doing a theater show
on about this much sand, So it was not what
it appeared, except for the winter time, where all the
water work was done facing down the water so you
couldn't see how rainy it was, so most of that
was done with nobody around. But the summer work was crazy.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
So how does a guy from Tasmania end up on Baywatch?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Good question. I went to Eli to study with an
acting teacher and then two year course and then after
the first year I came back to visit my family
and then I ended up on Paradise Speech for two months.
So yeah, and then when to America to come back
to Australia and booked by watched the day before I left,
and then came back to the movie with Chrissy Amplett
(05:06):
went back and so did be watching. That was it?
What was the meeting was in seventy three? It was
a short art film. It was like, it's it's great
you played my mum.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
I want to see that, like is an absolute Yeah,
it was fun.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
So do we do we ask what David PAMs we want?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Can I ask you whatever I want?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Love about actually interview? We don't know David Anderson. So
how did we meet? I like, I lectured at the
Radio Training Institute, So my my backgrounds radio. I work
in radio. That's while you're in a radio station recording podcast.
And I was lecturing at the Radio Training Institute here
(05:50):
in Melbourne and Lisa was one of my students and
we just sort of hit it off and we got
to be friends. And then I was content managing of
our digital stations called Chemist Warehouse Remix and needed to
bring in a researcher slash producer. Needed to bring in
on your personalities and so instantly thought of Lisa.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So it's like a cobra plays a relationship. So you're
the master and train.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yes, okay, yes, And then we actually had a third
person in our podcast, but she I'm not going to
say the word is everyone I say three Some people
look at me like.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
It is really weird. Some words don't cransly.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But we had a third person who was doing the
podcast with us and then has taken a break because
she's a new mum and married and stuff like that.
And she was one of my students in a different
course at the radio trains.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
What so many people are your students? So tell me
what what would I learn from you if I wanted
to learn something?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Well, do you want to be on radio?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Okay, so then I teach you how to be an
announcer on radio.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
I teach you even now with cameras and all that
sort of. Yeah, it's changed.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, well the thing is in the studio, Like we
do have cameras on us, but that's not a big
part of the broadcast.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I like talking in the talk without talking filmed.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
You could even start on community radio. That's what I
did community radio, and I was like, I love, this
is so much fun. And then I thought, I'm going
to train and so I did. And yeah, like Tony
was saying, that's that's where we met. But comedy radio,
you've got so much freedom to talk about whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And same with podcasts, yes, and podcasts as well.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
And it's it's great for people like us. I mean,
I you know, joke, but it's it's.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
True for me.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I used to get told off all the time for
talking and now I come here and no one's telling me. All.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
It's so nice.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Nobody for anything you say, no anything.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
You can talk about whatever, cast you can talk about anything.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I mean, I guess if we talked about really controversial well,
we don't get controversial.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
We just but what the laws about what?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
I don't know, Yeah, remember the radio laws.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
It's all on you now. It's like I don't know,
like how to talk with different media.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I don't know that there are laws with podcasts.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
I don't think. So I think you've got the freedom
to talk about whatever you want. I mean, you look
at like Joe Rogan, who's got the top one of
the top spot podcasts in the world on Spotify, and
so many controversial topics, but he doesn't care. He's just like, Oh,
talk about whatever I want.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I think with radio, obviously there's rules in radio because
you have licenses and you've got to pay for a license.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
There's no licenses, no ho if you had a podcast,
what would you be talking about?
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Are we talking about growing up in Tasmania. I've talked
about actors and artistic people that are from Tasmania or
Australia that want to go overseas and get their stories
and stuff. Yeah, do you mean just like hang out
in med Australians.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
So that's a great topic and we would love to
know more about growing up in Tasmania and what was
that like and do you feel it was a very
different life to say Melbourne or Sydney.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Well, yes, in Hobart and then I was born in
Glenorokee and then we had a place at a possum Bay.
My dad die when I was seven, Mum remarried and
then we moved across the river and then I went
to Think. I went to Sydney for like a year
and then from that went to la just start studying.
(09:18):
But it was like I was like you were the
mainland for me.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
I lived in Tazzy for two years, so I know
what you're talking about. Yeah, yeah, so Australia is referred
to as the mainland. And the other thing I realized
when I moved to Tazzy. Every car has the indicators
disconnected no car people don't use indicators and Tazzy oh
really yes, no, no, they aren't connected. What I'm saying,
(09:46):
that was what we used to say. Nobody used their indicator.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
It's sort of a metaphor for the disconnected to the mainland. Right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
If I had a podcast, like if I brought my
partner out, here's from Texas, right, I could see Texans
and Tazzi and making meat vegiemate and do stupid stuff
and you could talk about like stuff like that and
say anything you want. Is that what you're seeing? Podcasts
are Yes, I don't talk a lot this way. I
don't know that this is the possible. Right, listen to podcasts,
more audiobooks, stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
You have to you have to listen to life as
we know it.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Well I will now, because I've got a mug.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
I save you a suggestion. He actually put on his
inser stories he was on the plane and what podcasts
should he listen to and I said, like to know
it from our life has been about to.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Check it it.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
So you just gave us a little insight then. And
so you said that you don't talk a lot, so
describe the sort of person that you, well, I.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Mean, I'm from I grew up pretty much reased by
my grandmother's and my mum and my stepdad. But I
was hyper shy, hyper sensitive, just completely antisocial. So for me,
acting was learning how to communicate with people to begin with,
and then the other stuff the beach just came afterwards.
(10:54):
Wasn't what I was going for. It was just to
learn how to communicate, and so that happened. So that
was another thing I had to learn how to communicate
on a different level. And then it wasn't really from me,
so I could, you know, let's sort of backed up
a bit.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
It must have been so daunting though heading into the
movie TV industry, Like if you were someone who you know,
didn't want to be talking to people, communicating with people
was hard to then move into that industry.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
And that shows so in your face, just like you know,
I was more of a theater person. So with the
whole bay watching, it was the first time, it was
so tabloid, like making it every week I was doing
something different, and it was just I wanted to learn
how to act and I didn't want to I didn't
want to be like followed and it was a weird.
(11:44):
But like once you learn that it's it's it's not
what it seems. But it was a good lesson for
me to learn. But I didn't finished drama school at
the time, so I quit and went back to drama school,
you know, just because it was just too too much.
But fun, great friends, really really good. Yeah. Are we
getting so atracted?
Speaker 4 (12:01):
No? No, No, it's about knowing about people in their life,
and you know, I think having that insight, you know,
just gives us that sort of look into who you
were at school. Was it hard for you, like being
a shy person completely?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Oh yeah yeah yeah. Were you bullied?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Yeah, it's amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Not my original Notice what no.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
As in what you had people punched you in the nose?
Had fixed? Really you're being beaten up?
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Hang on, were you did you say your dad died
when you were sent Were you shy before he died
or did they come up?
Speaker 3 (12:43):
It was it was worse worse afterwards, but before as well. Yeah,
I mean seven is like you're not really really quite
computing stop by your learning stuff. You just don't realize
at the time, I just shut down. I didn't speak
to anybody unless you're in my family, like I wouldn't ye. Yeah,
So acting was was that safe space?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
So was that something you wanted to do or were
you was it suggested try acting to see if that helps.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
My imagination is so huge from being of trauma, being
of trauma as a kid, and then also being from
an island and all that stuff, like my imagination can
go please, And then I realized you can't get paid
for it. Yeah, So so they sort of both went
hand in hand. And so it's trying to find the
right gig that pays your good or one that doesn't.
But you grow as a person, you know, you sort
(13:29):
of weighing that up through your whole left.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
But yeah, yeah, so I'm really like just quite taken
aback that, you know, Like you're talking about your nose.
So how old were you when.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
First time? It was probably like nine and then last
time was seventeen?
Speaker 2 (13:48):
So is this how many times you've had your nose
worked on?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
We got no, hasn't been worked on, it should get
worked on.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
But your knows looking better than mine. I wouldn't complain.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I listen, it looks great. So for me, drama was
my escape through school, through everything. So yeah, that was
my thing. So that's what I started learning, and I
looked a particular way and that sort of helped me
get into the show. I mean it was a great experience.
(14:19):
So but it was a great learning experience.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Yeah, wow, can I can I ask?
Speaker 3 (14:26):
You know, that's enough.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
We're done, and you can tell me if you don't
want to talk about this as far you know, not
about this, but how did how did the passing of
your father? How did that shape you?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I would say everything, yeah, yeah, and like but being now,
like I'm fifty five this year, so it's like, but
when you're seven, you don't realize, like like you're still
getting attached to parents. And my mom wasn't coping very
good either. So my sister kind of sort of helped
raise me. She's two years older than me, so relationship
was really strong. But through my imagination and stuff, I
(15:04):
sort of didn't really when I went to school, Like
I've got all my school reports, you know that I'm
more of an observer than a participator. Yeah, but I
used to get constant no nosebleeds all the time, just
since I can remember, just from like being hot or
stress or whatever. So when I would get beaten up,
I could just say I had nose bleed.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
So it completely Yeah, they know, I think they found
out like a couple of years ago, but oh my god, wow,
I mean that's just a horrendous thing for a child
of that age to have to deal with. Yeah, well
enough losing a parent, but then.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Well I'm not even sure that whether they knew that
I had lost a parent or not. You know, I
don't think it mattered to them. All that mattered was
all the girls all over me. And I was really
pretty and really young and really gay. It's like, you
know what I mean, that's like, you know, they really
pissed them off.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Apparently its okay. And what was that like too, I mean,
being gay into.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
But well it was illegal at the time. But for me,
I hadn't even reached that age yet. I was this
was pre pre thirteen, so I was even thinking about
that stuff. I was just like a really artistic, really
like kid. But then those things, those things came afterwards,
that were being those labels will put on me. So
(16:26):
whether they knew or not, it was a good enough
slogan to you. Yes, Yeah, but I found out later
that I was so hooray for me.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yeah, Jason, let's I'm going to ask this question, and
knew it was going to come anyway. David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson. Now,
I'm sure you get asked about them all the time.
Do you still stay in touch with them now?
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Not as much now? David I saw his birthday last year.
Pam I've not seen for a couple of years, but
they're always in orbit. They've both got things going on.
Pam's doing really well in her arena at the moment,
Davids doing his stuff. I'm closer to the rest of them,
like Jasmin and Alexander and David and David and Nicole
and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Yeah, because that's the thing. I mean, you've worked with
each other, it was like so long ago, but do
you keep those friendships. I mean you've done other movies
since as well.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
The Shark Nato that I mean that to me is fascinating, hilarious.
Oh well, the things when that first came out, I
just remember when when the first movie came out, it
was like, is this going to be crap or is
this going to be so bad that it's really good.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
I just got back from London doing a play. My
hair was black. I was not like Logan looking, but
they were. They hired me off Baywatch, which I looked
nothing like at the time, So I just created this
bazz character. All my dilu mostly was improvised because it
was very Australian slang. They used, like very Paul Hogan.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
So you had an Australia because I've got to be honest, since.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
I haven't seen his name was Bas Hogan, Okay, bas
Hogan bads, so you would have to.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Put the Australian accent back on.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I had to do it.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Yeah, hard to put it back on.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Then it was fun. It was fun putting it on
because I knew exactly what I like, what how I
I know people like that, so it was great, yeah
to do that. But like I wasn't beachy or stuff
like that. So when it came out, like I was
in New Mexico at a friend's ranch and they wanted
me to fly back to do the premiere because it
(18:18):
was blowing up and like, what are you talking about? Like,
I didn't even tell my parents. I thought it would
be straight to video or DVD or whatever. It just
took off, took off exactly. My first social media was
that experience was from that on, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Because I was just thinking that because obviously, so the
American accent is quite strong, do you reckon?
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:38):
I thought it was like a bitza, you know, like
a little bit of stray and a little bit so
you can just hear you can hear it.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah, I hear Transatlantic, which doesn't exist.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I was about to say, just.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Head whatever accent you want me to be.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
People so much money.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
My parents were British, so I grew up one in there,
but I didn't really have a really strongness radio right.
But the characters in America they wanted me to play
that really Australian.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I played a male schutvenistic guy and they watch which
is so much fun. But like those characters that I knew,
those blogs, you know what I mean. But I'm sort
of more neutral. I think, I don't know, I don't listen.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
To I'm just thinking, like, is it like if you've
hadn't well, you would have had an Australian accent for
a while they're living here. Uh, and then obviously the
accent changes to become more American, Like is it is
it just a natural thing that the Australian accent comes
out as an Australian accent? Would you have to work
on it?
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Like what? You don't have to work on it, You
have to work on the stress of it. Americans are
very much like hype, like it's either you or them,
Like it's very direct with Australians are more polite. It's
a different so it's more the attitude and the words.
But for me, when I moved there, that they would
even see see us if they knew that we were
from Australia, so we had we had to put the
(19:56):
accent on, which was horrible. But now they want the accent,
which is fantastic because they know that we can do
it both we could, I can always do it, but
they would never let us do it, like I mean,
they wanted that guarantee of whatever. So now it's just
like whatever this is, I don't know. In America, it
sounds like this, so I can be understood.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, yeah, well that's the thing, isn't it, Like we
I lived in Ireland for five years. Yeah, my youngest
was actually born there, so my kids ended up with
an Irish accent. But I found that there was certain
words that I had to I never well, I can't
remember now at the top of my head, but I
had to when I was saying certain words with ours
in them, I had to really put an emphasis on
(20:36):
the art.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Oh yeah, exactly, I'm asking you to do it.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Yeah, good luck. Okay, Yeah, we lived in Dublin for
five years. Be sure you be sared.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
I can't further.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Irish. It is, doesn't it iron? And my daughter here's
the funny thing, So my daughter's now twenty seven. We've
been back here over ten years, twelve year, all we
in we're back fifteen years, and people will talk to it.
In fact, I think you.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
An American accent.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah, because because and people will say she sounds Canadian,
especial when we first moved back, like and again, it's
because of the r's and the cane.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Where people are from right away from whichever country from that,
because we're to dialects and stuff and most people can't
pick that up.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was was sharing this story the
other day, so I met this girl from Canada. She
was out here and her name was Carla and she
met a group of my guy friends and they're like,
watch your name, and she's like Kurala and they're like
what and she's like Kurala and they're like what.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
She goes, oh, Karla, and they understood her.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
That's what I mean. I would rather just be understood faster.
So that's why I just like see stuff like that,
because that it doesn't compute, because it's just stressed differently
and it's like something you just have to give a
say that.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
But in Australia, like each state has its own accent
as well.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I've not broken that done or some but not all
of it.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Well, I lived in South Australia for quite a few
years because my ex is from South Australia. The accent
is very British and I had to adjust how I
would say things on it. So rather than say your
chance to win is coming up, I would have to
say your chance to wins coming up or yeah, yeah,
but that's the thing I'm now. I can't say castle,
(22:30):
even castle made I say castle. There are certain words
I will still say that way, grant or granto, yeah,
I say grant, but you know, like you probably say grant, grant, grant.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
How are you grand for me?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
But it is like when I was up in hob
I could tell Americans from from far because of the
volume and just that the whole experience of being so boisterous.
I was going to see big like, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Very out in your face, very sure, very very sort themselves.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
We're a bit more like, don't ask you any.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Questions except me.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I love being asked questions.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Oh yes, what question? Have you always wanted to be asked?
And bought it?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
No, I'm not, but I haven't been asked that question.
Now I'm thinking, what question would I like to be asked?
Ship Jason, You've got She got me on the spot.
I know, I know. I'm usually like I.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Don't think you really know until you ask the question.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Listen as a teacher sort of thing going on? Now?
Should she know what she's about to say? Should she
have already done the work?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
She should have done the word?
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Me thinking, but we were card game.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
I don't care about the card game, no exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Tony asked me a question and I said something, and
I said, that's not it. I feel something deeper, and
then as she was talking, it started to unraveling me
the thing that I wanted to say, So it might
unravel as we're talking.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Maybe that was the answer that you're looking for. Having
been asked that question, answer you yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
This guy plays mind games.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
I like that. But I can tell that you're an observer.
You're interested in people. It's trying to stump us. What
can I throw at them? I found something on your
Instagram page. I was really interested about, curious about it.
So you said this beautiful thing. You said, love is
love and acting is acting. Sexuality doesn't determine what type
(24:41):
of role you play, and I wanted to know since
saying that, do you feel that the perception of people
with different sexual preferences has changed?
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Like?
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Are we seeing more people playing because you'd said about
you know, if you're if you're a gay guy, you
can play a straight role and you know vice versa,
you can do that. Do you think we're seeing more
of that?
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Well, it's like, I mean, I took be watched mostly
because firstly, I was sleeping on the floor at the time.
I needed a bed. But the second part was to
show people that gay people can play straight characters, but
nobody had done it for me to see. Yeah, so
I sort of did it to say, you know, we
could play straight characters. And the way I'm taught the
technique is like I can believe anything, so like the
(25:27):
situation is different. So people believe me so much that
I was this straight guy from Australia that it was
like ridiculous. But then it's like, you know, it's acting,
but they didn't see this acting.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Good you are as an actor, but at the time
it was like.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Thirty years for people to realize what actually was going on.
So now it's a bit better, but like like like none,
there's there's a lot more, a lot more. Yeah, OK, yeah,
it's fantastic.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
But no, I just I just thought it was a
really interesting thing that you said me too.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
I don't didn't know that I said that.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
That far back down his Instagram account.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
But I do understand that that's from the interview from
the Bewatch documentary.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
But it made me think about you know, there's people
that are in relationships, like straight relationships, and they're acting
out being lovers with someone else and everything like that.
So it's sort of you know, my mind was a
little bit. You know, it just opened up my mind
a bit and thought, well, hang on, everyone is acting
and playing out different roles. And I've just seen the
about a month ago than Nicole Kidman movie with Antonio Banderas,
(26:34):
and she has an affair with a younger man and
it's it's explicit, like it's our yea, yeah, baby girl,
baby girl, that's the baby girl. Yes. And I was
just thinking, you know, like she's really going for it
in this film, but we all know that she's married,
but she's acting.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Well acting that's what we're good at school for.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
That's that's right.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
It's like it's I played different characters, Like the bay
Watch character was just character. It wasn't me. I'm the
opposite of that. I don't go out. I like swimming,
but I like my bath better. I mean, I'm not
like an active person, you know what I mean. But
I could play one on TV because that's the way
I'm trained. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
So then is that therapeutic being not having the bass?
Well it could be. But you know, if the character
that you're playing on Baywatch isn't really you and it's
drawing out these other aspects to you, that is that
really fulfilling for you to.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
It because I wasn't raised very physically, so with my dad, like,
it was very limited. So it was great because it's
like I would never do this as Jason, but this
logan guy would jump off this boat, speeding it whatever,
and I would just do it. And it was so
much fun to challenge myself to get over that hump
(27:49):
of not jumping or not doing it. So it was
great to learn that side of things. But also they
knew a bit about my life, so some of the
storylines were based on my dad and stuff, so I
got to exercise those storylines a little bit as well,
so that that was good. But being on the beach
with the parashorts, that's not I don't who you are.
(28:10):
I don't know. They look at me like that's the guy. Yeah,
you know, to Americans, because they thought that we weren't
really good actors, they wouldn't even know that. They would
think that he's just that guy.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
That's not the case. I didn't think you were a
good actors because it was Baywatch. Wow.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
But I'm just saying, you know, I don't dress like
wonder woman, but I would love to like explore that wonder.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Woman yeah, and you know, and that's what happens when
you like, I mean sci fi, fantasy, all that sort
of stuff or whatever you want to experience part of
my life. I took movies depending on where they were
shot in the world, just to say that part of them. Yeah,
because why not all people I want to work with
Chrissy or other people like, they don't be huge movies
(28:51):
by people you want to work with.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Hollywood actor Jason Simmons, star of the original Baywatch series
and shot Nado, got another episode which I and still
to come.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
You've been listening to Life as We Know It Unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron. If you liked this episode,
please leave us a review or drop a comment on
our socials. We love hearing from you. You can also
come hang out with us on Instagram at Life as
we Know It dot podcast, and on Facebook at Life
as we Know It. Oh and please see that follow
button on your favorite podcast app. If you're not following
(29:24):
us yet, catch up with you in our next episode.
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