March 23, 2025 • 26 mins
After plenty of hassling, James finally joins us on the podcast, and trust us, it was worth the wait! He shares the journey of how he became a comedian and why laughter is more than just entertainment, it’s therapy.
We dive into how his Italian heritage plays a big role in his routines (even if his mum swears none of it is about her) and how much of his comedy is actually based on real life. Plus, James gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how comedians work together to keep their shows fresh and unique.
Get ready for laughs, stories, and a whole lot of personality in this episode!
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The life isn't perfect, but it's perfectly ours, with raw conversations,
inspiring stories and laugh until you cry moments we hit them.
I unpack 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 3 (00:31):
Hello and welcome. We are very excited about our special
guest is going to be joining us for the next
few episodes. Very very funny man comedian James Liotta. Hello, Hello,
James James Leota. Yes, God present for me. You're going
to slide that across. We give all our gifts already gift?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Is it for Christmas?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
To make up for christ?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Hang on? What are you've done? Oh you've done the
walk wrapping? Yeah, hang on, I've got.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
To rip up. No, I just have the sticky tape.
That's what I'm trying to.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Look. I can feel the italiassion coming through this.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
This is wow. Look at that.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
And that's actually limited edition because well that's no more.
That is because it's blue, because there's three of us
on it.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Of course steps on it as well.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, you didn't pick up on that waiting for anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
So also, my favorite color is blue.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Everybody is the same.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So this is awesome than you. I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Welcome, so welcome, thank.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
You is that it can I go excellent.
Speaker 6 (01:47):
We've actually had enough of you already, so this is
something a little bit different for you and I only
because I've known you what feels like forever since I
was first at It was mixed, I think when we
first met it.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
So it was mixed one one point one, that's right.
And I was a music director, and I think I
was doing afternoons. Were you here when I was doing afternoons?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
I think? I think I was because I was doing
some work for Mix and for gold in promotions.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Are you in promotion?
Speaker 6 (02:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah I was. I was driving around the cruises, right,
which I don't think they do anymore.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
No, they do, we just.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Don't do Yeah, they do client things, and but I
was just thinking, if things don't work out for you,
you can always.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Go back to the cruiser. I was only here for
the free stuff from the cruise, which I used to like.
There is a bag of chips for you and a
bag of chips for me, So you don't how many
cans of coke I had at home during the space
of twelve months.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
It wouldn't have been alone.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Most of the people are now a street team from
to their places.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
That's what it was, a street seir. I was part
of the street tea.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Okay, there you go. Because you and I did some
work together for radio. See I thought you were on air. Look,
you're trying to get on it. Let's not talk about that.
Is that what you were actually doing? Training with me?
Because you're trying to get on it. Yeah, and it
failed miserably, So obviously a ship teacher.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
No, not at all, Actually not at all. I mean
the whole radio thing. You need, perseverance, you need there's
a lot of sacrifices I think you need to make
as well to get into those metro stations because unless
you are a celebrity of some sort, you've got to
go through the right radio journey. I think you know so.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
And that made it harder for you because you had
so much going on, and you still do with your
comedy and then your wedding hosting, and.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
There's a lot going on. So it's hard to dedicate.
While you have a passion for something, sometimes it's hard
to dedicate just just to.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
That fun time for us today.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
It was the free Mug.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Again.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
No, this is great because I've been following, you know,
the podcast, and I know Steph as well, and you
know when she was part of it too. I've known
Steph for a long time. We used to work on
community television together. That's way back. Known Steph a long time.
And when I see something alike, I'm just I want him,
and I keep and I keep hustling and hustling.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
And the only reason I'm here is because Tony has
had enough for me, like contacting her, give me on
the show.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
Because we're having people contact us wanting to come on
the shower, like, what's happening?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
That's a good thing.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
It's a really good thing.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's great.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
What what was the draw card?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Well, I like the ladies and.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Do you like them in their thirty scores or fifties?
Speaker 1 (04:38):
James, Well, I had a whole range.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
How old are you? I'm forty two, Okay, didn't want
to tell us.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
He's old enough for both of us.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
So yeah, we could actually we could add him to
the club and it could be on top.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Of steps.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Sorry podcast.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
It happens when you come along all of a sudden.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
I hope you're single. I'm just that's awkward.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Sorry, now it wouldn't matter.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Okay, man, So tell us because we're actually quite curious,
right we. Lisa and I were talking just before. We've
got some guy from New York is an artist who
contacted us wanting to be on the podcast, and I
said to Lisa, we got like five hundred odd followers,
this guy's got twenty eight, Like, what's the appeal of
(05:34):
coming onto our podcast?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I think it's just that fun energy to begin with.
There's a vibe and of fun energy. Of course I
knew Tony and Steph personally as well, and I think
when you know someone in the media personally, you do
try to go any chance you can get me on
the show. Got anything to promote you, You've got lots
of But I also love having a chat. And it's
(05:57):
just that that fun element because in the beginnings, I
think when you guys started, it was very focused on
on women's experience, but then it's kind of evolved to
include guests.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Both are paying attention to the episodes, all those downloads
of him.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I don't want to listen to me, can't have a
threesome of the men.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Can you well you can you can.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Say what's happened to us?
Speaker 3 (06:26):
This is his influence. I wish this is the right decision.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
That's that's my influencing.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, but it's it's an energy and you know, you
look at you know, you hear like fun stuff and
hear laughter and you go, oh, you know like that
that'd be that'd be cool.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
That's the thing is people want to be Yeah, like
like people have messages that they want to share, but
they also want to know balance that with having a
good laugh.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yes, And I also love I love talking and I
also find these kinds of chats. There's a lot of
improsation that happens because we kind of don't know. Sometimes
sometimes you don't know.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Most direction we're going. We got no idea.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I think it's just free, free practice for me, like.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Just on stage.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, I'm just like you know, some people go and
do shows to ten people in the corner of a
little cafe. I'd rather come and do a podcast.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Riff and a right, So that's what we're doing.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
We're riffing.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We're riffing.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
Notes.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
There any notes couple.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I've got to at least the one that's always prepared
meet Never that.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Happens in all podcast groups, I find like there's always
someone who's like, no, I've got notes, I've got questions.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
I'd rather go into an interview not prepared. I mean,
like obviously key things that I would want to know
or you know that I need to know. But generally
I like not knowing because for me, you get a
more genuine reaction. Like we had Jason sing on the
podcast right and Jason told it told us that he
was half Maltese. I've known Jason for like over twenty
(08:01):
five years. I had no idea he was half Maltese.
That was something I learned in the podcast.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Well I'm half Asian.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yeah right, No, no you're not.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
I'm going to give you a scoop.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
I know.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
There's no no, no disrespect.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
James Maltese because he looks Maltese when he looks.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
More Indian Indian background.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
I didn't know about the Indian side.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
But when we when we used to go and him
play and I was like, oh my god, he's the
biggest Malta ever ever.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Gives it away.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Well I didn't think about that, and I'm like, oh
my god, he's probably a cousin or something.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
So okay, So the appeal was the laughter.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Yeah, the laughter, Yeah, the energy, the vibe. It's the vibe.
It's the vibe. But also yeah, there was the fact
that I knew you and Steph personally as well, and so,
like I to reiterate, when you know someone personally, you
kind of you know, if you ever looking for a guest,
I'd be quite quite happy to take part.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Yeah, well, thanks for reaching out, thank you for having me.
We really appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I appreciate it's thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
And also like, because I knew you recorded here and
it's you know, I guess it's an old stomping ground
as well. I was here for a little while, always
in and out. I had my past, had to give
that back. Of course. Of course the buildings changed a
lot though, the whole the whole building then. Yeah, a
lot of renovations and stuff.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
So it's different, unusual different.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
So given that Tony knows a bit about you and
I don't, I really love to know how did you
become a comedian? Like what was that moment where you
were like, fuck, I'm funny.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, well, I mean you know, it's a really interesting
question because becoming a comedian or being branded a comedian,
you it's not like you can go to a unicorse
for it and like a diploma for it. So it's
like sort of say, at what point in your career
do you feel comfortable calling yourself a comedian? Because these
(10:08):
days people wake up literally in the morning, tell one
joke on their socials and change their whole profile to comedian.
And I do really well, people do it all the time.
They've done really anyone can do it. Anyone can do it.
But I just think, like you, if you really, you know,
a professional, I think waits a bit of time before
(10:29):
you know it, does some hard yards before being able
to call themselves a comedian. I also think it's not
you calling yourself a comedian, it's when other people start
calling you a comedian. Then you go, I'm a comedian.
It's out there now, and you know, and then you
might do a little bit of media and they brand
you that way. You know. I remember doing an article
for local paper years and years ago, and I was
(10:51):
dabbling in the whole stand up comedy thing and they
branded me as stand up comedian. I remember just feeling
like anxious and pressure. Oh my gosh, I'm not like,
don't like, maybe call me a performer or comedy performer
or something. But the whole branding of stand up comedian
at that time, you know, being a comedian, you're putting
(11:12):
yourself out there and going, I think I'm funny. I
hope you find me funny. But funny is so subjective
as well true, and you have to acknowledge that too.
So long story short, I think when other people see
you that way, then you can start calling yourself a comedian.
That's one answer to it.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Okay, okay, Because humor is such a big thing, right, Like,
I'm on Bumble at the moment, and I reckon every
guy puts on there, they're looking for someone with a
sense of humor, and they say that they've got a
sense of humor, And I think it's that thing that
so many women look for, is a guy that's funny.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
Right.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
Why do you think it's so important to laugh and
have fun?
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Well, I think bumble is funny to begin with. Let's
but that's for another episode.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Probably have you been on?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
No, I don't do any of those. The only dating
side someone is Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, even when the center
link and looked over there on Thursday, anyone willing to
pay for dinner because you're all getting your pay today?
(12:26):
They kick me out. But to answer your question, why
that's a loaded question?
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Well good, let's talk about this.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
So the question was, I can't remember that. I interrupted.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
Why do you think that it's so important to laugh
and have fun? I mean, there's the obvious, right, because
it feels good, But what does it mean for you?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Like I think, I think laughter is an escape, even
if it's just for in the moment, because you kin't
like when you know, when you get into fits of
laughter with a friend just just over something silly or stupid,
have you noticed, like you kind of there's nothing else
going on in your mind in that moment, even if
it's forteen seconds. But that fit of laughter that you're having,
(13:10):
nothing everything is just gone.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
It's like a sense of calm that comes over you.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
And it's good for the soul in that respect. Now
if you then you know, triple that by going to
see a show a comedian that you love and you're
having an hour of that or two hours of that.
What a beautiful job to have to take someone away
you won't take all of them away, because again it's subjective.
But if you can take most of them away, you've
(13:34):
done well. Yeah, even the biggest comedians in the world
have people that go, I don't like them. Yeah, you're
never going to stop.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Them, you know, not everyone's going to like that.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
I'm saying with this podcast, there's gonna be people that
hear it and go, I don't want to listen to that. Again,
that's not true. Well, okay, it's.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
A hard truth, but there's like but it's true, and
there's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing, there's nothing wrong
with it. The only thing wrong with it is if
you're getting ninety nine point nine percent of people that
don't like what you do, then maybe maybe you.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Maybe you need to look at what you're doing exactly.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
You got to go back. But if you're entertaining or
you know, you know eighty percent she's you're doing well,
so keep at it.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
It's kind of like pain relief in some way, laughing
and having fun, but it's it's bringing people into the
present moment as well. And you know, because when you
are in pain, you're thinking of the past, or you're
thinking about the future. But when you're laughing, you come
into that present moment and you just feel that joy.
And I think you feel that joy like when you're
a kid, right, and nothing else matters, and it feels
(14:39):
so freaking good. That's right, and you release all the
hormones that make you feel good as well. So it
is like a therapy.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Laughter definitely is therapy. Isn't there studies that are done
on laughter therapy? You should get I'm not a therapist.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I'm like that information research. You' I want to be
a comedian.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Here's the research. How much you pay? That's the research,
you know, twenty two minutes?
Speaker 5 (15:10):
You know.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You No, I laughed at their I mean clown doctors.
That's why they go in for kids, you know, because
because it changes the mentality.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
So I got this theory with clowns, though there's a
lot of people that are scared. I don't know that
the clown doctor is a good idea.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
That's what I.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Think as well.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
I would share myself.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
A clown phobia, especially if it looks like it.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Yeah it's ronm McDonald with that red lick, and that is.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
It's just creepy.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
When a very like you know, I don't leave my
kids alone with you. Sort of look like.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
It's weird, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
It is?
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I mean a clown, Yeah, it's weird. A lot of
people don't like clowns, you know, they're fearful of clowns.
I'm not.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I don't care, but yeah, I don't want to ask you, James,
because obviously, being Italian, that's what your show is. It's
about that Italian culture.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Yeah, primarily primarily I skewed towards that, always sort of
taking the mickey of the you know, the Italian culture
and family, but that sort of transcends to other ethnic
cultures as well that could relate or live the same
way your Greeks in Maltese, Lebanese, we sort of all
lived in similar fashions in the family.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Yeah, so there's a lot of that based on stuff
that's actually happening in your life now, because I mean,
we see, you know, your character Maria Papagalov and what's
what's the dadale Pasquale. That's right, So there's I see that,
and I just go, yep, that's my mum, that's my dad,
that's my grandma, that's my grandfather. Are you still living
(16:37):
that now.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Well, I can't say I'm living that all those stories now, yeah,
because I'm one of those modern day Italians that moved
out at twenty three.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Yeah, just still see parents uncommon. Yeah, yeah, mum, I'm
sure your mum still sends you home with three hundred
trays of food.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
There are there are things, Yeah, there are things that
that happen that you take on board. But you know,
you look on past stories as well of things that
happened because there's so many, there's like endless source of
material there. But yeah, there are definitely things that that
still happen. Yeah, my mum still comes out with all
kinds of things and go all right, that's going in
the show.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
You know, does as a mum said anything like does
she see the show? Your mom? Yeah, she was there
that night, the night that we saw you in. Yeah,
so does she does she sort of after the show
say that's not me. I don't do that.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
She does, yeah, because but then we all go, yeah
you do. Because the thing about the thing about these
stories is there's an element of truth in them, right,
but you do you do sort of build on them,
and there are things you create on them to make
them extra funny. So sometimes the parents don't quite understand
(17:48):
that you've built on something, that the truth is there,
but you're built on it because it's a show and
it's entertainment and we laugh at it because the truth,
the seed of the truth is still there even though
that we know you're building on it. But we're there
for an escape. We're there to laugh. Yeah, So I'm
not there to tell you. You know, if I talk
about when my father smacked me, if I just if
(18:09):
I don't build comedy around that, then it's just a
depressing story, isn't it. My father hit me because I
did this and that. You know, that's not the way
we try to approach that content.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
But you when you start describing the wooden spoon, the
big one that was on the wall, there was wooden
spoon in the wooden fork, and they're both sitting on
the wall. And the minute your mum or dad walked
towards it, you've been told you knew you were in
serious trouble. Is that thing was coming off the wall.
I was gonna wrap itself around a bump, like, yeah,
we got I never copped it.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
I've got a stiletto to the back of my head.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
That's danger.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
I don't know if it's more dangerous point accuracy. Like
I must have been about five or six meters away
and shipped my mom. I could see she's got her
whole fist in her throat and then she's like, I'm
not and kill you, and she gets a stiletto and
just goes.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Well, Jesus, Jesus.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
There was a lot of love in the ethnic and
they it was through violence. We don't condone. We don't
condone the violence. And a lot of time it was
the threat of the violence as well. It wasn't always
like yeah, look I did get hit from time to time.
I did get slapped. I did my dad. You know,
that's just that's just how we grew up. People go,
(19:19):
it's abused. No, it wasn't abuse because it was different
because they were only the same as what they grew
up exactly, you know what I mean. They were just
replicating what happened to them and the parenting that they saw. Obviously,
things have changed now, and I think we should clear
up that it's not it wasn't abuse that I think
abuse is a whole different category of things. I was
(19:42):
being naughty, like you know, I almost deserved of a slap,
you know, I was doing the wrong thing or answering
back or whatever it was exactly. So we described those
stories and of course we make them bigger again for
the comedic. Yeah, you know, so we kind of make
(20:02):
them sound like they hit us every day. They didn't
hit us every day. Yeah, they hit us from time
we got threatened every day. Threat They just gave us
a slap when they felt we were over stepping mark.
That's all.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Do you find because there's obviously a lot of comedians
that are, you know, traveling down that ethnic.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Right, yeah, lots now more than ever.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
Well, this is it.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
So do you find this pressure on you because because
again a lot of these stories, they're all going to
be similar. Yes, so you do you find the pressure.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
It becomes more difficult, definitely, because if you lived in
a similar fashion, you do tend to come up with
a lot of the same scenarios. So it's really important
to try and keep up to scratch with other everyone
else's material, at least the main people.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Especially when you're doing a tool because I know you've
done tools with Joe Avarti. There's a couple of other guys, Yeah,
George and so like, you know, you're going to have
to know what each other's material is. Otherwise there's going
to be cases where you're talking about the same thing.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Absolutely absolutely, you know, and we do. We do. We
hear each other's stuff, and it's not uncommon to kind
of go in one of those shows where you're touring
with a whole bunch of people, it's not uncommon to go, hey,
George Orgi, are you doing that gag about so and so?
And he's like, yeah, I'm going to do that gag. Okay, cool,
I won't do my gag of that. It's just a
little bit too similar in the same lineup, you know,
(21:24):
not that it's the same gag, it's just the concept
is a little bit too similar. So you don't want
people go, oh my god, is he talking about the couch?
Is this guy talking about the couch again? His kind
of thing? Because you want a variety of stuff. But
we're good like that because when you're friends with your colleagues,
it's easy to say that and go can you not
do that tonight? Is that okay? If and we just
talk about.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
It, yeah, I feel there's a real nostalgia with this
sort of humor because it's like we're growing out of
you know, like the people that are immigrating here now
really your Multi's and Italian and Greek. You know, it's
at of Indian and Asian, and I mean, person, I
miss the culture so much. I mean, you know, unfortunately
(22:04):
I don't get to see my mum and you know,
most of our families passed away now and everything like that,
and I'm not really hearing Maltese people talking. And you know,
I have to go to George Crosses where Soccer clad.
You know, I went to an event there and it
was filled with Maltese people and I was in my element.
Everyone that I came with went home and I stayed
(22:25):
and I made friends with none of the Francis and
we danced all night.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Was there an Elvis impersonator there was?
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
The Maltese love Elvis.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
They love They're well in this guys.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
You know, they're calling out and like I'm dancing and
they're cheering me on game dancing dancing, and I'm like.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
This is the best night ever. I love this. So
I really miss it.
Speaker 5 (22:49):
So when I you know, see things that you do
and sushi mango and all those sort of guys. It's
the nostalgia of it all is like I just I
feel like, I mean, heaven, you know, just as you
guys keep it alive this culture.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I think nostalgia is really important. That's definitely the key
to keeping things alive. But I also I think I
think it works because it was a different time and
almost the time that we really miss Probably don't miss
the shoe and the stiletto, but we do, you know
what we missed. You know, all this is great, all
this social media, but it's it's fifty to fifty, you know,
(23:25):
like it's done some great positive things. Sadly, it's done
negative things as well, just to society in general. And
those times were a time where there was barely a
computer in the house or there were one. Now everyone's
got their own computer, you know, and we we kind
of think back to how different maybe easier than as were,
(23:50):
How fun was a simple pleasure, you know, not this
complicated thing. That's my thoughts. Why the nostalgia hits home.
I mean I get it even even with non ethnic stuff.
You know, when that stuff comes up on Instagram and
it shows you how the eighties were, and like it
takes you to the video stores and all that. Like,
if I look at that enough, and I'm sure other
(24:12):
people experience this too, you kind of go, can we go?
Can we take me back? That was a time that
was like a really good time and it was just
less problems.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
And yeah, well, I mean when I'm on gold, right,
so I do. My twelve o'clock hour is totally eighties, right,
So I will talk to people about songs and stuff.
And the one thing they also say when I speak
to them is life was so much easier. Life was
easier in the eighties, And like they just love reminiscing
about the eighties.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Which goes to show, no matter how much technology we
get thrown, there's still something where people go, life was
easier back then, where maybe some things were technically harder
to do because technology makes them easy, but life in general.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Exactly being out until the street lights came on and
your parents had no idea where you were, weren't worried
about it was going going on there, you'd come home,
all of that sort of stuff.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
No one would call you, no one, And I was
my son was out the other day. He's fifteen, and
I'd message him and he hadn't message back. And I
was like, oh that little shit, where is he? And
then I was like, hang on, No one ever called
me when I was and I could be out all day.
All I had to do was say that I'll be
home at seven or eight o'clock at night. You might
have been given thirty cents to use a payphone, but no,
(25:24):
no one. We just had so much freedom to do
our thing, and it was it was. It was such
a beautiful time, wasn't it.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
But also sadly it's not as safe anymore. No, I'm
just on the streets, even in the suburbs, like, I
don't think that at the moment. I don't want to
go down this track too much. But there's not a
single suburb in Melbourne where you can go it's safe. Yes,
every one of them is. Get so like those kinds
of things worry you as you know, as parents, I'm sure, yeah,
(25:52):
they worry you now and you don't rely on just
come back when the street lights come on, yeah, because
it's just not safe.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, yeah, But.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
It was such good to you having lots of fun
with James. Stay tune for our next episode.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
You've been listening to Life as we know It Unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron. If you like this episode,
please leave us a review or drop a comment on
our socials.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
We love hearing from you.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
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 us yet, catch up with you in
our next episode.
Every day brings a new story.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The life isn't perfect, but it's perfectly ours, with raw conversations,
inspiring stories and laugh until you cry moments we hit them.
I unpack 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 3 (00:31):
Hello and welcome. We are very excited about our special
guest is going to be joining us for the next
few episodes. Very very funny man comedian James Liotta. Hello, Hello,
James James Leota. Yes, God present for me. You're going
to slide that across. We give all our gifts already gift?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Is it for Christmas?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
To make up for christ?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Hang on? What are you've done? Oh you've done the
walk wrapping? Yeah, hang on, I've got.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
To rip up. No, I just have the sticky tape.
That's what I'm trying to.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Look. I can feel the italiassion coming through this.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
This is wow. Look at that.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
And that's actually limited edition because well that's no more.
That is because it's blue, because there's three of us
on it.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Of course steps on it as well.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, you didn't pick up on that waiting for anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
So also, my favorite color is blue.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Everybody is the same.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So this is awesome than you. I love it.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Welcome, so welcome, thank.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
You is that it can I go excellent.
Speaker 6 (01:47):
We've actually had enough of you already, so this is
something a little bit different for you and I only
because I've known you what feels like forever since I
was first at It was mixed, I think when we
first met it.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
So it was mixed one one point one, that's right.
And I was a music director, and I think I
was doing afternoons. Were you here when I was doing afternoons?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
I think? I think I was because I was doing
some work for Mix and for gold in promotions.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Are you in promotion?
Speaker 6 (02:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah I was. I was driving around the cruises, right,
which I don't think they do anymore.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
No, they do, we just.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Don't do Yeah, they do client things, and but I
was just thinking, if things don't work out for you,
you can always.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Go back to the cruiser. I was only here for
the free stuff from the cruise, which I used to like.
There is a bag of chips for you and a
bag of chips for me, So you don't how many
cans of coke I had at home during the space
of twelve months.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
It wouldn't have been alone.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Most of the people are now a street team from
to their places.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
That's what it was, a street seir. I was part
of the street tea.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Okay, there you go. Because you and I did some
work together for radio. See I thought you were on air. Look,
you're trying to get on it. Let's not talk about that.
Is that what you were actually doing? Training with me?
Because you're trying to get on it. Yeah, and it
failed miserably, So obviously a ship teacher.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
No, not at all, Actually not at all. I mean
the whole radio thing. You need, perseverance, you need there's
a lot of sacrifices I think you need to make
as well to get into those metro stations because unless
you are a celebrity of some sort, you've got to
go through the right radio journey. I think you know so.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
And that made it harder for you because you had
so much going on, and you still do with your
comedy and then your wedding hosting, and.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
There's a lot going on. So it's hard to dedicate.
While you have a passion for something, sometimes it's hard
to dedicate just just to.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
That fun time for us today.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
It was the free Mug.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Again.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
No, this is great because I've been following, you know,
the podcast, and I know Steph as well, and you
know when she was part of it too. I've known
Steph for a long time. We used to work on
community television together. That's way back. Known Steph a long time.
And when I see something alike, I'm just I want him,
and I keep and I keep hustling and hustling.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
And the only reason I'm here is because Tony has
had enough for me, like contacting her, give me on
the show.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
Because we're having people contact us wanting to come on
the shower, like, what's happening?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
That's a good thing.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
It's a really good thing.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's great.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
What what was the draw card?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Well, I like the ladies and.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Do you like them in their thirty scores or fifties?
Speaker 1 (04:38):
James, Well, I had a whole range.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
How old are you? I'm forty two, Okay, didn't want
to tell us.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
He's old enough for both of us.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
So yeah, we could actually we could add him to
the club and it could be on top.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Of steps.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Sorry podcast.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
It happens when you come along all of a sudden.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
I hope you're single. I'm just that's awkward.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Sorry, now it wouldn't matter.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Okay, man, So tell us because we're actually quite curious,
right we. Lisa and I were talking just before. We've
got some guy from New York is an artist who
contacted us wanting to be on the podcast, and I
said to Lisa, we got like five hundred odd followers,
this guy's got twenty eight, Like, what's the appeal of
(05:34):
coming onto our podcast?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I think it's just that fun energy to begin with.
There's a vibe and of fun energy. Of course I
knew Tony and Steph personally as well, and I think
when you know someone in the media personally, you do
try to go any chance you can get me on
the show. Got anything to promote you, You've got lots
of But I also love having a chat. And it's
(05:57):
just that that fun element because in the beginnings, I
think when you guys started, it was very focused on
on women's experience, but then it's kind of evolved to
include guests.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Both are paying attention to the episodes, all those downloads
of him.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I don't want to listen to me, can't have a
threesome of the men.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Can you well you can you can.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Say what's happened to us?
Speaker 3 (06:26):
This is his influence. I wish this is the right decision.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
That's that's my influencing.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, but it's it's an energy and you know, you
look at you know, you hear like fun stuff and
hear laughter and you go, oh, you know like that
that'd be that'd be cool.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
That's the thing is people want to be Yeah, like
like people have messages that they want to share, but
they also want to know balance that with having a
good laugh.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yes, And I also love I love talking and I
also find these kinds of chats. There's a lot of
improsation that happens because we kind of don't know. Sometimes
sometimes you don't know.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Most direction we're going. We got no idea.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I think it's just free, free practice for me, like.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Just on stage.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, I'm just like you know, some people go and
do shows to ten people in the corner of a
little cafe. I'd rather come and do a podcast.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Riff and a right, So that's what we're doing.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
We're riffing.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We're riffing.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
Notes.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
There any notes couple.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I've got to at least the one that's always prepared
meet Never that.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Happens in all podcast groups, I find like there's always
someone who's like, no, I've got notes, I've got questions.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
I'd rather go into an interview not prepared. I mean,
like obviously key things that I would want to know
or you know that I need to know. But generally
I like not knowing because for me, you get a
more genuine reaction. Like we had Jason sing on the
podcast right and Jason told it told us that he
was half Maltese. I've known Jason for like over twenty
(08:01):
five years. I had no idea he was half Maltese.
That was something I learned in the podcast.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Well I'm half Asian.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yeah right, No, no you're not.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
I'm going to give you a scoop.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
I know.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
There's no no, no disrespect.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
James Maltese because he looks Maltese when he looks.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
More Indian Indian background.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
I didn't know about the Indian side.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
But when we when we used to go and him
play and I was like, oh my god, he's the
biggest Malta ever ever.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Gives it away.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Well I didn't think about that, and I'm like, oh
my god, he's probably a cousin or something.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
So okay, So the appeal was the laughter.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Yeah, the laughter, Yeah, the energy, the vibe. It's the vibe.
It's the vibe. But also yeah, there was the fact
that I knew you and Steph personally as well, and so,
like I to reiterate, when you know someone personally, you
kind of you know, if you ever looking for a guest,
I'd be quite quite happy to take part.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Yeah, well, thanks for reaching out, thank you for having me.
We really appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I appreciate it's thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
And also like, because I knew you recorded here and
it's you know, I guess it's an old stomping ground
as well. I was here for a little while, always
in and out. I had my past, had to give
that back. Of course. Of course the buildings changed a
lot though, the whole the whole building then. Yeah, a
lot of renovations and stuff.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
So it's different, unusual different.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
So given that Tony knows a bit about you and
I don't, I really love to know how did you
become a comedian? Like what was that moment where you
were like, fuck, I'm funny.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, well, I mean you know, it's a really interesting
question because becoming a comedian or being branded a comedian,
you it's not like you can go to a unicorse
for it and like a diploma for it. So it's
like sort of say, at what point in your career
do you feel comfortable calling yourself a comedian? Because these
(10:08):
days people wake up literally in the morning, tell one
joke on their socials and change their whole profile to comedian.
And I do really well, people do it all the time.
They've done really anyone can do it. Anyone can do it.
But I just think, like you, if you really, you know,
a professional, I think waits a bit of time before
(10:29):
you know it, does some hard yards before being able
to call themselves a comedian. I also think it's not
you calling yourself a comedian, it's when other people start
calling you a comedian. Then you go, I'm a comedian.
It's out there now, and you know, and then you
might do a little bit of media and they brand
you that way. You know. I remember doing an article
for local paper years and years ago, and I was
(10:51):
dabbling in the whole stand up comedy thing and they
branded me as stand up comedian. I remember just feeling
like anxious and pressure. Oh my gosh, I'm not like,
don't like, maybe call me a performer or comedy performer
or something. But the whole branding of stand up comedian
at that time, you know, being a comedian, you're putting
(11:12):
yourself out there and going, I think I'm funny. I
hope you find me funny. But funny is so subjective
as well true, and you have to acknowledge that too.
So long story short, I think when other people see
you that way, then you can start calling yourself a comedian.
That's one answer to it.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Okay, okay, Because humor is such a big thing, right, Like,
I'm on Bumble at the moment, and I reckon every
guy puts on there, they're looking for someone with a
sense of humor, and they say that they've got a
sense of humor, And I think it's that thing that
so many women look for, is a guy that's funny.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
Right.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
Why do you think it's so important to laugh and
have fun?
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Well, I think bumble is funny to begin with. Let's
but that's for another episode.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Probably have you been on?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
No, I don't do any of those. The only dating
side someone is Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, even when the center
link and looked over there on Thursday, anyone willing to
pay for dinner because you're all getting your pay today?
(12:26):
They kick me out. But to answer your question, why
that's a loaded question?
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Well good, let's talk about this.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
So the question was, I can't remember that. I interrupted.
Speaker 5 (12:38):
Why do you think that it's so important to laugh
and have fun? I mean, there's the obvious, right, because
it feels good, But what does it mean for you?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Like I think, I think laughter is an escape, even
if it's just for in the moment, because you kin't
like when you know, when you get into fits of
laughter with a friend just just over something silly or stupid,
have you noticed, like you kind of there's nothing else
going on in your mind in that moment, even if
it's forteen seconds. But that fit of laughter that you're having,
(13:10):
nothing everything is just gone.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
It's like a sense of calm that comes over you.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
And it's good for the soul in that respect. Now
if you then you know, triple that by going to
see a show a comedian that you love and you're
having an hour of that or two hours of that.
What a beautiful job to have to take someone away
you won't take all of them away, because again it's subjective.
But if you can take most of them away, you've
(13:34):
done well. Yeah, even the biggest comedians in the world
have people that go, I don't like them. Yeah, you're
never going to stop.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Them, you know, not everyone's going to like that.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
I'm saying with this podcast, there's gonna be people that
hear it and go, I don't want to listen to that. Again,
that's not true. Well, okay, it's.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
A hard truth, but there's like but it's true, and
there's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing, there's nothing wrong
with it. The only thing wrong with it is if
you're getting ninety nine point nine percent of people that
don't like what you do, then maybe maybe you.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Maybe you need to look at what you're doing exactly.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
You got to go back. But if you're entertaining or
you know, you know eighty percent she's you're doing well,
so keep at it.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
It's kind of like pain relief in some way, laughing
and having fun, but it's it's bringing people into the
present moment as well. And you know, because when you
are in pain, you're thinking of the past, or you're
thinking about the future. But when you're laughing, you come
into that present moment and you just feel that joy.
And I think you feel that joy like when you're
a kid, right, and nothing else matters, and it feels
(14:39):
so freaking good. That's right, and you release all the
hormones that make you feel good as well. So it
is like a therapy.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Laughter definitely is therapy. Isn't there studies that are done
on laughter therapy? You should get I'm not a therapist.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I'm like that information research. You' I want to be
a comedian.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Here's the research. How much you pay? That's the research,
you know, twenty two minutes?
Speaker 5 (15:10):
You know.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You No, I laughed at their I mean clown doctors.
That's why they go in for kids, you know, because
because it changes the mentality.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
So I got this theory with clowns, though there's a
lot of people that are scared. I don't know that
the clown doctor is a good idea.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
That's what I.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Think as well.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
I would share myself.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
A clown phobia, especially if it looks like it.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Yeah it's ronm McDonald with that red lick, and that is.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
It's just creepy.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
When a very like you know, I don't leave my
kids alone with you. Sort of look like.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
It's weird, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
It is?
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I mean a clown, Yeah, it's weird. A lot of
people don't like clowns, you know, they're fearful of clowns.
I'm not.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I don't care, but yeah, I don't want to ask you, James,
because obviously, being Italian, that's what your show is. It's
about that Italian culture.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Yeah, primarily primarily I skewed towards that, always sort of
taking the mickey of the you know, the Italian culture
and family, but that sort of transcends to other ethnic
cultures as well that could relate or live the same
way your Greeks in Maltese, Lebanese, we sort of all
lived in similar fashions in the family.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Yeah, so there's a lot of that based on stuff
that's actually happening in your life now, because I mean,
we see, you know, your character Maria Papagalov and what's
what's the dadale Pasquale. That's right, So there's I see that,
and I just go, yep, that's my mum, that's my dad,
that's my grandma, that's my grandfather. Are you still living
(16:37):
that now.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Well, I can't say I'm living that all those stories now, yeah,
because I'm one of those modern day Italians that moved
out at twenty three.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Yeah, just still see parents uncommon. Yeah, yeah, mum, I'm
sure your mum still sends you home with three hundred
trays of food.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
There are there are things, Yeah, there are things that
that happen that you take on board. But you know,
you look on past stories as well of things that
happened because there's so many, there's like endless source of
material there. But yeah, there are definitely things that that
still happen. Yeah, my mum still comes out with all
kinds of things and go all right, that's going in
the show.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
You know, does as a mum said anything like does
she see the show? Your mom? Yeah, she was there
that night, the night that we saw you in. Yeah,
so does she does she sort of after the show
say that's not me. I don't do that.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
She does, yeah, because but then we all go, yeah
you do. Because the thing about the thing about these
stories is there's an element of truth in them, right,
but you do you do sort of build on them,
and there are things you create on them to make
them extra funny. So sometimes the parents don't quite understand
(17:48):
that you've built on something, that the truth is there,
but you're built on it because it's a show and
it's entertainment and we laugh at it because the truth,
the seed of the truth is still there even though
that we know you're building on it. But we're there
for an escape. We're there to laugh. Yeah, So I'm
not there to tell you. You know, if I talk
about when my father smacked me, if I just if
(18:09):
I don't build comedy around that, then it's just a
depressing story, isn't it. My father hit me because I
did this and that. You know, that's not the way
we try to approach that content.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
But you when you start describing the wooden spoon, the
big one that was on the wall, there was wooden
spoon in the wooden fork, and they're both sitting on
the wall. And the minute your mum or dad walked
towards it, you've been told you knew you were in
serious trouble. Is that thing was coming off the wall.
I was gonna wrap itself around a bump, like, yeah,
we got I never copped it.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
I've got a stiletto to the back of my head.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
That's danger.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
I don't know if it's more dangerous point accuracy. Like
I must have been about five or six meters away
and shipped my mom. I could see she's got her
whole fist in her throat and then she's like, I'm
not and kill you, and she gets a stiletto and
just goes.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Well, Jesus, Jesus.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
There was a lot of love in the ethnic and
they it was through violence. We don't condone. We don't
condone the violence. And a lot of time it was
the threat of the violence as well. It wasn't always
like yeah, look I did get hit from time to time.
I did get slapped. I did my dad. You know,
that's just that's just how we grew up. People go,
(19:19):
it's abused. No, it wasn't abuse because it was different
because they were only the same as what they grew
up exactly, you know what I mean. They were just
replicating what happened to them and the parenting that they saw. Obviously,
things have changed now, and I think we should clear
up that it's not it wasn't abuse that I think
abuse is a whole different category of things. I was
(19:42):
being naughty, like you know, I almost deserved of a slap,
you know, I was doing the wrong thing or answering
back or whatever it was exactly. So we described those
stories and of course we make them bigger again for
the comedic. Yeah, you know, so we kind of make
(20:02):
them sound like they hit us every day. They didn't
hit us every day. Yeah, they hit us from time
we got threatened every day. Threat They just gave us
a slap when they felt we were over stepping mark.
That's all.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Do you find because there's obviously a lot of comedians
that are, you know, traveling down that ethnic.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Right, yeah, lots now more than ever.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
Well, this is it.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
So do you find this pressure on you because because
again a lot of these stories, they're all going to
be similar. Yes, so you do you find the pressure.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
It becomes more difficult, definitely, because if you lived in
a similar fashion, you do tend to come up with
a lot of the same scenarios. So it's really important
to try and keep up to scratch with other everyone
else's material, at least the main people.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Especially when you're doing a tool because I know you've
done tools with Joe Avarti. There's a couple of other guys, Yeah,
George and so like, you know, you're going to have
to know what each other's material is. Otherwise there's going
to be cases where you're talking about the same thing.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Absolutely absolutely, you know, and we do. We do. We
hear each other's stuff, and it's not uncommon to kind
of go in one of those shows where you're touring
with a whole bunch of people, it's not uncommon to go, hey,
George Orgi, are you doing that gag about so and so?
And he's like, yeah, I'm going to do that gag. Okay, cool,
I won't do my gag of that. It's just a
little bit too similar in the same lineup, you know,
(21:24):
not that it's the same gag, it's just the concept
is a little bit too similar. So you don't want
people go, oh my god, is he talking about the couch?
Is this guy talking about the couch again? His kind
of thing? Because you want a variety of stuff. But
we're good like that because when you're friends with your colleagues,
it's easy to say that and go can you not
do that tonight? Is that okay? If and we just
talk about.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
It, yeah, I feel there's a real nostalgia with this
sort of humor because it's like we're growing out of
you know, like the people that are immigrating here now
really your Multi's and Italian and Greek. You know, it's
at of Indian and Asian, and I mean, person, I
miss the culture so much. I mean, you know, unfortunately
(22:04):
I don't get to see my mum and you know,
most of our families passed away now and everything like that,
and I'm not really hearing Maltese people talking. And you know,
I have to go to George Crosses where Soccer clad.
You know, I went to an event there and it
was filled with Maltese people and I was in my element.
Everyone that I came with went home and I stayed
(22:25):
and I made friends with none of the Francis and
we danced all night.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Was there an Elvis impersonator there was?
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
The Maltese love Elvis.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
They love They're well in this guys.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
You know, they're calling out and like I'm dancing and
they're cheering me on game dancing dancing, and I'm like.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
This is the best night ever. I love this. So
I really miss it.
Speaker 5 (22:49):
So when I you know, see things that you do
and sushi mango and all those sort of guys. It's
the nostalgia of it all is like I just I
feel like, I mean, heaven, you know, just as you
guys keep it alive this culture.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I think nostalgia is really important. That's definitely the key
to keeping things alive. But I also I think I
think it works because it was a different time and
almost the time that we really miss Probably don't miss
the shoe and the stiletto, but we do, you know
what we missed. You know, all this is great, all
this social media, but it's it's fifty to fifty, you know,
(23:25):
like it's done some great positive things. Sadly, it's done
negative things as well, just to society in general. And
those times were a time where there was barely a
computer in the house or there were one. Now everyone's
got their own computer, you know, and we we kind
of think back to how different maybe easier than as were,
(23:50):
How fun was a simple pleasure, you know, not this
complicated thing. That's my thoughts. Why the nostalgia hits home.
I mean I get it even even with non ethnic stuff.
You know, when that stuff comes up on Instagram and
it shows you how the eighties were, and like it
takes you to the video stores and all that. Like,
if I look at that enough, and I'm sure other
(24:12):
people experience this too, you kind of go, can we go?
Can we take me back? That was a time that
was like a really good time and it was just
less problems.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
And yeah, well, I mean when I'm on gold, right,
so I do. My twelve o'clock hour is totally eighties, right,
So I will talk to people about songs and stuff.
And the one thing they also say when I speak
to them is life was so much easier. Life was
easier in the eighties, And like they just love reminiscing
about the eighties.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Which goes to show, no matter how much technology we
get thrown, there's still something where people go, life was
easier back then, where maybe some things were technically harder
to do because technology makes them easy, but life in general.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Exactly being out until the street lights came on and
your parents had no idea where you were, weren't worried
about it was going going on there, you'd come home,
all of that sort of stuff.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
No one would call you, no one, And I was
my son was out the other day. He's fifteen, and
I'd message him and he hadn't message back. And I
was like, oh that little shit, where is he? And
then I was like, hang on, No one ever called
me when I was and I could be out all day.
All I had to do was say that I'll be
home at seven or eight o'clock at night. You might
have been given thirty cents to use a payphone, but no,
(25:24):
no one. We just had so much freedom to do
our thing, and it was it was. It was such
a beautiful time, wasn't it.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
But also sadly it's not as safe anymore. No, I'm
just on the streets, even in the suburbs, like, I
don't think that at the moment. I don't want to
go down this track too much. But there's not a
single suburb in Melbourne where you can go it's safe. Yes,
every one of them is. Get so like those kinds
of things worry you as you know, as parents, I'm sure, yeah,
(25:52):
they worry you now and you don't rely on just
come back when the street lights come on, yeah, because
it's just not safe.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, yeah, But.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
It was such good to you having lots of fun
with James. Stay tune for our next episode.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
You've been listening to Life as we know It Unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron. If you like this episode,
please leave us a review or drop a comment on
our socials.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
We love hearing from you.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
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
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