March 27, 2025 • 24 mins
Starting in the entertainment industry at just 8 years old, James Liotta was born into a world of creativity, his father, an actor and playwright in the Italian community, paved the way. James shares what it took to gain his parents’ acceptance of his career, proving that for him, it’s never been about fame, it’s about passion.
We also dive into the challenges of maintaining friendships and personal relationships in an industry that never stops.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Every day brings a new story. 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 2 (00:31):
Hi there, I hope you've been enjoying our past episodes
with the Australian comedian James Liotta. Now, if you haven't
heard the last two, please do so before you listen
to this one. It's in the right mindset, you know,
give you a good belly laugh. Not that this one's
not going to do that. One thing we discovered with
James is you can ask him a serious question. What
are the chances you're going to get a serious answer? James?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
What is something that people most misunderstand about you?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
That my hair was not by choice? Like they go,
they go, oh, you've taken your hair off? No, it's gone,
So I just shaved the rest because it looks better
to shave it. Yeah, otherwise you grow this. But exactly
what my dad had. Exactly what my dad.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know, all the guys on Buble, they just like
push their hair for and I'm like, let it go.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Now, let it go, like I was, yeah, do you
know what happened with me? It was I don't know,
I'm going to talk a hair loss now. But I
started seeing photos at weddings because the cameras focused on
the bride and groom, not me. So I started seeing
myself from behind and this starts. The crown started to
get whiter and whiter at the back of the photos.
I'm like, I'm losing my hair. I knew I was
(01:45):
receiving from the front, and I didn't mind the front
because it goes gradual. But I didn't want the donut
at the back because I don't I don't get men
who just get rid of it. Don't walk around with
the don don't walk around with the donut. Just get
rid of it, don't worry about it. It's okay, just
get rid of it. But the maintenance, let me tell you,
because this shaving, this grows, this within twenty four hours
(02:06):
looks like full oh.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Really, ye oh my god, really quickly.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
It's a real Italian like you can constantly into in
the morning, get it lasered.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Then you have my head.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Lazer hair remove on my head. Most people get hair
put on through.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
The lazy If you can get sick of shame of
the bloody things, just.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Get it at laser in my head.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
This is another thing for you to look up.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Finish the list.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
What do they misunderstand about me? That's a good question,
thank you. Yeah, yeah, you know why I can't answer
it because I don't care. That's a good answer, because
I don't care what they'd miss under really good answer.
I mean, like everyone's going to misunderstand something about you
from time to time, you know, and in the line
of work that I'm in, that you're always you know,
(02:52):
you're either bullied or whatever, or you know, told you're
not funny.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Or this, or that you must be skinned.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
I think I think you have to. Yeah, you have
to be definitely, especially with the social media you have
to be.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is it.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I mean, because social media as cruel as it is, Yeah,
but to be a comedian in this world and this environment, yeah, but.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
It happened even even before social media days. Like when
I was when I was a child, I'd take time
off school occasionally to do TV work that would pop up,
and you need to take time off of school, so
you like child labor work, you know, and then you know,
people would find out that you did this sort of stuff,
and then you'd have all these idiots to go, are
(03:33):
you Are you the dog on Blue Heeler's like I
heard you know, so they just pick on you for
being in the arts. I'd love to know where they
are these days, what they're doing. But UK and Dons. Yeah, yeah,
so you do have to be thick skinned, even from
from early, you know, early onset of wanting to be
in this career. But what do people misunderstand? Maybe that's
(03:55):
very egotistical of me to go, I don't care, but
because I think exactly right, Well, what are you going
to do about it? Anyway? You're not going to go
to every person and go I need to explain something
to you, you know, Like it's not that I'm like this,
it's just I'm like, I ain't got time for that.
I'm trying to find my next gig.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
This is actually very interesting that you were getting into
the arts, getting into TV, getting into comedy at a
very young age. Like I mean, like I know when
I first was doing radio and it was only community radio. Yeah,
my parents were proud, but it was like to them
it was just a hobby, you know what I mean,
Like they didn't think it was it was a career.
How long were you when you started doing the TV stuff?
Speaker 4 (04:32):
I had an agent when I was eight.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Okay, So your parents must have been very liberal minded too.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Because my dad was involved, right, My dad was involved
in the arts, particularly through the Italian community.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Okay. It was your dad's acceptance of what there.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Was an influence. Yeah, And I think to some degree
my father's no longer with us, but I think to
some degree I was living almost like life that he
wanted to live as rather like that, you know, like
if I could and do it, I hope my son
can do it full time, and you know, that kind
of thing. But he involved himself in the arts. He
was he was an actor, he was a playwright. He
(05:08):
wrote very very well in Italian. So he'd write plays
and then the staged them and it was all for
the Italian Commune. We did it for years, for twenty years.
So I started working as an actor in them, and
then and then as I got directed some as well.
So these were like full blown, you know, two act plays,
and the cast was all a hobby, you know, volunteer
(05:28):
for the community, but it was his passion for the arts,
so that that kind of that side of it was
fine with my mum. I think it was just like,
as long as you're getting paid. I remember I remember
coming home as a teenager once and I said, oh,
there's some volunteer work going on at Channel thirty one
behind the scenes and then I'll go after school. And
(05:51):
she was like, well, what are they paying you? And
I'm like, no, it's volunteer, Like you're learning the things
to do, and they're like, why are you doing that?
You're gett money for money for it. But the good
thing is that it worked out okay for me. I
found my niche, I found, you know, my full time
income within the industry. And I think with ethnic parents,
(06:12):
as long as there's money coming in, yeah, it's okay.
But if I was still forty two and doing volunteer
work here and there, and mind you do like I
do community radio and stuff as well, because I love
it. It's once a week and it's good fun. But if
I'm still doing that now, I think I think I'd
be still getting the shoe even like grow up kind
(06:34):
of thing. But once they can see that I've made
a full time income out of it, and I've survived
on my own for many years now and stuff. They're fine.
The trick is that you go from paycheck to pay
you go from job to job.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Well, that's the thing, isn't it. When you're working for yourself, Like,
it's just you know, where's that next job going to come?
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Yeah, that's pressure, that's the thing. Yeah, And it's not
about it's not about being being famous. I always say this,
it's not about being Like, any kind of thing is
just a bonus. You've got to have a love for it.
And that's why we do the big jobs, we do
the small jobs. I do tons of weddings, you know,
weddings and wedding it's that's corporate work. That's private, that's
private function work. You know. That's not putting me out there.
(07:13):
But you're doing what you love to do. You're hosting,
you're telling jokes, and surprisingly you you do get your
name out there, even at weddings because you get to
work to crowds of like three hundred every single weekend
and if they like you, they might come and see
my actual show. So you know, everything's a domino effect.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
How have you been able to. Given how much you
love your work, which is so beautiful to hear, how
have you been able to maintain relationships like having a partner,
friendships and all that sort of stuffs. Has it been
tricky for you?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I haven't no friends. No, I haven't maintained it, managed
to maintain anybody, you know? I look, relationships, yeah, look,
they have been difficult from time to time. I was
meant to be married in twenty twenty. I was engaged
and that didn't go ahead, not particularly because of my
(08:06):
work as such. I think that was I think that
was thrown into the mix at the end a little bit.
It always always is, but it wasn't particularly just because
of that. But sadly that that didn't go ahead wasn't
my choice. But it's hard. That the big answer to this.
It's hard because this work is a twenty four to
(08:27):
seven kind of job, Like, and you go from gig
to gig, and your weekends are jam packed. The weekends
are the first to go. And if you want to
have a relationship with someone and say that person, for
argument's sake, works nine to five or whatever, you know,
like nights become difficult because they get to get up
at six and do a nine to five job. Weekends
(08:49):
are gone because I'm not around. It is very difficult
if you do find someone, you need someone extremely understanding
and not necessarily in the same industry to say. Do
people say someone I don't think I don't think so.
I think that's actually disaster to be honest, in the
same industry. It's just someone that accepts it and understands it.
(09:11):
The problem is many do accept and understand it early on, yeah,
but long term and then you're like, hey, you knew
what you bought when you bought it. I'm not changing.
If anything gets busier, that's my life, Like I need
it to be busier, not like you know, that's difficult.
(09:32):
That's difficult on a lot of people. Definitely, And I
don't know that's the way it goes.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
You know. Has that made you feel lonely at times?
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Or I'm pretty content alone, especially these days. Yeah, but
you do you definitely think about like as we all
get older, you know, you do think about the future
as well, and you go, hey, don't you want to
live your life with somebody? But it's still got to
find someone that's compatible in all these areas, Like it's
(10:04):
just not anybody. That's the most difficult part. And I won't.
I won't sacrifice my job or what I do because
that's that's who I am. That makes me me, whether
whether I'm on TV or not, or whether I'm doing it.
By the way, I am on TV. There's a commercial
that's just come out. Please check it on TV at
the moment. That's true now actually through a big gambling
(10:31):
company and gamble responsibility.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
James.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
This is why he struggled because he's at the pokes all.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
The I'm not doing gigs, I'm at the Pokey's.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
The choice is endlessly That's true.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Yeah, it is. It is difficult. You do think about it.
When you're in this business. This work kind of drives
you and without it, it's like it's a bit of
a drug, you know. Without it, you don't feel yourself.
And the one thing that's never left me is my job.
Everything else is left from time to time, relationships, friends, people.
(11:10):
My job's never left me.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Let's just say your job did. Let's just say you're
not a comedian. You're not what would James Leona be doing?
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Stripper?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I thought that's what turned up when you walked in.
I was.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
As well.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That's something that isn't like I went through that when
I left radio, not by choice. I was like, oh
my god, what am I going to do now?
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Yeah, like completely away from the industry completely.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
And you said before it's a part of who you are,
so you don't feel like yourself. And that's how I was.
I just felt like, this isn't me.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
You know, if I get two weeks off without a gig,
I'm like, yeah, yeah, I'm not. I'm not good. I
don't know what it is. It can be any gear,
it doesn't matter. I just need to need to work,
need to perform, need to do something, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yea, so it's still got to be in the entertaining industry.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I would have to be. Yeah, I just don't know
what i'd do. I'd love to be a pilot, but
that's just sort of like a yeah, well no, not
even that's like when you yeah, when you're like five,
what do you want to be a pilot? You know?
I love planes? Have you working in air maybe working
an airport?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
You know how before we're asking about you know, what
else do you like out? It's not a comedy, is no? No?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Just my work?
Speaker 4 (12:30):
There's planes you like planes. Yeah, I mean, I don't
know a lot about them, but I just I like flying.
I like flying.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Okay, so you don't go and hang out at a
Telmerne airport to watch them, but hey, I do that
every second weekend because.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Your son takes photos. Yeah, but have you seen that joint?
Now it's like jam packed rocket and there's there's food trucks.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, where's the food truck? Down and down at the
view Instagram Hang on, you're on the other side Operations Road.
You're talking about bull there's a Bull road. Yeah, Buller
Road has Yeah. So the ice cream van just an
ice cream van. It's now not freaking it's like it's
huge r V. People see drive past it. That's true.
(13:13):
Yeah everywhere.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
Yeah, people having six.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
So what car barke?
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Are you going to.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
On more on winter nights because the windows fog up
on Titanic style? But no, it's really it's happening there,
especially on a summer's night. That joint is full.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Yeah. Yeah, they've got so many different viewing areas because
we actually had an operations road and there's a couple
of different viewing areas there. So my son lines himself
up right next to the runway on a ladder. He
brings a ladder. Now he brings the ladder. The ladder ye,
and he stands on the top.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Of the ladder, and you're just closer to the plane.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
It gets you over the fence because otherwise he's taken
photos through the fence. So by having a ladder, he's
just a little bit higher, you know, photos over the fence.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
You know how you're doing that observation comedy. I think
you need to go down and observe these people.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Yes, some of these people, like they stand on the
roof of their car, actually the roof of their car
and they stand on the roof of This is a
whole shot.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
You want to get the money shot. They're pretty, Like
planes are pretty incredible when they're flying over you that low. Yes, pretty.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Liam does his homework. He's like, you know, this plane
is coming from bloody Dubai. It's a huge monster sort
of you know, a cargo plane. Can we be there
by this time so I can see it. It does
a lot of research.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
I actually think it's the most amazing invention ever a plane.
Like I still look at it and go, how the
hell is that up there?
Speaker 4 (14:41):
That's an electricity invented by an Italian. Vinci was really
sort of responsible for the I don't think the right brothers. Yeah,
Leonardo had done an invention which basically started the whole
plane thing or okay, well I'm not sure what he
called the but yeah, if you look.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
It up, deanis who DENI flew down at Digger's Rest.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
So there's a restaurant called Hudian.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
He's a magician.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yeah, didn't he do the first the fly?
Speaker 3 (15:12):
What was what was the story with it with him? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
He did, right, there is a story something to do with.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, did they have that up at the rest? Because
there's a restaurant in Diggers Rest called Whodini. It's an
Italian restaurant and it's like none is out the back
cooking is amazing beautiful, Oh my god. Seriously, Like, if
I'm organizing, if it's my turn to organized dinner, that's
where we're going.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Yeah, okay, yep.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
But do they have that information in the restaurant? I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I think they're doing. I think I've read it a
hundred times and I can't remember. I can't remember.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
I wasn't the first to do the paragliding thing. Was
he you know when you fly with the idea did
something about it?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Yeah, there is talking you look at it.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Something.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
But love planes, love flying business class is always great,
but it is.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
He was, Yes, Harry Houdini. His name was Eric Weiss.
Was made Australia's first officially recognized flight on a plane
March eighteenth, nineteen ten, in Digger's rest.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Wow, it was on a plane.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
It was on a plane.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
So he flew into Digger's rest. Or he flew out
of Digger's rest.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Look you ask him in to dig.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
We'll dig more about Diggs.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Did he live in Digger's rest?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I don't know what the this? Dude, Oh my, look
at that he flew in and we're gonna have.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
To put that.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Look at that. You might have to, yeah, show that. Yeah,
that's incredible.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
It looks something the right brother, it is.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
Do you know I went to do the virtual reality
fly a plane? Yeah, thank you?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Where did you do that one? Because you were around
Q right.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I did one in queue and I did not understand
a thing like the instructor told me, did not and
then did you yet? Three times? I landed at once
but it was off the wrong way. It was on
the grass. Can I just say that the respect I
learned for any pilot because it's a full simulator and
(17:19):
it's it is not easy.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Basically, do you feel that motion?
Speaker 4 (17:25):
You don't feel. No, I don't really feel the motion,
but the vision sort of takes you. The virtual reality
vision takes it takes you there. Because I knew it
wasn't real like I was.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Still, did you like away? Gun? I didn't completely.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Lose all my senses and went, oh my god.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
You know.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Also, the back of me wasn't a plane, just the
front there was a door. If my son was for pilots.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
My son was here right now, he'd be looking at
you shaking his head, going, we know everything about flying.
We went to Woollongong for a holiday years ago and
there's a huge what's it called. There's like a plane
museum there. Anybody's a plane will know the name of it,
(18:13):
but I can't remember off the top of my head now,
And so we spent we spent hours in this place.
But when you get to it, there's a huge Quantus
jet out the front which you can actually go in
and you can pay to have a pilot talk to
you about you know how it all flies and stuff
like that. You can do the wing walk, which is
what we did. So we stood on the side of
the wing had photos taken. So anyway, we got to
(18:34):
we met a guy who's one of the volunteers there
and he introduced us to the pilot who was the
last pilot to fly that plane. So this pilot was
living in Wollongong and was volunteering his time at this museum,
and so he took Liam into the cockpit and was
explaining stuff to Liam. And I'm sitting there thinking he
knows all of this because he's flying planes himself. And
(18:57):
then the pilot actually said, because we obviously the pilot
was getting their heads up that LAMB didn't fly in.
And then the pilot just looked in and said, I'm
not telling you anything you don't already know. Am Ian's
trying to be polite and go, yeah, no, I do
know all this stuff, but we're still a buzz being
in the cockpit. I want to jet so.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Much to know. There is so much to know that
in one hour is impossible, but even just the basics,
it's just incredibly hard. Yeah, yeah, so yeah, no, wonder
they do well a lot of respect to them.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Yeah, we've been talking for I know, it's been great.
This is what happens. We get in the studio, we
keep talking and we go, Oh my god, is at
the time.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
I love it. It's been a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Oh that's good.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
That's good. Do we want to come back at some stage,
won't you?
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Yeah? Absolutely, maybe could come back.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Oh my god, what would Maria have to share with us.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Anything that I haven't shared, that's for sure. Although she
might blend with the background, she might she's in a
green dress.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Actually do that. We should get Maria and.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Down the track if you like you can. Maria doesn't
sustain long chats like usually off the cuff scripted.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Maria can be our little bonus episode that we very good.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Yes, that'd be fun.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Got a question, how do you want to be remembered?
Speaker 4 (20:20):
Wow, we've gone there.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
She's got all the hard hitting question. He's not so much,
because that makes like, first.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Of all, I want to be around for a while
before I'm even remembered.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Something to remember.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Let's go with let's go with the question. Just just someone,
just someone who who brought joy to people's lives through
the work that he did. And because I don't I
don't have a family yet or anything like that. I
can't sort of skew myself to any other element, you know,
like I can't say a great dad or something like that.
(20:59):
I don't have kids and you know, single, So let's
go with that. If it was right now, just someone
who brought joy to people big or small.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Love it.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
That's it cool, all right?
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So one more question we do have for you? Which
celebrity death affected you the most.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
I've got a theory about this because I can never understand,
and no disrespect to anyone listening, I can I can
never understand how people. I can understand how you get
saddened by a celebrity death, Like, oh, that's real shame.
You know, they were a real talent. But when people
just like go crazy, Like let's take Michael Jackson, every
(21:43):
wanted to kill themselves and all this, I'm like, you
didn't know him exactly. Yeah, everyone's sad, like it's terrible
that we've lost Michael Jackson, but you didn't know it,
Like how do Like I can never find that connection
until a certain Australian personality asked away and I shed
a tear for the first time Bert Newton, because Bert
(22:07):
Newton was not known in worldwide but for us here
in Australia, particularly Melbournian. I met Bert a couple of times,
not saying he would remember me, but I met him
and his pioneer of entertainment and it was just so
sad because he was also a bit ill and he
(22:28):
had amputations done before he left it. And I was listening,
I was watching the funeral on TV and listening to
all these stories of him, how he came from from
such a young age, like doing radio. They all started
in radio, these people, right, they all studying radio to
kind of end like this in illness. I don't know.
(22:49):
It just saddened me and I had I'm not saying
to bored my eyes out, but I had a bit
of a tear, yeah, for the first time. And maybe
then I understood, oh yeah, maybe you can sort of
like feel it for a celebrity. But yeah, no, Burton
Newton is my one. Yeah that Michael Jackson did have
did sort of through the whole world off that one. Actually,
I mean, there's just no one like it. Yeah, well,
I mean, prior to Michael Jackson probably would have been
(23:11):
Elvis that had that kind of probably princess, all those
kinds of names. Yeah, so I'm sticking my answer is
Burt Newton, local person. Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Thank you having a good chat with us.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I love it. Look me up online. James Liotta dot
com dot.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Au is about to buy tickets with Caroline Springs.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
I'm going to get together and there'll be fourteen left.
I hope to see you at a show.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
What's the post? Thank you?
Speaker 4 (23:43):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
You've been listening to Life as we Know It Unfiltered
with Tony Tanalia and Lisa Cameron. If you like this episode,
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(24:05):
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Every day brings a new story. 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 2 (00:31):
Hi there, I hope you've been enjoying our past episodes
with the Australian comedian James Liotta. Now, if you haven't
heard the last two, please do so before you listen
to this one. It's in the right mindset, you know,
give you a good belly laugh. Not that this one's
not going to do that. One thing we discovered with
James is you can ask him a serious question. What
are the chances you're going to get a serious answer? James?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
What is something that people most misunderstand about you?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
That my hair was not by choice? Like they go,
they go, oh, you've taken your hair off? No, it's gone,
So I just shaved the rest because it looks better
to shave it. Yeah, otherwise you grow this. But exactly
what my dad had. Exactly what my dad.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know, all the guys on Buble, they just like
push their hair for and I'm like, let it go.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Now, let it go, like I was, yeah, do you
know what happened with me? It was I don't know,
I'm going to talk a hair loss now. But I
started seeing photos at weddings because the cameras focused on
the bride and groom, not me. So I started seeing
myself from behind and this starts. The crown started to
get whiter and whiter at the back of the photos.
I'm like, I'm losing my hair. I knew I was
(01:45):
receiving from the front, and I didn't mind the front
because it goes gradual. But I didn't want the donut
at the back because I don't I don't get men
who just get rid of it. Don't walk around with
the don don't walk around with the donut. Just get
rid of it, don't worry about it. It's okay, just
get rid of it. But the maintenance, let me tell you,
because this shaving, this grows, this within twenty four hours
(02:06):
looks like full oh.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Really, ye oh my god, really quickly.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
It's a real Italian like you can constantly into in
the morning, get it lasered.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Then you have my head.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Lazer hair remove on my head. Most people get hair
put on through.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
The lazy If you can get sick of shame of
the bloody things, just.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Get it at laser in my head.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
This is another thing for you to look up.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Finish the list.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
What do they misunderstand about me? That's a good question,
thank you. Yeah, yeah, you know why I can't answer
it because I don't care. That's a good answer, because
I don't care what they'd miss under really good answer.
I mean, like everyone's going to misunderstand something about you
from time to time, you know, and in the line
of work that I'm in, that you're always you know,
(02:52):
you're either bullied or whatever, or you know, told you're
not funny.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Or this, or that you must be skinned.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
I think I think you have to. Yeah, you have
to be definitely, especially with the social media you have
to be.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is it.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I mean, because social media as cruel as it is, Yeah,
but to be a comedian in this world and this environment, yeah, but.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
It happened even even before social media days. Like when
I was when I was a child, I'd take time
off school occasionally to do TV work that would pop up,
and you need to take time off of school, so
you like child labor work, you know, and then you know,
people would find out that you did this sort of stuff,
and then you'd have all these idiots to go, are
(03:33):
you Are you the dog on Blue Heeler's like I
heard you know, so they just pick on you for
being in the arts. I'd love to know where they
are these days, what they're doing. But UK and Dons. Yeah, yeah,
so you do have to be thick skinned, even from
from early, you know, early onset of wanting to be
in this career. But what do people misunderstand? Maybe that's
(03:55):
very egotistical of me to go, I don't care, but
because I think exactly right, Well, what are you going
to do about it? Anyway? You're not going to go
to every person and go I need to explain something
to you, you know, Like it's not that I'm like this,
it's just I'm like, I ain't got time for that.
I'm trying to find my next gig.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
This is actually very interesting that you were getting into
the arts, getting into TV, getting into comedy at a
very young age. Like I mean, like I know when
I first was doing radio and it was only community radio. Yeah,
my parents were proud, but it was like to them
it was just a hobby, you know what I mean,
Like they didn't think it was it was a career.
How long were you when you started doing the TV stuff?
Speaker 4 (04:32):
I had an agent when I was eight.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Okay, So your parents must have been very liberal minded too.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Because my dad was involved, right, My dad was involved
in the arts, particularly through the Italian community.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Okay. It was your dad's acceptance of what there.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Was an influence. Yeah, And I think to some degree
my father's no longer with us, but I think to
some degree I was living almost like life that he
wanted to live as rather like that, you know, like
if I could and do it, I hope my son
can do it full time, and you know, that kind
of thing. But he involved himself in the arts. He
was he was an actor, he was a playwright. He
(05:08):
wrote very very well in Italian. So he'd write plays
and then the staged them and it was all for
the Italian Commune. We did it for years, for twenty years.
So I started working as an actor in them, and
then and then as I got directed some as well.
So these were like full blown, you know, two act plays,
and the cast was all a hobby, you know, volunteer
(05:28):
for the community, but it was his passion for the arts,
so that that kind of that side of it was
fine with my mum. I think it was just like,
as long as you're getting paid. I remember I remember
coming home as a teenager once and I said, oh,
there's some volunteer work going on at Channel thirty one
behind the scenes and then I'll go after school. And
(05:51):
she was like, well, what are they paying you? And
I'm like, no, it's volunteer, Like you're learning the things
to do, and they're like, why are you doing that?
You're gett money for money for it. But the good
thing is that it worked out okay for me. I
found my niche, I found, you know, my full time
income within the industry. And I think with ethnic parents,
(06:12):
as long as there's money coming in, yeah, it's okay.
But if I was still forty two and doing volunteer
work here and there, and mind you do like I
do community radio and stuff as well, because I love
it. It's once a week and it's good fun. But if
I'm still doing that now, I think I think I'd
be still getting the shoe even like grow up kind
(06:34):
of thing. But once they can see that I've made
a full time income out of it, and I've survived
on my own for many years now and stuff. They're fine.
The trick is that you go from paycheck to pay
you go from job to job.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Well, that's the thing, isn't it. When you're working for yourself, Like,
it's just you know, where's that next job going to come?
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Yeah, that's pressure, that's the thing. Yeah, And it's not
about it's not about being being famous. I always say this,
it's not about being Like, any kind of thing is
just a bonus. You've got to have a love for it.
And that's why we do the big jobs, we do
the small jobs. I do tons of weddings, you know,
weddings and wedding it's that's corporate work. That's private, that's
private function work. You know. That's not putting me out there.
(07:13):
But you're doing what you love to do. You're hosting,
you're telling jokes, and surprisingly you you do get your
name out there, even at weddings because you get to
work to crowds of like three hundred every single weekend
and if they like you, they might come and see
my actual show. So you know, everything's a domino effect.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
How have you been able to. Given how much you
love your work, which is so beautiful to hear, how
have you been able to maintain relationships like having a partner,
friendships and all that sort of stuffs. Has it been
tricky for you?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I haven't no friends. No, I haven't maintained it, managed
to maintain anybody, you know? I look, relationships, yeah, look,
they have been difficult from time to time. I was
meant to be married in twenty twenty. I was engaged
and that didn't go ahead, not particularly because of my
(08:06):
work as such. I think that was I think that
was thrown into the mix at the end a little bit.
It always always is, but it wasn't particularly just because
of that. But sadly that that didn't go ahead wasn't
my choice. But it's hard. That the big answer to this.
It's hard because this work is a twenty four to
(08:27):
seven kind of job, Like, and you go from gig
to gig, and your weekends are jam packed. The weekends
are the first to go. And if you want to
have a relationship with someone and say that person, for
argument's sake, works nine to five or whatever, you know,
like nights become difficult because they get to get up
at six and do a nine to five job. Weekends
(08:49):
are gone because I'm not around. It is very difficult
if you do find someone, you need someone extremely understanding
and not necessarily in the same industry to say. Do
people say someone I don't think I don't think so.
I think that's actually disaster to be honest, in the
same industry. It's just someone that accepts it and understands it.
(09:11):
The problem is many do accept and understand it early on, yeah,
but long term and then you're like, hey, you knew
what you bought when you bought it. I'm not changing.
If anything gets busier, that's my life, Like I need
it to be busier, not like you know, that's difficult.
(09:32):
That's difficult on a lot of people. Definitely, And I
don't know that's the way it goes.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
You know. Has that made you feel lonely at times?
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Or I'm pretty content alone, especially these days. Yeah, but
you do you definitely think about like as we all
get older, you know, you do think about the future
as well, and you go, hey, don't you want to
live your life with somebody? But it's still got to
find someone that's compatible in all these areas, Like it's
(10:04):
just not anybody. That's the most difficult part. And I won't.
I won't sacrifice my job or what I do because
that's that's who I am. That makes me me, whether
whether I'm on TV or not, or whether I'm doing it.
By the way, I am on TV. There's a commercial
that's just come out. Please check it on TV at
the moment. That's true now actually through a big gambling
(10:31):
company and gamble responsibility.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
James.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
This is why he struggled because he's at the pokes all.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
The I'm not doing gigs, I'm at the Pokey's.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
The choice is endlessly That's true.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Yeah, it is. It is difficult. You do think about it.
When you're in this business. This work kind of drives
you and without it, it's like it's a bit of
a drug, you know. Without it, you don't feel yourself.
And the one thing that's never left me is my job.
Everything else is left from time to time, relationships, friends, people.
(11:10):
My job's never left me.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Let's just say your job did. Let's just say you're
not a comedian. You're not what would James Leona be doing?
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Stripper?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I thought that's what turned up when you walked in.
I was.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
As well.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That's something that isn't like I went through that when
I left radio, not by choice. I was like, oh
my god, what am I going to do now?
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Yeah, like completely away from the industry completely.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
And you said before it's a part of who you are,
so you don't feel like yourself. And that's how I was.
I just felt like, this isn't me.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
You know, if I get two weeks off without a gig,
I'm like, yeah, yeah, I'm not. I'm not good. I
don't know what it is. It can be any gear,
it doesn't matter. I just need to need to work,
need to perform, need to do something, you know.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yea, so it's still got to be in the entertaining industry.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I would have to be. Yeah, I just don't know
what i'd do. I'd love to be a pilot, but
that's just sort of like a yeah, well no, not
even that's like when you yeah, when you're like five,
what do you want to be a pilot? You know?
I love planes? Have you working in air maybe working
an airport?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
You know how before we're asking about you know, what
else do you like out? It's not a comedy, is no? No?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Just my work?
Speaker 4 (12:30):
There's planes you like planes. Yeah, I mean, I don't
know a lot about them, but I just I like flying.
I like flying.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Okay, so you don't go and hang out at a
Telmerne airport to watch them, but hey, I do that
every second weekend because.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Your son takes photos. Yeah, but have you seen that joint?
Now it's like jam packed rocket and there's there's food trucks.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, where's the food truck? Down and down at the
view Instagram Hang on, you're on the other side Operations Road.
You're talking about bull there's a Bull road. Yeah, Buller
Road has Yeah. So the ice cream van just an
ice cream van. It's now not freaking it's like it's
huge r V. People see drive past it. That's true.
(13:13):
Yeah everywhere.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
Yeah, people having six.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
So what car barke?
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Are you going to.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
On more on winter nights because the windows fog up
on Titanic style? But no, it's really it's happening there,
especially on a summer's night. That joint is full.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Yeah. Yeah, they've got so many different viewing areas because
we actually had an operations road and there's a couple
of different viewing areas there. So my son lines himself
up right next to the runway on a ladder. He
brings a ladder. Now he brings the ladder. The ladder ye,
and he stands on the top.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Of the ladder, and you're just closer to the plane.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
It gets you over the fence because otherwise he's taken
photos through the fence. So by having a ladder, he's
just a little bit higher, you know, photos over the fence.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
You know how you're doing that observation comedy. I think
you need to go down and observe these people.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Yes, some of these people, like they stand on the
roof of their car, actually the roof of their car
and they stand on the roof of This is a
whole shot.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
You want to get the money shot. They're pretty, Like
planes are pretty incredible when they're flying over you that low. Yes, pretty.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Liam does his homework. He's like, you know, this plane
is coming from bloody Dubai. It's a huge monster sort
of you know, a cargo plane. Can we be there
by this time so I can see it. It does
a lot of research.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
I actually think it's the most amazing invention ever a plane.
Like I still look at it and go, how the
hell is that up there?
Speaker 4 (14:41):
That's an electricity invented by an Italian. Vinci was really
sort of responsible for the I don't think the right brothers. Yeah,
Leonardo had done an invention which basically started the whole
plane thing or okay, well I'm not sure what he
called the but yeah, if you look.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
It up, deanis who DENI flew down at Digger's Rest.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
So there's a restaurant called Hudian.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
He's a magician.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yeah, didn't he do the first the fly?
Speaker 3 (15:12):
What was what was the story with it with him? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
He did, right, there is a story something to do with.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, did they have that up at the rest? Because
there's a restaurant in Diggers Rest called Whodini. It's an
Italian restaurant and it's like none is out the back
cooking is amazing beautiful, Oh my god. Seriously, Like, if
I'm organizing, if it's my turn to organized dinner, that's
where we're going.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Yeah, okay, yep.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
But do they have that information in the restaurant? I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I think they're doing. I think I've read it a
hundred times and I can't remember. I can't remember.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
I wasn't the first to do the paragliding thing. Was
he you know when you fly with the idea did
something about it?
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Yeah, there is talking you look at it.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Something.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
But love planes, love flying business class is always great,
but it is.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
He was, Yes, Harry Houdini. His name was Eric Weiss.
Was made Australia's first officially recognized flight on a plane
March eighteenth, nineteen ten, in Digger's rest.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Wow, it was on a plane.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
It was on a plane.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
So he flew into Digger's rest. Or he flew out
of Digger's rest.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Look you ask him in to dig.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
We'll dig more about Diggs.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Did he live in Digger's rest?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I don't know what the this? Dude, Oh my, look
at that he flew in and we're gonna have.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
To put that.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Look at that. You might have to, yeah, show that. Yeah,
that's incredible.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
It looks something the right brother, it is.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
Do you know I went to do the virtual reality
fly a plane? Yeah, thank you?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Where did you do that one? Because you were around
Q right.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I did one in queue and I did not understand
a thing like the instructor told me, did not and
then did you yet? Three times? I landed at once
but it was off the wrong way. It was on
the grass. Can I just say that the respect I
learned for any pilot because it's a full simulator and
(17:19):
it's it is not easy.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Basically, do you feel that motion?
Speaker 4 (17:25):
You don't feel. No, I don't really feel the motion,
but the vision sort of takes you. The virtual reality
vision takes it takes you there. Because I knew it
wasn't real like I was.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Still, did you like away? Gun? I didn't completely.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Lose all my senses and went, oh my god.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
You know.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Also, the back of me wasn't a plane, just the
front there was a door. If my son was for pilots.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
My son was here right now, he'd be looking at
you shaking his head, going, we know everything about flying.
We went to Woollongong for a holiday years ago and
there's a huge what's it called. There's like a plane
museum there. Anybody's a plane will know the name of it,
(18:13):
but I can't remember off the top of my head now,
And so we spent we spent hours in this place.
But when you get to it, there's a huge Quantus
jet out the front which you can actually go in
and you can pay to have a pilot talk to
you about you know how it all flies and stuff
like that. You can do the wing walk, which is
what we did. So we stood on the side of
the wing had photos taken. So anyway, we got to
(18:34):
we met a guy who's one of the volunteers there
and he introduced us to the pilot who was the
last pilot to fly that plane. So this pilot was
living in Wollongong and was volunteering his time at this museum,
and so he took Liam into the cockpit and was
explaining stuff to Liam. And I'm sitting there thinking he
knows all of this because he's flying planes himself. And
(18:57):
then the pilot actually said, because we obviously the pilot
was getting their heads up that LAMB didn't fly in.
And then the pilot just looked in and said, I'm
not telling you anything you don't already know. Am Ian's
trying to be polite and go, yeah, no, I do
know all this stuff, but we're still a buzz being
in the cockpit. I want to jet so.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Much to know. There is so much to know that
in one hour is impossible, but even just the basics,
it's just incredibly hard. Yeah, yeah, so yeah, no, wonder
they do well a lot of respect to them.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Yeah, we've been talking for I know, it's been great.
This is what happens. We get in the studio, we
keep talking and we go, Oh my god, is at
the time.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
I love it. It's been a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Oh that's good.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
That's good. Do we want to come back at some stage,
won't you?
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Yeah? Absolutely, maybe could come back.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Oh my god, what would Maria have to share with us.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Anything that I haven't shared, that's for sure. Although she
might blend with the background, she might she's in a
green dress.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Actually do that. We should get Maria and.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Down the track if you like you can. Maria doesn't
sustain long chats like usually off the cuff scripted.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Maria can be our little bonus episode that we very good.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Yes, that'd be fun.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Got a question, how do you want to be remembered?
Speaker 4 (20:20):
Wow, we've gone there.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
She's got all the hard hitting question. He's not so much,
because that makes like, first.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Of all, I want to be around for a while
before I'm even remembered.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Something to remember.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Let's go with let's go with the question. Just just someone,
just someone who who brought joy to people's lives through
the work that he did. And because I don't I
don't have a family yet or anything like that. I
can't sort of skew myself to any other element, you know,
like I can't say a great dad or something like that.
(20:59):
I don't have kids and you know, single, So let's
go with that. If it was right now, just someone
who brought joy to people big or small.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Love it.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
That's it cool, all right?
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So one more question we do have for you? Which
celebrity death affected you the most.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
I've got a theory about this because I can never understand,
and no disrespect to anyone listening, I can I can
never understand how people. I can understand how you get
saddened by a celebrity death, Like, oh, that's real shame.
You know, they were a real talent. But when people
just like go crazy, Like let's take Michael Jackson, every
(21:43):
wanted to kill themselves and all this, I'm like, you
didn't know him exactly. Yeah, everyone's sad, like it's terrible
that we've lost Michael Jackson, but you didn't know it,
Like how do Like I can never find that connection
until a certain Australian personality asked away and I shed
a tear for the first time Bert Newton, because Bert
(22:07):
Newton was not known in worldwide but for us here
in Australia, particularly Melbournian. I met Bert a couple of times,
not saying he would remember me, but I met him
and his pioneer of entertainment and it was just so
sad because he was also a bit ill and he
(22:28):
had amputations done before he left it. And I was listening,
I was watching the funeral on TV and listening to
all these stories of him, how he came from from
such a young age, like doing radio. They all started
in radio, these people, right, they all studying radio to
kind of end like this in illness. I don't know.
(22:49):
It just saddened me and I had I'm not saying
to bored my eyes out, but I had a bit
of a tear, yeah, for the first time. And maybe
then I understood, oh yeah, maybe you can sort of
like feel it for a celebrity. But yeah, no, Burton
Newton is my one. Yeah that Michael Jackson did have
did sort of through the whole world off that one. Actually,
I mean, there's just no one like it. Yeah, well,
I mean, prior to Michael Jackson probably would have been
(23:11):
Elvis that had that kind of probably princess, all those
kinds of names. Yeah, so I'm sticking my answer is
Burt Newton, local person. Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
Thank you having a good chat with us.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
I love it. Look me up online. James Liotta dot
com dot.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Au is about to buy tickets with Caroline Springs.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
I'm going to get together and there'll be fourteen left.
I hope to see you at a show.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
What's the post? Thank you?
Speaker 4 (23:43):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
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. We love hearing from you. You can also
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(24:05):
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!