Chatting with Craig Coombes. Laughter & Friendship vs A Terminal Diagnosis

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Laughter Clinic podcast with
comedian and suicidologist MarkMcConville, bringing you
practical, evidence-basedself-care strategies, the latest
research in mental health,along with conversations that
inspire, educate and entertain.
This is the Laughter Clinicpodcast with your host, mark

(00:26):
McConville.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hi folks, my name is Mark McConville.
Welcome to the Laughter ClinicPodcast.
I would like to introduce youto my first guest, a gentleman
by the name of Craig Coombs.
Back in 2012, craig was given18 months to live and in this
conversation we talk about howhumour, laughter, friendship and

(00:56):
social connection has not onlychanged but shaped this man's
life ever since.
It's a wonderful story ofovercoming the odds and how
making other people happy bringsyou happiness.
It's really he's an inspiringguy.
I have two content warnings inrelation to my chat with Craig,

(01:18):
though At the 55-minute mark,craig does start to talk about
suicide ideation and histhoughts of taking his own life,
so listener discretion isadvised.
At the 55 minute mark, thatgoes for about three minutes and
one hour and eight minutes intothe conversation, craig starts

(01:38):
to talk about putting in placean advanced care plan around his
end of life, so that part ofthe conversation goes for about
five minutes.
Other than that, like I said,it's a wonderful story of how
humour and laughter andfriendship have really shaped
and changed this man's life.
So, please, I invite you toenjoy my conversation with my

(02:01):
friend, craig Coombs.
Welcome, craig Coombs.
I'm so excited to be chattingwith you today, mate, and the
fact that you have agreed to bemy first ever guest on the
Laughter Clinic podcast for achat it really means a lot to me
, mate, so thank you so much forbeing here.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
It's my privilege and my honour, mate, not yours.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Well, I'm stoked for our chat today.
Now being the first everpodcast, I've got a question
that I'm going to pose to all ofour guests, but I'm very
interested to hear your thoughtson this question.
So it centres around the sayingthat laughter is the best
medicine, because this is asaying that spans from ancient

(02:44):
Hebrew texts that talk about,you know, a merry heart doeth
good like medicine, rightthrough to you know modern day
research that supports both thephysical and the psychological
benefits of humor and laughter,which is great, because I firmly
believe that there's a bigdifference between the physical
benefits of laughter and thepsychological benefits of using

(03:07):
our sense of humor as a way ofcoping with stress and building
resilience and dealing withchallenging times.
So for you, Craig Coombs, whenyou hear the saying laughter is
the best medicine, what meaningdoes that hold to you personally
in your life, and how have youseen humour and laughter create

(03:27):
change in and around you?

Speaker 3 (03:32):
Well, I totally agree with you.
For a start, because I'm prettyfond of codeine and oxycodone
and morphine and all that aswell.
They do help, yeah, but you'vegot to get a prescription to REM
.
Laughter is free, that's right.
It's a great thing and it'ssomething I live by and I can

(03:54):
attest to the fact that it works.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
No doubt it works.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's interesting too.
I've just started to readNorman Cousins' book about the
anatomy of an illness and it'sso interesting that here's a guy
in the 1970s that wasprescribing himself.
You know comedy films and hetalks about.
You know 10 minutes of laughterhelped him sleep pain-free for

(04:22):
a couple of hours after helpedhim sleep pain-free for a couple
of hours.

Speaker 3 (04:30):
It's an amazing thing when those endorphins are
released and what it can do foryou.
And, as I said, I'm livingproof of it.
I'm not just a line in atextbook or a thread.
I know it works because I'veput the principle to my life and
I've lived it and I've seen itand I know it has benefits.

(04:50):
I'm not guessing this, mate,I'm not thinking, oh, I think it
might work.
I flippin' know it.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, you know, obviously, Ihaven't known you your entire
life.
We've only been friends forprobably I would say maybe 10
years or so.
We've been in contact with eachother and you know, 2012, you
get your diagnosis.
That changed everything for you.
You're given around a year anda half to live is what the

(05:20):
doctors gave you at the time.
I believe that's right, correct.
So who was Craig Coombs beforethis diagnosis?
What did your life look likeprior to this?

Speaker 3 (05:32):
Well, I think I was just like everybody else.
I went to work, I came home,spent a bit of time with my
family and with me.
I've done more work becausebasically in the last 12, well,
since 1997, I started working inthe AFL system and that was
along with my day job, so theytook up nights and the whole

(05:52):
weekend.
So I sometimes look back andthink I missed a bit of time
with my kids because of that.
But it was a dream of mine towork in the AFL and it helped us
.
You know, the kids never wantedfor anything.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, we had enough resources and you were in
scouting, I believe, for the AFL.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I worked with Port Adelaide to start with and
I was a talent scout ID for thedraft.
It was mainly my job.
Yeah, done that for a few years, years and got a premiership
and then the Hawks Hawthornecome calling so I went across to
them.
Yeah, and so that was, and thatwas pretty much me before I got
diagnosed.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
That was after hours, so what were you doing during
the day?
What was your nine-to-five job?

Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah, I was early part of it.
I was a TAFE teacher for aboutsix years and then I started
doing a bit of work with acouple of students.
I taught in business managementand then I become a private
business trainer where I'd go toorganizations and teach
everyone for the cert three,cert fours in marketing
management, all that sort ofstuff, and it could be

(07:03):
one-on-one client or it could bea group of 15 or 20 people.
So I loved the job Most money Iever earned, loved it and you
earned it in three months.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
Is that what you wanted to do out of school, like
straight out of school.
You thought you wanted to beinvolved in business.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
No, no, no, no, no.
Architect was my aim.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
All right.

Speaker 3 (07:25):
So, you were George Costanza, george Costanza, and I
wish I'd tell everyone I was anarchitect.
But my mother was very sick andshe was hospitalised.
At that stage I was 18.
She'd been in hospital for 11years and we'd never had a home.
And I said to them can we justtake mum home for a couple of

(07:46):
hours?
And they went.
She needs full medical carebecause she's paralysed from the
neck down completely.
Nothing worked.
She had a shunt in her head.
They'd kept fluid off her brain.
She had no sense of taste, nosense of smell.
Nothing moved from the neckdown.
She couldn't feel from the neckdown.
She had a catheter bag, she hada colostomy bag and she, all

(08:06):
out of style, ended up with adouble mastectomy.
So brain work fine, like shecould remember everything.
And even when we'd feed hershe'd.
I had seafood and she used tosay feed me some.
I'm not no, and I go, mom, butyou don't know what it tastes
like, it's a waste.
She goes.
I remember the taste right andbecause she had no sense of
taste.
And I'm like, wow.

(08:27):
And the nursing home she was inat the time just said, no, she
needs so much care.
And I said, well, what if I wasa nurse?
And they said, well, that'sdifferent.
So I dropped everything Iwanted to do and I applied to be
a nurse.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Really.

Speaker 3 (08:39):
So I worked at Fairfield Infectious Diseases
Hospital and I've done all mytraining there and 12 months I
got my certificate.
The day I got my certificate Iran up to the nursing home and
went bang, I'm qualified andthey said okay, you can have
your mum home from 10 till 4every Saturday.

(09:00):
So me and dad got to have mumat home.
So that's where it changed mywhole thinking.
After enjoying the nursing, Iwanted to upgrade my knowledge
and I became a paramedic.
So that's the path I took.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
And how long were you doing paramedic work for?

Speaker 3 (09:18):
I was three years and unfortunately I snapped an
Achilles.
So they did offer me a job inthe call centre and that lasted
one day, because I'd call and itwould be one of the guys I
trained with and they'd be like,oh Steve, how are you man?
And then I'd have to send himto a job and I'm like I hate the
fact he's going to jobs and I'mstuck in this office.

(09:39):
And I just said to him I can'tdo this, I just can't.
I to them I can't do this, Ijust can't.
I'm missing it so much.
And then I just didn't knowwhat to do.
I ended up going as a35-year-old I think I was.
Then I'd done a couple of bitsand bobs jobs, ended up going.
Someone said, oh, tape's easyfor old blokes, just go in there
, you'll get some sort oftraining or something.

(10:00):
And I just said, oh well, Idon't know.
And someone said, oh well, Idon't know.
And someone said, oh, you'd beright at marketing.
So I'd done a couple of yearsof learning to be in marketing
and then, lo and behold, abouttwo years after that, one of the
guys that taught me, rodDeSilva, who was just
magnificent, remember the day Ileft there and he said I want

(10:23):
you back teaching here one day.
And I went I'm not going toteach here.
He goes yes, you are.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yeah, I am.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
Okay, and then about three years, he kept at me for
three years, kept at me Phonecalls, and in the end I went,
okay, all right, I'll do it.
I don't know what I'm doing,but all right, I'll do it,
because I didn't have any formalteaching training.
You see your footballbackground, you're a coach.
It's similar.

(10:49):
Yeah right, use some textbooks,read these over the summer and
in you come and start teachingand flipping, loved it,
absolutely loved it, and that'swhy it then sent me in that
direction.

Speaker 2 (11:00):
So yeah, Mate, I've got to tell you the the courage
it must have taken to well, it'scourage and devotion to decide
that.
You know having your mum athome the only way that was going
to happen, what it looked likewas you going and getting that
training.
You know it's.
It takes a special kind ofperson to do that.

(11:21):
I've, you know, had gonethrough, unfortunately, the
death of all my parents andgrandparents and had moments
where we've tried to have themat home, which is and myself and
my brothers thought we couldlook after them and we were just
still equipped.
You know it's hard.
It's hard to look after yourparents, so for you to do that
mate is just, and I know thatyour dad was sick for a long

(11:46):
time as well, you know, Yep.

Speaker 3 (11:48):
He had 16 years.
He battled for, and mum battledfor 23 before she died.

Speaker 2 (11:53):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (12:04):
So you've obviously got that resilience gene well
and truly passed on?
I hope so, because the thingthat you just said then is
exactly what one of the doctorstold me.
Probably about a year after I'dgone past my use by date, I had
some more radiation.
And one of the doctors she justsaid the one thing we cannot
tell you and we cannot test youfor is the resilience of your
DNA.
And I told her about mum anddad.

(12:27):
I said, well, dad lasted, he'sstill going, and at that point
in time, he'd been 13 years ofbattling bowel and stomach
cancer.
And I said mum died and she'dhad 23 years with this illness
and she goes well.
Obviously they had goodresilient DNA and mate if they
passed it down to you, you knowwho knows?

(12:48):
And look, dad died in 2016,.
So we had 16 years, mum had 23.
And I thought, well, cut it inhalf, that means I'll get 19
years.
And I thought I've been going13 now, so I've got six more
years to go.
And when I think of that, Ithink, oh, no, I don't want to
go six more years, please.
Well, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
Mate, the day that you got told from the doctors
like the true story, the fullstory as to what was going on.
You know, I know you've spokenpreviously about the fact that
you thought there was going tobe one or two doctors in the
room with you and you had fourgiving you the news, correct?

Speaker 3 (13:28):
One was crying.

Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah, wow.

Speaker 3 (13:31):
And that gave me a clue.
I saw one crying.
I thought this ain't good news,is it?

Speaker 2 (13:37):
No, no, not when you've got one of your health
professionals.

Speaker 3 (13:41):
She had tears rolling down and I thought I knew I was
cactus.
Anyway, I'm not an idiot.
I've been in the medicalprofession and I had a tumour in
my vocal cord which they had toremove and I had thyroid, had
cancer, which they had to remove.
So I thought there's two sides,so straight away there's a
spread from one to the other.
Whether it's the vocal cordtumour to the thyroid or the

(14:03):
other way around, it doesn'tmatter.
I've had a spread, the lymphnode metastasised since three
months and I knew in my head Ithought, well, a cactus just
matters, the only thing is howlong they sort of stay.
And in my own head I thought,oh well, I don't know how many
lymph nodes were infected atthat time.
I took seven that were proximaland they were all cancerous and

(14:25):
they got them.
But they said we don't knowabout the distal when they'd
done the test and come out andsaid there were about 30 of them
that were infected and Ithought, okay, well, this is
going to shorten things a littlebit more than I actually
thought and I sort of had anumber in my head three, four,
five years maybe.

Speaker 2 (14:43):
On the actual day that they were telling you yeah,
yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:46):
When they were getting ready, I thought and
then when they told me about the, I thought three, four, five,
you know.
When they said about the distalones, about 30 of them, I
thought, well, that'll cut thatin half.
So it was close to what theythought.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (15:02):
Wow.
And when you're sitting therebeing given that news, you know
it's hard to really comprehend,unless someone's actually been
through it and been in thatsituation with a loved one or
gone through it themselves.
It's you know.
It's just hard to imaginewhether or not it sinks in

(15:26):
immediately.
Or you just sit with it and youknow, because you didn't have
your wife, you were there byyourself when you got given this
news too, weren't you?

Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah, I had to be because I'd had radiation and
therefore I'd already beenlocked up for three days in a
room on my own because of thehigh-density radiation.
So I was you know, the guycould count her out up for three
days in a room on my ownbecause of the high density
radiation.
So I was a guy to counter outand I had to do tests for three
days to see when the guy couldcount.
I got to the level that you'reallowed back in the community
and then when I went home Istill had to be isolated from

(15:57):
the family for the further sevendays.
So I lived in the lounge roomand they could.
My two kids and my wife couldpop in and see me but spend no
more than 10 minutes and theyhad to be a metre away from me
at the time.
So on the way home from thehospital I had to sit in the
back left-hand corner of the carso I could be away from my wife

(16:17):
.
Wow, and it was only abouthalfway home and I started to
get a bit teary because whenthey told me nothing happened,
Did she know?
She knew what that meeting wasabout, though she didn't say
anything.
Yeah, yeah, she did.
Yeah, and when I was just likeI've got to grab all my stuff,
we've got to go, don't standnear me.

(16:39):
I've got to wave goodbye to theother guy from the other room
that we just sort of waved.
So I did to him and I said toher you know, keep a meter away
from me, we've got to get to thecar.
I was all just get me in thecar, get me home, and we'll chat
when we get home.
And she goes, okay, and she wasjust concentrating on driving

(17:00):
About halfway home I started toget a bit teary and it started
to hit me then and she looked inthe mirror and said what's
wrong, what's wrong, what'swrong?
And I went, pull the car overand we were driving along Nepean
Highway and there was a serviceroad.
So she pulled into the serviceroad, got out of the car and I
just burst into tears and I saidyou've got to keep a metre away
from me, don't touch me, don'tcome near me.

(17:21):
I was so scared, don't touch me, don't come near me.
I was so scared.
And she goes what Tell me?
What did I say?
And I told her.
And then I just put my arms outand I hugged her and she was
standing on the surface where Icried my eyes out.
Then my daughter was messagingsaying you know, where are you?

(17:42):
Because I said I'd go to herwork to see her, just to let her
know how things were, and Isaid I can't come too close, but
I'll come to your car park.
And when she walked out Iactually collapsed to my knees
in the car park and put my handsin my head and started crying
and my wife had to grab her andjust hold her and console her

(18:03):
and tell her.
And then we're getting messagesfrom my son saying what's going
on, where is everyone, I'mnearly home.
And he walked in and I justshook my head and started crying
and he grabbed me and hephysically punched the wall.

Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yeah, and how old were they?

Speaker 3 (18:23):
And then I grabbed the three of them.
I said okay, hang on, stop.
2012,.
So Rebecca was born in 92, soshe was 20, and Joel was four
years older, so he was 24.
So I said to him stop, everyone, just stop.
Let's stand together in acircle and stick it.
Let's just put our arms aroundeach other.

(18:44):
I said this is what we're goingto do.
We're going to do our best andwe're going to do it our way.
And that might be different foryou, joel.
To you it is Rebecca, to you,it is Janine, but it's okay to
do it your way.
If you want to get angry, getangry.
If you want to, just whateveryou need to do to get you

(19:09):
through, do it.
I'm just going to tell you thatI'm here for you to talk to if
you need to, and I just think weneed to do this as a family for
as long as we can.
And then they went okay, dad,and let's get on with it.
Then I think the hard bit wasJoel, you've got to go and get
my dad and bring him here, andhe walked in and I was crying.
And bring him here.
And he walked in and I wascrying and he just put his arms

(19:37):
out and said son, no, no, oh,mate.
And I had to tell him he washeartbroken because he said your
mum, me, you, why?
What have we done wrong?
Why do we deserve this?
And I said, Dad, I don't know,I don't think we've done

(19:57):
anything wrong, I don't know why.
And then he just said oh well,you well.
And he gave my dad's famoussalute and said let's get on
with it.
We only know one way, hey, I?

Speaker 2 (20:15):
said yep, it's an insidious disease, isn't it?
It's an insidious disease.

Speaker 3 (20:22):
Do you want?

Speaker 2 (20:27):
to have a break.
Do you want to?
no, I'm good, I'm good.
Okay, mate, I know it's, youknow well, I know you've told
this story numerous times beforeand once again, I just really
appreciate you, you know takingthe time to share this, to share
this stuff with me, and onceagain, I just really appreciate
you, you know taking the time toshare this stuff with me.

(20:49):
I really do, okay.
So I'm curious back then, whenyou're given that type of news,
do your medical team say to youthat they suggest you reach out
for psychological support?
You know, like see apsychologist or something like

(21:12):
that.
Is that a standard protocol?
That happened back then?
Because I know it's the casenow, but was it the case back
then?

Speaker 3 (21:20):
Yeah, they gave me every resource I needed.
I chose not to speak to apsychologist because I thought I
was okay.
I thought I'd be okay, Livewith illness, dealt with it all
my life.
I'll be okay.
I thought I'll do things my way.

Speaker 2 (21:36):
Yeah, and what about that type of support for the
family and the extended family?
Do they offer it to them aswell?

Speaker 3 (21:44):
Yes, they did, and I told the family all that if you
need to speak and their reactionwas the same We'll do this as a
family and you know we've gotsome good friends and I'm sure
they'll help and we'll justwe'll be in this together.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah, okay, yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:58):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (21:59):
Was it there and then that you started.
You started to think, thephilosophy of making the rest of
your life the best of your life, because I know that's been
something that has been yourcatch cry, your motto, the Craig
Coombs philosophy for so long.
Was it something that happenedthat day, there and then, or did

(22:20):
that develop over time?

Speaker 3 (22:21):
No, it was just something that came to mind
straight away and I said that toall of us.
What we've just got to do ismake the rest of our life the
best you know.
Make the rest of our life thebest of our life, so something
along that.
And then I replied and went oh,that's not a bad mantra make
the rest of your life.
So I thought, instead oftalking about me, I could swing
it to everybody.

(22:42):
So instead of saying I'll makethe rest of my life the best of
life, I thought, no, no, let'smake the rest of your life the
best of your life so we canadapt it to everyone.
Yeah, yeah, and you can take itpersonally.
So, yeah, it did happen thatday.

Speaker 2 (22:58):
Wow.
And so where did the use of youknow, humour and laughter and
going to comedy clubs, and wasthat something that was part of
your life prior to yourdiagnosis and getting this
life-changing news?
Were you already a bit of acomedy aficionado and then

(23:21):
humour was a big part of yourlife prior?

Speaker 3 (23:23):
No, never been to a live comedy gig.
I used to like watchingcomedies on TV.
You know, if I had a choice amovie, it'd be a funny movie or
that, but it was certainly notme at all.
It only changed because of oneperson Peter B, my good mate.

Speaker 2 (23:39):
Peter B, the famous Peter B.

Speaker 3 (23:43):
Well, somebody coined a phrase, after all the things
he'd done for me, sayingeverybody needs a Peter B and I
went, yeah, you're pretty right,I mean he's a mate that just
decided.
He, when I had to call him andtell him, he was obviously
pretty upset.
And then he just said, well,have you got a bucket list?
I said no, I don't, because Ididn't think it would come to
this mate.
He goes.

(24:03):
Well, think of a bucket listand tell me.
I said, well, don't sleep ineveryone.
He said, well, think about it.
I said, yeah, yeah, whatever hesaid, I'll call you tomorrow.
I said, yeah, yeah, good on you.
And I hung up and I I didn'tgive it a second thought.
And the following day Pete ringsand goes righto, bucket list.
I said, mate, I haven't, hegoes.

(24:23):
I told you to think about it.
I said, well, I didn't had afew other things on my mind.
Champ, he goes, good on you andhe goes.
Well, come on, whatever comesto mind now, just go.
And that means there'ssomething that's really sitting
in your brain.
I was like, okay, I want tomeet Adam Hills, andrew Johns, I
want to meet Pink, I want tofly over the Antarctica and I

(24:52):
want an autographed photo ofChristy Wheeler.
Okay, oh, sorry, yeah, afterPink, I said, and I meet
Nickelback because I know Petehates them.
And then, yeah, I said theautographed photo of Christy
Wheeler and then thought nothingof it.

Speaker 2 (25:06):
You thought you'd set him the impossible task.

Speaker 3 (25:10):
Well, I didn't even think he'd try for any of them,
to be honest, because all ofthem were like.
The only one he could get isprobably the autograph of
Christy Wheeler and he could goto a show she was in and get her
to autograph it.
And it must have been a fewdays.
And he said, oh, you've gotyour tickets to Nickelback,
haven't you?
I said, yeah, me and Rebecca,we always go, always take it.
He goes.
Well, I've arranged for you tomeet them.
And I went, yeah, righto, hegoes.

(25:32):
No, serious.
I said yeah, yeah, I thoughthe'd winded me up caravan and
whatever, and say I'm craigcoons, I'm supposed to be
meeting him and I'll go.
What who?
And he'll have the better of me.
But lo and behold, I went tothe caravan thing, as he told me
, and this bloke coming down andoh, good day, nice to meet you,
I'm so sorry what you're goingthrough.
Blah, blah, blah, follow me.

(25:53):
And he went to a room and therethey were.

Speaker 1 (25:56):
He goes, oh hi, I'm chad, I go, you are.

Speaker 3 (25:59):
I'm Mike.
Yes, mike, I know, yes, I knowhe goes.
You want a photo and mydaughter was being really sick
and but she wasn't going to missit and I remember putting a bag
down and she hip and shoulderedme out of the way so she could
stand next to Chad and the photowas taken, but I'm looking at
it now.
It it's on, it's more than notyou.

(26:20):
I've got that on my bedsidetable, that photo, and she's
looking not well, but she's nearChad and I'm on the other side
and I missed out.
But then it was the Adam Hillsone where he said hey, he's at a
place called the Comic Founge.
I've organised, I've got for aticket for us to go.
That's all he said.
I went oh, that'd be goodbecause I like Kielsey on Specs

(26:41):
and Specs, yeah, awesome.
And we went to see him at theComic Sans.
You ever been there?
Yeah, yeah, went in there.
And then after the show I gotto move and Pete goes no, no
wait, someone's meeting us andwe're going to meet.
A shake hands and a photo andout we went, opened through the
curtains and g'day, and we spokefor about half an hour and I

(27:05):
was the one who called the interbecause I was like I'm pretty
wrecked, I'm knackered.
Pete, take me home.
He got me to meet Adam Hills.
A phone rang one day and I knewthe voice when it spoke and it
was Flippin' Andrew Johns.
And I'm still mates with Joeyto this day.
We still message and talk andhe's my greatest sporting hero

(27:27):
of all being in Newcastle, petealso arranged for us to fly over
the Antarctica.
We had a birthday party andeveryone chipped in and me and
Janine flew over the Antarcticathe most breathtaking thing ever
done Met Nickleback.
And not only did I get anautographed photo of Christy
Whelan, we got tickets to seeher in a show and I met her and
I promised her I'd see her ineverything she was in, and I've

(27:48):
upheld that promise for almost13 years, 12 years of seeing her
and I still remain good friendsand have her name tattooed on
my chest.
And she said love.

Speaker 2 (27:59):
Nice, nice.

Speaker 3 (28:02):
Yeah, and that's where the comedy started just
going to the Comic Slams to seeIlsy.
But how I felt so good the dayafter.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
Yeah, like from laughing the night before from
having been to a show.
But how do you go from being anaudience member and meeting one
of the comics to, like you know, being part of adam's?
You know, online, uh,television shows and specials

(28:34):
and theater shows and the clownheart show, like you, you've,
you've.
Kind of you were like thereluctant comedian.
Did he kind of shoehorn youinto this and go?
You're pretty funny, you shouldgive this a crack.

Speaker 3 (28:49):
Yes, and it just stemmed from.
He came over to my house for mybirthday just to dinner with
our family and we just werechatting and I'd say a few
things and he'd laugh and hejust said you're just naturally
funny.
I went no, I don't think so.
I'd say a few things and he'dlaugh and he just said you're
just naturally funny.
I went no, I don't think so, Ithink Pete goes.
No, he's not funny.
And then he challenged me.
He said look, do five minutesof stand-up somewhere.
And then Peter B just said ifyou're going to try five minutes

(29:14):
, you might as well try a lotmore and do it grand.
And he contacted Hills and saidhow about we do a gala and
raise some money for a cancercharity?
And Hills just went yeah, let'sdo that.
And I'd done about 20 minutesand went all right.

Speaker 2 (29:32):
Was that?
Because you know for those thatdon't know when you're starting
out in the comedy industry as acomic, you do your five-minute
open mic spots and learn yourcraft.
And some people can do yourfive minutes open mic spots and
and learn your craft.
And and some people can do fiveminute open mic spots for years
before they, you know, attempt10, 20 minutes.
So was your first ever time onstage doing stand-up, a 20

(29:54):
minute spot well, just a bitover 25 minutes I actually went,
I think how long were yousupposed to do?
I'm dying to know.

Speaker 3 (30:03):
I'm probably 15.
Broke the first golden rule.

Speaker 2 (30:08):
Can you so?
You know comedians not all, butsome of us are quite nostalgic
about our first ever time on.
Like I know, my anniversarydate is April 26, 1998, was the
first time I ever walked onstage and did stand-up.
What's the date?
Are you nostalgic about thatdate?

Speaker 3 (30:28):
27th of May it was 27th of May 2014.
And I just told stories aboutthings that had happened to me,
like in hospital with catheterbags and all that sort of stuff,
yeah, and then I just out ofold and then Hilsey just was

(30:49):
coming back to the lounge laterin that year and he just
contacted me and said hey, maybeyou can do a few minutes of
your stand-up.
Just five minutes before myshow.
And I went oh, you're there.
He said we can just crack acouple of jokes.

(31:10):
He said I really don't know yet.
But I said, oh, all right.
And then the morning of it Icould hardly talk, my voice was
just so.
Janine rang him and said you'renot going to believe this, but
he honestly has got nothing.
He really can't talk.
Today I've only got one activevocal cord and I had to have 12

(31:31):
months of speech to talkproperly.
But some days it just doesn'twant to cooperate and it didn't
that day and he goes still can'tcome.
He said I'll call you up onstage and we'll take it from
there.
And when the time come, hecalled me up and said now, at
this point in time, craig wasgoing to do this.
This is Coombs, he's battlingcancer, blah, blah, blah.
He was going to do five minutes.

(31:52):
We can't talk.
I don't know what we're goingto do.
Go in the Booth, have you gotany like you know, sassy, sexy
music to play?
And he said hit it.
And he did.
And we just started dancing.
He said just dance.
And he started dancing and hesaid I've got a few notes to a

(32:12):
song in mind.
He said I'll try to sing it.
And I just sort of took myshirt off and ran my head and he
started laughing and he tookhis shirt off and he'd done it
and the crowd was going bonkers.
And then I just sort of lookedand went I've got boxers on,
I'll drop me jeans.

(32:33):
And he goes yeah, yeah, that'dbe funny.
So I did that and down to boxershorts he did.
Show finished.
We went into the green room.
This lady come running in andsaid Adam, that's it, that is
the perfect finish to your newshow.
I think the audience love it.
He also goes think about it.
Ask Greg, if we can do that.
I said I'll do whatever youwant.

(32:53):
And he said look, I'm doing anew show at next year's Comedy
Festival.
I wanted to put you in it.
I think I've found the way wecan do this.
You can do your five minutes.
I'll show the clip from my showthat you're on, then I'll
introduce you.
You do the five minutes, thenI'll have this song refined.
It was called in your facecancer.
He said I can sing it.

(33:14):
We can both strip down to ourboxer shorts and the crowd love
it.
Are you in?
He said I'm doing 15 shows atthe Athenaeum.
He said if you can't make itany night, I understand and
we'll just all improvise andwhatever.
And I went okay, okay.
And when it got to that firstnight I decided I'd put a

(33:38):
G-string on under the boxershorts and I didn't tell him.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
For the comedy.

Speaker 3 (33:45):
Yeah, for the comedy.
And I thought, you know, Ididn't tell him.
And then I was like, nodding, Ipulled out my boxer shorts.
He's like yeah, yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah.
I thought, geez, you're a bittoo.
And I did, and I had theG-string on and he laughed.

Speaker 2 (34:02):
He on it, he laughed his head off and he went.
That's even better.
That is a great finish.
Is this when Naked Tuesday?

Speaker 3 (34:05):
was born.
No, it was born a little bitbefore that, which is how Pete
got us onto his show.

Speaker 2 (34:11):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (34:12):
That came about because I walked out into the
backyard and my son was mowingthe lawn and I think he just had
his undies on or something.
He's a fit young blokefootballer and I just thought
I'm gonna do that.
So I just walked out withnothing on and he's going oh
geez, dad, I'm going what I go.
Hey, let's do this photo.

(34:32):
We'll cover the bits up.
It was supposed to, and Iposted it on my page, thinking
I'll get a boost from my friendsgoing what the?
And I did realise that a lot ofthem would love the idea of
seeing Joel like that.
There were plenty of Joel fans.

Speaker 2 (34:47):
Right.

Speaker 3 (34:49):
And then they all liked it.
So the following week I'd doneanother one with Joel and that
went well and I thought thiswill have legs for about three
or four weeks and everyone willdrop off and I just started
doing different ones.
I'd done a couple outside busstops and things like that,
which I realised in the endwould be trouble for doing that,
because it's public nudity.

(35:09):
I better not do that anymore.
And when we were going to seeHilsey's show, Pete just tipped
me in about it and said oh,Coombs is doing this thing and
Hilsey goes oh maybe I can dosome photos with you.
That'd go well.
And he did and was supposed tobe on his show once.
I was on three times that yearand they could choose.

(35:30):
So he and Pete sort of decidedhey, this would be really good
on its own dedicated page, notjust on yours.
And I went no, people won'tlike this, It'll be over in a
few weeks.
And I went no, people won'tlike this, it'll be over in a
few weeks.
And he went.
I think you might be wrong here.
Now he said being that you'vedone some outside, the ABC can't
get involved because it's apublic nudity.

(35:51):
But he goes no, I'll fix it,I'll run it.
I'll sort it, make it.
Tuesday was born and 10,000regular viewers every week.
Until about a month ago I had tosort of pull up stops because
it was getting a bit difficultto do it and Facebook rules were
tightening very hard.
If they saw your bum, you'regetting warnings and you know

(36:14):
all that sort of stuff.
So and it was a bit difficultbecause I had a heart attack in
February and that sort of madethings a bit worse.
So the page is still there andthere's photos still up and
people can go to it and have alook, but I'm just going to pop
in every month or so and justtell everyone how I'm doing yeah
, maybe put an old photo up withthat.
But and it all became infectiousand it all become, and I just

(36:38):
found that the following day,from anything I went to see live
, I felt better.
I felt better on the way home.
I felt better the day afterbecause I recalled some of the
jokes.
I used to go to the Comic Sanstwice a week, literally, for you
know, probably up until COVIDhit.
So I started going there in2014.

(37:00):
That was six years of nearlytwice a week.
I mean just meeting comediansand just falling in love with it
, because I think it is an artform that gives to the person
but it also gives to theaudience and it just keeps
giving.
Because I can remember jokesfrom 10 years ago that a
comedian told and laughed myhead off.

Speaker 2 (37:22):
Yeah.
So let's talk about thebenefits from doing it, because
we know now that you know thedifference between generating
humour and appreciating humour.
When a comedian's on stage,we're generating it and an
audience is appreciating it.
Hopefully, yeah, comedians onstage, we're generating it and
an audience is appreciating it,hopefully, but there's research

(37:44):
to show that making someonelaugh in actual fact is more
psychologically beneficial thanactually laughing yourself like.
Did you find that when you wereup there like the day after,
immediately after, because Iknow from a comedian's point of
view how much of a buzz I getout of it, but for you did you
notice a difference?

Speaker 3 (38:05):
Oh, mate, I did not expect that because I didn't
know what.
I just think you'd tell yourjokes and you'd get off and
you'd be right.
But because of the appreciationyou got from the applause and
you could see people laughing.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
But we've got to understand I'm in a different
space to you Of course, yeah.
Because all my stuff iscancer-related my jokes, yeah,
and the audience is made knownabout that and they know, yeah,
so I'm in a safe space.
No one's really going to heckleme, because I'd be a bit of a
mongrel if you heckle a giantbloke, I mean jeez, yeah, yeah.

(38:43):
And I have a couple of mates whothrow barbs and that's okay
because I know they're doing it,so I'm in a safe space.
So I actually know that peopleare going to be kind to me and I
don't have any of that fearthat a normal comedian would
have about this is not going togo well, someone's going to have
a crack at me.
And after we did gigs withClownheart we'd go into the
foyer and just in a bathrobe andwe'd collect money for a

(39:05):
charity every night and peoplewould come up to you crying,
hugging you.
One old lady's like I cometonight not expecting to hear
this.
I lost my husband three days agoto cancer and I thought, oh
jeez, and she goes.
Thank you for making it realand giving me a laugh and opened
the door back to life.
And then I had another ladycome up to me and go.

(39:27):
I'll start my chemo tomorrowand I said, well, let me know
how you get on.
And now I've been friends withthat girl for 10 years and she
has become a really close friendand I've managed to get several
close friends out of my theNaked Tuesday or Hilsey's TV
show People just contacting me.
But the day after was the thingthat I wasn't prepared for in

(39:50):
how up I felt because I couldsee people's faces still After
doing the show yourself.
After doing the show I don'tknow, I never even asked Hilsey
about that I could I don't know,I never even asked Kielsey
about that I could see people'sfaces again laughing.
I remember well that jokereally hit.
Well.
You know, I have one joke whichis still my favourite, but I

(40:11):
know one of my mates hates itand he says, you know, I said
why.
And he goes because it remindsme what's happening to you.
I went hey, mate, okay, thankyou, I love that, but it's
simple.
I just said you know we'regoing to the airport.
This is a joke.
We're on our way to the airport, ready to fly to the UK,
because he invited me onto ashow over there.

Speaker 2 (40:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (40:32):
My wife's like no one knows you, you're nothing
special.
I went oh thanks, dear.
I went, oh thanks dear.
Just as we got to the airport Isaid I told you I'm special.
She said why?
I said look, my own entranceTerminal is this way Now.

Speaker 2 (40:49):
I think that's quite a funny joke.
Did you then go?
Oh, craig.

Speaker 3 (40:54):
Yeah, exactly.
And one mate doesn't like itbecause he said it reminds me
what's happening to you.
I go, mate, I can remind youevery day, but it's funny.
It was funny, it's still.
He loved that joke.
I remember walking in thebowels of the opera house when
we'd done it, put his armsaround me and said it really is
a clever joke.
That is one of the funniestjokes I've ever heard in my

(41:15):
whole comedic life.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
Yeah.
Well done you, isn't it thatyou?
You know, I say this to comicsall the time you never know
who's in your audience.
You never know who's in youraudience and what they're going
through.
You know, like it was a husbandand wife that came up to me on
a cruise ship at a gig that Idid back in 2012.

(41:37):
That changed the entire courseof my life when you've got
someone standing there going youknow I haven't seen my husband
laugh hourly over three years.

Speaker 3 (41:47):
That's a magnificent thing to have as your legacy
mate.

Speaker 2 (41:51):
You've created a few, but that's one to just Well,
yeah, but that's a lot of you tosay, mate, Thank you.
But for you, what you've givento those people that have been,
you know, like audience membersthat aren't going through a
cancer treatment diagnosis, youknow, or aren't living with

(42:12):
family members going through it,you know we'll view it one way
and might have a laugh and thinkit's funny.
But for those other, like yousaid, you know, a lady's lost
her husband, another one's aboutto start with treatment you
know what you gave to thosepeople is, it's priceless.

Speaker 3 (42:35):
I reckon I got more from it, to be honest, because I
could see in them what it meantand I can still see those
people's faces.
Obviously, Catherine I'mfriends with for over 10 years
and we've become good friends,and it was only through Hills'
show.
That's how I got a lot of myfriends through Adam Hills and

(42:57):
Naked Tuesday.
Now that's a weird feeling.

Speaker 2 (43:00):
Well, it kind of leads me into the next thing
that I wanted to talk about is,you know, like in the study of
humour, you know, we talk aboutthe different styles of humour
affiliative, which is makingother people laugh, and
self-enhancing humour, using,which is what a lot of emergency
services personnel use, using,if you're able to use humor as a

(43:23):
way of coping with stress, fora traumatic instance, and then
you've got aggressive humor,laughing at the expense of
someone else, or self-defeating,laughing at the expense of
yourself.
And there's so much research tosupport the fact that
self-enhancing humor, usinghumor as a way of coping with a
negative life event, is by farthe most beneficial, like it's

(43:49):
also beneficial to create thelaughter.
But using humour as a way ofcoping with stress and trauma,
there's research to show that itimproves life satisfaction,
quality of life, reduce stress,anxiety, depression, reduce
suicide, ideation, all of thesethings you know.
So it's what?
And you're a living testamentto it.

(44:11):
It's true, yeah, so with thejust talking about those
connections that you've hadthrough the comedy industry, and
you know what does friendshipmean to you.
Now You've got Peter B.
You know who's gone above andbeyond.
But you know we live in a timewhere loneliness and isolation

(44:36):
is so rampant.
You know it's connectedness,what you get out of it is it's
incredible.

Speaker 3 (44:46):
To me.
I think it's the most importantthing, because there are days,
though, I must admit, where Istill feel pretty lonely.
Yeah, but I've got a massivenetwork of people that I can
rely on.
Yeah, I've got five of us inthe chat group three guys I used
to work with peter b, jason andmichael and we used to work
together 20 years ago, so we'vekept.

(45:06):
We're still friends.
We're now true for dinner in acouple of weeks.
Yeah, and one other guy, johnno, who I met through naked
tuesday.
He's become like a brother tome.
He calls me three times a weekat least and we chat for an hour
.
My wife goes you haven't beenin anywhere and you've spent
three hours this week talking tojonah on the phone.
No, we, we talk footy, we talkeverything, and he's like a

(45:28):
brother, seriously like abrother.
So those, those guys we chatand it's it's a lot of joking
stuff and poke in front of eachother, and you know, because I I
sent a photo to him, so let theridicule begin and they went.
When did the ridicule ever stop?
Well, that's, that's true, andevery now and again.

(45:48):
I jumped in the other day Isaid okay, sorry to be serious
for a change.
But just let you know what'shappening.
I've got this test and this oneand this one, because you know
I had an advanced care plan doneand they were like, hey, is
that you're doing?
Or your doctor?
I said no, my doctor.
I said, so, are things goingsouth?
And I went look, just I'm justhaving these tests and whatnot?

(46:11):
I said, can we get back tobeing the idiots that we are?
And you know, I don't know how,I generated a photo of them as
all grumpy-looking bikers andthey're going how come you're
tallest?
And I went, I didn't do it, theAI's living bloke done it.
But that group, thatconnectedness with them, and

(46:36):
each one of those guys have doneso much for me.
Pre-covid I was reallystruggling.
Michael lives a fair distanceaway.
He'd bring over cooked meals somy wife didn't have to worry
about cooking for a few nights.
Jason brought stuff to me.
His wife was at the Cadburyfactory and she got a box of
chocolate.
He knew I was a chocolate freak.

(46:57):
He brought that over to me.
John used to visit my houseonce every week and we'd have a
barbecue lunch together and he'dcook the meat and all that for
me and bring a rice custard likeonly my nanny used to cook.
No blowflies.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (47:16):
And Peter B.
I mean you know all the thingshe's done for me, continually
done for me, not just thosebucket list wishes and getting
them all done, but then otherthings from then, and that we've
spent a lot of time togetherwatching our sons play footy as
they grow up and going to that.
But then there's differentgroups where you know there's

(47:37):
not a lot of laughter stuffgoing on.
It's just how you're doingstuff and how you're coping
stuff.
So I have so many differentarms that I can hold on to.

Speaker 2 (47:48):
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (47:49):
And they are all so important to me.
If I didn't have thatconnectedness through my
friendship circles, I don'tthink I'd be here, mate.
I really don't.

Speaker 2 (48:00):
Yeah, yeah, I can honestly say that well, you know
we talk about loneliness beinga killer.
You know, like isolation, andfor someone like yourself who's
going through what you're goingthrough, you know it would be
even more so, and so, havingthat I'm so glad that you've got

(48:22):
that extended network and itkind of speaks to the difference
between sympathy and empathy.
You know, like having yourfriends going, mate, if I was
dealing with all that shit I'dbe struggling too and I get it
as opposed to someone going, oh,you know, poor Craig kind of
thing.
No, no, I always, you know,when I message someone.

Speaker 3 (48:40):
I'll say, oh, you know, paul Craig kind of thing.
No, no, I always, you know,when I message someone, I'll say
, oh, how are you doing?
You know they'll go.
Oh, yeah, things are okay.
But more importantly, how areyou doing?
I go, no, no, it's not moreimportant how I'm doing.
I ask you the question.
Don't worry about me, this isabout you.
Yeah, yeah, and they go oh,well, actually okay.
Well, I'll keep you in my mind.
I'm really sorry you're goingthrough this.

(49:01):
I'm here if you need me.
I don't, and I always say I'mnot putting this up to seek
disempathy, I just inform youwhat's going on in my life and
if you want to support me,support me.
If you don't, you don't.
And look, I've lost somefriends along the way because
obviously there were conditionsattached to the friendship.
They were getting something outof it.

(49:22):
When they stopped gettingsomething out of it, I was no
longer of use and I went.
Pretty much sucks when you dothat, but that's life.
Some people are just like that.
They're in it for something.
And look, obviously with myconnections with Hilsey, people
would go, oh, can you get him tosign this DVD?
I'd go, no, no, no, he's myfriend.

(49:42):
They'd go oh you caught up withHilsey later.
Yeah, oh, you didn't put aphoto up.
Well, I don't take a photo withall my friends any time I see a
friend, they go, yeah, but it'sAdam.
Hilsey.
I forget that it's Adam Hilsey,because to me it's Hilsey.
It's just amazing and I don'tdo that when I say beat it all
down, so I get that some peoplehave lost my thrill.

(50:06):
Or to some people, caring had atimeline in their mind of five
years is long enough done, butI'm so glad that I've got so
many people who have not.
And look, christy Whelan waslike this, because I remember
saying to her I can understandif a kid's sick, you do these
things.
And she goes I don't care howold you are, and I thought that

(50:28):
I really appreciate she didn'tcare that I was 49 years old.
She's still done things for meto make me feel happy and better
and for that I'll always.
Her husband, rowan Brown, isalso in the theatre industry
lovely bloke, fantastic bloke,very gifted, and I remember

(50:51):
seeing them both one daytogether and he goes oh, show me
your tattoo with Christy's name.
And I was showing him.
And he goes oh, that's prettycool.
And I said have you got hername, teddy Turner?
He goes no, I went.
Well, mate, you know.
Well, I have you know.

Speaker 2 (51:06):
And he goes.
How many names do you have onyou, Craig?

Speaker 3 (51:09):
I've got yours on me.
You know that.
I know.

Speaker 2 (51:11):
That's very.

Speaker 3 (51:13):
He leaned into me.

Speaker 2 (51:14):
I was quite taken aback when you asked me to be
honest.

Speaker 3 (51:16):
I'll get to that reason.
Rowan, whispered in my ear.
You've got a name tattooed onyou, but I take her home every
night yeah, but you take her tobed every night too oh, I said
that I'm going to message youafter this.
Thank you, sir.
And do you know the reason whyI ask?

(51:41):
I've got signatures, or?
And do you know the reason whyI ask you?
I've got signatures or initialsof people on my left arm, which
I call my life arm.
My right arm is dedicated to myfamily.
I've got a couple on my chestand I decided to do that for
people who went over and abovehelping me, and I remember a
mate one day said what have Igot to do to get on your arm?

(52:02):
I said one don't ask, becauseit's no, you know, you don't ask
, it's just people who have donesomething over and above and
done a few things.
Is there a criteria?
Yes, there's a criteria,because if there wasn't, I'd
have 10,000 signatures on me,because I've met thousands of
people.

Speaker 2 (52:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (52:21):
I remember one of my mates, pete, goes, we've got a
lot of room.
I went, yeah, good on you, butit's only for when people go
over and above, when they dosomething for me, that they
didn't have to or said somethingor have been there in
remarkably difficult times forme, that I thought I need their

(52:45):
signature or their name.
And I go through it every nightwhen I go to sleep and I say
goodnight to everyone before Iroll over and I say thank you.
Now you're on there.
Do you know why?
I don't think I've ever toldyou.
Do you know why?

Speaker 2 (53:00):
I don't actually think you've told me why.
I know that when you asked meyou just said like you know.
I just want to put significant.
I think I was around the sametime as Kat Davidson.

Speaker 3 (53:16):
And Stev.
I didn't know Kat was marriedto Stev and I used to watch that
kid show in the afternoon and Iloved it.
When she said she was marriedto him, I'm like, oh gosh, I
want to meet him.
I'd love to meet him.
And I did meet him, which iscool, and he'd done some things
over and above, so he got hisname on me.
Kat had done a truckload ofthings over and above, so she

(53:36):
got a name.
One got to know one.
You entertained me as acomedian, you made me laugh, you
made me feel good, you werekind to me and all that sort of
stuff.
But here's the thing I'm sorryif I get upset.
I've been trying to get myselfready for this for two days so

(53:58):
have I to be honest, because youknow you saved my life.
You know, you saved my life.
You physically saved my life.
Do you remember when?

Speaker 2 (54:17):
was.

Speaker 3 (54:17):
It was I on the radio you were on the radio, you and
Kat.

Speaker 2 (54:22):
I think I do remember that now.
You were having a hard night.

Speaker 3 (54:28):
I was in bed, kat said she was doing some radio
with you and I thought, oh, I'dlike to hear Mark again.
I thought, one, it's going tobe funny.
And there was some funny stuffin there.
But there was some seriousstuff in there.
And there was some funny stuffin there, but there was some
serious stuff in there.
I had planned that night toopen up my drawer and and I've

(54:54):
got a lot of medications, so Ithink you know where I'm going.

Speaker 2 (54:56):
Yeah, yeah, fine, yeah and.

Speaker 3 (55:03):
I listened to you both while I was laying in bed.
I can't remember the exactwords you said, but I closed the
drawer.
I I had the drawer open, mark.
Yeah.
I got out of bed, I closed thedrawer.
I thought why, oh why Did Ieven think of that?

(55:26):
And then I put me on the pillowand I thought you know what,
I'm not going to cry myself tosleep tonight, which I do a lot
of the time.
I often say I'll have a smileon my pillow and no tears.
And I made a point of saying notears tonight because two

(55:49):
people just saved my life,because I fully intended that
that wasn't going to be the case.
And I was just listening to youbecause I love Kat and I love
you and thought this would bejust a bit of fun for me.
And it's amazing what words cando and when people mean it.

(56:09):
And then, two days later, Iremember sending you that
message saying and then, twodays later, I remember sending
you that message saying do youmind if you sign a bit of paper
and take a photo and send it tome?
Do you mind if I get ittattooed?
And you went what I went?
Yep, I just over and above, andI didn't tell you why, and I

(56:30):
just said all you need to knowis you're important to me and
over and above and look, I'vegot a lot of friends and they
all know their importance, butthere are some that have just
gone over and above.
If you save someone's life,that's a pretty big step.
And look, I say Peter B hasprolonged my life and Adam Hills

(56:52):
has prolonged my life and mostof the people have prolonged my
life and Adam Hills hasprolonged my life and most of
the people have prolonged mylife.

Speaker 2 (57:02):
There's only two people.

Speaker 3 (57:06):
I say that have saved my life, and that's Kat and you
.
Well, mate, I just Sorry, but Ijust had to tell.

Speaker 2 (57:14):
I thought this was the perfect opportunity to tell
you how important words are.
You'll never know what thatmeans to me, and I know Kat
would feel the same, and youknow, like we were talking a
little while ago.
You know you never know who'slistening, who's in your

(57:39):
audience and what they're goingthrough you know.
So, you know, made a big do itstand up for 27 years this year
and there's certain you know,significant events throughout
your career.
You know that.
You know, like meeting thatcouple on the cruise ship and

(58:00):
that changed the course and andcertain things.
But no, I really appreciate youshared that with me, mate,
because I I can't begin toimagine what that night was like
for you and the fact that wewere able to yeah, you said my

(58:23):
name on that night.

Speaker 3 (58:23):
You actually gave me a shout-out on that night.

Speaker 2 (58:27):
Oh, whenever Kat and I get together and it's yeah,
it's, you never fail.

Speaker 3 (58:32):
Yeah, you said you know we're never made of ours in
Melbourne's lifting, yeah, andlike Boomsie or Craig or you
know we're thinking of you, mate, Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.
Right, sorry, you can move on.

Speaker 2 (58:45):
Well it's you know, mate, I'm just.
I'm grateful for you to sharethat with me and so happy that
whatever it was that we talkedabout that night was significant
enough to make a difference,you know.

Speaker 3 (59:07):
And it's never got to that point again.

Speaker 2 (59:08):
so Well, that's good to hear, mate.
Thank you, that's good to hear,mate.
Thank you.
Which kind of you know?
I want to ask you this question.
It's been a question that I'vebeen toying with for the last
couple of days, whether or not Iwas going to ask you this, but
I am curious.
So you know, you've told methat we can talk about anything

(59:30):
in our chat, anything in ourchat.
Absolutely Prior to this chat, Iwent back and listened to a
couple of chats that you didwith Will Will Anderson on Will
Offerty, and the last one wasdone.
I think it was about December29th no, december 2020, right,

(59:52):
yep.
And you were really goingthrough some stuff at that point
in that chat and you know, andWill's fantastic as a comic, as
a, you know, as a host, and Ilearned a lot about him as well

(01:00:13):
as you going through that, rightman, yeah, I have so much more
respect for him now as well, butyou really it highlighted for
me the fact that you've got totick a lot of boxes that you
thought that you never would beable to tick.
You know, like you've walkedyour daughter down the aisle,
you've seen your grandkids beborn, which is, you know, I, I

(01:00:34):
know you've spoken about.
When you got your initialdiagnosis, you were thinking
that these were the big ticketthat you were going to miss out
on you know, correct, and so youknow 2020, the end of 2020, you
really up against it from whatI could hear in that podcast and

(01:00:55):
that you did with Will, and soI'm just a little bit curious as
to you know how's the last fouryears, but, like you know, what
are we now, four and a half oddyears later?
You know something's what'sgoing on for you now.
What's going on for?

Speaker 3 (01:01:15):
you now At the end of 2021, because we missed out on,
you know, like those COVIDyears with my granddaughter, we
couldn't see her.
My daughter asked would me andmy wife like to move house and
live with my daughter, myson-in-law and Lola?
So we'd been in the same housefor 22 years and I thought about

(01:01:39):
it.
I thought I'd miss that timewith her.
I'd love to have some time withher growing up.
So we said yes.
My daughter gave up the masterbedroom for us, which is an
ensuite, which is four stepsaway from where I am sitting now
on my bed, which was a hugething for her to do.
To give up their main part.

(01:02:00):
I had like a little lounge roomarea which I've turned into
mine, and then the family roomdown the back where sort of all
Lola's stuff is, but sheobviously spends a lot of time
in my room and with all thebooks and all that.
And that really gave me a spurtto see her and, you know, watch
her take her first steps andhear her say Papa for the first

(01:02:22):
time, and it was like wow, itwas quite incredible.
It was just one of the mostabsolute sheer joy and then
seeing my daughter being amother and my son-in-law is one
of the best boys you'll evermeet in your life.
He's just such a good husbandand a good father.
He's a FIFO worker.
There's two in, two out up inthe mines up in the top of WA.

(01:02:43):
So it's handy because my wifethen helps a lot more with Lola,
so it helps Rebecca.
So that was part of the reason,so he can go and work in mines.
That would help them get aheadfinancially and it was a really
good thing for us to happen andwe could bring our dogs.

(01:03:04):
We had two dogs and she said,yep, they can come, and I'm like
, oh wow.
Sadly one of them passed awayabout nine months after it and I
really miss that big girl somuch, but I've still got my
little mate.
It has been a very difficulttime physically, more so because
I've started to lose a littlebit of mobility.

(01:03:25):
I had succumbed probably sixmonths ago, eight months ago, to
a shower chair because I wasstruggling to stand up for too
long.
Yeah, but in February this yearI had a heart attack at home in
the morning and the poor littlething seen me out on a
stretcher with lines in me goingto an ambulance.
She didn't sort of know whatwas going on, and when I come

(01:03:47):
back, you know they end upputting a stent in, a 99%
blockage in one of the stents,and it was not on my bingo card
and it's certainly made things alot more difficult.
I haven't run for a walk thismorning for the first time in a
month and it knocked me about somuch I'm having trouble with my
breathing.
So we're trying to get to thebottom of that whether it's just

(01:04:08):
the medication and then ifthat's the case I've got to put
up with it or if it's anythingelse going on with my heart.
So I've had some tests and I'vegot more coming up a cardiogram
and then see the cardiologist.
So it's led to an 18 kiloweight loss.
My diet's improved butphysically I can't sleep on my

(01:04:31):
back and my left side because Iget breathless at night, so I
have to sleep on my right, whichmeans I've got a really crook
shoulder hip and I've gotprolapsed disc in my back so
they're really copping it.
So I'm on some prettyheavy-duty painkillers.
I'm on other medication for myheart 17 different medications a
day and I know that's not goodfor me and I struggle a bit with

(01:04:54):
anxiety, which is somethingthat never occurred, and the odd
panic attack in the middle ofthe night, which is really hard
to live in, and I feel for mywife at three or four o'clock
when this happens she's the onetrying to calm me down and
trying to relax me.
And I had a terrible problemwith nausea and this probably

(01:05:16):
was heightened when I triedmedicinal cannabis.
My GP wanted me to get on thatand it didn't work with me.
We tried three differentavenues there was a liquid and
there was a gel and then therewas a gummy and no matter what
happened, I ended up inhorrendous nausea and really bad
panic attacks.
So they figured out that Iobviously can't cope with that

(01:05:38):
because we're just trying tofind different pain things.
I've had months of injections ofcortisones and I had a thing
called denervation where theyburnt the nerves and they were
hoping that that would work andthat didn't work.
It cost about $5,000, and thatdidn't work.
So I've really just thrown myhands up and said no more, I

(01:05:59):
don't want to have any moretreatment, I don't want to know
any answers to do anythingrelated to my cancer.
I will with my heart.
I'll have procedures done andI'll know, but I was due for a
full body scan probably twoyears ago and I just refused.
They did say we can do the testbut not tell you, and I went.

(01:06:20):
I don't want to go through itall.
I've had enough.
Just let it take its course andyou know, so be it.
I'm happy with that.
The heart attack has certainlymade things a lot worse and I
did contact a few friends sayingwhat did you think when I heard
it?
And they were shocked.
They were like I never thoughtOne of the guys in our five of

(01:06:45):
us in our group, he just goesand the flipping thing couldn't
kill you.
I went, no, because I alwayssaid I think my heart's the only
thing that's keeping me going.
Nothing's ever happened to it.
Well, it's in good shape.
I'm in good shape.
Well, it tried to kill me and Ichat regularly to a very
high-profile cabaret artist bythe name of Reuben Kay.

(01:07:07):
I get on exceptionally wellwith Reuben we have for years
and he's brilliant.
Not only is he a brilliantperformer and a spokesperson for
lgbtqi plus and I just love himfor the field he is in that.
He is great with me, withtalking to me and chatting to me
, and I remember messaging him,he found out I had the heart

(01:07:29):
attack and he was in shock.
And he's pretty funny how hetalks to me.
I just laugh.
You know he called me babe andI laughed.
I thought my wife never calledme babe in 30 years of marriage
and he does it all the time.
I thought he knows that justmakes me laugh, you know.
And I said I haven't cried yetsince the heart attack.

(01:07:54):
I haven't had that emotionalletdown or the why me that I
thought would happen.
And he said, babe, the reasonis it tried to kill you and it
didn't and you won.
So this is a positive thatyou've had out of this, whereas
the cancer was a very bignegative.
You beat the heart attack.
So your subconscious is seeingthis.

(01:08:17):
This is not a defeat, this is awin.
You've now got a stent inthat's not going to kill you
anymore.
I thought, you know, I thinkthat letdown, that emotional
letdown, is coming soon.
I had a good friend who died onthe weekend, a really close
friend, and I had a little bitof a cry, but still nothing

(01:08:39):
major, and I'd done an advancedcare plan, just putting things
in place around end of lifewhere I have the say, which my
GP suggested.
So I thought has he got someinformation?
I don't know about this heart.
And he said I think it's wiseyou do this.
So I did.
We had an advanced care personcome to our house and go through
things and then when she spokeabout the heart, she said it's

(01:09:05):
not uncommon, at the six-monthmark for post-heart events, for
people to really have a bigproblem with depression and low
mood.
And I said well, I'm five and ahalf months, she goes.
So just be aware of that and beconscious of that.
And I thought, okay, here'sanother flipping hurdle to get
over.
And I mean they suggest youjoin a heart group or people
who've had heart attacks andwhatnot.

(01:09:27):
So I did on Facebook and Iactually did ask them.
I said can I?
This is what I've been told.
Has this happened to anyone?
And I only done that thismorning.
And I've had told has thishappened to anyone?
And I only done that thismorning.
And I've had a truckload ofpeople go oh, it hit me hard at
six months.
And some people go oh, yeah,get ready.
You know like, oh geez, it'sfive and a half months.
Here we go again.
So it's been difficult.

(01:09:48):
It is harder now than it everbeen physically, and I also
think, mentally.
I do have a psychologist Ispeak to once a month and he's
great.
I get frustrated Sometimes.
I can't think of what did hetell me to do?
What does he advise me?
I just don't know whetherthat's my brain just not
functioning as good as it usedto and I can't remember a lot of

(01:10:11):
things sometimes a lot ofshort-term stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:10:14):
Just record the sessions you know on your phone.
Just tell him that you're doingit and just use the voice
recorder on your phone.
He'll be fine with it becauseit enables you to recall the
information.

Speaker 3 (01:10:29):
And that's what I've been needing to do because, mate
, I'm certainly at the hardestpoint.

Speaker 2 (01:10:33):
I think yeah yeah, I'm sorry to hear that mate.
I'm certainly at the hardestpoint I think yeah, yeah, I'm
sorry to hear that mate, that'sall right, I'm okay, I'm okay.
The fact that you've had thepresence of mind and the ability
to put that plan in place withyour medical team?
Do you think there's a lack ofunderstanding or a lack of

(01:10:56):
education around the differencesbetween euthanasia and
voluntary assisted dying?

Speaker 3 (01:11:03):
oh yeah, absolutely.
It's way too, but we have noidea.
I mean, as a society we don't.
Because it's one of thosethings that anytime you try to
bring up people to do it, you'reno, no, people don't want to
talk about it.
I'm open about talking aboutanything People say have you
thought about this system ofdying?
Of course I have.
I know all the 68 protocols ofit.

(01:11:24):
Not off my heart, but I knowthere are 68 protocols.
I know the system of what hasto be in place.
I've certainly looked at that.
People go.
I've certainly looked at that.
People go.
Have you?
You know some people go.
I don't know if I can ask haveyou thought about going ahead
with this or not?
I say, of course I have.
Of course I have.
Have I done it?
Maybe I have, maybe I haven't.

(01:11:47):
But, mate, we need truckloadsof education.
Oh, we do.

Speaker 2 (01:11:56):
It's people like you who are the ones that are
helping get this out there.
It is out there and I thinkit's not until you've lived it
with a family member or a lovedone where you've seen someone go
through end of life not well,you know, and a lot of suffering
, and you know none of us wantto see our loved ones suffer.

Speaker 3 (01:12:20):
I don't think anyone will begrudge me, surely?
I think all my friends and myfamily well, not all my family
my wife, whatever difficulty wedid with it, because she is a
devout Christian, has been awhole life she would not be
comfortable with this.
I know she's not and that's whyI've done the end of life,

(01:12:40):
because I want my decisions, andmy decision would be if I've
got tubes hanging out me, takethem out.
I'm out.
She doesn't want to go onwithout me and I get that.
But I think she'll be okay.
She's tough and she's got herfaith.
I think she'll be okay.
She's tough and she's got herfaith.
I think she'll be fine.
If it was the other way around,I'd struggle without her
because she does a lot for me.
Every night she puts mymedication in place because I

(01:13:03):
messed it up a couple of monthsago, and so she does my tablets,
puts me in my things, she goesanywhere with me, she takes me
where I need to go.
So, yeah, it's tough, but Idon't think you or any of my
good friends would begrudge meif I decided you know what I
want to push the button.
I.
I've had enough.

(01:13:23):
I've fought a good fight.
I've seen what I wanted to see,way more than I thought, and
maybe I've.
I did have a mate who said,mate, you've taught us to love
more.
I thought, gee, that's nice.
Maybe I've taught people a bitabout friendship and how
important it is and about howstaying connected is important.

(01:13:44):
So maybe I've done my thing.

Speaker 2 (01:13:48):
Well, you've brought hope, craig, I think, to a lot
of people.
Hope, craig, I think, to a lotof people you know like and have
you thought about how much hopethat you have brought to so
many people that you you maynever know, you know you'll
never know, craig, the reach of,of the impact that you have had

(01:14:09):
and and hope is something thatwe really you know.
I know in the field of suicideprevention that I work in, we
talk about the importance of thevoice of lived experience
because it creates hope forthose people that might be
feeling in a situation thatthey're feeling like they don't
have any hope, and hearing fromsomeone that's living it and has

(01:14:34):
lived it can bring hope andmate.
I have no doubt that you'vegiven hope to so many people.
Thank you?

Speaker 3 (01:14:44):
Yeah, I understand that the psychologist has
mentioned that too and I think,yeah, and I do know, because
people have messaged me.
But, as you say, there's somepeople who never will, because
that's just them.
But it may have changedsomething and I often get
messages of people going.
You know, I've just watchedClown Heart.

(01:15:06):
I loved it and look, if anybodywants to, it's out there on the
, you can buy it on YouTube orwhatever.
I don't get any royalties, butdon't worry about it.

Speaker 2 (01:15:16):
We'll make sure we find a link to that and make
sure it's in the show notes sothat way people can track it
down.

Speaker 3 (01:15:21):
Yeah, it's on YouTube .
You can rent it for I don'tknow, probably 10 cents a dozen,
not much.
But Hildy always said to mewhen he had this idea about
filming Clarell Hart, he justsaid just live until we make the
video film in Clarell Hart.
He just said just live until wemake the video.
I remember walking out on thestage of the Apollo Hammersmith.
He said that.
And he goes you made it.
And I went, yay, and I saw himlast year and I said to him you

(01:15:46):
know, I made the video.
I said now I'm keen to go andfor some unknown reason I'm
still not going.
And he was out here recentlyand I couldn't get to catch up
with him.
I just wasn't well enough.
And he said I will do it latein July or early August, I'll
come over for a coffee and we'lljust have our catch up.
And I went yeah, that'd begreat mate.

(01:16:07):
And so it was just live to thevideo.

Speaker 2 (01:16:15):
And that was filmed in 2016.

Speaker 3 (01:16:18):
Jeez I know, look at you, go right Look at me go.

Speaker 2 (01:16:21):
All right, let's wind it up, craig.
So, having said that, I've gotfour questions that are short
and sharp answers, which arebasically centered around
self-care, and these arereminders, like mental health,
reminders that I do in mylaughter clinic presentations.
When I do them live right.
And so the questions are whatmakes you happy, what are you

(01:16:45):
grateful for, what are youlooking forward to and what's
made you laugh recently?

Speaker 3 (01:16:52):
What was the first one?
What makes you happy?
People, other people, socialconnection.
What was the first one?
What makes you happy?
People, other people socialconnection makes me happy.

Speaker 2 (01:17:02):
I always get a laugh out of that.
Yeah, and isn't it just on that.
I think it's incredible that,um, we're starting to really
acknowledge the importance ofsocial health.
You know we talk about mentalhealth and physical health,
social health, like I've beenrecently diving into the blue
zones.
You know the places.
There's five places in theworld where people are living to

(01:17:23):
a hundred, but they're not onlyliving to a hundred, they're
living to a hundred well, andOkinawa is probably the most
famous, and they talk about theimportance of social
connectedness andintergenerational living.
You know three, fourgenerations of people living
under the same roof.

Speaker 3 (01:17:41):
Well, that's what we're doing.
Yeah, three generations here,and maybe that's the reason.

Speaker 2 (01:17:46):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, so it makes you happy love it.
What are you grateful for,Craig?

Speaker 3 (01:17:51):
People.
Yeah, again, I really Iactually do say that to people
where I'm grateful for you and Iappreciate you.
Will Anderson taught me thatone.
Yeah, and every message we willwhich is often every week we
message he will always say Iappreciate you and I love you.

(01:18:12):
And I mean, when I done thatfirst one with Will, it was the
first time I met him in personwhen I was leaving, put him on
my shoulder and said anything Ican do, I will do.
He's been true to that word andhe's been over and above and he
just I remember seeing him wasit a year ago, might have been
yep, and when we left he alwayssays I appreciate you.

(01:18:35):
But he then said I love you.
I said sorry.
He said I love you, mate, and Iwas like, oh, thank you, and I
love you too, mate.
I thought, wow, he reallywanted to make sure I heard him
say it, not just write it, and Ithink that's important and I
often say I'm grateful for myfriends and family yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:19:00):
It's amazing how just a simple, random message to
someone you know, letting themknow that you're grateful that
they're in your life and correct, yeah, it means a lot.
What are you looking forward to?
You know, you got somethingcoming up, like you know, with
the family or I always say topeople that this could be

(01:19:21):
absolutely anything.
It could be the last episode ofmarried at first sight.
I mean, when will that shit beover?

Speaker 3 (01:19:27):
oh god, yeah I.
I'm having dinner with my mates, which we haven't had for a few
years.
I'm looking forward to that andthat's really going to drive me
.
And I love Beetlejuice, themusical.
I've been to it a few times andwe're going one more time at
the end of the month.
I'm going to have dinner with afriend and then I'm going to
see the show and then I'm goingto catch up with Eddie after it.

(01:19:49):
I know Eddie Perfect and I loveEddie.

Speaker 2 (01:19:51):
What and I love Eddie .
What a genius he is.

Speaker 3 (01:19:53):
Well, that's what I call him.
I say that.
I said it to his face and he is.
And I have a couple of otherfriends in the show and I know
this is a fangirl moment, butthere's a guy called Andy Carl
who you probably are not awareof, but he is a Tony Award
winning theatre star in the US.

Speaker 2 (01:20:13):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (01:20:14):
And I've followed him for a few years and he'd done
Groundhog Day in America andhe's brilliant.
He came out here to doGroundhog Day and I saw it in
Melbourne four times, I think,or five times probably.
And I remember going to thestage and thinking, well, he's
not going to come out herebecause he's a star, they'll get
him out the back some way, soI'll never get to meet him.

(01:20:35):
And he walked out the door andI just Andy Carl, he's like hey,
how you doing, buddy, I'm likeAndy.
And he stopped and had a chatwith me for ages and then one of
the other cast members who I'mfriends with must have tipped
him into what's going on with me, because the next time we met
he went hey, I've just got tosay well done to you for what

(01:20:58):
you're going through and Ireally you know, kudos to you
and I love Andy Carl.
And then for my birthday hesent me a birthday message, went
for about five minutes, hespoke, he sang.
I'm blown away.
Well, his partner is inBeetlejuice, yeah right, she

(01:21:19):
played the lead opposite him inGroundhog Day and then obviously
something sort of lit up duringthat.

Speaker 2 (01:21:25):
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:21:26):
Yeah, now he's been back to Australia probably four
times in the last year just tosee her and she's been over
there to see him.
Well, I saw her the other dayat the end of the, at the end of
um villages, and she goesAndy's out for the whole month
of August.
He's coming every night to pickme up after the show.
Oh geez, okay, I'm buyingtickets.

(01:21:48):
It's a perfect storm.
It's a perfect storm Done, andI've already bought my ticket
for next week and I'll beheading, as soon as the show's
over, bang straight around thereto see Andy Carl.
He called me his Aussie matewith the big beard.
So I'm looking forward tomeeting Andy Carl again, because
I never thought I would.

Speaker 2 (01:22:08):
That is something pretty cool to look forward to,
man Huge huge mate, it's huge.
Yeah yeah, we often talk aboutthe fact that it's important to
have things to look forward to.
Man, huge, huge mate, it washuge.
Yeah yeah, we often talk aboutthe fact that it's important to
have things to look forward to.
If you've got something likethat, that means so much to you
it is massive.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
So I'm going to do everything I can this next week
to get me to that show, Believeme, and I'll be going.
Hurry up.
Show's finished, Hurry up,hurry up, which I, which I love
the show.
I listen to the soundtrack.
It's great.
It talks about death and dyingand it's just beautiful how it
does it all in a comedic way andin a heartfelt way.
Great message.
I do encourage people you'veonly got a month to go, get out

(01:22:44):
and see it and then it'llprobably come to Sydney next
year.
Yeah yeah, highly recommend.

Speaker 2 (01:22:50):
Last question the last one is what's made you
laugh recently.

Speaker 3 (01:22:56):
Beetlejuice has been probably the catalyst.
Yeah, because I did actuallywatch the songs from it again
yesterday.
Yeah, yeah, yeah and because itlaughs at things that I'm
dealing with.
I can sort of, you know, reallylaugh.
Yeah, because there's one partthe opening song is the whole

(01:23:17):
being dead thing and Eddie singsabout it, saying this show is
all about death.
So get ready.
Yeah, and a few friends havesaid when I heard the soundtrack
and I said, did Eddie think ofyou when he wrote this line?
I went no, no, I said, but heknows all you well.
And he said yeah, because hesounds like you.
And there's a part in the songthat says from the cradle to

(01:23:38):
cremation, death just needs alittle conversation.
I have mastered the art oftearing convention apart.
Wow.
And I thought, well, maybe hemight have been in there
subliminally.
He didn't write it, thinkingCraig Coombs wrote it, but maybe
it was in there.
Because I actually think thatdoes fit, because I have done

(01:24:03):
things unconventionally, likeNaked Tuesdays.
Yeah, I've torn conventionapart a bit, so I'm looking
forward to seeing it one moretime.

Speaker 2 (01:24:15):
You've given so much mate.
You've given so much mate.
You've given so much to theworld.
I know the comedy industry isso much richer for having you be
a part of it.
It really is.

Speaker 3 (01:24:27):
I just encourage people to go and see a lot of
comedy.
It's not like what you can doon the TV.
It's got nothing.
And I guarantee you're going tofeel better on your way home.
You're going to think of thejokes.
You're going to feel bettertomorrow when you go to work or
whatever.
You'll have a takeaway jokethat you use.
David Smeet used to tell agreat takeaway joke that he'd
tell everyone that you couldtell.
My dad told me that joke DavidSmeet's joke the night before

(01:24:50):
dad died and he said how good'slife he was in the hospital.
He knew he was just about todie.
He was in palliative care andone of my mates brought a can of
rum into him.
He said I'm having a drink.
I get washed by beautifulsheilas and I can tell great

(01:25:11):
jokes like this.
And he told David Smeek's jokeabout the train, the train
station joke.

Speaker 2 (01:25:15):
A little Johnny in the train station.
Yep, my dad.
Any complaints about thethree-hour delay?

Speaker 3 (01:25:23):
Yeah, I've talked to my mum in the kitchen.
Dad knew that joke.
Yeah, great.
And the only other thing thatDad he wanted things to take
with him, and I'm going to dothat with me.
I'm going to have a list ofthings I want in my coffin.
Yeah, and Dad wanted a piece ofcorduroy.

Speaker 2 (01:25:43):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (01:25:44):
Because he loved Kehal Jackson's joke about when
you're fat, don't run wearingcorduroy because you'll
self-combust.
And my dad?
I told Dad that joke and helaughed.
I said where are you laughing?
He said because you're fat andit's funny.
His dad's nickname was Candybecause he was built like a twig
, so it wasn't him.
But he goes that's you, you'recombust, that's funny, that's

(01:26:06):
why you don't run.
And I told Kehoe and she sentme a piece of corduroy.
Oh, good on her that went withmy dad.

Speaker 2 (01:26:16):
Oh, she's a good egg KL.

Speaker 3 (01:26:18):
Yeah, she'd been crook and I actually thought you
know what?
I'm going to take a piece ofcorduroy with me.
Yeah right, my funeral's goingto be on a Tuesday.
It's going to be an open casket.

Speaker 2 (01:26:28):
Please don't tell me you're going to ask us all to be
naked at it.

Speaker 3 (01:26:32):
Oh, going to ask us all to be naked at it?
Oh no, yous don't have to be,but I will be in the thing.
That is guaranteed.
So it's up to you.
People will be alerted.
It's an open casket, but hewill be totally naked and laying
on his back.
So if you want to go be awareof the situation, I think it's
the right thing to do.

(01:26:52):
Mate on the way out.
Yeah, I've had a blast.

Speaker 2 (01:26:57):
Mate, just any final thoughts or messages that you
may have for someone that's, youknow, stuck with us for the
journey, for our chat, and thatmight be going through something
tough, you know, like eitherthemselves or a family member
that's going through somechallenging stuff at the moment.

Speaker 3 (01:27:20):
Any pearls of Craig Coombs' wisdom you'd like?
To share as we wind it up.
Make the rest of your life thebest of your life Beautiful Of
course.
We've told you how to do itthrough this chat.
Yeah, I encourage people toshare what we have spoken about
with others and you can get intouch with me.
You can find me on the socials.
I'll reply.
I'm on Instagram.
I'm on Naked Tuesday.
I've got a Facebook page youcan message.

(01:27:41):
I still check the messages.
If you want to talk aboutsomething, I'll send them on
Instagram.
It's Coombsie or Papa Coombsie,maybe.
Find me, send a message if youwant.
By all means, just, you know,just be a good, decent human.

Speaker 2 (01:27:57):
Yeah, reach out, support each other.
It's like the age old.
You know, there's a reason whyso many of the religions say do
unto others as you want to dounto you.
You know, look after yourself.
Remember our old friend DaveGrant.
You know, look after yourself,brothers and sisters.
That's what it's all about.

Speaker 3 (01:28:16):
Yeah, do unto yourself as well.
Don't forget that.

Speaker 2 (01:28:18):
Yeah, absolutely Absolutely, mate.
I know I said it at the start,but you know I'm so grateful.
I'm so grateful for youagreeing to do this.
I'm so grateful for the factthat we've been in touch for
some.
Like you know, you have peoplein your life that we all do life

(01:28:43):
and you go through.
You know life.
Very fortunate to have certainpeople that you cannot talk to
them for 12 months.

Speaker 3 (01:28:50):
Yeah, it feels like yesterday.

Speaker 2 (01:28:52):
And then, as soon as you strike up that conversation,
it does, and I take ownershipfor not being in touch as much
as what I wish I was.

Speaker 3 (01:29:03):
That's life, mate.
But, as I told you, your nameis on my arm, so we haven't lost
the connection.
It's only in a physical sense,but we're never disconnected,
never, and we'll never be I loveonly in a physical sense, but
we're never we're neverdisconnected, never Mate I and
we'll never be.
I love you.
So that that ink, it permeatesinto my heart.
That's what I reckon.
Yeah, maybe that's why I had aheart attack.

(01:29:25):
All you flipping people withyour name on me Too much ink in
my heart, too much ink.

Speaker 2 (01:29:29):
Too much.
Craig Coombs, it's been anabsolute pleasure.
Thank you so much.

Speaker 3 (01:29:36):
It's been my pleasure .
I appreciate you, mate.

Speaker 2 (01:29:38):
And your family mate.
We'll talk to you soon, To youtoo.

Speaker 3 (01:29:41):
Thanks, buddy.

Speaker 2 (01:29:41):
Cheers dude.

Speaker 1 (01:29:45):
Thank you for listening.
The information contained inthis podcast is for educational
and entertainment purposes.
It is not intended, nor shouldit ever, replace advice received
from a physician or mentalhealth professional.
Want more info?
Visit thelaughtercliniccomau.
If you enjoyed the episode,please share and subscribe.
Thanks again for listening to ALaughter Clinic Podcast with

(01:30:08):
your host, mark McConville.

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