May 18, 2025 • 17 mins
This week on TV Reload, I’m joined by beloved actor and activist Samuel Johnson, whose incredible life story is being featured on Australian Story (ABC, 8pm Monday 19th May)
From his breakout role in The Secret Life of Us to winning a Gold Logie and raising over $20 million through his charity Love Your Sister, Sam has become one of Australia’s most inspiring public figures. But behind the accolades is a man who has faced immense personal grief and hardship and come through it with unshakable vulnerability and admirable strength.
In this special episode, we chat about the highs, the heartbreaks, and the decision to finally share his full story on Australian Story. Sam opens up about what he expected from the experience, what scared him, and what he hopes audiences will take away.
It’s a raw, honest, and moving conversation with one of the country’s true heroes.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's in the news today, but it was actually on
TV Reload.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The podcast speak.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
The line, Hey everyone, welcome back to TV Reload. I
want to thank you for clicking and downloading on today's
episode featuring actor and activist Samuel Johnson, who will feature
in tonight's ABC's Australian Story. I hope many of you
tune in at eight pm as his episode screens on
Freedoware Television, and if you are catching up with this
podcast later in the week by then you will be
(00:25):
able to view this episode on iView, the Australian Broadcast
Company's digital platform. I am the biggest fan of Samuel
Johnson since the moment he uttered his first few words
on Secret Love of Us in two thousand and one.
I feel like I joined many Australians instantaneously falling in
love with his warmth, his accessibility and storytelling. There's no
(00:47):
secrets about Sam's life in terms of his highs and lows.
You don't actually have to look far beyond that affable
laric and smile to know that he has quite the
story to tell. I've been patiently waiting for this moment,
knowing that at some point Sam would be asked to
share his story on this brilliant show, which for decades
has been showcasing amazing Australian stories. Samuel Johnson is the
(01:11):
sort of guy to win a Gold LOGI, win Dancing
with the Stars, raise twenty million dollars, take on the
extraordinary if he puts his.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Mind to it. There is this inner.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Superhero ability about this man that most of us could
only dream of possessing. But the man behind those achievements
is also a man who has weathered more than a
few storms. The grief and loss in his life could
very easily have destroyed him, and yet he surfaces time
and time again to share his story, winning audiences with
(01:42):
his vulnerability and his honesty. My chat belly scratches the
surface on what we will see tonight on Australian Story,
but I did get to ask him a few quick
questions about some of his life achievements, from Secret Life
of Us to the success of his charity Love Your Sister.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
We also talk.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
About the decision in saying yes to featuring on Australian Story,
what he guessed they would ask and if he was
scared with some of the topics that he knew they
would no doubt require him to share. I hope that
you loved this episode and this chat. I feel like
it was a privilege and a gift to be able
to have some time with sam this morning. And one
thing I walked away from this conversation was a continued
(02:21):
admiration for Samuel Johnson for his humility and bravery and guys,
my hope is that you get to.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Connect to that too.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Hello, Hey, here you go.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I'm good mate, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Thanks?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
You're up early to be talking about Australian story this morning.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yeah, I've been doing it for a little while now.
It's a beautiful morning.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
It is absolutely amazing. It's started at that point of
Victoria where it's freezing but you're kind of enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, it's both.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
It's a little bit of both.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
And I know that you're out in the sort of
regional Victoria and you really get the cold.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
It bites you there.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, I'm posting now.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
And so so three days a week I get up
early and drive through the cold and get introduced to
the day and it's pretty unforgiving at nighttime at this
time of year.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
We're talking about australis story. And I have to ask
you straight away, were you scared when you signed up
to do this show? Because we know with this show
that they're going to ask you robust questions about your life,
and that must be a little bit scary in some ways.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I wrecked the alligator a bit. I mean, none of
us are immune. You know, I thought suicide might come up.
I thought usage might come up. You know, I've done
life just like all of us, and you know, it's
a mixture of victories and face plants, and I knew
they'd go there, but at the same time, I kind
(03:49):
of respect them for that, And you know, I think
I think life's too short not to go there.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
And I've got nothing to hide. It's scars and all.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
I mean, the format goes deep, and I guess it
works best when the people that sign up to this
show allow themselves to be vulnerable. And you know, Sam,
when I think about you and I think about your
career and what we know of you, I think you
are also at your best when you're vulnerable and you
share your story.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, my dad used to say when I was growing up, Like,
I don't know whether I'm allowed to say this, but
this is what my dad used to say, I don't
care if you bullshit me, just don't bullshit yourself. So
I was taught from a young age not to lie
to myself. So I don't walk around this planet thinking
that I'm any better than I am. And you know,
I just try not to be.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
A tured beggar.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
It's what we all try, you know, We're just it's
a seesaw, isn't it. You know, it's the angel on
one side and it's the devil on the other.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And oh, you've got any more wedding hanging a thing?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I know you that you that I'm not too sure.
Sorry about that. I must have I pressed something with
my take. Sorry about that.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
That's a story of my life, mate. I do that
all the time. I'll be on the.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Phone to my mum, and because we talk in such
long bursts, we don't realize that in actual fact, we accepted
another phone call and are probably telling a stranger from
a really personal story. And I think they don't appreciate it.
I mean, they probably think this is very strange for
a person to be telling them this.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
I'm starting to think I might have a cheek line.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
It's a good way. It's a good way to put it.
Do you know what's funny?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
You were talking about your dad and you're talking about
that saying that you that he shared with you. I
grew up in I grew up in Melbourne, so I
often would go to pubs and bars to hang out,
as we all did growing up. And I remember meeting
your dad with one of your sisters. Now I can't
remember which sister Sam it was, but they're playing pool.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, yeah, And.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I remember having a conversation with him, and he was
a very wise person, who's very open a lot of
the things that I perceive you to be without really
knowing you personally.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
I am I'm so stoked to hear that. I'm not
very delicate, but he was very graceful. I'm very vulgar
and ghost but he was very dignified. I'm very verbose,
and you know, I travel at one hundred and ten
k's an hour, and he's very quiet and listened. He
(06:19):
was very quiet and listened well. And he was admired
by everyone, and he was like like everyone used to
seek his advice. I mean, I was just so lucky
in the dad lottery that I got a dad that
you know, equipped me for this savagery we call life,
and taught me to be nice to others and not
to lie to myself.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
He was very generous, I think with his time. You know,
someone had even pointed out they said that Samuel Johnson's
father over there, and so I was probably a bit
bold to go over there and have a game of
pool with them because I was such a big fan
of yours. It was around the time that Secret Life
of Us was huge, so we're talking decades ago.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Was it at DT's Molly Meldrum's.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Pub, Yes, it was.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I guess we shouldn't say this because he lives two
houses down to them. People try and find him, but yes,
mainly because Molly has that policy where he leaves these
front door open, so you don't want to tell people
about where Molly lives because you know you can probably
wonder inside and have a cup of tea with him
at any time of the night.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
I mean I've played playpool there on many occasions. I
used to go and see Dad there about once a week,
and Molly Meldrim helped me get out of a lawsuit
where Russell Crowe was suing me, so so yeah, got
a rich history with that pub and have had many
a good times there.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Have you been back there recently?
Speaker 2 (07:42):
About a year and a half ago, I popped him briefly.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I haven't been back there in a long time either.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
I think it's the same place, but it's changed ownership.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I mean it still has the Thames that have field.
It's a bit of a nostalgia anyway. People like this
is not your chance to interview Samuel Johnson's love of
pub but it does lead me into the question of
talking to you about vices. And you know, yesterday, when
I was doing my research to talk to you today,
I found something online which said something about are people's
vices signs or clues that they are in fact in
(08:14):
trouble or not addressing bigger issues? What are your thoughts
on that kind of conversation about vices.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
I think we've all got vices, and I call it
wrestling the alligator. And I think those vices can can
bring the worst and the best out of it. I
think if they're policed vigilantly, they can have a positive
net effect. And I think as vices tend to do,
(08:44):
I think if vices.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Take control, then the outcome is not good.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Most people, statistically, when they wrestle the alligator, they win
and it's a positive experience. And then there's people that
really enjoy their vices and that's where the outcomes aren't
so positive. So it's something that I'm very aware of.
I keep a usage diary myself. I'm going to an
(09:10):
AA meeting next Monday. You know, I'm a posty in
a country town, so I don't stay up too late
the night before. We put things in place to try
and learn how to wrestle the alligator better, you know,
And I'm not sure that it's not as simple as
a cold turkey thing for everyone, but it's important to
(09:30):
keep an eye on it, to talk to others about it,
and to do you best against it.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Do you think that in some ways that Australia has
a problem with alcohol.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I think we used to.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
I think we used to live in a culture of alcohol,
and I think we used to glorify it. Statistically, we're
seeing that young people aren't drinking, they're not taking it up.
It's not just going down, it's going well down. So
we're seeing generationally that we're learning about that and we're
changing our system. You know, we know that alcohol increases DV.
We know that alcohol increases all kinds of things. There
(10:02):
are health implications, there are social implications, there are familial implications,
and we're drinking less and less and it's becoming less
and less a part of our culture.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
It's more and more common to go out.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
These days and to be a a drinking establishment and
to see people there that are off the booth and
they're just having a lemonade.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Good to see the culture changing before my eyes.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I think it's changing, probably because you and I have
the same age, you know. That's like even on the
shows that we watched, you know, everyone was having drinks,
Like even when we watch Secret Life of Us because
I rewatched that show all the time because yeah on
borderline obsessed, don't hold against it, And even watching that show,
the way that we were drinking for that era, you know,
it was a big way of socializing.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
And a steeped part of our culture, you know, and
it's good to be that breaking down now. Part of
that is talking about it more and not just seeing
it as an essential thing to do to be an Australian,
but a thing that has consequences, and we're seeing now
people drop off. It's just old dinosaurs and relics like
me that are still wrestling with it.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Probably and me. All right, I think I found something
in common there. There's a quote in tonight's episode, and
this person who joins the show says, I can't imagine
love your sister without you and vice versa. Have you
had time to really reflect on the achievements of that charity,
because when I looked, because of course I know about
(11:25):
it and I've donated to it, but I had no
idea the numbers that you've been able to raise.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Yeah, I've had time to reflect. We're at the twenty
million dollar mark. I've had a lot of time to reflect.
I've been crying for about three weeks. It's been one
of the most amazing positive experiences in my life. I
know it sounds like I looked like a mess, but Gesz, yes,
I have had time to reflect on it, and it
means an incredible amount to me. But I've got my
sister's words echoing in my head. Sam, this isn't your money,
(11:53):
and I'm a glorified megaphone, and the money comes from
the people who are listening to you today.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
It comes from people like you. That's why I'm in
service to you.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Forever, and I've had time to reflect on it, and
it's been a two way straight reciprocally. I don't believe
in altruism. I think it's too simplistic. What I've tapped
into and what I've been able to do and what
I've been given.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Back is astronomical.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
So we might have pulled together twenty million dollars for
cancer research, but personally, all of those legends have given
me a reason to live, so and that's priceless. So yes,
it's donning achievement, but on a personal level, my heart
is falling off. Sleep well at night, mate, and that's
all one can ever hope for.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
I remember once I did a reality show and I
came off at and had a really big following for
a very short period of time, and I tried to
join charities.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I thought, you know what I want to do.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
I want to use this platform for something, And I
did three charities in a row straight after doing this show, right,
and I remember real I realized at that time it's
very hard to ask people for money, you know, for
a charity. And I don't know what it was about you,
but so many people just were able to connect to
your story and that story and hand it for money.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
It is really hard, challenging to ask for money. I
was speaking to carry A big Moore a couple of
weeks ago about it, and she too was talking about
that exact same thing. I don't like asking people for money.
It makes me very uncomfortable. I've had I've had thirteen
years to try and get used to it. But I
was just chatting with Carrie big More the other week
(13:27):
about it. It's incredibly challenging, especially when you're asking people
for money after you've already asked them before.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You know. It's the ugly side of what I do.
I don't enjoy it, but that is my job.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I'm raising funds for hard science and luckily I'm not
raising funds for me.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Yeah, I'm still I think I'll die uncomfortable with it.
I don't like it.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
It's I don't want to monetize this pain. I don't
want to ask people for their heart earned when they've
got none, you know. I mean, we call it a
cock a living crisis and never but basically everyone's broke.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
And you know, I'm still getting around saying, you know,
science matters.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
You know, so yeah, don't I don't enjoy the money
side of things particularly, and that's where I focus on. Actually,
I need to just tell the country about precision medicine
and cancer as well, and so I see myself not
as a fundraiser but as a science communicator.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, that's a good way to put it. But also
people buy you, do you know what I mean? There
has to be something in the minutia or something. I
don't think that's the right word. But you know, the
fact that you're uncomfortable with asking for people for money,
I think is a part of the fact that people.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Will give it to you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Do you know what I mean? It's that that you
that you wrestle with that and you understand the importance
of it is written on your face, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So, and we always keep the arc more.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Yeah, well we're not asking for gold, we're asking for
any silver coins, you know. Like it's it's just like
our twenty million didn't come from the high.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
End of town. It came from people like who found
a couple of bucks in the last ten you know.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
It's look at I look at our quote demographic and
we're not rich and so that makes up asking for
help even harder because of people with less give more.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
That's right. Yeah, And it's a strange.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
It's a strange part of it before you go because
I've run out of time that you know, my partner
would kick me. He would come in and kick me
if I didn't ask you anything about my favorite show,
which is Secret Life of Us. He'd be like, you're embarrassing.
Why didn't you ask him? Is something that he would say.
But I was at SPA which is Screen Producers Australia
last week, absorbing people talking about TV shows, and it
(15:28):
dawned on me while I was sitting there, and I
think every generation gets a Secret Life of Us where
we tell a story, a scripted drama about young people.
Do you think that in twenty twenty five, maybe it's
time that maybe the Edwards family reboot that show and
give the.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Next generation something like that. What do you think?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I think we get we get amazing kind of offerings
lately like Boy Swallows Universe, Oh yeah, which is about
young people.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
And I found that Really, I think that.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
The Secret Life of Us was appropriate for that time.
It could be rewritten into a world that belongs to today.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
But I mean, I.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Don't know, it's flash in the pan, you know, like
I feel like it works, then I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It'd work now.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
You know, we're in a different world at different time,
with a different perspective. I think even if you made
a show these days about young people, that'd be really
really different to the secret life of us.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Well, before you go, the last question ask everyone is
what is something from behind the scenes? And I usually
ask something about something from behind the scenes. Can you
explain when was the last time you're in a room
with Deborah Melman and Claudia carvn Like, where has that
ever happened?
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Again?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Absolutely, I've spoken to Dead Mailman a few times on
the phone, and I've caught up with Cordial Caravan.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Quite a bit, quite a bit.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
She helps out our cancer mob and I saw her
about a year and a half ago when visited when
I was in Sydney, maybe two years ago.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
We had a chat.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
About Dancing with the Stars. I told her it was
a great thing to do. She did the next season
of it, you know, so so yeah, we still catch up.
But no, I haven't seen deb since. But I did
pass here in the old days because we played spin
the bottle.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
There you go, there's something that people may not know.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Well, I would say Cloudic Cover's my favorite episode of
Australian story so fast, but you might be back tonight
beating that when you shop a story tonight. Thank you
for being so gracious and talking to me, but thank
you for being so open and reflecting on your story
and I hope Australian audiences appreciate it as much as
I do.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Digits crossed and thank you so much. And I knew
that there'd be a fan out there somewhere, a secret
life of us, so it was.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
It was a pleasure to talk and.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Text for your time.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I were ready for it, you were ready for it,
Joey turning to the media, mate and all the very best.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah to you too as well. And you've got the
number call me if you need me.
It's in the news today, but it was actually on
TV Reload.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The podcast speak.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
The line, Hey everyone, welcome back to TV Reload. I
want to thank you for clicking and downloading on today's
episode featuring actor and activist Samuel Johnson, who will feature
in tonight's ABC's Australian Story. I hope many of you
tune in at eight pm as his episode screens on
Freedoware Television, and if you are catching up with this
podcast later in the week by then you will be
(00:25):
able to view this episode on iView, the Australian Broadcast
Company's digital platform. I am the biggest fan of Samuel
Johnson since the moment he uttered his first few words
on Secret Love of Us in two thousand and one.
I feel like I joined many Australians instantaneously falling in
love with his warmth, his accessibility and storytelling. There's no
(00:47):
secrets about Sam's life in terms of his highs and lows.
You don't actually have to look far beyond that affable
laric and smile to know that he has quite the
story to tell. I've been patiently waiting for this moment,
knowing that at some point Sam would be asked to
share his story on this brilliant show, which for decades
has been showcasing amazing Australian stories. Samuel Johnson is the
(01:11):
sort of guy to win a Gold LOGI, win Dancing
with the Stars, raise twenty million dollars, take on the
extraordinary if he puts his.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Mind to it. There is this inner.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Superhero ability about this man that most of us could
only dream of possessing. But the man behind those achievements
is also a man who has weathered more than a
few storms. The grief and loss in his life could
very easily have destroyed him, and yet he surfaces time
and time again to share his story, winning audiences with
(01:42):
his vulnerability and his honesty. My chat belly scratches the
surface on what we will see tonight on Australian Story,
but I did get to ask him a few quick
questions about some of his life achievements, from Secret Life
of Us to the success of his charity Love Your Sister.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
We also talk.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
About the decision in saying yes to featuring on Australian Story,
what he guessed they would ask and if he was
scared with some of the topics that he knew they
would no doubt require him to share. I hope that
you loved this episode and this chat. I feel like
it was a privilege and a gift to be able
to have some time with sam this morning. And one
thing I walked away from this conversation was a continued
(02:21):
admiration for Samuel Johnson for his humility and bravery and guys,
my hope is that you get to.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Connect to that too.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Hello, Hey, here you go.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I'm good mate, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Thanks?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
You're up early to be talking about Australian story this morning.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yeah, I've been doing it for a little while now.
It's a beautiful morning.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
It is absolutely amazing. It's started at that point of
Victoria where it's freezing but you're kind of enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, it's both.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
It's a little bit of both.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
And I know that you're out in the sort of
regional Victoria and you really get the cold.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
It bites you there.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yeah, I'm posting now.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
And so so three days a week I get up
early and drive through the cold and get introduced to
the day and it's pretty unforgiving at nighttime at this
time of year.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
We're talking about australis story. And I have to ask
you straight away, were you scared when you signed up
to do this show? Because we know with this show
that they're going to ask you robust questions about your life,
and that must be a little bit scary in some ways.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I wrecked the alligator a bit. I mean, none of
us are immune. You know, I thought suicide might come up.
I thought usage might come up. You know, I've done
life just like all of us, and you know, it's
a mixture of victories and face plants, and I knew
they'd go there, but at the same time, I kind
(03:49):
of respect them for that, And you know, I think
I think life's too short not to go there.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
And I've got nothing to hide. It's scars and all.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
I mean, the format goes deep, and I guess it
works best when the people that sign up to this
show allow themselves to be vulnerable. And you know, Sam,
when I think about you and I think about your
career and what we know of you, I think you
are also at your best when you're vulnerable and you
share your story.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, my dad used to say when I was growing up, Like,
I don't know whether I'm allowed to say this, but
this is what my dad used to say, I don't
care if you bullshit me, just don't bullshit yourself. So
I was taught from a young age not to lie
to myself. So I don't walk around this planet thinking
that I'm any better than I am. And you know,
I just try not to be.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
A tured beggar.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
It's what we all try, you know, We're just it's
a seesaw, isn't it. You know, it's the angel on
one side and it's the devil on the other.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And oh, you've got any more wedding hanging a thing?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I know you that you that I'm not too sure.
Sorry about that. I must have I pressed something with
my take. Sorry about that.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
That's a story of my life, mate. I do that
all the time. I'll be on the.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Phone to my mum, and because we talk in such
long bursts, we don't realize that in actual fact, we accepted
another phone call and are probably telling a stranger from
a really personal story. And I think they don't appreciate it.
I mean, they probably think this is very strange for
a person to be telling them this.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
I'm starting to think I might have a cheek line.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
It's a good way. It's a good way to put it.
Do you know what's funny?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
You were talking about your dad and you're talking about
that saying that you that he shared with you. I
grew up in I grew up in Melbourne, so I
often would go to pubs and bars to hang out,
as we all did growing up. And I remember meeting
your dad with one of your sisters. Now I can't
remember which sister Sam it was, but they're playing pool.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, yeah, And.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I remember having a conversation with him, and he was
a very wise person, who's very open a lot of
the things that I perceive you to be without really
knowing you personally.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
I am I'm so stoked to hear that. I'm not
very delicate, but he was very graceful. I'm very vulgar
and ghost but he was very dignified. I'm very verbose,
and you know, I travel at one hundred and ten
k's an hour, and he's very quiet and listened. He
(06:19):
was very quiet and listened well. And he was admired
by everyone, and he was like like everyone used to
seek his advice. I mean, I was just so lucky
in the dad lottery that I got a dad that
you know, equipped me for this savagery we call life,
and taught me to be nice to others and not
to lie to myself.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
He was very generous, I think with his time. You know,
someone had even pointed out they said that Samuel Johnson's
father over there, and so I was probably a bit
bold to go over there and have a game of
pool with them because I was such a big fan
of yours. It was around the time that Secret Life
of Us was huge, so we're talking decades ago.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Was it at DT's Molly Meldrum's.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Pub, Yes, it was.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I guess we shouldn't say this because he lives two
houses down to them. People try and find him, but yes,
mainly because Molly has that policy where he leaves these
front door open, so you don't want to tell people
about where Molly lives because you know you can probably
wonder inside and have a cup of tea with him
at any time of the night.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
I mean I've played playpool there on many occasions. I
used to go and see Dad there about once a week,
and Molly Meldrim helped me get out of a lawsuit
where Russell Crowe was suing me, so so yeah, got
a rich history with that pub and have had many
a good times there.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Have you been back there recently?
Speaker 2 (07:42):
About a year and a half ago, I popped him briefly.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I haven't been back there in a long time either.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
I think it's the same place, but it's changed ownership.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I mean it still has the Thames that have field.
It's a bit of a nostalgia anyway. People like this
is not your chance to interview Samuel Johnson's love of
pub but it does lead me into the question of
talking to you about vices. And you know, yesterday, when
I was doing my research to talk to you today,
I found something online which said something about are people's
vices signs or clues that they are in fact in
(08:14):
trouble or not addressing bigger issues? What are your thoughts
on that kind of conversation about vices.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
I think we've all got vices, and I call it
wrestling the alligator. And I think those vices can can
bring the worst and the best out of it. I
think if they're policed vigilantly, they can have a positive
net effect. And I think as vices tend to do,
(08:44):
I think if vices.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Take control, then the outcome is not good.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Most people, statistically, when they wrestle the alligator, they win
and it's a positive experience. And then there's people that
really enjoy their vices and that's where the outcomes aren't
so positive. So it's something that I'm very aware of.
I keep a usage diary myself. I'm going to an
(09:10):
AA meeting next Monday. You know, I'm a posty in
a country town, so I don't stay up too late
the night before. We put things in place to try
and learn how to wrestle the alligator better, you know,
And I'm not sure that it's not as simple as
a cold turkey thing for everyone, but it's important to
(09:30):
keep an eye on it, to talk to others about it,
and to do you best against it.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Do you think that in some ways that Australia has
a problem with alcohol.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I think we used to.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
I think we used to live in a culture of alcohol,
and I think we used to glorify it. Statistically, we're
seeing that young people aren't drinking, they're not taking it up.
It's not just going down, it's going well down. So
we're seeing generationally that we're learning about that and we're
changing our system. You know, we know that alcohol increases DV.
We know that alcohol increases all kinds of things. There
(10:02):
are health implications, there are social implications, there are familial implications,
and we're drinking less and less and it's becoming less
and less a part of our culture.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
It's more and more common to go out.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
These days and to be a a drinking establishment and
to see people there that are off the booth and
they're just having a lemonade.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Good to see the culture changing before my eyes.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I think it's changing, probably because you and I have
the same age, you know. That's like even on the
shows that we watched, you know, everyone was having drinks,
Like even when we watch Secret Life of Us because
I rewatched that show all the time because yeah on
borderline obsessed, don't hold against it, And even watching that show,
the way that we were drinking for that era, you know,
it was a big way of socializing.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
And a steeped part of our culture, you know, and
it's good to be that breaking down now. Part of
that is talking about it more and not just seeing
it as an essential thing to do to be an Australian,
but a thing that has consequences, and we're seeing now
people drop off. It's just old dinosaurs and relics like
me that are still wrestling with it.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Probably and me. All right, I think I found something
in common there. There's a quote in tonight's episode, and
this person who joins the show says, I can't imagine
love your sister without you and vice versa. Have you
had time to really reflect on the achievements of that charity,
because when I looked, because of course I know about
(11:25):
it and I've donated to it, but I had no
idea the numbers that you've been able to raise.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Yeah, I've had time to reflect. We're at the twenty
million dollar mark. I've had a lot of time to reflect.
I've been crying for about three weeks. It's been one
of the most amazing positive experiences in my life. I
know it sounds like I looked like a mess, but Gesz, yes,
I have had time to reflect on it, and it
means an incredible amount to me. But I've got my
sister's words echoing in my head. Sam, this isn't your money,
(11:53):
and I'm a glorified megaphone, and the money comes from
the people who are listening to you today.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
It comes from people like you. That's why I'm in
service to you.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Forever, and I've had time to reflect on it, and
it's been a two way straight reciprocally. I don't believe
in altruism. I think it's too simplistic. What I've tapped
into and what I've been able to do and what
I've been given.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Back is astronomical.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
So we might have pulled together twenty million dollars for
cancer research, but personally, all of those legends have given
me a reason to live, so and that's priceless. So yes,
it's donning achievement, but on a personal level, my heart
is falling off. Sleep well at night, mate, and that's
all one can ever hope for.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
I remember once I did a reality show and I
came off at and had a really big following for
a very short period of time, and I tried to
join charities.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I thought, you know what I want to do.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
I want to use this platform for something, And I
did three charities in a row straight after doing this show, right,
and I remember real I realized at that time it's
very hard to ask people for money, you know, for
a charity. And I don't know what it was about you,
but so many people just were able to connect to
your story and that story and hand it for money.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
It is really hard, challenging to ask for money. I
was speaking to carry A big Moore a couple of
weeks ago about it, and she too was talking about
that exact same thing. I don't like asking people for money.
It makes me very uncomfortable. I've had I've had thirteen
years to try and get used to it. But I
was just chatting with Carrie big More the other week
(13:27):
about it. It's incredibly challenging, especially when you're asking people
for money after you've already asked them before.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You know. It's the ugly side of what I do.
I don't enjoy it, but that is my job.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I'm raising funds for hard science and luckily I'm not
raising funds for me.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Yeah, I'm still I think I'll die uncomfortable with it.
I don't like it.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
It's I don't want to monetize this pain. I don't
want to ask people for their heart earned when they've
got none, you know. I mean, we call it a
cock a living crisis and never but basically everyone's broke.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
And you know, I'm still getting around saying, you know,
science matters.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
You know, so yeah, don't I don't enjoy the money
side of things particularly, and that's where I focus on. Actually,
I need to just tell the country about precision medicine
and cancer as well, and so I see myself not
as a fundraiser but as a science communicator.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, that's a good way to put it. But also
people buy you, do you know what I mean? There
has to be something in the minutia or something. I
don't think that's the right word. But you know, the
fact that you're uncomfortable with asking for people for money,
I think is a part of the fact that people.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Will give it to you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Do you know what I mean? It's that that you
that you wrestle with that and you understand the importance
of it is written on your face, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So, and we always keep the arc more.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Yeah, well we're not asking for gold, we're asking for
any silver coins, you know. Like it's it's just like
our twenty million didn't come from the high.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
End of town. It came from people like who found
a couple of bucks in the last ten you know.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
It's look at I look at our quote demographic and
we're not rich and so that makes up asking for
help even harder because of people with less give more.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
That's right. Yeah, And it's a strange.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
It's a strange part of it before you go because
I've run out of time that you know, my partner
would kick me. He would come in and kick me
if I didn't ask you anything about my favorite show,
which is Secret Life of Us. He'd be like, you're embarrassing.
Why didn't you ask him? Is something that he would say.
But I was at SPA which is Screen Producers Australia
last week, absorbing people talking about TV shows, and it
(15:28):
dawned on me while I was sitting there, and I
think every generation gets a Secret Life of Us where
we tell a story, a scripted drama about young people.
Do you think that in twenty twenty five, maybe it's
time that maybe the Edwards family reboot that show and
give the.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Next generation something like that. What do you think?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I think we get we get amazing kind of offerings
lately like Boy Swallows Universe, Oh yeah, which is about
young people.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
And I found that Really, I think that.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
The Secret Life of Us was appropriate for that time.
It could be rewritten into a world that belongs to today.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
But I mean, I.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Don't know, it's flash in the pan, you know, like
I feel like it works, then I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
It'd work now.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
You know, we're in a different world at different time,
with a different perspective. I think even if you made
a show these days about young people, that'd be really
really different to the secret life of us.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Well, before you go, the last question ask everyone is
what is something from behind the scenes? And I usually
ask something about something from behind the scenes. Can you
explain when was the last time you're in a room
with Deborah Melman and Claudia carvn Like, where has that
ever happened?
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Again?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Absolutely, I've spoken to Dead Mailman a few times on
the phone, and I've caught up with Cordial Caravan.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Quite a bit, quite a bit.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
She helps out our cancer mob and I saw her
about a year and a half ago when visited when
I was in Sydney, maybe two years ago.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
We had a chat.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
About Dancing with the Stars. I told her it was
a great thing to do. She did the next season
of it, you know, so so yeah, we still catch up.
But no, I haven't seen deb since. But I did
pass here in the old days because we played spin
the bottle.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
There you go, there's something that people may not know.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Well, I would say Cloudic Cover's my favorite episode of
Australian story so fast, but you might be back tonight
beating that when you shop a story tonight. Thank you
for being so gracious and talking to me, but thank
you for being so open and reflecting on your story
and I hope Australian audiences appreciate it as much as
I do.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
Digits crossed and thank you so much. And I knew
that there'd be a fan out there somewhere, a secret
life of us, so it was.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
It was a pleasure to talk and.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Text for your time.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I were ready for it, you were ready for it,
Joey turning to the media, mate and all the very best.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah to you too as well. And you've got the
number call me if you need me.
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