Peter Helliar is a name that most Australians who have turned on the television or radio within the last 10 years should know. Apart from supporting Rove McManus on Rove Live for the last decade, he has also achieved acclaim through numerous radio shows on Nova, Triple J and Fox FM, won the hearts of football fans everywhere with his alter-ego (and best mate) Bryan Strauchanie Strauchan and entertained countless Australians with his stand-up shows. More recently, he has written a film “I Love You Too”, and is about to embark on a new tour Dreamboat, two years since his last show “Hellraiser” split the sides of people everywhere. David Slattery caught up with Peter recently, to discuss Australian comedy, Strauchanie and Rove’s sex bunker.
You have worked in almost every medium the entertainment industry has to offer: Radio, television, onstage and even Strauchanie has written a book of his own, not to mention the long list of great Australian and international comedians who you have worked with. Where and with whom do you feel truly in your element as a comedian? More importantly, where do you think you are at your funniest?
I think on stage I truly feel in my element as a comedian. There are no boundaries in live stand up comedy and I am not necessarily talking about topics and issues you can address but you have editorial freedom, you don’t have to run it past a producer or head writer or fellow cast member or lawyers. And you have the luxury of having up to 60-90 minutes on stage. You don’t have to break for commercials although I do try and get a few plugs away for Sham Wow but only because I truly believe in the product. I have been lucky to work with some great comics from Rove to Hughesy, from Jude Lucy and Merrick and Rosso amongst others but I think standing up on your own in front of a paying audience is the true test and the most challenging and personally rewarding.
As a great Australian comedian, what do you feel defines great Aussie comedy? Is there anything that separates the Aussies from the rest of the world when it comes to making people laugh?
I am a fan of what’s funny is funny and I don’t see a whole lot of difference between the Australian comics and the British and the Americans. Americans are probably the best at having the audience at the forefront of their minds, the British probably go to weirder places and we sit somewhere in between. Off stage, in Australian backyards we are probably drier than most.
I know that I personally would like to know the back-story of one of Australia’s greatest symbols. Where did Strauchanie come from? Why was he brought into this world?
I did a mockumentary style series on the first couple of series of Rove called ‘Other Peoples Lives’. They were primarily characters who took themselves extremely seriously but had no real talent to back it up. A guy who organised the office Footy tipping for example, a bloke who was a professional Funniest Home Videos video-maker. One of our writers, Paul Calleja, remembered these and suggested we do something similar in the AFL world. Paul knew two things, he played for Collingwood and his name was Bryan Strauchan. We fleshed the idea out a bit and we started shooting a couple of days later. I have considered retiring him every year but when somebody asks you for an autograph for their 84 year old Granny and their 9 year old nephew you realize you may not hit on anything that has such wide appeal. That and he makes more money than I do!!
It’s been two years since your Hellraiser live show. Are you nervous and/or excited about coming back onstage for your new solo show? What, if anything, has changed in the way you have prepared yourself for Dreamboat?
I probably go into Dreamboat with more material. There’s a lot in it. There won’t be any padding out. It’s been pretty similar. I’ve done a few more gigs around town to prep this one. There is something about opening a show at the Opera House that makes you really want to hit the ground running. Although Hellraiser opened at the Thebarton Theatre in Adelaide in front of 2,000 people and I got one of the best reviews of the season that night so hopefully Dreamboat will get off to a similar start.
With Rove off the air, do you have any memories from your ten years on the show that you would like to share? Anything that you can finally say, now that the show has come to an end?
I can finally say that Rove had a Letterman style sex bunker at the studio. Fortunately he never used it so we converted it into a games room with table tennis and darts. It was an amazing 10 year run and I am extememly proud of what we achieved. Not a bad first TV gig to land!
Tell us about your film “I Love You Too”. How does the creative process of a writing a film compare to your previous work?
It’s longer, harder, more challenging, it involves more people, takes more discipline but I absolutely loved it. It was do much fun and extremely rewarding. I definitely want to do more. It’s a romantic comedy, equally romantic and comedic. I show a side I know people haven’t seen of me. There is probably a bit more vulnerability with this but it’s probably what I am most proud of and nothing will change how proud I am of the people who helped me make it from the producers to the crew to the amazing actors we had. My next movie is about the young Mexican boy who invented the flat bottomed taco. Amazing story that!
You can Catch Peter in his Dreamboat tour at the Sydney Opera House, Playhouse from Tuesday the 5th to Sunday 17 of January 2010. Tue – Fri 7.00pm, Sat & Sun 7.30pm. Ticket Prices: Preview (5 January) all tickets $29.50, Tues – Thu & Sun Full $37.50, Concession $33.50 Fri & Sat all tickets $37.50. Bookings: www.sydneyoperahouse.com or 9250 7777 or www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849.
Many thanks to Peter Helliar