Podcast appearances and mentions of andrew eggelton

Andrew Eggelton is a master of the presenting craft, driven by his deep appreciation for those magical moments when a speaker's internal world manifests both verbally and energetically before an audience. Through his guidance, clients discover newfound freedom to explore unique possibilities, uncover their authentic voice, and forge deeper connections with their audiences. Drawing from over three decades of experience in film, TV presenting, and public speaking, Andrew brings what many describe as "a breath of fresh air" to the art of communication. His approach is distinctive – he helps presenters reconnect with their true selves while equipping them with finely-honed tools that enhance their presence, whether they're on stage, in front of a camera, pitching ideas, or leading teams. His gift lies in transforming speakers' voices into their most powerful instruments of expression.   Andrew's 3 mindset messages: Always be ready for when the opportunity presents itself. Often when the opportunity arises its too late to learn, practice and prepare. Be ready and seize it because most wont Repetition over an extended period of time leads to mastery It's important to lean in to challenges, not so far that you're living in stress and fear but enough that you're dreaming big and redefining your comfort zone constantly. Food   "I looove seafood," Andrew wrote, and that won me immediately, despite him also liking lamb. I love seafood too, and I feel that seafood gives me a beautiful opportunity to show appreciation to my guests. So, to show my appreciation for Andrew, I ordered delicious, freshly-shucked oysters and a plethora of seafood such as mussels, golden scallops, cod, and succulent prawns for my luxurious seafood skillet dish. I served this dish with grilled baguette and lemons. It was absolutely delicious!   Visit www.mindsetkitchen.co.uk to find out more.

Andrew's a Presenting Mentor, Communications Expert, TED Talk Coach and runs events around the world. Andrew says - When we simply share information, we're operating in a Level 1 of Presenting. It does not move an audience, nor is the speaker remembered. Level 1, the age of Technical, will no longer serve us moving forward. We're now entering the age of Connection and this requires Presenters to connect with their Audience and to do this, first they must be connected to themselves.  Guests Links:  https://www.andreweggelton.com/ andrew@andreweggelton.com https://www.instagram.com/andreweggelton/  https://www.facebook.com/andreweggelton  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreweggelton/ Download my free resource: 5 Unique Voice Tools to Engage & Connect: http://bit.ly/thespeakersvoicetools Join 'The Presenters' Experience LinkedIn Group': https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14081231/ Grab my 9-minute guided audio to design your future by creating the person you need to be. My signature experience that I get booked for all over the world and now available to you whenever you need: https://bit.ly/AMPLIFYYOURMOMENT Would you like help to create a plan to become a World Class Presenter and become the most Authentic Speaker in the room? https://calendly.com/andrew-46/letstalk

You do not have to stand on a stage to be a Speaker.  Being able to captivate an audience, big or small,  can bring about the amplification of success in Business or the Arts.With over 28 years of Public Speaking and TV Presenting, Andrew Eggelton is sought to master what Authenticity truly means and how to achieve it.   The space between the words is as potent as the words themselves.  And that is Andrew's secret sauce in mentoring Speakers to work in a place of ‘Suspended Presence,' to take ownership of the space and not surrender it. This type of  Authenticity creates a connection with your audience and gives potency to the actual message in storytelling.Join me for a fascinating conversation about being the Messenger of Words and how it can help your creative goals.Connect with Andrew Eggelton:Official WebsiteOfficial FacebookLet's Connect!Alexia Melocchi - WebsiteThe Heart of Show Business - WebsiteLittle Studio Films - WebsiteShop Our Merchandise!TwitterInstagramFacebookLinkedIn

The intense experience that all of us went through in the last two years actually helped us become more aligned with what we want in life. The pandemic may not have changed who we are, rather, it showed us our authentic selves. In this episode of Influence By Design, Andrew Eggelton takes over the mic and asks Samantha about how to live life in alignment with human design. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/367/

This month on the Free to Be Show, we have pulled back the layers on Self-love. The first week it was about creating it The second week how to coming home tonight The third week how to use it as a tool of disentangling And now tonight we dive into the rest of the story how do we choose to connect deeply with others in a healthy way…sexual responsibility starts with self-love Sometimes we have opportunities to share our bodies and souls with others and we have to freely choose from a place of loving the awareness of our Self Sexual connection is a blending of energies and souls. What have you experienced ? “It's all about falling in love with yourself and sharing that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self love deficit.” by Eartha Kitt Healing is sexual…you read that correctly. Our sexuality is the core of our spirituality…and self-love is the highest form of spirituality. This conversation is not what you think it is going to be. It is according to who you BE…not who you are, only your beingness in the moment. Join me and two dear friends of mine: Andrew and Tonya. They are from two of the sexiest parts of the world New Zealand and New Orleans. Andrew Eggelton is a leading authority on Authentic Presenting and visionary behind ‘The Eggelton Presenting Method™', a style of Presenting that re-invents the Speakers Experience, elevating it beyond the tropes of old school copy and paste to a deeper, more spiritual experience. He dares Presenters to not only be World Class, but instead, redefine what World Class looks like. He takes people into the craft where the space between the words is as potent as the words themselves and when they do speak, their words match the frequency of their Greatness, feeling the impact of each nuance. The goal is the Presenters internal world manifests both verbally and energetically on the outside, to draw the audience in and forever influence their hearts and minds. "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low, and we reach it" Michelangelo Tonya Freeman Tonya Freeman is a healer, author, and mystic from New Orleans La. In March 2020, her Massage Therapy practice halted abruptly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As fate would have it, Tonya seized a golden opportunity to be included in a pilot Community Health Worker initiative called “Resilience Corps” providing health information and resources to those in the community greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Courage, Love, Freedom and Transformation are the four foundational pillars that drive and influence her personal development and evolution. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cordelia-gaffar0/support

Andrew Eggelton is the world's leading authority on Authentic Presenting and visionary behind ‘The Eggelton Presenting Method™', a style of Presenting that re-invents the Speakers Experience, elevating it beyond the tropes of old school copy and paste to a deeper, more spiritual experience.He dared to dream that one day he could not only be World Class, but instead, redefine what World Class looks like.He takes people into a world where the space between the words is as potent as the words themselves and when they do speak, their words match the frequency of their Greatness, an audience, connecting, resonating, feeling the impact of each nuance.  The goal is the Presenters internal world manifests both verbally and energetically on the outside, to draw the audience in and forever influence their hearts and minds.Jo and Andrew discuss the mystery of what 'Just Be You' means and show you ways to be truly Authentic.You will leave the episode understanding ...What ‘Just Be You' actually means - taking away the mystery of this unhelpful adviceHow to achieve real Authenticity on Camera or StageHow to ensure your Business and You grow together, staying in integrity and syncYou can find Andrew's website here 

On this episode of #mensexpleasure, I chat with Andrew Eggelton. Andrew is the world's leading authority on Authentic Presenting. He's the creator and visionary behind 'The Eggelton Presenting Method™', a style of Presenting that re-invents the Speakers Experience, elevating it beyond the tropes of old school copy and paste to a deeper, more spiritual experience for both Presenter and Audience. Over 28 years of devotion to his craft of Presenting, from sleeping in the boot of his car so he could afford lessons, to perpetually touring the world running sold out events and retreats, he dared to dream that one day he could not only be World Class, but redefine what World Class looks like. Through a career of TV, Film and Speaking, working with people like Ryan Gosling, Michael J Fox, Peter Jackson and winning multiple TV awards, he devoted most of this career to discovering what 'Just Be You' actually means when Presenting and how to achieve pure authenticity. He transforms Speakers, aiding them to discover a balance of the Head, which is the technical, and the Heart Brain, which is the feeling. He takes them into a world where the space between the words is as potent as the words themselves and when they do speak, their words match the frequency of their Greatness, an audience, connecting, resonating, feeling the impact of each nuance. The two of us talk about what authenticity looks and feels like not only when presenting and speaking but also when it comes to masculinity and sexuality. Key points: - Andrew shares about his career - “Just be you” vs “fake it until you make it” - Tony Robbins and performance - Not changing state - Speaking in online spaces - Performing masculinity - Overcoming anxiety - Getting into and moving your body - Presence and acceptance - Communicating sexually Relevant links: Andrew's website: https://www.andreweggelton.com/ Andrew's Instagram: @andreweggelton Cam's Patreon: www.patreon.com/thecamfraser

When we're getting up on a stage, in front of a live camera, or simply in front of a small group of people, the pressure of being our best selves is on the roof. The self-critic we all have in us heightens the awareness of all the flaws we think we may have, and most of us try to become someone we're not. But guess what! People sense when things are inauthentic and their trust in your words is directly proportional to your level of authenticity. Joining me today is someone who has over 27 years of experience in film, television presenting, and public speaking. Andrew Eggelton is a behemoth in the industry, and he helps speakers and presenters match their talent with their ambition, by tapping into something many understand as 'flow' or, as Andrew likes to call it, a conduit for infinite wisdom.Andrew is focusing on the presenter's heart brain and the magic in the space between the words, making sure that the words of the speaker match the frequency of their greatness and bring out their authentic self. These are all topics we discuss in this episode, as well as many others such as how to build and develop your craft, what to do before you enter the arena, and the approaches someone should take to achieve their long-term goals. If you're looking to get into presenting or if you want a shot of adrenaline to get you into that space, then tune in to Episode 56 of Enhanced Living, and learn to show up as you truly are. Some Questions I Ask:How did you come about helping people find their authentic voice in presenting? (03:45)What is the best way to silence the self-critic so that you can find your authenticity? (12:38)How does one know when the skill is there to meet the ambitious side? (25:46)What is the key to unlocking authenticity and being who you really are? (39:24) In This Episode You Will Learn:The importance of matching your skills with your ambitions. (08:29)What the heart brain is and how it can elevate your authentic self on stage. (14:55)How to build and develop your craft so it becomes your second nature. (20:35)How to fill the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be in five or 10 years. (29:01)Why you should say ‘yes’ to opportunities even if you don’t feel you’re 100% ready. (33:05) Connect With Andrew Eggelton:WebsiteLinkedInFacebook Group: The Heart of PresentingInstagramYoutubeLet’s Connect!WebsiteInstagramEnhanced Living - Facebook GroupEnhanced Living - Youtube ChannelThe Vegans Three - Youtube Channel See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I am so very excited to be able to bring you this interview (Podcast) in both video and audio formats. I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew personally through a Jake Ballentine event in Pasadena. Andrew was one of the highlights during the three-day workshop. Add to that, the almost instantaneous COVID shutdowns and Andrew was one of the last impressionable speakers to present to the Speaker, Author, and Coach summit as presented by Jake. I watched as many attendees in the Summit then followed Andrew on "The Heart of Presenting" Facebook page, taking part in his 10-day challenge. For many, this experience is transformational. For me, it led to a paradigm shift in how I perceive my own presenting style and left me open to change. I hope that you enjoy this moment with Andrew and appreciate the value and transparency he brought to the interview. A canceled 2020 dream year of travel, a recent move, and a forthcoming baby give a guy a lot to think about... tune in to hear those thoughts. For more on how to follow Andrew: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andreweggelton Website: http://www.andreweggelton.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreweggelton/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/andreweyoutube

“Just be yourself…”  We've all heard this advice before, and may even have given this advice to a friend or a colleague before an important presentation.  But what does it really mean to just be your authentic self and why is it important to know yourself in order to communicate better with others? In this episode we unpack what it means to just be you, and the meaning of authenticity. When you stay true to who you are, what you do, and who you serve, this benefits both you and your patient or customer. By staying true to yourself, you become a more effective communicator. The power of knowing and being yourself makes you more authentic no matter who you are speaking to. TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE: Authenticity and just be you (3:16) Accepting the state you are in (5:14) The 3 Me's (18:40) Only you hold you back (21:09) Let go of resistance (25:42) Removing the scarcity mindset (25:51) Thriving during the pandemic (26:42) Growth mindset (27:15) Finding alternatives (27:20) CONNECT WITH ANDREW EGGELTON AndrewEggelton.com Connect with Andrew on Facebook Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn Connect with Andrew on Instagram CONNECT WITH ELAINA MULLERY HappyNurse.com.au Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook Connect with me on LinkedIn Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Discover the 4 things you need to master to create an international speaking business with master presenter, Andrew Eggelton.  In this episode, I'm joined by return guest and personal friend, Andrew Eggelton. We dive into his tips for improving your public speaking so you can grow your business. We discuss:  What inspired him to create his own unique methodology Public speaking vs public feeling Creating congruency between who you are on stage and off stage Letting go of our perceptions of what we think we should look like on stage Presenting from the heart-brain and not your brain Frameworks can give you a state of flow and pure authenticity The power of believing what you say Breaking habits and expanding and how it helps you grow your speaking business. The value of the question "in one year's time when I'm already in my greatness, how do I act or react right now?" And more. Show notes: www.shareyourpassion.com.au/ep-151

Andrew Eggelton is an Internationally renowned Presenting Coach with a gift in helping others become congruent with their authentic, unique gift.   With 26 years experience in front of and behind the camera on Stage, TV and Film, he has created a style of Presenting that is taking the world by storm. Andrew shows people how to tell their story or share their expertise from the heart. Andrew's theory - "When you shift your Presenting from your head to your heart you'll never forget your words again" Find Andrew on FaceBook '@The HeArt of Presenting' or on www.andreweggelton.com

There’s a new currency. It’s TRUST. In this episode of the Invest In You Podcast, we look at Fredrik Sandvall and Sheila Holt’s book, Trust is the New Currency. While we think we have it all effortless and comfortable in this world, we miss on the most valuable stuff. And one of these is trust, which is valuable in growing yourself, your career, or your business. Fredrik, Ivan, and Charlie read some praises from successful entrepreneurs and also share some snippets from the book. Discover today how you can put trust back at the very core of your business. Fredrik and Sheila are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to this.  Fredrik is fond of educating others while Sheila is interested in growing relationships and understanding how people think. Be financially free for the rest of your life when you unlock the secrets. KEY TAKEAWAYS Daniel Priestley wrote the foreword of the book. Daniel met Sheila and Fredrik in one of the property events in 2013. He trusts them on their expertise about creating and scaling up a business. They share the world’s leading entrepreneurs’ ways on how they continue to attain success. So, if you want to learn about the business and finance world today, the dream team can help you. Success and failure are predictable. The 3 elements on creating and growing a business: Profile Finance Team Trust is central in how we operate our own businesses. There always appear innovations now and then but trust builds our relationships (partnerships, teamwork, customer relations, etc.). it’s valuable in the growth of your business. The ‘Trust is The New Currency’ book has 3 parts: The Foundation of Trust. Building the Business Engines. Partnering to Create Wealth and Investments. Why is this book perfect for you? To develop a fresh approach to business. To build relationships founded on trust. To use ‘trust’ as the currency to attract the right business partner. To create new alliances and more wealth for your successful businesses. BEST MOMENTS Some of the reviews: ‘I love the concept of this book and I agree that “trust is the new currency”. This book has been well thought out and presented in an easy to understand format, which will help you build an effective core team. All entrepreneurs can use the high-level information here to introduce trust and keep it flowing within their business. It’s great to see Sheila and Fredrik collaborate in this way. Highly recommended.’ Simon Zutshi, Author of bestseller Property Magic and Founder of Property Investors Network ‘Trust is the new currency. Couldn’t have put it better myself. In the modern world of business, the internet and social media, trust is one of the most important, yet overlooked, tools. By applying the principles that the authors detail in this book within your business, communication and relationships will improve, you’ll be able to manage projects better and will find it easier to get the results you want.’ Rob Wilkinson, Co-founder, Crowd with Us ‘Three new models explained and with clarity. The Trust Triangle, the Business Engine and the Investment Triangle are bound to help any entrepreneur on their journey to success. Apply them in your business.’ Andrew Eggelton, Presenting Mentor VALUABLE RESOURCES Trust is the New Currency Official Website Trust is the New Currency: How to build trust, attract the right partners and create wealth through business and investments by Sheila Holt and Fredrik - http://bit.ly/TrustSandvall ABOUT THE HOST Serial entrepreneurs Fredrik, Charlie and Ivan Sandvall love sharing ideas and interviewing world-class entrepreneurs and influences. Invest In You is about investments, entrepreneurs, personal development and doing fun things. They hope to ensure you to take action, helping others and yourself, plus enjoying the journey we call life.   CONTACT METHOD Fredrik Sandvall https://fredriksandvall.com https://linkedin.com/in/Sandvall/ https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/ @FredrikinLondon Invest In You Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1nvestinyou/ Charlie’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRYA8B8P29M-OzUrpfiP5Iw

An exclusive interview with Australia’s Presenter, Mentor and creator of the Andrew Eggelton Presenting methodology, Andrew Eggelton. He will not only share how to bridge the gap in authenticity & why it is important to be authentic but he will also share tips for giving an exceptional presentation.

Becoming an influencer and authority when presenting Today's guest says, “Your imperfections are the window of which you let your audience in.” Joining me today is Andrew Eggelton. Andrew takes presenters from good to world class.  He loves helping people become a true expression of their authentic selves, allowing them to feel truly connected to [...] The post [Ep#233] Becoming an influencer and authority when presenting appeared first on The Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast Network.

Becoming an influencer and authority when presenting Today’s guest says, “Your imperfections are the window of which you let your audience in.” Joining me today is Andrew Eggelton. Andrew takes presenters from good to world class.  He loves helping people become a true expression of their authentic selves, allowing them to feel truly connected to [...] The post [Ep#233] Becoming an influencer and authority when presenting appeared first on The Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast Network.

  In today’s episode we talk about an Internationally renowned Presenting coach with a gift in helping others become congruent with their authentic, unique gift. Guiding people on stage and in front of a camera. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST EPISODE: Teaching new clients ‘the heart of presenting’ As people, we’re after connection Don’t be manipulated into selling something Being open and vulnerable You can’t learn presenting from books ANDREW EGGELTON SAID: “I’m a fail- fast kind of guy, with a very thick skin”. “I know what I want.” HEAR MORE ABOUT ANDREW EGGELTON: Andrew Eggelton is an Internationally renowned Presenting Couch. Calling on 24 years of experience in front of and behind the camera, working with names such as Ryan Gosling and Michael J Fox to name a couple. In his 20’s he discovered a shift in how people did a presentation (Public speaking and in front of the camera). Andrew’s first job on TV was a Live Music Chanel. But, he says, he was so bad, his co-presenter cried and left the room. Andrew was left alone on air and he had no idea how to anchor a show. In his late 20’s he started getting some breaks. In fact, at age 27, he got a good break, but it was also around this time he went and lived on an island – he just dropped out of society. On this island he lived almost like a castaway. He realized one day he needed to get back into society and moved back to Auckland. It took a while to get back into society. At around 30 years of age, he got a massive break into a Producing gig. FAVOURITE QUOTE TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD “Presenting is a feeling – it’s not just a doing – it’s a feeling” CONNECT WITH ANDREW EGGELTON Website Facebook Business Page Youtube CONNECT WITH SASHKA Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter LinkedIn Want to be a guest on the podcast? Apply to be featured on the No Name Brand Podcast here. SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES AND SOUNDCLOUD.

Two episodes ago I released the podcast that made me feel the most vulnerable so far… Andrew Eggelton and I discussed all of the ways in which we block ourselves from allowing the love we crave into our lives. In that episode Andrew and I talked about the love that we feel for each other, and in THIS episode I talk to Andrew’s partner Dani Strong about how she felt when she heard her partner and another woman talking about the love they feel for each other. In an old paradigm of relationships, Dani could have seen me as competition. She doesn’t. She sees me as someone who contributes to the happiness of her partner – and that makes her happy. This episode is the first time Dani and I have ever spoken (besides online messages to organise the podcast). Together we have a completely unscripted, even-we-don’t-know-what-we’ll-say discussion about how Dani felt when she listened to the episode, the new paradigm of inviting unconditional love into relationships, and the inner work it takes to open to this abundance of love. Dani Strong is a holistic nutrition coach who helps women fuel their lives and achieve their goals through making loving choices around food and lifestyle – and she definitely embodies this commitment to love over fear. This episode was so potent it transformed an area of my life and helped me find more love where I had been struggling to for weeks. I know you will feel the transmission of this new paradigm around relationships too. Enjoy! • How Dani felt as she listened to the podcast where her partner Andrew and I talked about our love for each other • Why we’re so afraid to hear our own guidance • How Dani defines romantic love, and how Kiara is questioning it all • How we are all trained (particularly women) to see getting married as the end goal for happiness – and how we are now entering a new paradigm of relationships that’s based on unconditional love – if we choose it • Mine and Dani’s experience with jealousy, and how to release it • Why taking the barriers and conditions off love actually creates more love inside of romantic relationships • How speaking our feelings and experiences as they come up actually diffuses the triggers and takes the power out of old patterns • How to speak truthfully without allowing the fear to take over • The one tool that Kiara uses to feel grounded in every new experience and path outside of her comfort zone • How we create unnecessary and unhealthy pressure in our romantic relationships by blocking off love in other relationships • Why if you really love someone you will want them to make the choices that will serve them most – even if that’s not being with you • The break-down of the old need to compete with other women and the welcoming in of sisterhood and more love • The power of asking yourself ‘how do I feel when I believe this thought?’ to guide you to always choose love • An energetic transmission that feels like an un-picking of the threads of our resistances and conditions that we place on love in the old paradigm JOIN THE TRIBE – Head over to https://www.facebook.com/groups/lightworkersrising/ to join a community and sacred space for lightworkers. Join the conversation under the podcast post to tell us what resonated for you, and ask any questions you have for Kiara and her guests. This is where you get the most ongoing benefit from this podcast – supported by like-minded, light-working individuals. With love, K xx Divine Change Agent www.aninspiredlife.com.au

An Inspired Life: Ways We Block the Love We Crave I almost didn’t release this episode. My guest and I bravely discussed the ways we don’t allow ourselves to receive love… and it got kind of personal. Andrew Eggelton is a modern day System Disruptor, Writer, Artist, TV Presenter, Speaker and Rebel. He is also a man who has learn how to honour and trust his own Divine Feminine and take guided, impactful action in his Divine Masculine. Andrew and I navigated an incredibly honest and vulnerable conversation about our own Soul love for each other that transcends what most people consider love & ‘allowed’ in our society, that I hope will inspire others to share their truth in such direct and open ways. Andrew said such kind words about me that it even brought up a personal trigger around taking up ‘too much’ space on the podcast – which is a wound that is quite enmeshed in the collective. I almost didn’t release this episode for fear of being seen in such an intimate way… yet another way we block the love we actually crave. So here we are. Courageously releasing this transmission of Divine love, vulnerability, intimacy, and permission to be seen. **Note: This episode is quite different to our others. At times it will feel like Andrew and I are having our own personal conversation, and you’re just coming along for the ride (oh, the vulnerability!). Here are some of the key takeaways from my interview with Andrew: • Spiritual ‘shit storms’ and how to decipher the symbolic meanings of our life experiences • How Andrew moved from his head to his heart after being ‘crushed’ last year • How we are all scared of ourselves and how everything changes when we stop being scared of our power • The rules we create ourselves about when and how much love we will allow into our lives • How we place a lot of pressure on our partner when we don’t allow ourselves to receive love from others • How we all have a unique, inspiring story to share when we are just unapologetically ourselves • What happened to make Andrew stop with the layers and the masks and be one of the most real & authentic people I’ve ever met • Why the fear of judgment becomes far less scary when you decide to truly be yourself • A suggested exercise to observe the difference between who you really are and who you present yourself to be (how to release the masks) • Why silence and being seen scares us but holds the intimacy we actually crave JOIN THE TRIBE – Head over to https://www.facebook.com/groups/lightworkersrising/ to join a community and sacred space for lightworkers. Join the conversation under the podcast post to tell us what resonated for you, and ask any questions you have for Kiara and her guests. This is where you get the most ongoing benefit from this podcast – supported by like-minded, light-working individuals. With love, K xx Divine Change Agent www.aninspiredlife.com.au

Elizabeth Harris visits Michael Salmon's studio in Kooyong, Melbourne, and learns from the children's author, illustrator, and entertainer of school children, what 50 years in the arts has taught him about -  Learning to trust your instincts about what early readers find funny. The importance of branching out and diversifying if you want to thrive as an author and illustrator in the long term. How your personality and people skills (or lack thereof) can influence your success in the arts. The pleasure of giving back to the community when you've attained a measure of professional success. How did a beloved children's book make it to the centre page of a newspaper, and its main character become 600 kilos of bronze outside a public library in the nation's capital? What's the connection between Michael, Healthy Harold (the Life Education giraffe that visits schools), and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation? Follow Michael as he travels around Australia visiting Indigenous schools and schools with students of diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, and levels of English fluency. Find out more about Michael Salmon's work at MichaelSalmon.com.au. Notes:Robyn Payne is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and audio engineer of 25 years’ experience in the album, film, TV and advertising industries. She composed the music for the theme song 'Victoria Dances', which is featured in host Elizabeth Harris' children's book, Chantelle's Wish, available for sale on Elizabeth's website at ElizabethHarris.net.au. The lyrics for 'Victoria Dances' were written by Elizabeth Harris. FULL TRANSCRIPT  Elizabeth:        Welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris, the global show that connects authors, songwriters and poets with their global audience. So I can continue to bring you high-calibre guests, I invite you to go to iTunes, click Subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast with your friends. Today I’m delighted to introduce the highly creative and entertaining children’s author and illustrator, Michael Salmon. Michael Salmon has been involved in graphics, children’s literature, TV and theatre since 1967. He started his career with surfing cartoons, and exhibitions of his psychedelic art, and then joined the famous marionette troupe – The Tintookies – as a trainee set designer stage manager in 1968 (the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, Sydney). Since then his work has been solely for young people, both here in Australia and overseas. His many credits include his Alexander Bunyip Show (ABC TV 1978-1988), pantomimes, fabric and merchandise design, toy and board game invention, writing and illustrating of 176 picture story books – which Michael I’m absolutely flabbergasted and astonished and in wonderment at, and everybody’s laughing at that, or maybe he’s laughing at me, I don’t know. (Laughter) I’ll say it again – 176 picture story books for young readers. Several million copies of his titles have been sold worldwide. Michael has been visiting Australian primary schools for over 40 years. His hour-long sessions are interesting, fun, humorous and entertaining, with the focus on students developing their own creativity, which is just fantastic. Suitable for all years, many of these school visits can be seen on Michael’s website, which I will ask you to repeat later. Michael:          Okay. Elizabeth:        Several trips have been up to the Gulf of Carpentaria Savannah Schools and to the remote Aboriginal community Schools on Cape York Peninsula, as a guest of EDU. EDU – what is that? Michael:          Education Department, Queensland. Elizabeth:        The Australian Government honoured his work in 2004 by printing a 32nd Centenary, special edition of his first book The Monster that ate Canberra – I like that - as a Commonwealth publication … for both residents and visitors to our Capital. Every Federal Politician received a copy. Michael:          Even if they didn’t want it, they got one. (Laughter) Elizabeth: Michael was also the designer of ‘Buddy Bear’ for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation (Port Arthur 1996). The Foundation financially supports Children/Families who are victims of violence/violent crime; they are currently running an anti-bullying campaign in Australian Schools. In 2010 the ACT Government further recognized his work by commissioning a bronze statue of his first book character ‘Alexander Bunyip’. Unveiled in April 2011, it stands next to the new – and I’ll get you to say this, Michael … Michael:          GUN-GAH-LIN. Elizabeth:        Gungahlin Library in our Federal Capital. Thank you for saying that. Michael has presented ‘Bunyip-themed history sessions’ for audiences of School Children at the National Library of Australia since 2011. School touring and book titles continue, which I’m blown away by, because you’ve written and illustrated 176 books! Michael:          Some of those were activity books, to be fair, but they were necessitated – writing, the requirements of children, and illustrations, so they were all lumped in together, basically. Elizabeth:        So Michael Salmon, welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. Michael: Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure, and thank you for visiting my studio here in downtown Kooyong, Melbourne. Elizabeth:        We are delighted to be here – Serena Low and I, everybody – Serena being my wonderful tech support. Michael, we have been Facebook friends for some time now, which is a wonderful way to keep in contact with people. But do you think social media has affected children adversely, and stopped them from reading and enjoying children’s literature? Michael:          Do you know, in order to answer some of the questions you asked, I probably pondered this one the most. It’s strange times. I’m 67 years old now. If I go back to when I was a teenager … Elizabeth:        Looking very dapper, I may say. Michael:          Yes, thank you, thank you. (Laughter) It’s amazing what no exercise will do. (Laughter) Things have changed so much. If you go back to the fifties and sixties – which both you ladies will have to look at the old films and see reruns of Gidget and all that kind of stuff – however, the main communication of young people several, several decades ago, socially, would have been the telephone. Invariably, houses only had one line that mums and dads would need. But the girls mostly – and perhaps the boys too – would be on the line talking to their friends and all this kind of stuff. And that was the only direction of communication. Perhaps letters and whatever, but certainly the telephone was the main thing. Now how things have changed these days. Having 12 grandchildren ranging from – what are they now, 2 to 24 – I’ve seen a whole gamut, and I see daily just how much social media – the iPads, tablets and things – are taking up their time and the manners in which they take up their time. Elizabeth:        What a wonderful family to have! Michael:          Well, it’s certainly a bit like a zoo (laughter) – I hope they don’t mind me saying that – and I’m the head monkey, but that’s about it. That’s true. But if you think of a child – and one of the main loves in life is visiting schools, and over the many years in Australia I’ve visited many, many schools – and just see what the teachers are up against these days. And often the teachers are – it’s well-known – surrogate parents on many occasions. Often it’s left to teachers, whether it be librarians or very kind teachers … Elizabeth:        Challenging job. Michael:          … To instill in the children a love of literature and how important reading is. But I think of going back to my youth and my toy soldier collection and making and making balsa wood castles and Ormond keeps and whatever it may be, playing in my room with this fantasy world I had grown up in. Elizabeth:        What an imagination! Michael:          Well, my father read to me – when it first came out, back in the fifties, and I was quite young, but – The Hobbit, C.S. Lewis and the Narnian … – beautiful. I was brought up in those kind of – and he also read most of Dickens to me, as well as Kipling. Quite incredible stuff. So my father was a major player in my love of literature. And I’m not sure that it happens hugely these days, but I grew up in a world of imagination. And it wasn’t any great surprise to my parents that I entered the world I’m in, which is the fantasy world of children, because I never got out of it, basically. 67 years we’re looking at at the moment. I would say mental age is about 8 or 9. (Laughter) Elizabeth:        But you make very good coffee for a 9-year-old, Michael. Michael:          But it did eventuate that sitting in my studio in the early hours of the morning, if I start laughing at a concept or whatever, I know full well through the passage of time that preppies or Grade Ones or Twos or kinders will start laughing at it too. So you get to trust your judgement after a while in the arts. You get to know where your strengths are. But going back to your original question, I have a couple of grandchildren who are absolute whizzes on their tablets. They’ve gone through the Minecraft thing; they’ve gone this, they’ve gone that. Almost an obsessive kind of stuff there. Elizabeth:        It’s an addiction, I think. Michael:          Sometimes, you must take time away from the use of imagination. Because let’s face it, in using our imagination, our creativity – and creativity can be cooking a magnificent meal, it can be keeping a well-balanced house. There’s all kinds of creativity, or it could be the artist creativity, but that’s such an important thing, of finding who we are. Elizabeth:        Yes. Michael:          And to have children taken away to a certain extent Magic Land which is absolutely fine until they become obsessive or addictive, as some of these things are, there’s a great danger that children are – shall we say – not able to evaluate or to progress their natural talents etcetera coming through, especially in the arts. Elizabeth:        I totally agree with you. Michael, you’ve written and illustrated so many books. As I’ve mentioned a couple of times, 176. How do you decide what to write about? Michael:          Well, it’s probably – I’ve always written from a cover idea. There’s a book of mine going way back. It’s one of my old favourites, a very simple one, which is called The Pirate Who Wouldn’t Wash. And when I talk to children and they say where do you get your ideas from, I say sometimes you get two ideas that are unrelated and you put them together, and because hopefully my books are rather funny and I was brought up in the fifties on things like The Fabulous Goon Show, Peter Sellers, and Spike Milligan. I loved Monty Python which was a direct sort of baby from The Goon Show. So my love of comedy has always been UK-based. And so that strange juxtaposition of whatever, so I thought, okay, a pirate, and perhaps a person who doesn’t like to wash. And you put them together and you have the pirate who wouldn’t wash. And then you simply – it’s easy if you have a vivid imagination – you list a whole lot of encounters or what could happen to a pirate who wouldn’t wash. Elizabeth:        Could we talk about that? I’d love to talk about that. Michael:          A monster, and then someone who doesn’t like vegetables. Which was one of my stepsons, William, and he was ‘Grunt the Monster’, which was one of my early characters. Refused to eat his vegetables. His teachers went to great lengths to find out how he could eat them, disguise them in milkshakes or whatever it may be. So it was William I was writing about, one of my younger stepsons at that stage. And at university when he went through Architectural course, he was called Grunt, because they knew full well the book was based on him. So it’s good sometimes to disguise – but nonetheless feature things you see around you. Elizabeth:        How did he cope with it? Michael:          He loved it, he loved it, he loved it. Elizabeth:        He got attention? Michael:          He got attention, all that kind of stuff, and he had one of his best mates who let everyone know that he was called ‘Grunt’ – that was sort of his name. But at some stage, I think he uses that – he lectures in Architecture around the country these days. He’s gone and done very well, dear William, and he will sometimes use that as a joke. Elizabeth:        Yes. Icebreaker. Michael:          Icebreaker, exactly. Elizabeth:        Was there a pivotal person who influenced your career? And if so, can you tell us how they inspired you? Michael:          Probably apart from the people I’ve mentioned previously, the Tolkiens and the Hobbits and the Lord of the Rings and the C.S. Lewises and that sort of thing, I’ve always loved the classic British thing like Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons. These are very famous books that everyone read at one stage. Back in those early fifties, my father was at Cambridge University so we were hoisted out of New Zealand; we went to live in the UK, and it was such a great time for a child to be in the UK. It’s still suffering war damage from Second World War, and London still roped off sections of it - the Doodlebugs, the flying bombs that the Germans sent over to hit London. So it was a rather strange place, but the television was brilliant. I was a Enid Blyton fan, a foundation member of the Secret Seven Club. Elizabeth:        Were you really. Michael:          Even though based in Cambridge, we looked forward to every month of the Enid Blyton magazines, so I grew up on The Faraway Tree and the Secret Seven and the Famous Five. I had my badges, I had all the merchandise. But also on the television in those days was a show we never got to hear in Australia – Muffin the Mule. There was also Sooty the Sweep, Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men. Andy Pandy was another one. Most of those were for kindies and little bubs. Basil Brush was a little bit later on. And British television was always superb, especially for children. Blue Peter and some of those famous shows was a little bit later on. I mention this because I had ten years of my own show on ABC which you’ll learn later on, and used puppets and things which I’d seen being used on British television. Elizabeth:        Can you tell us about that show please? Michael:          The show itself … When Alexander first became a character, it was a Michael 'Smartypants book', a little book I had published in 1972. This is The Monster That Ate Canberra. And this basically the genesis of the television show. I thought I would do a – I wasn’t a university student but it was like a smartypants university student publication, because the bunyip himself was not the Kangaroo – was in fact an oversized pink bunyip, more like a Chinese dragon. However, the monster was the public service, and so it was like a joke about the public service. Because back in those seventies and late sixties, large departments were being taken from Melbourne and Sydney and relocated in Canberra, Melbourne Commonwealth finance and other things, so Canberra was being flooded with the public service. And that was why Canberra was being set up, but anyway, as a youngster back in 1972 when I first wrote that book, I envisaged this large King Kong kind of character over Civic, which was the main principal shopping centre, the oldest shopping centre, going on Northbourne Avenue as you come in from Sydney. There’s this large monster devouring things, but this monster has a problem: he is short-sighted. Anyway, he saw the buildings – the famous, iconic buildings of Canberra as objects of food. So put them into – like the Academy of Science, a gigantic apple pie; the National Library, which was recently built, at that stage and still looks like a gigantic birthday cake; and I had the Carillon looking like a Paddle Pop or something like that, which are all to do with objects of food. And the bunyip devoured them. And the Prime Minister – the original Prime Minister back then was (William) “Billy” McMahon, and when he chucked, we had then changed to Gough Whitlam. So Prime Minsters changed within the reprints of this book. The best thing about this … way way back when Gough Whitlam became our Prime Minister, one of the first things he did was institute an office that had never been there before, called the Department of Women. It was there specially to consider and to aid passage of women in Australia into jobs and a whole range of things that had never been heard before in a male-dominated kind of world. Elizabeth:        I’ve always been a fan of Gough, so I must say … (Laughter) Michael:          Well, Gough appointed a single mum called Elizabeth Reid – Liz Reid – and she was a very famous lady and she really championed the cause of women, you know, equal rights, and these ridiculous things that should have been fixed a long time but hadn’t. So Liz Reid was pictured in the centre page of the Woman’s Weekly, soon after Gough – this was one of his first appointments, Liz Reid. And there was Liz with her little bub – so she was a brand new single mum. Elizabeth:        Oh wow. Which in those days would have been scandalous, wouldn’t it. Michael:          Oh yes, but Gough was famous for that. He already went out specially with the arts. Regardless of how he was considered as a Prime Minister, he was certainly a great patron of the arts, Gough Whitlam. Elizabeth:        As I said, I’m a fan. Michael:          In this picture, centre pages of Woman’s Weekly, double spread, was little bubba. And in little bubba’s hands, supported by his mother, was a copy of The Monster That Ate Canberra. Elizabeth:        Wow! How did you feel? Michael:          I thought, “Fantastic!” I got a call within a week from one of the biggest educational publishers in the world, called McGraw-Hill, asking “Can you tell us a little bit about this? And I was described as this is probably not how I would think, and I said “No, but thank you very much for calling.” So the most unusual thing sort of kicked up, and we were reprinting this book again and again for Canberra, because Canberra was laughing its head off. Elizabeth:        Good on you Ms Reid – and baby. Michael:          So we had a theatrical presentation, pantomimes based on it with the local Canberra youth theatre. ABC then serialized it on radio, and then came to me – this was about 1977 or so – saying, “Would you consider having Alexander Bunyip on television?” Elizabeth:        Wow. Michael:          And I said “Yes please, thank you very much.” And it was through a mate of mine, quite a well-known scriptwriter for Australian films called John Stevens, and also director of plays and whatever around Australia, and he was one of the directors of the young people’s programs in ABC, who were based at that stage in Sydney. Anyway, Alexander got on television through this rather, uh, strange path he led, entertaining the people of Canberra. Elizabeth:        Can I ask you with that, and throughout your life, you have enjoyed such great success, and certainly rightly so. Have you found that there’s been what has been seen as insignificant moments, turn into huge, huge achievements for you? Michael:          Well, (I) try to step away from cliché but sometimes it’s hard to, when I say you make your own luck. But the fact that that for example, one of my main – I love it – the statue of Alexander Bunyip, 600 kilograms of bronze outside the library. Elizabeth:        In that place I can’t pronounce. Michael:          Gungahlin, that’s right, Gungahlin. Elizabeth:        I’ll practise it. Michael:          I’ll tell you how that happened. Sometimes on Google if you’re an artistic person and you’re an author or illustrator, if you just put your name in and see what’s the latest thing, are there any new entries. Sometimes schools put in things in comments or whatever. Sometimes odd things about your life come up – business life, work life. And there was a situation that occurred, when Gungahlin Community Council had discussed whether – because John Stanhope, who was the chief minister of the ACT at that stage was putting up statues left right and centre, because he wanted a lot of edifices in Canberra to entertain people. Elizabeth:        He was a visual. Michael:          Yeah, visual person. And someone said, “Why don’t we have Alexander Bunyip?” and there was general laughter. But that was supported in the Council vote of Hansard, you know, the documented notes taken in that particular Council session, and I saw this online. And so I merely wrote to this person, sent them one of the more recent copies of The Monster That Ate Canberra, and said “That sounds great. Let me know if I can help.” Elizabeth:        Absolutely! Michael:          Gosh, one thing after another happened, and the head of the Council Alan Kirlin, with John Stanhope, got it organized, and within a year there was a brand new statue being launched by John Stanhope, one of the last things he did before he resigned. He’d done some magnificent work in Canberra. So new ministers were appointed etcetera, so John – the statue was launched, and I made a speech which was dedicated to my mum, who had died the year before. She was a Canberra girl, and I thought that would be nice to dedicate, at least mention her. I’m sure if she were around - in ethereal style - she wouldn’t miss out on that one, I can assure you. Elizabeth:        I’m sure. Michael:          But when the statue was dedicated – the statue stands there – Elizabeth:        Can we go back, because I would like to talk about that speech about your mum. Can we talk about that? Michael:          Yes. Well, my mother Judy, as I said who passed on in 2010 – the statue was put up in 2011 – was a very … went bush Port Douglas many years ago, before Christopher Skase was up there. (Laughter) So I used to go up there and visit her. A hurricane holiday house, which is simply a house in Port Douglas without any windows. It was up in the hills towards the Mosman River valley. Elizabeth:        For those who don’t know Christoper Skase, can you please touch on him briefly. Michael:          Christopher Skase was one of our major financial entrepreneurs who died over in a Spanish location owing millions of dollars to many people. He was like a younger brother of Alan Bond. That’s where Christopher Skase fitted in. I don’t think New York or Spain ever really sort of – Elizabeth:        Recovered. Michael:          Recovered from the Australian paparazzi to see whether Skase was in fact dying or whether he was in a wheelchair with breathing apparatus, wheeled out by his ever-loving wife Pixie, who is back safely in the country now. But that’s by the by. (Laughter) Michael:          My mother was a fairly gregarious character. Elizabeth:        Bit like yourself. Michael:          (Laughter) Pushy. Elizabeth:        No, no, no. Delightful, and entertaining. Michael:          Judy was one of the younger daughters of her father, my grandfather, Canon W. Edwards – Bill Edwards. He was a young Anglican curate who’d been badly gassed on the fields of Flanders and the Somme in the First World War. Elizabeth:        Oh dear. Michael:          But he was an educationalist, as well as a very strong Anglican within the church. So he was sent on his return out to Grammar School looking after that in Cooma. When Canberra was designated as the place to have our new capital, the Anglican Church from Sydney said, “Please harness up one of the buggies, and take six of your seniors and go look at four different venues in Canberra that we are looking at to have a brand new school.” Elizabeth:        Wow. Michael:          And they chose the most beautiful place, in a road called Mugga Way just at the bottom of Red Hill, which is Canberra Boys’ Grammar. He was their founding Headmaster. Elizabeth:        Was he! Michael:          But the fact was that they settled on that because they pitched their tents under the gum trees. They woke up with the sound of intense kookaburra noise, and thought this was perfect for a grammar school, or any other school for that matter. Elizabeth:        Oh, beautiful. Michael:          They were all talking and whatever it was. Elizabeth:        Bit like sounding the bell, you know. Michael:          (Laughter) So going back to those days, that was the start of Canberra and my family going back there to the thirties of last century. However, back in those days in the Second World War, my father had graduated from school in New Zealand, and was sent across as one of those New Zealand young soldiers to become an officer at Duntroon, the training college. The Defence Academy they call it now, but good old Duntroon. So when he graduated, it was the end of World War Two, and he was sent up to war crimes trials in Japan, as one of his first things the Aus-New Zealand ANZAC forces when they went up there to look after things for a while. But my mother was quite a brilliant lady, and she would always be the one painting and decorating and doing all this kind of stuff. Always a dynamic kind of person. And apart from loving her very much as a mum, she instilled in me this gregarious, rather exhibitionist kind of thing. Elizabeth:        (Laughter) Thank you Judy. It’s Judy, isn’t it. Thank you Judy. I know you’re here. Michael:          So Judy was responsible for – in younger, thinner days, long hair, beads, not necessarily hippie stuff but just total exhibitionist kind of stuff. Elizabeth:        Oh I’ve seen photographs of this man, everybody. My goodness, what a heartthrob. Michael:          I looked like I could have been another guitarist in Led Zeppelin or something. Elizabeth:        I’m actually just fanning myself with my paper. (Laughter) Michael:          But anyway, it’s all a bit of fun. Elizabeth:        Did you ever sing? Michael:          No, no, no. I was actually a drummer at one of the schools I attended. Elizabeth:        Were you? I like drummers. Michael:          Yes, but not this kind of drummer. In the pipe bands at Scotch College, Sydney. I was a tenor drummer. Elizabeth:        Okay. Michael:          So they have the big, the double bass drum or whatever and the tenor drums and the drumsticks - I forget the name – like the Poi they have in New Zealand. And the tenor drums – you have to have coordination if you want to play the tenor drums as you march along in your dress: the Black Watch dress. Elizabeth:        Isn’t learning music so important, which reflects in other areas? Michael:          It is, it is. Elizabeth:        Can we talk about that? Michael:          Well, I think that – not being musical but having written lyrics in my pantomimes – and down at a very amateur level worked out what a bunyip would sing about, or go back to an early blues song or doo-wop kind of song when Alexander is stuck in a zoo in the pantomime. So I had great fun. So my musical experience – I was lucky to have some very clever people, including one gentleman who until a few years ago was one of the Heads of Tutors at Canberra School of Music called Jim Cotter. Now Jim Cotter and I – he wrote my first music for me, for the pantomimes I used to do way back in the early days. And then Peter Scriven – he was the head of the Tintookies Marionette Theatre, who were all under the auspices of the Elizabethan Theatre Trust in Sydney at Potts Point. And Peter had engaged him to do – I was doing some sets – it was the first show, our first children’s show at the Opera House – and I did the costumes for Tintookies. It was a revamp of what Peter Scriven had been doing back in the fifties. And Jim had some brand new music, and so my musical experience was purely admiring music and talented people who did that, realizing that it was not my forte. Elizabeth:        Aren’t they clever. Michael:          Nonetheless, by writing lyrics and giving some vague, vague “rock ‘n roll and I like it” -like, you know. Not exactly “Stairway to Heaven”, you know what I’m saying? Elizabeth:        (Laughter) Who was your favourite band at that stage? Michael:          Ahh, I grew up in the Sixties. I got myself a hearing aid the other day. You can hardly see it – one of these new things. But essentially, I’ve had to, because I spent a lot of my younger life surfing in the eastern beaches of Sydney. The promotion of bone growth over the ear – there’s some kind of term for it – and they had to cut away the bone if I were to hear properly. And I thought, I don’t want my ear cut, so I’ll just leave it as it is at 67. But also too, I do attribute some of those early groups to my lack of hearing these days, because I did study for my exams with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones. Pretty much one of my favourite groups of all time was a group that spread, with different members going to different other groups, were The Byrds in America. Dylan songs. “Mr Tambourine”. Elizabeth:        Yes. Was it Eric – Eric somebody? Or did I get the wrong group. Michael:          We’re talking about David Crosby, Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn who changed his name and became Roger, or was it the other way round. But they had the Dylan. They came out with “Mr. Tambourine Man”. Elizabeth:        Yes, I know that song. Michael:          Their next one was ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’. Then they went into more Dylan of, “All I Really Want to Do”. And these are hits of the Sixties. Elizabeth:        You could sing a few bars. Michael:          No I couldn’t. Not even Dylan-style. (Laughter) But I love those songs, mainly because - Elizabeth:        They’re great. Michael:          Jim McGuinn had a 12-string guitar, and it was this jingly-jangly feel to their songs that I loved dearly. But another group which I must tell you, because I met up with them in real life, which is one of my favourite groups, is The Seekers. Elizabeth:        Oh! Miss Judith! Michael:          Now Keith Potger is a good mate of mine. We go for gentlemen’s clubs like Savage Club; he’s a member of Savage, enjoy long lunches, and often with some other guests. Elizabeth:        Athol Guy? Michael:          Yes. And Judith Durham – where you’re sitting there – came and sat down there with her manager a few years ago. Elizabeth:        My goodness! Michael:          She’d seen a presentation – Elizabeth:        She’s beautiful. Michael:          Oh, magnificent. And her voice! Elizabeth:        Angel. Michael:          Judith had seen a production by Garry Ginivan, who is one of the principal Australian children’s entrepreneurs for theatrics, theatres. He’s just finished doing Hazel E.’s Hippopotamus on the Roof kind of stuff, and I’m not sure if he’s doing Leigh Hobbs’ Horrible Harriet. Now that’s going to the Opera House. I’m not sure if Garry Ginivan’s doing that for Leigh. He did for Graeme Base. He did My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch, and also brought packaged stuff like Noddy and Toyland, Enid Blyton and other stuff like The Faraway Tree. So anyway he was presenting Puff the Magic Dragon – and I’m just looking around the room to find a graphic of the poster, because I’d designed Puff the Magic Dragon. Elizabeth:        Did you? Michael:          And they used that for all the promotional material and stuff there, but it was the puppet that I designed. And Judith went along to see – it was at The Athenaum Theatre here in Melbourne, a few years ago now. Elizabeth:        Lovely theatre. Michael:          And she liked the whole idea of the dragon, and she rang me. And so here was this most beautiful angel on the other line … Anyway, she was round a couple of days with her management. She was at that time – this was before The Seekers got back together and did all that magnificent tours they did over the last five or six years, Andre Rieu included. Judith is a honky-tonk girl; she loves the music of spiritual and going across to honky-tonk, like Scott Joplin, the ragtime, and all this sort of stuff. Elizabeth:        Oh, fun! Michael:          And she had written several things that she wanted the sheet music to be illustrated to sell, as part of the Judith Durham empire. And she did the ‘Banana Rag’. So immediately I did the illustration for her. I didn’t take any payment. I said, “Look, Judith, might I be impertinent and ask you to come to one of my clubs and sing – come to dinner?” She was a very strict vegetarian and looked after herself incredibly well after a terrible accident where she had to look after her whole system and she’s done that magnificently. So there she was singing, and this was when The Seekers had just released one of their LP’s, called “Morning Town Ride to Christmas”, which was for children’s songs, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house of these senior gentlemen at the club I was talking about, one of these good old Melbourne clubs, when she sang “The Carnival’s Over”. Elizabeth:        Oh yes. Michael:          Absolutely superb, so that was more than enough payment for doing some artwork. But since then, I continued … and met the desperate Keith Potger. Elizabeth:        Weren’t you lucky. Weren’t you lucky. Weren’t you lucky to have that gorgeous woman. Michael:          I was lucky. I was lucky. But I had to tell you, Judith - they had an article on her website, and she’s on Facebook as well - had at that time recorded with The Lord Mayor’s Orchestra here in Melbourne. It was called “The Australian Cities Suite”, and she had written a song for every major city in Australia. And I remember she and I were trying to do a book together, a book based on a song that her husband – who passed on through, oh gosh, what was it – the wasting disease, muscular disease … Elizabeth:        MS? Muscular Dystrophy? Michael:          Muscular Dystrophy. I’m sure that must be it. He put in a song called “Billy the Bug and Sylvia Slug”, and so we put that into a book. And I took Judith along to see some of the heads of various publishing firms in Sydney as well as the head of ABC merchandising in their ivory tower down in Haymarket area. Beautiful beautiful premises they have there, ABC Studios. And so Judith was much heralded in both places when I took her as my guest to introduce this book to her. The book didn’t work unfortunately, but she did start singing in the car as we’d arrived early in the carpark of the ABC citadel in Haymarket. She started singing. And we were all sitting there. And she started singing songs again from The Seekers. Elizabeth:        I don’t think I’m ever going to stand up again. Michael:          So here we are in Kooyong, and there’s the beautiful strains of Judith Durham singing songs, and I thought, “It doesn’t get much better than this.” Elizabeth:        Oh wow. Michael:          I don’t think Deborah Harry could have done the same. Elizabeth:        Do you think Judith Durham would speak with me on this podcast? Michael:          Judith is a very accommodating person, and I’m sure that if you ask through her management, Graham her manager would – I’m sure - she would look at that favourably. Elizabeth:        Would I have to wear a ball gown? I have a couple. To meet the Queen. Michael:          Meet the Queen. (Laughter) But anyway, I suppose too, in my business – and Australia is not a huge place really, when it comes to who knows what and we talked before about the degrees of separation. Elizabeth:        Absolutely. Michael:          And so, a lot of my stuff has been … involved with, because of my work, a lot of singers and whatever via The Hat Books. I remember Russell Morris, not in this place but a previous place. Elizabeth:        “The Real Thing”? Michael:          “The Real Thing” Russell Morris. Brilliant, brilliant, and had the two LP’s as well. Elizabeth:        And Molly, Molly is attached to that – he produced it, didn’t he. Michael:          Yeah, but Russell Morris had this concept that he came up with his wife 30 years ago. It was about a toy that was pre-broken and you had to fix it. The whole idea of the toy was that you had to re-glue this broken toy. Elizabeth:        Right. Michael:          It was ceramic, and he was so keen on it, but I just didn’t think it was going to work. He was a man with an incredible imagination – Elizabeth:        Russell Morris? Michael:          Russell Morris. He had this toy concept, but it didn’t work, because I don’t think kids want to sit around re-gluing a toy that has been broken. I don’t know what he was on. Elizabeth:        He was quite resourceful. Michael:          Ah, he is. Look at the way Russell Morris has revived in recent times. And he’ll have to excuse me. I don’t remember, but I’ve certainly listened to his two LP’s – albums as we used to call them, back in the old days – that he did. All bluesy and whatever, and he’s still got a magnificent voice. Elizabeth:        You know, there are so many Australians that are not – what should I say – recognized as they should be, I think. And such talent. Michael:          Ah, yeah. Elizabeth:        And do you think we need to go overseas, like in the old day. I was listening to a program last night, actually, and Brian Cadd was on it. Love Brian Cadd. Beautiful, beautiful music. And he said you know, back in the day you had to go to London. Michael:          Yes, yes. Well, look at Easybeats and stuff like that. Elizabeth:        Do you think people need to go? Michael:          Brian Cadd and The (Bootleg) Family (Band), that’s what he calls his group, they are reappearing at – they are doing an Australian tour this month in February – I saw it on Facebook, actually. Elizabeth:        You know, a friend of mine who’s a pastel artist, highly acclaimed – we were talking about this, and she said in this country, she’s just not recognized and she really needs … She’s working in a boutique! Michael:          It is a problem. You know on Facebook, which is one of the loves of my life, you see a good deal of Australian up-and-coming authors and illustrators, and ones that you dearly wish would … And I do believe that you if you earn it, you deserve a place in the sun – your ten minutes, twelve minutes of fame, all that kind of stuff. And if you’re smart enough, after your time has been, you then start doing things which reinvent yourself. I’m not talking about Madonna-style, but I’m talking about coming up with new things, being aware of new trends and seeing whether you can adapt your talents. Elizabeth:        Being a survivor. Michael:          Being a survivor, absolutely. Because let’s face it, and I’m very grateful – for example, the schools around Australia – 45 years… Elizabeth:        I’m sure they’re grateful to you too. Michael:          I go into the schools and there are teachers there that say, “Look, the last time I saw you Michael, was when I was in Prep or Grade One, and I loved your books then and I still love them." I’m just so thankful. Elizabeth:        How do you feel, other than gratitude? Michael:          Well, this is one of those major things, of feedback you get. And some of them come up and say “I started drawing because of you drawing”. Elizabeth:        You’re inspirational! Michael:          There are just those things there that I … and also entertaining. Doing a bit of stand-up comedy, giving out very silly prizes like Barbie books to Grade Six boys for good behaviour. I know Preppies will never forget those things. Elizabeth:        Can you talk us through – when you present to the school, how do you do that? Michael:          This year I’ve got a ‘Michael Salmon’s Monster Show’ which is talking about more or less the same thing, but some different pictures to ones I’ve been doing before. Essentially what I realized right at the start is if I do some speed cartooning, right in the very first picture I draw there, and do it so quickly in a great show-off manner, you get the kids hooked.  Elizabeth:        It’s magic; it’s in front of us. Michael:          Because the little ones, they say “Look what he did! Look how fast he drew!” And I always knew that that particular facet, if you did it correctly, the little Preppies in the front – because we do try to get mixed grades, with the Grade Sixes at the back – is that you would have their attention if you kept on. So I sort of talked about the way I invented characters and how it happened. Bobo my dog who is not here today – dear Bobo in the book I wrote called Bobo My Super Dog, where I sort of – he saves the world a bit. Elizabeth:        Of course he would. (Laughter) Michael:          Oh, I don’t know. Let’s just go back to the bit about Australia and the people who are trying to make it, and they are doing their very best and you see their brilliant talent. And it’s very evident on Facebook – it’s one of my major purveyors of talent – the ideas that people come up with and all that sort of stuff. I mean, you’ve got some brilliant people here in Australia. You look at Leigh Hobbs for a start. Now he belongs to the Savage Club as I do, so I catch up with him for lunch on occasions. And there he is with his two-year tenure in his position championing children’s books and children’s literature around Australia. His cartoons are very much like Ronald Searle, the famous British cartoonist, who did the original cartoons that accompanied the original published books and also the film versions of St Trinian’s movies, of schoolgirls and things like that – the naughty schoolgirls. And Ronald Searle was a brilliant, brilliant artist, and he had the kind of nuttiness in his cartooning that Leigh Hobbs had. You look at Leigh Hobbs’ stuff – they are very, very sparse, great placement of colour, they are done in a very slapdash manner. It all works together beautifully – from Horrible Harriet, to Old Tom and whatever. And if you’ve got other people – what’s that book by Aaron Blabey – something or other Pug? (Pig the Pug) I bought some books for my very young grandchildren for Christmas, and I thought, “I haven’t seen these books before.” And here he is winning awards and YABBA (Young Australians Best Book Awards) Awards and all this kind of stuff. And so much talent around. And it’s hard in Australia to make a living as an author, because the royalties and stuff, even if you are one of the top ones, may suffice for a while but aren’t continuing. Elizabeth:        And yet Michael you’ve done that – for 50 years – haven’t you. Michael:          Only because of schools. 45 years in schools and 50 years in the arts. But mainly because I branched out and did things like theatre – the television show. You saw when you first entered the merchandise for 'Alexander Bunyip'. Spotlight stores were behind me for fabrics for a decade, and they finished not a huge many years ago. And that had nothing to do with 'Alexander Bunyip'. But the fact of really, of diversifying. Elizabeth:        Okay. Michael:          And the books for me lay a platform. When Mum or Dad read a book at night to their children, and it happens to be one of yours, and it’s something they like, and they happen to be one of the lead buyers of Spotlight stores and they say “We must do something about this guy”, and they came round and sat where you’re sitting, and they said “We’d like to offer you a deal.” And I thought, “Oh thank you. That’s great!” Elizabeth:        But can I interject? The vital part of that is certainly that there is talent and diversification, but it’s also the ability to connect with people - which you are very skilled at. And the warmth that you have … Michael:          Well, thanks to my mother, because she was a people person. Yes, you’re quite right – it does help to be a people person if you’re an artistic person. Of course sometimes it doesn’t flow. Some of the best children’s authors are not people persons. So you can’t expect to do anything. I learned long ago of creating an impact on your audience – start and hold them if you can from then on, and then you can impart any message you want. And the only message I really impart to the children is about developing their creativity, for them to start working on the things they’re good at, or keep drawing or singing or whatever it may be. Elizabeth:        I really want to segue into something from those comments about your work for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. That is so, so pivotal. Can we talk about that? Michael:          Yes. Do you know, in general terms, it’s really good if you’ve had success, I’ve found, especially in the arts, to find venues and areas and avenues to give back to society. I hope that doesn’t sound too corny. Elizabeth:        It sounds beautiful. Michael:          Up here, I’ve got some – when I was one of the patrons of “Life Be In It” for the Victorian – Elizabeth:        Oh yes! Michael:          And I designed – not the vans, those large pantechnicon vans that went around and advertised anti-drugs and – Elizabeth:        It was Norm, wasn’t it. Norm. Michael:          Norm was “Life Be In It”. This was the Life Education Centre, the one started up by Ted Knox at King’s Cross Chapel, but they went to a huge thing. Large pantechnicon trailers filled with the latest kind of things, and all round Australia, but particularly in Victoria – because that’s where my expertise was, helping them design big wheels to go on, painted by local mums and dads. And I also do it to do some fundraising. But Life Education had a Harold Giraffe as their logo, and it’s still going gangbusters. So these things would go to schools, and like the dental van they locked you in that, and they would see these incredible digital displays of bodies and drugs and anti-drugs, things like that. Magnificent, magnificent. That was one thing I was involved in. A good mate of mine, a school librarian called Marie Stanley, who’s since not a school teacher anymore – a school librarian – she rang up soon after 1996 when the horrific Port Arthur thing had occurred. She had been seconded – Walter Mikac, whose wife Nanette and two daughters Alannah and Madeline were shot dead – he knew he had to do something. So he went to see the Victorian Premier at that stage, Steve Bracks, and also saw John Howard. And between them he got funding to set up a St Kilda Road office and start the Alannah and Madeline Foundation which is purely there to help the victims of violent crime – the families, the children – provide them with some kind of accommodation or support or clothing, needs, or toiletries – a whole range of stuff there. So they seconded Marie Stanley from Williamstown North Primary School. Because I’d visited her school many times, she rang me up and said, “Look, Michael, I’m doing this, I’m on salary, but I need your help. Could you help me invent a character?” So I came on board with Alannah and Madeline (Foundation) on a purely voluntary basis, which is my pleasure, and we invented a character called Buddy Bear as a very safe little bear and a spokes figure, whereby – and there are behind me as we speak in this interview – there are Buddy Bear chocolates up there. And they did something like five million chocolates with my name and my design on it through Coles stores and Target stores … Elizabeth:        You know Michael, next time we meet I need a camera. (Laughter) Michael:          That’s just 'Buddy Bear' stuff. And 'Buddy Bear' has gone on strongly and it’s now part of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. But they got involved in a very important … the main focus of anti-bullying. And I was the person – I want to say one thing, because it’s true – I suggested that they should go – violence and all this stuff for families was terrible enough – but if they wanted to go to the bully, they really should get into the heart of the matter. And to me, I said to them once, “Look, please. I’ve seen what we’re doing. We’ve got Buddy Bear as the spokes figure for violence in the home. But we really should be hitting schools and things with something that centers around bullying and have an anti-bullying campaign. And you know, it is one of those things which is said at the right time and the right place. And now we’ve got Princess Mary of Denmark who is the international head of 'Buddy Bear' and they’ve got their own thing over there because of her Australian connection with Tasmania. We have the National Bank who are the sponsors of the 'Buddy Bear' program of the Alannah and Madeline (Foundation), so we have a fully-fledged charity. But the early days of inventing 'Buddy Bear', and a lot of people who gave their time and effort for no cost as I did, and pleasure to get the whole thing going. But it was all through initially Walter Mikac, thinking that with his deceased wife and two little girls, he had to do something. He was a pharmacist by trade and he was a smart man – he is a smart man – and he set the wheels in motion. And so it was a - ‘pleasure’ is not the right word. It was satisfying to be involved with a program that was ultimately going to help children feel better and safe and especially with this bullying thing, of being able to … Elizabeth:        Personally, I love fundraising and I do a lot of it. And actually we have on the agenda this year a fundraiser for another children’s author: Pat Guest. His son Noah, and Noah has Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, and the family need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Michael:          Yes, yes, yes. Elizabeth:        Pat’s a wonderful person. He’s published five books and counting, and has written one about Noah called That’s What Wings Are For. He has actually podcasted with me. So I’m going to put you on the spot now and ask you if you would like to create something – Michael:          Absolutely! Let me know … Elizabeth:        I haven’t even finished my sentence! Michael:          No, no, no, the answer’s yes. The answer’s yes. Elizabeth:        The generosity! Thank you. Michael:          No, no, my pleasure. You talk about the – do you pronounce it ‘Duchenne’? There was a very famous fundraiser with that society up in Cairns several years ago, where various artists and musicians and illustrators were asked to provide – and they said a ukulele – so you had very famous artists and musicians and illustrators creating and painting their own version on this practical ukulele that was sent back to Cairns and auctioned off for charity and raised a whole lot of money. Elizabeth:        You know Pat, I think, would love to meet you. And I know Noah – the whole family are just beautiful people. Michael:          But I’ll have you know, only because of that connection where they contacted me saying “Would you like to …” and I had no knowledge whatever of the disease and the toll it took. Elizabeth:        I’ve nursed a couple of boys with it. Michael:          From my recollection, would it be quite correct to say it’s quite gender-specific? It hits boys more than girls? Elizabeth:        Yes. The two children that I nursed were brothers, and they passed. So we want to focus on the positive side, and this Saturday, actually there’s a trivia night which is sold out – Michael:          Oh good! Good, good. Elizabeth:        And it’s Eighties music which is my thing – I love that – so hopefully I will win, everybody. Don’t bet on me, Michael, but if there was a ticket, I’d invite you. But we’re looking at later in the year and we have some great people. Dave O’Neil wants to do a spot – Michael:          Oh yeah, good, good, good. Elizabeth:        And he podcasted with me. And like yourself, pretty much before I got my sentence out, he said 'yes'. Robyn Payne whom I wrote my song with for my children’s book – she wants to write a song. So we’ve got many … and Robyn Payne was in Hey Hey, It’s Saturday for many years. She was in that band, and Robyn’s incredible – she plays eight instruments. Michael:          Right, right, yes, yes. Elizabeth:        She’s performed at the Grand Final; incredibly talented lady. I just ran into her the other night with Neil, her husband, and Steph who’s a good friend of mine and recently performed with her on stage as well, they’re looking at writing a song for Noah. So it’s taking off. Michael:          One of the best fundraisers I’ve been to is a yearly event – still going – the Alannah and Madeline (Foundation) did. I don’t keep in contact with them directly; it was just a pleasure to work in, but what they did at the Palladium Ballroom – have 'Starry Starry Night'. Now 'Starry Starry Night' would have almost anyone who’s anyone in show business, on television and the media, would be there, from the jockeys at Melbourne Cup who would be singing Village People and whatever. Quite brilliant. And they had a huge host. We’re talking about – and I’m not exaggerating – 50 or so celebrities attended that. Black Night night and it really was a “starry starry night”. I haven’t attended for a long time, but I did my duty and it was a great pleasure to be there and part of it. But that was a brilliant fundraiser, and still continues as a fundraiser for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. Elizabeth:        Oh, I’m so honoured that you said yes to me before I even finished my sentence. Thank you so much! Talking about stars, I’d like to go to my signature question, and then we’ll say adieu to you. Michael, this is a signature question I ask all my guests: what do you wish for, for the world, and most importantly for yourself? Michael:          Well, as we’re sitting here in early February of 2017, because of all these incredible events that are going on every quarter of the day from the United States there, where the world order seems to be rapidly changing, and oddities occurring there and without going into it too heavily we all know what we’re talking about, I have a hope that the situation in America remedies itself, and that the situations change rapidly, and that America gets back, because as the biggest country in the world for what it is and known as, because we need the stability of America etcetera, so it’s a fairly direct sort of wish that America gets its act together again soon, and maintains something that we can trust in. Because America really is being that main country in the world. Elizabeth:        Do you see a way – does that start one person at a time? Is that how things start to change? Michael:          Gosh, as we’ve evidenced with the Women’s March and a whole range of stuff now that the immigration – oh dear – it just goes on, goes on. And without going into a full-scale discussion of that, my wish is that America gets back together quickly, and maintains and gets someone new in charge. I don’t know how that’s going to happen – impeachment or … but something has to happen, so that the world can feel stable again. And that’s not grandiose, but that’s probably affecting a lot of people in the world. As every new edict or special signatory thing is signed in the White House, the ripples it sends across for instability is quite amazing. We’ve never seen it before, unless you were there during Chamberlain days when Neville Chamberlain was talking to Hitler, and some of those – not grandiose or high-flying stuff, but it does affect especially Aussies who love America dearly, and America loves us. Elizabeth:        But to me your books so beautifully reflect history. Michael:          Some of them do, some of them do. It’s like a Facebook page – I really do love entertaining people and making them laugh. And that’s probably the last part of your question – I really would like every child in the mass audiences I encounter, we’re talking about 500 or so -  I would like to think that every child had an opportunity – not because of anything to do with my talk that may be instrumental , it doesn’t really matter – the children of today can reach their potential, and the energy and the talents they have are recognized. Not squashed, quashed, forgotten, put to one side by society or families, issues, whatever it may be. Elizabeth:        You know, that reminds me of a good friend of mine, Andrew Eggelton. So Andrew Eggelton is an interesting man – he’s a New Zealander actually; he’s a Kiwi – and he believes in the Art of Play. So his wish is that everybody gets to use their God-given talents. Michael:          Ditto, ditto, absolutely. Because you do see the children out there. Just to give you an example: I spoke to close to 12,000 children during a tour that I organized myself – I do have some other agents organizing other states … Elizabeth:        How do you look after your throat? Michael:          Thank goodness I’ve always had a voice that can throw – a loud voice – I was captain of a rugby team in my machismo days. I was in New Zealand, and as a front row forward you don’t usually have a shy, retiring kind of personality. When you go out to tour, and on that tour we toured everything around the Riverina, we did places like West Wyalong, places you normally drive through as you are going up the back roads to Dubbo or some place like that. Then we went to Sydney, the western suburbs schools, and even this morning I had a phone call from one of the agents for a school near Loganlea. The school called and they want a couple of sessions. Most of their students are refugees with English ESL, so English Second Language. I would say English third or fourth language. Elizabeth:        How many children at that school? Michael:          Seven hundred. She said – the agent who rang me – and this is the first one in the tour that’s coming up late July for southeastern Queensland – “The reason no doubt that you’ve been invited to this particular school” which I know well, is because my act is highly visual. You don’t need a lot of language to understand it, because I draw all the cartoons. Or I’m caricaturing children, or getting them to caricature me. It’s almost like – ‘international language’ is not the right phrase – but it’s almost like a human comedy or whatever you call it. Elizabeth:        It’s like smiling. Michael:          It’s like smiling, and the more the merrier. So up there you’ve got the refugee children. You’ve got a lot of – and I really enjoy going to the Tongan or Samoan or Fijian or Maori schools or New Zealand, because I used to play rugby and I played with so many Islanders over the years and I’ve got some good mates there. And especially up there in southern parts of Brisbane, before you hit the Gold Coast, it’s always challenging, and I love to go up there, so it’s great to hear that. And the same thing applies to Indigenous schools up on the Gulf of Carpentaria, they call them, the Gulf Savannah schools up in Cape York, where you go to places like Weipa and stuff like that. And some of the notorious – notorious because of the troubles that have occurred – there’s a couple of places along the Peninsula there – they are trouble spots and have been for many years. Elizabeth:        You know Michael, that just says so much about you, because so many people would not go within cooee of those places, and it reflects your beautiful generosity. So I want to thank you very much for guesting on Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. And I think we need a Part Two. It’s been an absolute delight and thank you so much. Michael:          Thank you very much, and thank you Serena too. I babbled on a bit, but fifty years – fifty years of working in this country – there’s been a lot of water under the bridge. A lot of people, a lot of children, and I’m just very lucky. I consider myself very lucky to be in that position, to have that rapport with kids, and to just get on with them and entertain them and enjoy them. Elizabeth:        I consider those children and us very, very lucky to have met you today. Thank you so much. Michael:          Thank you guys. Thank you. [END OF TRANSCRIPT]

New Zealand-born actor, presenter, life coach and workshop facilitator Andrew Eggelton, who has starred alongside Ryan Gosling and Michael J. Fox, talks to Elizabeth Harris at Dave O'Neil's office at Grandview Hotel (Fairfield) about: The downside of being famous, and what it's really like to work in the entertainment industry. His childhood and how it helped him develop his creativity and imagination as a writer. The life-changing episode that made him dig deep and uncover his purpose. A cabin in Romania, Dracula's castle, and a dog called Darren writing a fairytale about a man writing about a dog writing a fairytale. What his Generation Y clients tell him they want most of all, and what he thinks should be taught in schools. His upcoming "Art of Play" workshops in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Find out more about Andrew Eggelton's work at AndrewEggelton.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT: Elizabeth:      Welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris, the show that connects authors, songwriters and poets with their global audience. So I can continue to bring you high-calibre guests, I invite you to go to iTunes, click Subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast with your friends. Today I’m delighted to introduce the charismatic and insightful Andrew Eggelton. Once upon a time Andrew Eggelton was a carefree child blessed with a vivid imagination, running around the fields of … Andrew:         Otaio. Elizabeth:      Thank you. I was going to ask you how to pronounce that. So Otaio, a country town 30 minutes from Timaru – is that correct? Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      South Canterbury, New Zealand. After the unfortunate discovery that he could no longer be a child, his imagination and desire to challenge the conventional would still play a large part in his adult life. Now in his forties, he’s spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry working with such people as Ryan Gosling and Michael J. Fox. Andrew:         Just to name a few. (Laughter) Elizabeth:      Yes, I’m looking forward to learning more about it, Andrew. When a life-changing moment asked him to dig deep and get specific about what he was born to do. Andrew now nurtures artists to reach their fullest potential. He reminds people just how powerful remembering to play is, and to nurture the inner child before it is lost forever. Andrew uses his intuitive coaching gift to host one-to-one intensives for artists, speakers and television presenters. Andrew guides his clients from a mundane existence to an inspired powerful life. He inspires his clients to dream, discover their purpose, and then gift package this to the world. Andrew Eggelton, welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. Andrew:         Nice to meet you and thank you for having me. Elizabeth:      It’s a pleasure to meet you Andrew – and to pick you up from the corner of Greville Street and Chapel Street in beautiful Melbourne. Andrew:         Yup, all in exchange just for one chai. Elizabeth:      It’s my favourite drink after all. Andrew:         Better than an Uber. Elizabeth:      Andrew, we recently discovered that we have a similar sense of humour. How do you use that wonderful sense of humour in your coaching work? Andrew:         In my coaching, I use my humour to defuse the sense of a line between me and my clients, so it allows them to realize that I’m just the same as them, and that we’re all on the same level playing field. Elizabeth:      ‘Cause it’s an equalizer. Andrew:         It’s an equalizer; takes away the ego of everybody, brings everybody down to the same level. Elizabeth:      I really like that, ‘cause I use a lot of humour too, and some people don’t understand my sense of humour, and now I’ve found one person who does, so thank you for that. You spent your childhood in a beautiful place and the school you attended was unique. Can you tell us the impact of being in such a small school, the benefits and the hindrances? Andrew:         Okay, the impact. Do you know when I first moved to the school, I was five, and there were eight pupils. Eight. And no one my age. There were two girls … Elizabeth:      Oh, were you the baby? Andrew:         I was … My dad was my teacher and principal, so that was quite challenging. Elizabeth:      Right. Andrew:         There was special treatment for sure, but probably not in the positive way - probably in the way that Dad was probably a little bit harder on me than the other children. Elizabeth:      Did that make you cry? Andrew:         Ah…it brought up some things in my later years, but we’ve worked through those now. And anyway, just to put it clear, my dad and I have a beautiful relationship. But what it taught me is that: there was no one for miles. There was no one to play with; I had no peers, so my imagination and what I did with my spare time were of my own doing. Huge bush walks and literally gone all day, you know. Elizabeth:      The importance of nature was there for you. Andrew:         Yeah, so I’d go for bush walks and leave at nine in the morning, and it wasn’t till the sun was coming down that I’d be like “Okay, it’s time to go home.” Elizabeth:      On your own? Andrew:         On my own. Elizabeth:      That self-sufficiency… Andrew:         Very self-sufficient. Elizabeth:      Were they worried about you? Andrew:         Not at all, not at all. As long as I turned up for dinner, they didn’t care. What trouble could I get into? Elizabeth:      What freedom! Andrew:         Yes, a lot of freedom. Elizabeth:      And we have a tattoo, listeners. Where is your tattoo? One of your tattoos says “Freedom”, Andrew – where is that? Andrew:         Forearm. Elizabeth:      How many tattoos do you actually have? Andrew:         Eight. Elizabeth:      And can we talk about where they are, or is that private? Andrew:         No (laughing) – I’ve got three on my left arm. “Joy”. “Kaizen”, which is Japanese for ‘little improvement every day’. I’ve got the Viking word “Inguz”, which is ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’. I’ve got “Courage, dear heart”. I’ve got Latin – “Fortune favours the brave”. I’ve got “Truth”. Elizabeth:      So a little bit like Robbie Williams, although you deny that. Andrew:         I deny I’m anything like Robbie Williams. Elizabeth:      Why, what is Robbie Williams like for you? Andrew:         Ah, I like that he’s a playful character. Elizabeth:      He’s fun. Andrew:         Yes, yes he’s fun. Elizabeth:      He’s settled down, though. Andrew:         Yes he has – and I’m looking to do the same. Elizabeth:      Oh, wonderful. What are you looking for in a woman, Andrew? Andrew:         Ah, someone who’s the opposite of me. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      What does that mean? Andrew:         You know what it is? I know exactly what I want from a woman, and that’s why I wrote that article on love that I’ll get it for you later. I want a goddess, a divine feminine woman. Elizabeth:      All women are goddesses. Andrew:         They are, they are, but in this day and age, in this day and age, if I may be so bold … Elizabeth:      You can be as bold as you like; it’s your show. Andrew:         It’s that women try to be men – they embrace so much masculine energy that it really sort of emasculates the men. And for me, being a woman is such an amazing gift. Elizabeth:      How do you know? You’re not a woman. (Laughs) Andrew:         Only by observation. I mean, you’re the closest thing to Mother Earth that there is. Elizabeth:      Can you explain that for the people who are not quite on your level of understanding? Andrew:         Okay. Mother Earth means like that nurturing soul, the ability to have a child. Elizabeth:      Is it like when I shut your fingers in the window this morning and I said were you okay. I am a nurse and I am concerned about your fingers. Is it like that? Andrew:         Well it’s kind of like that, but more authentic. Elizabeth:      (Laughs) So Mother Earth… Andrew:         So Mother Earth. Here’s the thing. I’m a pretty well-balanced guy, I think. But when I’m with a very feminine woman, I feel safe. Like I feel safe. Like if I’m in her arms, I feel “Wow, I’m safe.” Now she couldn’t protect me to save herself. Elizabeth:      That’s true. Andrew:         But there’s that feeling of ‘safe’, like there’s something calming. Elizabeth:      That’s beautiful. Andrew:         And I sat with someone recently, and they said “But don’t you get it Andrew, you make me feel safe too.” I get it – the yin and the yang, the whole, so… Elizabeth:      That’s beautiful. That’s what you’re after. Andrew:         Anyway, that’s what I’m after. Elizabeth:      That’s beautiful. So that’s what you’re after. And ladies, we don’t mind if you’ve had a child. Andrew:         You can send in an application. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      So what we’re saying is, where do we find your work? We need a website to send these applications to. Where do we find you? Where do women find you, Andrew? Andrew:         Women can find me on such sites as … (Laughs) No. Andrew-Eggelton-dot-com. Elizabeth:      We’ll talk about your great work. Andrew:         Just to finish off that last piece, about the positives of living in that small community – it wasn’t a community. It’s that during the weekend or after school I had nothing to do, so my idea of entertainment was to go over to the school and write. Or draw. I used to draw. Now I can’t do anything more than stick figures. But my writing was something … Elizabeth:      Never say “can’t”. You can get back to that. Andrew:         Yes, I could, but I probably will never. Ah I love writing – that’s where the writing came from. Elizabeth:      And I totally agree, because I love writing too. In Year Six I wrote Tilly the Red Motorcar, and my father threw it away. Andrew:         Oh really. Elizabeth:      Not intentionally. He did a big clean-out and it’s gone – he threw it away. So how do you utilize the foundation of your wonderfully carefree childhood and vivid imagination within your work, and in particular, how does this translate to The Playroom? Andrew:         The essence of what I coach, if you boil it, simmer it down to one thing, is the Art of Play. So when you write, when you present, just your everyday life, one of the things that I really coach into my clients is a sense of playfulness. I’ve always like – my aunty and my family, people who know me, call me Peter Pan. Elizabeth:      Oh, that’s lovely. Andrew:         Now, that’s getting a bit condescending as they get older, but … Elizabeth:      They’re saying “Peter Pan, you need your Wendy.” Andrew:         Yes, yes. So what that foundation taught me was the Art of Play – I get curious, I get excited. And when I public speak or go on camera or present on TV, whatever I’m doing, I get into an excited space. This is playtime for me, and that’s what I coach into my clients. It’s exactly the same thing. Reframe this – it sounds very NLP – reframe it, and it gets to a point where they turn it up on camera, and they actually get excited and they say, “Okay, this is our playtime!” If it was a child, you’d be playing with dolls or fire trucks or whatever kids play with these days. Elizabeth:      iPads. It’s very disappointing, and I was thinking about your child and how so many children would benefit from a childhood like yours. Andrew:         Absolutely. Elizabeth:      Just get outside in the dirt, run around. Andrew:         Yes. Fall out of trees. Good for you. Elizabeth:      Umm, I’m a nurse, I don’t know about that one. But if there’s a safety net under that, sure. (Laughs) Andrew:         Yes, but that’s what happened – it was a sense of playfulness. That was the foundation that was built in me from that growing up, that childhood, and that imagination. Elizabeth:      Fantastic. In your bio, you mention a life-challenging moment. Will you allow my listeners to know more about this, or will I be breaking privacy laws? Andrew:         Yeah sure, so I’ll make a long story short. So two years ago – it was September the 6th or the 9th, I slipped a disc in my neck: C6, C7. The way that works is that if the disc slips, the nerve that runs down through those discs is trapped. Now that can cause a super intense pain. If you haven’t experienced it – and not many people would have, thank God – I can only liken it to passing a kidney stone or giving birth. Obviously one of those I haven’t experienced. So that was like a shotgun blast going off – the incredible pain – and I was in Bali and couldn’t fly. Every doctor told me something different – I mean, I couldn’t even dress myself, couldn’t feed myself, couldn’t get out of bed, and this lasted for 2 months. And if I had been in Australia or New Zealand or a better place with a bit of a medical…uh…Indonesia. Elizabeth:      You should have called me Andrew; I could have come over. You could have used nursing care. Andrew:         The first thing they said when I got sent back to New Zealand was how was the depression, and I said it was super intense. And he goes “Yeah”, because after that, the physical pain…the physical pain 24/7 and I was self-medicating myself with whatever I could get my hands on to kill the pain. Elizabeth:      Not a good time of your life. Andrew:         I went into … my mind got lazy and dark and I went into incredible depression. And the life-changing moment was – I woke up one morning and I was like, “How the hell am I going to get through today? I don’t want to deal with another 12 or 14 hours of getting up to deal with people. Can I just take a pill and forget about this day?” Elizabeth:      So you were suicidal. Andrew:         I understood how people could commit suicide, yes. I’m not that kind of person myself, ‘cause I know that there’s an end. So I got up and went, “Right, enough. You’re going through this. What do you want out of it?” And I wrote down on a piece of paper – I started off with “What is your ideal day?” So I wrote down everything: what happens when I get up, who I’m with, what am I drinking, what does outside my window look like, how do I feel, what’s the look on my face – everything, right down to the minor details of the thread count on my sheets. Then after that, I had the realization, that the current Andrew wasn’t capable of having that perfect day, perfect life, because I wasn’t equipped for that. My behaviours, my beliefs, my character, the things I had to work on. So I started to write down all the things I had to become, the kind of man I needed to be… Elizabeth:      Be, do, have, Andrew. Be, do, have. Andrew:         Be, do, have. I call it ‘the man I need to be’. So I wrote that down, then I wrote down how many hours a week I wanted to work, how much I wanted to get paid, what I was going to be doing, and how I was going to serve others, and from that moment onwards, I had this whole new focus on life, and that got me into my life coaching. And I use exactly that – I call it Life by Design, and obviously I flesh it out a lot more, and the actual process is called The Design Practice, born from that moment of desperation. Elizabeth:      Isn’t that amazing how you turned that around? Congratulations, because many people can’t do that. Andrew:         They don’t know – I don’t think they know how to do that. Elizabeth:      You know what you don’t know how to do? Accept a compliment, because I’ve just offered you a compliment. Andrew:         No, you’re right. I’m not very good at accepting compliments. You’re right, but thank you – thank you. Elizabeth:      My pleasure, because that’s really pivotal. Congratulations. You write for Spiritual Biz Magazine and I’ve read a number of your great articles, including a very special piece on love, and also one about the Art of Play. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Andrew:         There’s probably never a point when I didn’t want to be a writer. Yeah, so, like I said earlier my dad encouraged me to write when I was a child. Because there were only 8 kids at the school, where one of the things where - I don’t know if we had subjects at all – we would spend an hour or two hours writing creative stories. And then I would come back and kids would have two paragraphs or half a page, and I would come back with 20 pages, and hold fort for as long as I could. Elizabeth:      So clearly a gift. Andrew:         It’s definitely a gift, yes. So thank you. See that? Did you see that? Elizabeth:      Oh, I’m impressed. (Laughs) You are a fast learner. Well done. Andrew:         I am a fast learner. Writing is a real joy and I think there’s a versatility to my writing – I can write silly and fun, and I can also go very deep. Elizabeth:      So when you’re writing, what keeps you going, and whatever works for you could work for other people, so what would you advise other people to keep them going with their writing? Andrew:         Write, because you want to, not because you have to – for a start. I mean writing, if you’re an artist or just a creative person, writing is something – we talked about this in the car when you came to pick me up – it’s something that for me and I think other artists, we have control over it. I can pick up my laptop or pen and paper any time I want. So the trouble with – the challenge with – being a creator or artist, is especially when we explain it with being a presenter or an actor, is the gatekeeper. The audition is a process; I get the job or I don’t get the job. There’s ten No’s to one Yes – and that’s good odds. So if you’re a creative person, you just can’t wait to get to that playtime. For me, that playtime I am on set and I am playing. But when I’m writing, it’s like I feel like writing right now and I’m gonna write right now. So I get this creative outlet straightaway, and it’s that sense of playing; even when you’re going deep, it’s that sense of playing. Elizabeth:      That’s wonderful. Who or what is your major source of support when you are writing? You’ve got some cranberry juice, I see. For me, I’m definitely a coffee addict. So for you, what supports you through that? Is it friends, or is it other writers. You know writers have this wonderful community; we share – we don’t compete, I’ve found, from the community I’m in. Very generous people, and we understand that it can be very isolating to write. So if you’re feeling that way, reach out, because there’s always someone up at 2 a.m., writing something. Andrew:         Mmm, it’s true. It’s true. Do you know what, the people who support me are: one is my father, and I have a couple of friends: Jarrah, Campbell – he lives in Bali too – and they’re just like, I’ll talk to them about an article I’m writing, and they’ll “Yes, yes, go for it.” And you know the one I wrote on love when I was in Romania was one I didn’t want to print, because I actually wrote it myself and I thought – I could be judged quite heavily on this, writing about something that – (Elizabeth: It’s a beautiful piece) who am I to write on this subject, you know what I mean? Elizabeth:      I’m shaking my head, everybody. (Laughs) Andrew:         But I did it and it had a wonderful response and got shared hundreds of times. So, yeah, I’ve got some wonderful friends, and my other support is probably a glass of wine when I write. Elizabeth:      Red or white? Andrew:         Red. Always red. Elizabeth:      And there’s antioxidants in it, so I approve of that. Andrew:         Okay, so I’ve always wanted to write – for a long time I’ve wanted to write – a fairy tale, in a cabin, in Romania, overlooking the castle that inspired the legend of Dracula. Actually, the castle that inspired the novel Dracula. It’s a little town called Bran in Transylvania in Romania. Elizabeth:      Do you have a costume that you wear when you’re writing? Andrew:         No, there was no costume. Elizabeth:      No fangs? Andrew:         No, no, no. It was actually very exciting. I wrote about an imaginary character called Darren who’s a dog. And Darren left the corporate world… Elizabeth:      Right. Well, I wrote about a cat called Victoria, so here we are. Andrew:         Yes. Everybody had told Darren that dogs can’t write fairy tales. And so Darren went “Fxxk it!” And then he got on a plane and flew to Romania and travelled around Europe, ended up in Romania, and he’s been writing a fairy tale about a man… Elizabeth:      You need to put some money in Samuel Johnson’s Swear Jar. Andrew:         That’s one; that’s only one so far. So Darren said if you went ahead and jump on a plane anyway and fulfilled his dream of writing his fairy tale about Europe and ended up in Transylvania. And he’s writing a fairy tale about a man writing about a dog writing a fairy tale. So it’s multi-layered, very confusing. Elizabeth:      No, no, hang on a minute. A man …? Andrew:         Being me. Elizabeth:      Yeah, but let’s just go back a bit, so a bit slower. A man …? Andrew:         A man, writing about a dog who’s going on a journey to write a fairy tale. Elizabeth:      Everybody’s got that now, so go ahead. Andrew:         Yes. And he has not finished it – he is definitely chipping his way through it, which is nice, and it was a beautiful journey in Romania to be able to do that. But Darren got very sidetracked with many things in Europe, and that held him up a little bit. Elizabeth:      (Laughs) Was Darren auditioning for the mother of his pups, perhaps? Andrew:         I think Darren might have a few pups, though. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      In 20 years you might have a couple of knocks on your door, Andrew. Andrew:         Thai’s it. Elizabeth:      What are you working on at the moment? Andrew:         So the number one priority at the moment is I’ve got workshops coming up in New Zealand and Australia in February, March, and my number one priority is putting together how that will look. So my workshop’s called The Art of Play, and it’s for live speakers, presenters, corporates, entrepreneurs. So that’s a priority. Elizabeth:      Can we learn about that? What is the workshop about? Andrew:         I bring – if I can say so myself, which is very un-humble for a Kiwi… Elizabeth:      Just be loud and proud. Andrew:         Okay. I bring a very unique, world-class way of coaching and presenting, so a performance, and I literally have a gift, an intuitive ability to tailor my coaching to an individual. So even if I’ve got 20 different people in class, I’ll have 20 different ways of coaching. Elizabeth:      That’s because you read people very well. Andrew:         I read people very well. And part of that is because presenting never came easy to me. It’s something I worked very hard at, and had to work through many, many of my blocks. Elizabeth:      See, that really surprised me. Andrew:         Really. Elizabeth:      Yes. ‘Cause you present so well. Andrew:         That’s good to know. Thank you, thank you. So Melbourne … Brisbane will be the first weekend of March, then Sydney the weekend after, then Melbourne the weekend after that. Elizabeth:      So you’re wanting your – so you’re the focus, and we have this theatre setup, and you bring the participants down for their turn. Is that how it works? Andrew:         Yes, yes, yes. You know my favourite space – I get into a zone which is super playful, and I love it. Like when I coach, that’s my happy place. And feeding off the energy of other people, and feeding off me, and then taking away people’s expectations of themselves; that’s the first thing I do. I have this funny thing when we first start. ‘Cause I really don’t care what level people are at – it makes no difference to me. I’m going to coach you; I’m going to give you a 1 or 10. So I kind of defuse that by saying, “Look, we’re here now, and you’ve all given me your money. So I don’t care if you’re good or not.” Elizabeth:      (Laughs) I love it. Andrew:         You know what I mean? I have your money. I’m happy. Elizabeth:      Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Andrew:         My job is to take your money first. Elizabeth:      Then it’s up to you. Over to you! Take One – is it Take One? Andrew:         Yep, yep, so … but what I get is, I don’t care when people get up. I’m like, if you need to read off your script, if you want me to prompt you, I don’t care if you can’t even say your name. Like some people can’t – some people can’t even get up and say their name, they’re so nervous. And I’m like, I don’t care – that’s where you start. That’s it. So on a scale of 1 to 10 I’m going to give you a point five or a one. And now my job’s to get you to a 5, to a 10. Elizabeth:      So what I’m now interested to know is, what is a 10? Andrew:         A 10 is someone who’s very confident and keeps me – a 10 really keeps me on my toes. When you’re a 10, meaning you’re a very, very good presenter, my job is now to dig in and bring more of that personality out. Elizabeth:      Who is a 10? So that people can know. Not a personally popular 10, but a mainstream 10.  There’s ‘Oprah 10’ … who’s a 10?      Andrew:         You know some of those presenters from Top Gear? You know they bring that X-Factor – you see their personalities. Because there’s the old American style of presenting, where it’s cameras on, and all of a sudden there’s this fake personality. Elizabeth:      And you can see that. Andrew:         You can see that. It’s like “bang, bang, bang”. And that’s not presenting. That’s cookie cutter. And that’s almost like Step One of what you do. What we want is bring the personality. Because when it comes down to it, if you’re auditioning or you’re doing a presentation, what people are engaged by is your personality, your X-Factor. Elizabeth:      Oh. Really interesting. Okay. Andrew:         The reason for Darren and the Corporate Dog – I have this wonderful vision that I’m very excited about is doing a one-man stage show, and it’s just a storytelling. I stand at an altar with a big old dusty book which I will create myself, and I tell my fairytale, which is 45 minutes long. The purpose of it is to bring adults down to a sense of being children again. So it’s to let go of being adults – no bills, no mortgages, no responsibility. And for 45 minutes, just entertain using obviously audio and animation behind to drive the story, just old-fashioned storytelling. And that excites me – that’s my passion project. Elizabeth:      That would be captivating. Andrew:         Yeah. And again, you could have beautiful cute little venues. First 5,10,15 minutes would be spent talking about getting people to use their imagination again. ‘Remember what you were like when you were 5 years old’, and setting that scene, and getting adults to remember what it was like to play again and be silly and have no responsibilities. And then go, “Right. Now my audience is ready. Let’s go.” Elizabeth:      You know, you know lots of famous people. So tell me about that. Is being famous an impediment, ‘cause you know, so many people want to be famous, but when you get down to it, do you want to be famous? Andrew:         Okay, so there’s a difference. There’s people, and this is – I was speaking to my actress friend here – I won’t mention her name – on Saturday. And she said, the biggest difference is now compared to when she first started acting, was people want to be celebrity before they become actor, so an artist. Elizabeth:      So, could we have an example of that? Kardashians? Andrew:         Kardashians is a good one. Reality TV is a shocker for that. I’ve had two periods of my life where I was – I use this word very loosely, but I guess people knew who I was. Elizabeth:      Oh I’m so sorry I didn’t realize. (Laughs) Andrew:         (Laughs) That’s alright. We’re in different countries. Elizabeth:      And who were you, Andrew? Andrew:         Well, that’s it. It wasn’t – I wasn’t … Elizabeth:      Are you important, and I didn’t know? Andrew:         Yes. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      We need to define ‘important’, don’t we? You see, I think important people are people like paramedics and surgeons who save people’s lives, you know? Andrew:         Absolutely. Elizabeth:      But then I’m different. Andrew:         But if you’re an artist – I rate writer and artist as the same thing because you’re reflecting life. Elizabeth:      I’m being light. Andrew:         Yes, yes, yes. But ‘celebrity’ – what’s a celebrity? You need to be someone who’s celebrated. Pure reality TV show person or something, it’s like “That’s your job. You got lucky, you’re in a TV show, you’re pretty much a nobody, you’re not really good at anything, but the camera’s following you. And that’s why people know you.” Elizabeth:      It’s false elevation. Andrew:         I remember it was in 2001, and I was kind of hitting my stride. I was working with Ryan Gosling on Hercules. I won Cleo ‘Bachelor of the Year’ in New Zealand. I shot documentaries and a TV series called Shortland Street which is like our Neighbours. Do you know what, and I started to get all this work, but just doing stupid stuff that I wasn’t actually needed to be skilled at. I’m turning into the kind of person that I ridicule myself that you see on TV or magazines. Elizabeth:      Is it like that song Popular by Darren Hayes? Do you know that song? Andrew:         No. Do you want to know what I did? Elizabeth:      Yes. Andrew:         I moved to an island called Waiiti Island off the coast of Auckland. It’s about an hour on a ferry. I got a little house, I grew a beard, I got an amazing vegetable garden. Elizabeth:      Does this mean you grew your own vegetables? Andrew:         I grew my own vegetables. I lived there for two years, and I did nothing but write and try to identify what I wanted to do as an artist. And there was one day I was standing outside and I was speaking to a man who was my neighbor, over some shrubs, and I realized I was talking to this stranger – naked. I was naked. It was hot, you know, and I just stopped wearing clothes. Elizabeth:      Totally? Totally naked? Andrew:         Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was on an island. Elizabeth:      Did he notice? You had a fig leaf …? Andrew:         No. (Elizabeth: No fig leaf?) That was the thing. I was so used to letting it all go. And it just dawned on me: “Andrew, you’re only 28. There’s time to get off the island. There’s time to go, buddy.” I got off the island pretty quick. I moved into this new house with these two girls, and for about a month they were like … Elizabeth:      Had you not dressed for this too? It was colder there. Andrew:         I was dressed, but I was always going outside to pee on the lawn. And they were like, “Andrew, can you use the toilet?” So I told myself I’ve got to get out of this habit; it’s okay. I’m just adjusting to normal life again. Elizabeth:      And what’s normal? Andrew:         Yeah, what’s normal? Elizabeth:      What really grabs me about that story is that you were aware enough to know that you needed to change. Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      And not everybody is that aware. And why are you that aware? Is it because of your dad? Is it because of your upbringing? You can sense bullshit basically. Andrew:         I can.  Elizabeth:      You have got this really sensitive BS detector. Andrew:         You know I’ve only just … I was talking to my little brother about this a few weeks ago, I’ve only just realized what a quality and an asset is, and that I am highly sensitive. Even a year ago, I didn’t realize it was such an asset … Elizabeth:      It is. Andrew:         As to what I do now, and I’m really starting to embrace it. Elizabeth:      That’s fantastic. The civilized word for that, everybody, is ‘discernment’. Andrew:         Discernment. Elizabeth:      Yes, discernment. And also civilized people using the toilet rather than the lawn, Andrew. Andrew:         Yes. Well, I’ve got that under control now. Elizabeth:      Oh, that’s nice to know. (Laughs) Andrew:         Look, the entertainment industry, if you’re talking about that specifically, it’s just so much bullshit involved. And we talked about my earlier experience, but I had another experience in 2008, 9, 10, when I was really on a roll acting, presenting and public speaking. And again I went away, this time to Bali. Elizabeth:      Which is where you live now, isn’t it. Andrew:         I live half-and-half. Elizabeth:      Half and half New Zealand. Andrew:         Was New Zealand and Bali, and now it’s going to be Australia. Yes, I’m after a bigger market, which is here. Elizabeth:      ‘Cause this is important for the woman who’s coming on the scene. So we’re looking at Victoria, or we’re looking at Sydney? Andrew:         Melbourne. Elizabeth:      Melbourne. Oh, okay. Andrew:         The thing I like about the entertainment industry … Elizabeth:      We do have good weather, you know. Andrew:         In Melbourne? You’re the first person that’s said that. Elizabeth:      I’m Melbourne through and through. Andrew:         That’s beautiful. Makes me feel like home. Melbourne I feel like I’m home – I don’t know why. My dad grew up here. Elizabeth:      Did he really? Whereabouts? Andrew:         He actually told me yesterday and I can’t remember. About an hour out. Elizabeth:      Out where – north, south, east, west? Andrew:         Out towards the … Dande  … Dande … Elizabeth:      Dandenong? Andrew:         The Dandenongs. Mountains. Elizabeth:      Oh, I lived there once. Stunning place. Andrew:         Mm, yes. Elizabeth:      Okay. So – the entertainment industry is full of people with lack of discernment. They believe their own B.S. Is that it? Andrew:         Umm, yeah, yeah. At the end of the day you’ve got to just go: “This is TV – this is just a job. I’m an artist, and if I get work I’m lucky.” Elizabeth:      Why do they believe it? Is it that adulation that they get? Andrew:         It is the adulation and look, I can relate to that. The ego is an amazing driver. And in my twenties and thirties it was my ego getting me out of bed. It was like, “Right. You wanted that. You wanted people to know who I am.” It was the adulation. Elizabeth:      Why do you want people to know who you are? I’m sorry I didn’t know who you were, Andrew. (Laughs) Andrew:         Because it’s a feeling – it’s self-esteem, isn’t it. A sense of self-love. It’s like if people adore you, it helps boost that sense of self-worth. Elizabeth:      I find that false. Andrew:         Of course it’s false. Elizabeth:      Having been a school nurse and really looking at children – you mentioned you were five – and nurturing their self-esteem, and how important it is. That doesn’t come from outside. That comes from inside. Andrew:         Always inside out. Elizabeth:      But we’re not taught that. Andrew:         No, we’re not. So what we’re taught - in a way that makes no sense to me – we’re taught that your career, what other people think of you, what you own, where you live – that defines who you are. But if you look at it from a deeper perspective, your outside world actually affects your inside, and you’re in control of that, and no one teaches you that at school. Elizabeth:      That’s why everybody needs coaches. Andrew:         Your sense of self-love, self-awareness, your sense of freedom, all your values start from inside out. When you’ve got that glowing and growing inside you, your outside world reflects that. Elizabeth:      You’ve got so many important messages to bring to the world, Andrew. It’s a very exciting time for you. Andrew:         It is, it is. Elizabeth:      That’s fantastic. That’s great. Andrew:         Thank you. Elizabeth:      What is one of the most inspirational achievements one of your clients have made after working with you? Andrew:         Before I even became a coach, I used to be able to get a lot of people to quit their jobs. Like I’m just very passionate, and when someone would talk to me about their job, I’d go – ‘cause it’s very usual in the Western world for people to go “Hey, what do you do?” And I never ask that ‘cause I really don’t care. It means nothing to me. Elizabeth:      Yeah, I know. What question do you ask? Andrew:         If I was going to ask, it would be “If you could do anything, what would you do?” Elizabeth:      Okay. And would you be impressed if they say “I’m actually doing it”? Andrew:         Yes, yeah. Like I’ve got a lot of people to quit their jobs and start following their passion. For me, I’m dealing with clients, it’s managing them through their zone of fear, resistance and self-sabotage which we all go through, and understanding that process of … When I did this whole coaching thing, I was like “I don’t want to deal with people’s problems.” Because I don’t want to sit and Skype and go to workshops and deal with people’s problems all day. So unless the first person, that’s the first thing they want to talk about - “This is what I don’t want”, I’m not interested. “What do you want?” Elizabeth:      Exactly. Andrew:         When I know what you want, we can create that – we can work towards that and shape you. And that’s exciting. And of course when you go there, you’ve got to create that vision of where you want to go that’s so bold, exciting and fun, that your mind is tricked to go, “Oh, do you know what? This looks like fun. Let’s go there. That’s nothing – this is safe.” Because your mind isn’t built for success. It doesn’t know what the hell success is. Success to your mind is being alive for your mind, right? The fact that we’re sitting here talking, your brain is giving yourself a high-five, saying “Yep! You’re still alive!” Elizabeth:      (Laughs) That’s because I’m a human. Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      Cleo – what did you say? – Cleo Bachelor of the Year? What year was that? Andrew:         2001. (Laughs) Fifteen years ago. Elizabeth:      Wow. There’ll be a lot of jealousy on the other side of this podcast, I can tell you that. Andrew, one of my favourite books is Illusions by Richard Bach. What is one of your favourites? Andrew:         Just off the top of my head, there’s many, many books – one is Badjelly the Witch (by Spike Milligan), for the reason that it makes me laugh. It’s just a child who is silly. It means nothing. There’s not even a message behind the story. It’s just someone’s random creative strain of thought. I just think it’s hilarious. Elizabeth:      I love to laugh. Very important thing to do. Andrew:         It’s the audio – and you know what it reminds me of? Why I love it so much is it reminds me of when I was a little kid – when I was five, six, seven - and my dad would come into my room in Otaio, and tuning in the radio. Because at that time we only had like one or two channels, Channel One and Channel Two in New Zealand. (Elizabeth: Oh, you’re spoiled!) And TV didn’t start till like eight in the morning or seven in the morning, so there was nothing else to watch except Freddo Rock and The Muppets. And then dear dad would come in and tune in the radio, and it was Saturday or Sunday morning storytelling time, and I would lie in bed and listen to that. That’s one of my favourite memories of my childhood. Elizabeth:      That’s a lovely memory to have. What is Darren the Corporate Dog doing for Christmas? And I notice you haven’t invited him to your family celebration. Isn’t that a bit mean? Andrew:         Mm. Elizabeth:      Do you think Darren has a plan to combat your exclusion tactics? Andrew:         Look, at the end of the day, Darren and I do have a very wonderful relationship and he’s everything that – he’s kind of like no responsibility – he’s Andrew with no responsibility. Elizabeth:      Well, he’ll love Christmas then, and all the gift wrapping. Andrew:         Yes, and he’ll be there. He’ll be there at Christmas for sure. Do you know what’s wonderful about Darren is that, he just doesn’t think that people will speak ill of him, or they would say no. So he’s got that blind sense of faith. Elizabeth:      Innocence, isn’t it? That’s innocence. Childlike innocence. Andrew:         When I did tell him that – he said can I come for Christmas and I said “not an effing chance” – he wouldn’t have taken it as no. He would have thought “Haha, he’s joking. See you there.” So he will be there at Christmas time. Elizabeth:      Oh, okay, I’m pleased to hear that. Victoria will be with us too. Victoria the Cat, who’s in my book Chantelle’s Wish. Andrew:         Actually I’m sure Darren will get along. Elizabeth:      With Victoria the Cat? Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      Oh, Victoria the Cat’s a good one. Andrew:         But I’ve got a bit of a treat for Darren. I don’t know if you saw, but when I was in Spain I got a bit drunk and slept on the couch, and he drew all over my face. I don’t know if you remember that. Elizabeth:      No, I didn’t see that. You never sent me … Andrew:         He wrote ‘I Love Darren’ on my face and forehead, and gave me a dog’s tongue and whiskers. Elizabeth:      You’ll have to send me the picture. Andrew:         And I’m going to shave his fur off. Elizabeth:      Oh! Is he going to be awake or drunk? Andrew:         I’m going to wait till he’s drunk. He’s always drunk. It’s his favourite pastime. Elizabeth:      So send me the picture. I missed it. Andrew:         I’ll do that. Elizabeth:      Thank you. So Andrew, this is a signature question I ask all my guests: What do you wish for, for the world, and most importantly for yourself? Andrew:         For the world, I just wish that all of us would use our God-given talents, our unique gifts, to be of service to the world, and I feel like if we were all doing that, the world would organically go in the right positive direction. And that would also mean a lack of corporate greed, the raping and pillaging of the earth … I know that we are not here to work in the system that we’re currently working in. The human wasn’t designed for that. And we have far greater possibility than what we’re showing at the moment. What I’d love for the world is for the next generation and the next generation to start to push the boundaries, and to do what we were actually designed to do, which is evolve. And not evolve in a way that’s three percent growth in a year in the corporate world. Elizabeth:      That would be so not the GDP. We’re talking about – there are a lot of children around, and when you have your child, you will learn this: they are highly evolved. Andrew:         Yeah, yeah. I can feel it. A lot of my clients for my market in my life coaching side of things, are Y Generation, and when I did my research, nearly every single one – I said “What do you want? What’s the ultimate thing you want to do?” – they said, “I want to make a positive impact on the world.” Elizabeth:      Wow. Andrew:         And you don’t get that – if I can f**king be as bold – with baby boomers. And even from my generation … Elizabeth:      It’s your show. You can say whatever you want, even swear. Andrew:         From my generation, a little bit more. But from the next generation, even more. And I think, must be very hard for them to – I can understand where the system came from. And how my parents were so – I’m not for – but this was what you do. After World War One and Two you know, this is how everyone’s going to work. But they’re wising up. Elizabeth:      People are waking up. Andrew:         They’re waking up – that’s a better word. We’re waking up; we’re evolving. We’re spiritual beings. What if at school, you were taught that via the mind, we can actually have and do whatever we want, you know. And I’ll just go in another direction, but you know, teenage suicide is off the charts – and why is that? They’re actually becoming highly sensitive beings, but they haven’t been taught what that means or how the mind works. Elizabeth:      See, I see you as an incredible mentor for young men – a powerful mentor for young men. Andrew:         It’s funny you say that, because a lot of people keep telling me to work with young men. But I love working with young women as well. (Laughs) I love working with women in general, because I have a nice relationship with women. But I like to work with young women and young men. Elizabeth:      Well I think … Andrew:         But I know exactly what you’re saying. That makes sense. In fact, the first time ever you saying that to me then just made more sense. Elizabeth:      Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment. Andrew:         There you go. That’s 4 to 1 so far. Elizabeth:      Andrew Eggelton, thank you so much for joining me on Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. Thanks for tuning in everyone, and may your wishes come true. Andrew:         Thank you for having me. [END OF TRANSCRIPT]