Are we in the midst of a generation war? Who had it better? Houses? Jobs? Superannuation? It's all on the table.
Baby Boomers vs Gen Y: Who had it harder?
in The Feed, Feed Forum, SBS, Interviews
The Feed
The Deaf Hip Hop Dancing Champion Who Puts Your Moves To Shame
in Interviews, music, SBS, The Feed
Macy Baez was born deaf, yet the teenage hip hop dancer is killin' it on the international stage.
Shot by Dan Bolt
Edited by Marc Fennell
Eric Bana on being dragged to the desert by Spielberg and why he misses being a Stand-up
in Film, SBS, The Feed, Interviews
Ahead of his new Netflix movie Special Correspondents, Eric Bana takes an unflinching look back at his career, his life and his passions.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
"Women have to help other women" Hollywood pioneer Paula Wagner on feminism
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
She's the woman behind some of Hollywood's biggest success stories (the Mission: Impossible franchise, War of the Worlds) and Paula Wagner has plenty to say on gender equity, working with Tom Cruise and the movie she wishes that people had loved more.
Can recipes change lives? Chef Massimo Bottura certainly thinks so
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed, Food
Massimo Bottura is one of the world's greatest chefs, but there's more to him than just his delicious creations: he believes recipes can change lives.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
George R.R Martin reviews GOT porn "Game of Bones"
in Film, Interviews, The Feed, SBS
Happy Game of Thrones day. Still one of my all time favourite moments in an interview. Back in 2013 I sat down with the creator of the megahit Game of Thrones and discovered that when George R. R. Martin started writing the books back in 1991 he had no idea what a cult phenomenon it would become both on the page and in the HBO TV series.
He also talks about Piracy and why he actually NEEDS fans to help write the books.
Can Mushrooms Solve World Hunger? Meet utter legend Chido Govera
in Interviews, Food, SBS, The Feed
This is Chido Govera. By the age of 11 she had already lost her mother to AIDs, become primary care-giver to her toddler brother, turned down an offer to marry a 36yo man and survived horrific abuse. Then she learned how to turn agricultural waste into mushrooms and suddenly this orphan girl became the most important person in the village. The power dynamics and the economics were thrown into complete disarray. If you like awesome women, doing awesome things, awesomely you should watch this.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
Tina Fey gave Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt heart palpitations
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Definitely one of my favourite interviews of last year. Ellie Kemper (Kimmy) also says some really interesting things about what she learnt from Steve Carrell in terms of how to lead a set. Have a watch, feel free to comment and lemme know how you're enjoying Season 2.
Andy Thomas: A Day with Australia's Astronaut
in The Feed, SBS, Interviews
Adelaide-born Andy Thomas has spent 177 days, 9 hours and 14 minutes in space. I spoke to him about the effect space has on your body, mind, relationships - oh - and what happens when you set fire to a Russian space station.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
Lockout Laws: Feed Forum
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Are the lockout laws working?
Are we saving lives but sacrificing jobs?
Can Sydney be a vibrant international tourist destination if our streets aren't safe?
Are we all being made to pay for a few people's mistakes?
Last month thousands took to the streets to protest against the lockout laws, while a Facebook post on the subject by State Premier Mike Baird drew over 15,000 heated responses.
Now, with Queensland about to adopt similar legislation, the controversy is bound to spread even further.
I lead a panel bringing the key players of this contentious issue. Doctors, protestors, politicans, and local residents will hammer out the issues face to face in front of an audience at a Kings Cross pub.
Piper Kerman: The woman behind Orange Is The New Black
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
She turned her real-life prison story into one of the most watched shows on television: Orange Is The New Black's Piper Kerman talks serving time, institutionalised racism and the power of women's stories.
Alix Generous vs. Autism
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
She's an inspirational speaker, ground-breaking scientist and woman living with Asperger's Syndrome. Take a look inside the powerful mind of Alix Generous.
Dr Michael Mosley: Defeating Diabetes & 5:2 Diet
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
He's responsible for one of the most popular diets in recent years: Michael Mosley is the guy behind 5:2.
The US Presidential Candidate Who Wants to Abolish Death
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Meet the Transhumanist US Presidential candidate Zoltan Istvan who not only wants to beat Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but - also - death itself.
The Price of K-Pop Stardom: JJCC's Prince Mak
in Interviews, music, SBS, The Feed
Never in a million years would I have truly understood the work ethic that goes into being a pop star until I sat down with Henry "Prince" Mak. Mak had a fairly normal childhood growing up in western Sydney. And then, he ran away to China to try his hand at the music world. Now better known as Prince Mak - one fifth of K-pop group JJCC - the 25-year-old has a profoundly life from the one he left behind in Australia.
Ben Stiller on the Tragedy Behind Zoolander 2
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Blue Steel himself Ben Stiller sits down with me to chat Zoolander 2 and the tragedy that held back the sequel for 15 years.
Inside South Park Studios with Trey Parker & Matt Stone
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Just how do you make an episode of South Park in six days? And what happens when you drop acid at the Oscars? Matt Stone and Trey Parker are getting set to bring the excellent blockbuster musical The Book of Mormon to Australia. For the first time ever they let Australian cameras into their studios to see how it's done.
Remembering Alan Rickman
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
RIP Alan Rickman. I was very lucky to sit down and chat with the man last year and the first story in the interview about his drama teacher hating his (now iconic) voice still astounds me. They said it was “like a drain pipe”. Remember him well because - by Grapthar’s hammer - he was bloody good.
Favourite Interviews of 2015
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
I’ve been very lucky with The Feed. I get to interview some of the most fascinating people in popular culture, technology and media.
This year William Shatner opened up about losing his wife, Jeffrey Tambor spoke about his alcoholism, the girls from Orange is the New Black just mocked me, bearded Eurovision icon Conchita Wurst spoke powerfully about coming out, and electronic artist Porter Robinson taught me how to make music with Japanese robots. M Night Shyamalan wanted to end the perception of him as the 'surprise twist guy'. Rachel Taylor opened up about violence against women.
We challenged the director of The West Wing to a walk-and talk-interview, and Hugh Jackman was uncommonly political about the proposed shut-down of remote indigenous communities. Chris Pratt just straight-up flirted. Yes, that’s how I am choosing to interpret it.
These are a few of my favourite experiences this year. I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I enjoyed meeting them.
Also, you can sit back and watch them as a YouTube playlist here
GEORGE TAKEI
From Japanese internment camps as a child to becoming the iconic Mr Sulu on Star Trek to coming out as a gay man in his 60s: George Takei is a master of reinvention and he is more than happy to call William Shatner on his bullshit. In fact, it's worth it for that alone. This is my favourite interview of the year.
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK CAST
Yael Stone & Uzo Aduba are crazy fun. We talk representation of women on screen and it turns out that they both thought they were going to get fired off OITNB, like, every single day.
JEFFREY TAMBOR
Jeffrey Tambor has been involved in 3 of the most groundbreaking American comedies of recent history. The Larry Sanders Show pre-empted the rise of HBO & cable television, Arrested Development pushed American network narrative comedy further than it's ever gone before and Transparent has lead a wave of transgender representation on our screens in 2015. Tambor himself is one of the most generous, sensitive and articulate people I've come across.
WILLIAM SHATNER
The original Captain Kirk has certainly lived long and prospered but Shatner's personal & professional life has been far from smooth sailing. At one point he was living out of a truck despite being a household name from Star Trek. He opens up about losing his wife Nerine to alcoholism.
CHRIS PRATT
Somehow in the space of a year Chris Pratt has gone from being an adorable side character in Parks and Recreation to anchoring the 2nd biggest movie/nostalgia-fest of the year (Jurassic World) and the best Marvel movie (Guardians of the Galaxy) But what is so striking about this interview is that you hear an actor talking about actually making a conscious choice to *become* a movie star. Many times in the past I’ve asked actors to explain their career choices but this is the first time I felt like an actor was honest about it. Also you can enjoy the fact that Pratt dances like a sexpest, falls over repeatedly and simply cannot whistle.
JOHANN HARI: WHY THE WAR ON DRUGS IS FAILING
Most people don't make a comeback with drug addiction. But Johann Hari is an exception to the rule. He was an award winning young journalist - and then 2011 it all came crashing down. He was outed as plagiarising his interview quotes from old articles. He quit. Handed back the prizes. And went away to travel the world, meeting drug dealers, mob hitmen and doctors, all to explore how our war on drugs is failing. Badly.
TROYE SIVAN
The YouTube star turned musician and actor talks beautifully about coming out of the closet in the age of social media and the power of the internet with a new generation. Sweet, articulate and very talented
CORNEL WEST
To many people ‘Racism’ is a sort of abstract concept. To the legendary preacher, activist and thinker Cornel West it is a lived experience that has coloured the way he sees the world. That’s not to suggest that he’s bitter. He’s not. But a life-long experience of bigotry has given him a view of politics, 9/11, Barack Obama that is fundamentally different from most people.
GEORGE MILLER: MAD MAX FURY ROAD
This is the man that invented the Australian Blockbuster. The original Mad Max trilogy was a modern action movie franchise that WE exported TO America. Not the other way round. The process of making the original nearly wrecked George Miller, and indeed his best friend Byron Kennedy passed along the way.
EUROVISION WINNER CONCHITA WURST
The Bearded Lady is the Eurovision Winner to rule them all. There’s a fascinating origin story behind the character of Conchita Wurst and the family that gave birth to her.
AMY POEHLER
Handcuffs, Hilary, Mental Health, and why you want John Hamm on hand when you give birth.
WALKING & TALKING WITH THE WEST WING DIRECTOR
Thomas Schlamme discusses Mike Myers, a blowjob and the surprise visit to The White House which changed the course of the career from one of the most prolific directors of our time.
MELISSA McCARTHY
Kristen Wiig made her have sex with a dolphin. In an audition. IN AN AUDITION. Melissa McCarthy is forthright, funny and fierce.
JIM MORRIS: PRESIDENT OF PIXAR
It's so rare to hear a business person speak with this amount of honesty about failure & frustrations. Disney Pixar are the most successful studio in the world. So what happens when you have to scrap everything halfway through and start again?
BILL HADER
Amy Schumer's hit film Trainwreck got a lot of attention this year as did Schumer herself but it was her co-star that was the real pleasure to talk to.
GRAHAM BURK: AUSTRALIA'S BIGGEST ANTI-PIRACY CAMPAIGNER
Village Roadshow's Graham Burke wants to sue you if you pirate movies. And he's very happy to say so.
ADAM HARRIS: AUSTRALIA'S ULTIMATE STAR WARS FAN
What would you do if you found out who had an inoperable brain tumor? For Star Wars fanatic Adam Harris, it was to fulfil a lifelong dream of travelling to a convention in the USA.
So, that's my list. Who would you like to see interviewed in 2016? Lemme know in the comments down below.
Making Sherlock: Steven Moffat Interview
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Sherlock's creators on sending him back to the Victorian era for their upcoming special, and why Matt Smith was a perfect Doctor Who.
