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Well, um, the gay photographer and have been for a number of years since 1998. And then Jonathan introduced queen of the whole universe and requested my services as a photographer to help out where needed. When you say gay photographer What? What does that? What does that mean? Well, I worked for the, um, express gay magazine for a number of years. When I announced that I was gay in 1998 I thought, Well, since being a photographer, I offer my services free of charge. So I [00:00:30] went knocking on the express store and said, Well, here am I as a photographer. Excuse me. And of course they did. And of course, I went out on the streets 234 in the morning with people falling out of windows, taking photos, people doing charity work. Um, they just capturing the gay community as a whole on a perspective of fun and laughter and creativity with, uh, you know, theatre openings. We had lots of, you know, the big day out, all that type of thing, and we're just catching [00:01:00] it on film. And then well, in those days, it was film, and then of course, I'll publish the photos on The Express. But of course, as the years progressed, so did digital photography. And it's so much easier when you take date photos, download them on the computer and send them through to the magazine, and they get published for everybody to see. And also, too, I collected photos of everything that I've taken. So, um, to give you a concept of what the gay community has evolved over the last 10 or so years in that time, can you see changes [00:01:30] in the gay community in terms of, you know, visually, I think, Yeah, definitely. It's come out of the shelves evolved quite quite incredibly in the last 10 years, because at the beginning it was very not cloak and dagger. But the law reform had come through and and everything was fine. But you still had to be incredibly weary. Um, that, you know, perhaps you were a gay man walking the streets or at the nightclub and what have you. But as the years progressed, it's become more acceptable. And of [00:02:00] course, there's a lot now of people who my age group in the fifties that now feel comfortable, say well, Yes, I am a gay man. In the seventies sixties, we couldn't. And of course, in being comfortable with a gay man, you can actually say, Well, hey, I'm gay. And if someone says I've always said, If someone says to me, Hey, you're gay, I say, Yes, I am. So what? And that is the freedom that we have represent. You know, it's that freedom of being able to express ourselves and artistically, Um, we [00:02:30] can do that without any barriers. And as the years have progressed like I've actually got a 25 year old son And just the other day he said to Dad and and Matthew and I said, Oh, Dad, you know, if you wanted to be a builder and go on the building site with a pink lunch box or a building block, you can these days, and no one would even blink an eye. And that's exactly how we've progressed as gay people, you know, we we accept it. It's not so them and us anymore. We're Integra, you know, we're starting to be together. Do [00:03:00] you think something like the queen of the whole universe could have actually happened prior to the two thousands. I think actually, the queen of the whole universe has helped bring everybody together, to be quite honest with you. Um, how can I say that? We're we're all gay men getting on with our own world. And then Jonathan's collectively brought us all together, and we've created a pageant. Well, Jonathan has created a pageant show that is primary gay. However it's [00:03:30] it brings everyone to make people more aware, and as the years have gone on, it's even become more acceptable. So I think he's actually helped, um, being made us acceptive like Gather. There's a lot of friends and, you know, we talk about Oh, I've got the show coming on and they're really interested. Oh, get a ticket for me and even my family. Um, they're all when they want to know about the show. So it's sort of like sort of opened it up a bit, you know, for people [00:04:00] that don't really know the, um, the side of the the gay side. So, Matthew, what What's your background? Because you've been with the show for what? About 44 years. But yeah, 33 years going on three years. Um, yeah. When I first started, um, because it was a good opportunity for me to meet other people because I didn't really know much people there. And, you know, I'm a bit on the quiet side, but, um, yeah, it was fantastic. And, um, I was [00:04:30] one of the contestants last year. So how did you get involved? How How do I get involved? Um well, I got involved because Brian he pushed me to think, Oh, come on. And I said, Well, like four years, Um, when I first saw the show, I said, What's the Queen Universe? And Brian said, Oh, you'll love at me So we went to Wellington, and that's when we saw the show. And Brian said, You'll be doing that next year. And I said, No way you you won't see me there. And next moment I'm there is, um, Miss Samoa. [00:05:00] So yeah, it was a laugh. And a lot of people want to know about the show of my family and that, and they said, Well, it's a beauty pageant. It's, um you know, you have funny names like Miss in India. I own a dairy or, um, my name was, um Mr Fell off and everybody just up laughing. You know, it's so fun. And the people are great. I really love them to Yeah. Have you done any type of performance before, or was this the first time? This was my first one. normally, I'm a shy person. [00:05:30] I think I created a monster since I John and the queen of the interviews. So take me through how how a really shy person can then blossom and and and be on stage. How how did that evolve? How did that? Well, I think as, um, you know, dressing up. Um, once you dress up with the makeup and everything, you sort of, um, a different character. And not only that, [00:06:00] um, when you're dressed up, you get, uh, different, Um, people, you know, sort of treat you in a different way. Which, if I was dressed up in plain, they go Oh, hi, mate. How are you? But in in a different costume, it's like, um, what do you call it? Yeah, the eco. Um, it's amazing how people react. People gravitate to you, don't they? And that's why I find with photography, you can go to a movie or a stage show and just [00:06:30] normal and, you know, with the handbag switched over and watch the It's great, but you put a camera around your neck or dress up and and drag and go to a show. Oh, everybody comes to you. We did a cruise around Australia because I'm sick at the moment. So we've been travelling a lot. And, um, Matthew went and drag it Miss Samoa on the cruise ship and the people just absolutely came to him. And so much so on this Hawaiian evening that the the company director, the director got really put off because no one was [00:07:00] coming to him with all his organised friends. They were gravitating to Matthew being Miss Samoa on boat. I didn't mind Gap. I didn't mind having the highlight. You know, everyone taking photos of me. It's like as I said, it's totally different. It was a bit like Miss Samoa has arrived, you know, So and of course, this great big screen on the on the ship and everywhere Matthew went is Miss Samoa would be following, and everyone would be cheering, clapping and throwing their bat on the air. But I did ask, um for Jonathan's permission is Mr, um, [00:07:30] Express herself on the boat. But need we say that we all did this in the middle of the Indian Ocean at 35 to nearly 40 degrees at night. And Miss Saar's makeup and clothes were dreaded by the end of the night because it was just so hot, but it was great. It was a wonderful fun. That first rehearsal you went to for queen of the whole universe, Can you recall [00:08:00] how you felt? What, were you nervous? Were you? Oh, yes. Um, I was nervous, Um, because I can hear all the people behind the curtains because I was, um, in the opening. And once the curtain just opened Ah, I was, um, nervous. And then once we start going, I was really excited. You actually said to me when he first did the show, he said it was quite thunderous when the curtain went up. That's exactly how you described It was, And it was quite hearing [00:08:30] all the people clap and go. Yahoo and the curtain go up. And the music, it was quite I can't explain, Gareth, but it was just that fantastic. Like all the audience or the the noise was like, Oh my gosh, this is what it's like on the stage. Yeah, so on the other side of the curtain, actually in the audience, Brian, that's where you are with my camera taking photos of the Queen of the Universe between people's heads and then front front You were there, right at the very start. When and can you recall the kind of brief [00:09:00] that Jonathan gave you in terms of what he wanted to kind of capture? He just wanted to create a show that was going to raise funds for the, you know, the the charities involved and and to create fun. He's always always insisted that it has to be fun and creative and colourful, isn't it? So, knowing that what kind of images were you trying to trying to capture what, well, just really the and photography You mean just really [00:09:30] the people that have taken the time to to dress up, you know, whether it be the audience or on the the actress on the stage, because, you know, sometimes it's hard to distinguish between the actors and the audience because they get everybody gets so involved. And in the auditorium at halfway time. Or or afterwards. You know, there's there's Matthew, all dressed up there as Mr and You've got, you know, one of the queens from road or down Hamilton Way or or even the, um shall [00:10:00] I say, the straight community taking their time to wear a jacket. You know, there's a woman, 68 litre jacket, hair all done up, flags flying. And it was just so exciting. And to think they actually took the time and trouble to to go out of the way like Matthew's work crowd, they all dressed in and, um, coloured tops and the sunglasses. They just all made an effort to dress up for this. And, um, it was great. What are the key [00:10:30] things to making a good photographer who captures moments like that in terms of like working with with the crowds? What what are the key things? Just jump in and be incredibly friendly and say something totally outrageous. You know, How's your sex life? Or, you know, or you know, Come on, let's just do a dance and let's do a stripper, you know, or my favourite saying, because I'm a wedding photographer and I've done that for 25 years. I've always said to an 80 year old, you know, at a wedding or or the thing of the queen of the universe Listen, darling, I'll take your photo. You're the [00:11:00] best here And once I've taken your photo, we'll go clubbing. And don't worry where you Where we go, there'll be. You'll be totally safe with us. You'll be surrounded by 200 men and you'll be totally safe. Oh, they just think it's fabulous because they've been put on a pedestal. They've been made extra special, especially a 65 or 85 year old grandmother that's coming to see their son or daughter on the stage, you know, and they just love it. So by capturing that, talking to them and chatting to them and say, Come on, let's have a photo And so I grabbed a couple of the actors or, [00:11:30] you know, Jonathan and Kevin, or Buffy and or or whatever that throw them all together and take a photo and they just love it because then I always get down the email address and and shoot it off to them. As it's a gesture, it's to say thank you you know, for being part of the show. So can you describe the audience? Is it is it Oh, they're totally charismatic. Totally. Yes. You have the normal lawyer, the the normal housewife who's on the night turned [00:12:00] into something like Madonna, you know, or or, um, Superman or something like that, because they know its creativity. They've known that the person they're going to support is, um, on the show to raise funds. And they're colourful. So let's just join their world for a few hours. And to be totally honest with you, when they've gone for days on, they've said, Oh, wonderful. Like my aunt. She went and she said we should find her grandmother and I mean her Her grandson said, [00:12:30] Um, oh, you know, went to the show. Hello, I'm here And he said, Stop it, you know, joking me. But she was just mimicking the gay guys dressing up as women, you know, and just being funny. And she loved it. And she talked of nothing else for about a month or two months afterwards. So you have it in a nutshell. It's a bit of fun, Felos, just for a few hours. But those few hours can obviously be a memories for for a life time, especially in the capture bomb. Um, film [00:13:00] and Matthew, you were saying that your your family comes along, and, um, I had, uh, our group of friends and they dress up in love a lover in the, um, the all around. So, yeah, it was all together, but my family, um, they came, and they really enjoyed it as well. So, having never done a performance like this before, how did you present it to them in terms of Hey, I'm doing this. I just said, uh, well, [00:13:30] you know, uh, my family's, you know, really laid back and down to earth, and so I'm doing this. Mr said, Oh, God. On here, someone's representing our country. But, um, yeah, um, I just come out strong, and, um, my family is always acceptable. You know what I do which, um, gives me a good support. We had a family gathering yesterday, and I said, When's the next one? I'll be there. I'll be there on call, you know, where do we get the tickets? So yeah, they're very supportive of Matthew. Definitely. [00:14:00] Yeah. It must be really nice having that support. Yeah, well, my dad is a minister, and, um, he's, um, even though because I'm his, you know, his son. He he loves me dearly, and he loves Brian. He treats Brian as the same son as well. So yeah, I got a really good loving family. Had they been to anything like that before? Well, no, my dad hasn't, but, um my my sister and brother and I've never been [00:14:30] so no, it's really good. And what was the Did they like it when they said yes, they want to come again. So they were put off, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. And of course, she was standing up when came on. Your sister was standing up and clapping and waving. And, of course, we had flags and ya and we all knew where it was coming from the balcony. Now, was it gonna be worth it? Because I think there's going to be 20 of them. Yeah. Yeah. So do you do [00:15:00] I? I know that some of the contestants, um, with their supporters will give out little packs of either flags or or stuff. Is that something that you do? Um, they did all flags. Wayne organised all that and, uh, yeah, so I'm not sure what they're gonna do this year because they're going to be miss. And, um, with the, um they're gonna do bits and pieces or do a photo of my flag. I'm not really sure I haven't quite. [00:15:30] I think we'll do a flag with the colours that he's wearing for the head of nations and, um, make a flag out of the material or whatever like that. But last year, we were all up there standing. There was oh, about half a road standing and carrying to see it on the DVD. So this year What What colours? Um, I'll be gold and black. Hm. And, yeah, it's just glamorous glitter. We went to Thailand last year, and, um, we went to Bangkok and we got, [00:16:00] um, Valley highs opening number or made, and we also got the head gear made. So all the time we were in Thailand, we were on tred journey for 3.5 weeks. We were carting this headgear and every plane. You wouldn't believe it. We went to so many planes internally, but when we actually came home, they wouldn't let us put the headgear on the plane. So what should I do? Should I put it on and on the plane? But, um yeah, so I had to wait until it, um it was shipped to New Zealand. [00:16:30] Can you describe the head gear? What? What does it look like? Um, it's like a big star thing. Um, sort of like a tradition of what the Thailand were, um, gold and just out there a bit like Statue of Liberty head gear, isn't it? You know, with all the spikes and what have you all the glam and colour. But it was made Honestly, we we found it in Thailand, didn't we? In the store. And he said we Matthew wanted a few alterations because even though he Matthew is very [00:17:00] quiet, he's very articulate as to what he wants. And he stipulated to the to the store owner what he wanted. And they said, Yeah, come back in an hour. And we came back now and this is exactly what Matthew wanted. All done. So it was really good, you know? And of course, stay with his costume. Um, for the headgear of nation system was very high. Matthew was quite insistent of what he wanted and draw a picture. And we went and got the material and the way we went. So it's going to be quite stunning, but you ought to see the opening number. Wow, they done a wonderful job in Bangkok. [00:17:30] It's all red and silver, and it just fits to him like a glove, you know? But there were six girls all around me measuring me, and they said that they will happen in three days. And it was out there and then with with this bottle shaped dress, that's all like little C DS hanging from it. They've made this Maros of a Boer that's about a foot in diameter. And it goes from here to, oh, about 8 ft 9 ft and he wraps it all [00:18:00] around his arms and everything. And of course, it just offsets the garment, doesn't it? It looks fabulous. And they put red and black, um, feathers all through it. So it looks you can imagine it looks really awesome. So did you have an idea of the shops that you were going to go to before going to Thailand? Did you know that the Yeah, I had a few tips where where to go. But, um, it was quite hard to train. Um, look for it because it was in the big market and it was like a Robert a rabbit rabbit. Warren while, [00:18:30] um, to work your way through and I finally eventually found it. And we actually found it by Excell because a friend of ours is a and he goes and gets all his outfits there. And he said I said, Well, where is it? And he said, Oh, Brian, it'd be just impossible to to tell you, but if you get to this place, you know, just go right into the middle. So we went up and down around corners and and then all of a sudden, we came to fantasy land. Oh, Matthew just had a field day, [00:19:00] and so trying to communicate what you actually wanted, how how did that did you have an image that you could show or how well, it was actually on the, um, mannequin. And I just said, um oh, my gosh, that's what I wanted. And she sort of, um, pointed because she couldn't speak English, and then she showed you the material and we just, um she just went away and made it in three days. But then she, um, through her creativity, because [00:19:30] Matthew wanted his arms a bit more softer. She made the spa totally through her own fluish on Big Bow. You know that I've described the black and the red one for so long, so you can wrap it around. And of course, it just it looks perfect. So she did a really good job, didn't she? But as Matthew said, you can't speak English, you know, and you hope that you're paying the right money because you wouldn't have a clue, you know, But, um, all in all, it only came to $200 for the dress plus the bar. So that was pretty good going. That's New Zealand currency. [00:20:00] Because, you know, as you know, um, the head gear of nations, we spent what, nearly $200 on the material and then another $150 getting it made. So because Matthew said, Oh, we should go back to Bangkok and get so Actually, people are well, and and you you specifically are taking it quite seriously in terms of what you want to wear how you want to be presented. Um, Well, since I'm in the Act two, that sort of [00:20:30] counts more. Definitely, because you you've got to put, um, show that, you know, you've taken time and and then you spend and it's not work, and it's not a chore. It's fun. So you want to get the best out of Well, Matthew wants to get the best out of his out of ego as much as possible. So hence the reason you know, we we're fun, you know, get down to detail, don't we? And then we go and get all the joy, the sparkles and all that sort of thing. We we drop, don't we? [00:21:00] How far out before the performance do you start thinking about what you want to do and how you want to do it? How about about about a year or there abouts because we know that it's coming up. So you really start thinking about you and you draw your pictures of what you want. Matthew is a wonderful drawer. So, um, he sketches out what he wants, and then we finally get told what colour the opening number is, and then we just take it from there. And then as we go along through all the shops and, you know, overseas, [00:21:30] which we have done a lot, we say, Oh, that would be good for, um, Miss Samoa or Miss and Oh, that would be good to go with that. And as you collect, don't you as you go along? Yeah, Yeah, I'd say it's about a year. Gareth, Um, by the time you start putting all things together, I've been in a two. You sort of had to sort of plan a bit faster because, uh, the months go really fast. You need need to organise. There's a lot to do on Act two organising your [00:22:00] dancers, costumes and everything which I haven't done before. So what are the things you need to organise? Got dancers? Costumes? Um, I have to organise, um, How I'm going to do a story in five minutes with the dance and everything. Um, also organise my my dances and, um, the costumes with everything, um, we do the the props, and, you know, it takes [00:22:30] a lot to nut out exactly the story that we want to create. And then once the story in your mind is created. You then have to think of the props concerning the the the story and who we're going to have as actors and actresses and also the, um the general colour And the theme that runs through and the also the the funny highlights, isn't it? You know, you don't want it to be a boring five minute sketch. You know, it's like once we leave this interview, we're going to go [00:23:00] and get blow up monkeys. So it just gives you an idea of, you know? So we thought a few blow up monkeys lying around the stage or hanging from the from the hair on window and that sort of thing, we add just a bit of Plec, won't it? So we're getting there, Gareth, um, I got everything put together, and, um, we also got a choreographer to do a few dance that I don't know, but I did the first one, um, which is the island dance? Yeah. So, yeah, it's all put [00:23:30] in together, and, um, it'll be all finished when the time comes on July. Where do you get lot of monkeys from $2 shop? Victoria Street. I just found it We found it the other day and said to Matthew, That's what we need. We need a few of those all lying around, Sort of, um, big, too. They're not exactly small. They're about 2.5 ft by about three. Because my, um my theme is the island thing. So yeah, [00:24:00] heaps of monkeys and bananas and we're doing adaptation of the South Pacific movie that was out all those years ago. And it's a love affair between a captain and an island muscleman and miss, and whoever ends up with her is a lucky person and trying to find the muscle. Man, that was a chore. But we finally got them. So, um, it's been a lot of fun. Did that mean going around all the gyms and just scouting [00:24:30] it was actually it was actually getting the fingers working and phoning, you know, And, um, we managed to get two very creative people through my photography. I took photos of which is a leather bar in Auckland, and they put us on to these two muscle men so because we want them in lava, lava and, um, a necklace, don't we? But at the end, when Matthew is doing the, um a a dance [00:25:00] routine right at the end. It's all very colourful. So all we want them in black boots, Speedos, and that's all. And we thought, Oh, we're going to get someone to do that But they've come back and said, Oh, we'll just wear a jockstrap each And we thought, Well, that's even better because it really throws it all out into the audience. You know, Gareth, I wanted in my group a bit of mixture, you know, two good looking muscle guys. So there, you know, because you've got a mixture of, um audience and you've got straights and gay and, you know, therefore the the straight woman was that Oh, my gosh, [00:25:30] that's a waste. Seeing these two good looking muscle guys in there with us, you know, dress up in drags. Yeah, and I've always said and Matthew agrees with me, have always said right from the word go that it's fabulous, the friend of the whole universe with all the DRS and what have you. But to actually add a bit of male to the show just offsets everything. It's like a yin and yang. And if you've got a couple of muscle men in the show. The audience goes wild, isn't it? So that's what we want. [00:26:00] That wild effect casting must be such a chore. Jonathan's put his hand up to oil the muscle men down. I leave that to Brian. Yeah, because we were actually Matthew and I work incredibly well because Matthew is very artistic and very, you know, he's the main, um, doing the show. And he loves dressing up and drag and what have you. Whereas I'm totally the opposite sort of. I'm more sort of a, you know, boring old photographer, you know? [00:26:30] But with the yang and Yang situation, it's really good because he throws in a woman perspective and I can throw on the masculine perspective. And between all mixing, it comes out right away, doesn't it? Yeah. So are you photographing during the rehearsal period as well for our show? Yes. For our part at we've been photographing. And what kind of photos are you taking? The people doing funny things. Like they were just learning without them even, um, looking, you know, like we've [00:27:00] taken a photo of a friend who is practising one of Matthew's dance moves with his tongue hanging out and going, I got you know, you go click, you know, and also to a collective photo of everyone all hugging each other and kissing each other and doing mad cat things. Because at the end of the day, it's all about fun. It's all about getting together a ship for those few months leading up to the show, the show itself and the aftermath of the after Globe, really, of of the whole universe, because you do make [00:27:30] you do cement a really good friendship with the cast and crew, and I know it's a competition, but I just want, uh, at the same time, have fun and we've got a fantastic group. So yeah, it's it's great. How do you set the scene as a photographer to take kind of documentary images of people rehearsing without them feeling that they're being exposed? You just do it surreptitiously. It's a bit like taking photos of a couple [00:28:00] getting married. You're right at the back of the room, and you put the zoom lens on so you're not in their face. You don't want them to feel intimidated by the cameras. So what you do is you and I've always sign up with weddings. You know, you always stand 20 to 30 ft back, put the zoom lens on, and they don't even know they've been photographed in category. And that is when you capture the best moments because they're not all pro posed or or you know, anything like that. And the photos come out very creative, don't they? It's been a lot of fun, [00:28:30] and also, too, Dean Dean has been wonderful because he's done a lot of the rehearsals over the years. And he's taken photos of the people's, um, these guys that are bearded, mowed t-shirt, shorts, stockings and high heels because you've got to have the high heels to learn to do all the movements on, because that's what's going to happen. So it's quite hilarious, actually. How have the high heels been for you? At first, I was like, Whoops. Um, you know, I've been [00:29:00] almost spraying my ankle, but, um, you get used to it, but, um, that's the funny bit. Dancing in high heels, trying to walk. Yeah, when does that transformation happen from being Matthew to say What? Is there a point that you can feel I'm actually now this other person. Yeah, it's like, um not, um, how do you say it? Like Dr Ja? Um, it's a different transformation [00:29:30] here. Um, when I dress up as Mr you just get all this, um, different. Um, how do you say, Brian? Just different reaction from all the people you know. Say, oh, can I take a photo? You know, it's like I'm getting more attention, but which I'm just Matthew, they say, Oh, hi. Um, yeah, Brian's over there, or, you know, but I just notice the difference when you're dressed up as the ego, too. Once you Once, Matthew, [00:30:00] I I've actually know I can actually tell you a bit of a Matthew because I see it as a perspective. You know, he goes upstairs to try on his outfit, um, to make sure that everything's looking right for the show and he'll go up with Matthew, you know, And then about an hour passes and I'm watching TV and then he comes down floating, you know, look at me all soft and Tom, you know, and throws the stress around and what have you and then he's almost he's just become this other character, you know? And there's another character, because once [00:30:30] you've got yeah, once you off the ego, once you've got your makeup on and what have you you just instantly. It's a bit like having as I mentioned before, a camera trapped around your neck. You become another person. Does the voice change? Um, I think so. Yeah. Um, I'm not sure whether he could wear tight, um, Speedos, but yeah, um, you're sort of trying to, um, sort of speak differently because the the makeup and everything, [00:31:00] uh, the costume, um, as a different character. Yeah, but if it's Brian, then I'll just talk normal. But when you're talking to, you know, um, the audience and they they say, Oh, I love you. Thank you. You know, you sort of change your personality. Yeah. Let's put on perspective from Wellington. Matthew was Matthew. Then he became Miss Samoa. The show had ended and we had a wonderful time, as we all know. And then we decided to go and have hamburgers. And what have you at two. In the morning? [00:31:30] And there was Matthew pulling up the stress today. Matt going to the takeaways. I'll have this and I'll have that and I'll have that. And then he goes it all, then goes and sits down. And then instantly he becomes Miss Samoa again and eats because he was worried that people were going even though he's dressed up in drag. He was worried that people were going to rip him about it, that he was in drag. But then he would go and sit down on this and he's eating it so delight for and then he would someone would walk past us. Come on, should I sit on my lap and all this sort of thing? So it's just really just diversity [00:32:00] terribly throughout the whole night, and that's what I mean. Um, the the reaction on the people was different. I thought, you know Oh my gosh, they will see a dragon they'll pick on. But no, it was a different reaction. Yeah, yes, that was, uh was good. Oh, I never get the the looks that got buying a takeaway burger at two in the morning in Wellington. It was just, you know, it was just amazing. And he was just trying to be so botch. [00:32:30] But he almost forgot that he was in a dress so instantly. You know, you see this venom creature with this deep voice wanting this, that and everything on the burger stand. So do you think you become more aware of, um, mannerisms of other people in terms of, like, feminine mannerisms? You know how how you walk, how you hold yourself, how how you move your arms. Um, yeah, it's totally different once you have a dress on you. Sort of like, you know, you [00:33:00] walk like like a woman, and, um, try not to sort of walk, you know, clumsy because Jonathan showed us how to walk in it, so yeah, but once the party is over, you know, you can just I know that you know, you're not supposed to speak your week but a few drinks and that, you know, oh, Queen uni is over where you can be more, but Jonathan is No, you always cross your legs, you know? You know, um, because he's really, um, strict when we're on stage [00:33:30] that this is how you walk. This is how you do this and that. Yeah. We take a lot of directorship from Jonathan, and they are both absolutely fabulous because they have given us all a chance to be our alpha ego. They've given us a chance to raise money in a fun way. You've given us a chance to just laugh at ourselves in the gay community. And honestly, if it wasn't for his direct friendship and through how, [00:34:00] um Miss get to where he is for a we. As you know, we've never done a before. Um, we wouldn't have been where we are. We really, because he is just a lovely person. Jonathan's funny like I remember, um, he called six names and he said, OK, guys, I want to see. I'll call these six names. All the rest can go home. And, um, I want to see you and me and Peter look at each other, Dominic and he goes, [00:34:30] And I said, I think because we were really good, um, this way he kept us and probably want to put us on a special on the front. And we actually got there and John thinking, OK, you guys are are here because you can't walk like a woman, I said, Oh, OK, I thought I said to myself, I thought I walked down perfectly and so we had to spend one hour to walk like a woman. Yeah, and I said, Oh, Peter, Well, never mind. Will get popular. And then [00:35:00] next moment I Yeah, in Wellington. I didn't expect, um I got a reward. Um, Miss Wannabe, I said, Oh, well, it's nothing. You know, At least I try it. So yeah, it was funny. Yeah, but I love Jonathan. He's just so funny. Yeah, he's got a, um, characteristic of being incredibly jo and incredibly [00:35:30] helpful, but with with the directorship like a rod of seal in him. So he knows what he wants and defines that, however, does it with creativity and fabulous. I use fabs a lot in this interview because that's really how I can describe Queen of the whole universe. And it is per se it is. It is just a fun out there. Colourful, vibrant, exciting want to be their show and isn't it? And that's what it's all about. And you come away feeling really good [00:36:00] too, you know, And like, you know, there's so many dark movies or or dark plays that people produce these days, and it's just lovely to be able to have a bit of slapstick and a bit of poking fun at yourself. Do you see in the photographs you take on the night of the audience a difference between when people come in and when people go out? Oh, definitely, yes. They're all very neat and tidy when they're coming up, you know, in their suit, and they prim and proper with their drinks. And even [00:36:30] though they're all dressed up and then halfway through an interval when I'm still taking photos Oh, come on. I'm just taking a glass with the wine spilling out of it, and they're not drunk or anything. They're just so relaxed because anything goes on the show. And, of course, anything goes with the audience and you don't know, like Miss has got a, um, right at the end of her show. She's doing our dream of Jeanie Song, and she's actually coming out into the audience and going to sit on people's laps and play with their earrings and all that type of thing. And, of course, when you interaction [00:37:00] with the audience and the and the actors, it just adds that relax, sort of in the party afterwards. Of course, you know, just everybody is you wouldn't even know who the actors and who the audience were, because they're all relaxed and you know you can. The really bloke bloke, you know, turns out to be Who cares? Come and sit on my lap in this photo. You know, it's it's very much, isn't it? It brings the straights and the gaze if you like to call it all together for one fun night, [00:37:30] you know? And we all Honestly, as I said before, you know, in months, years following they they look back and think, Oh, yeah, that was fabulous. One good memories. This upcoming performance is the last, uh, queen of the whole universe beauty pageant. And I'm wondering if you had any thoughts on on that. Say it. We haven't really thought about that. Well, it is sad. I mean, Matthew was only coming. [00:38:00] This will be his third performance, won't it? And of course, you know, it was a shame that he wasn't. We went together earlier, so he can, um, go through. But, um, yeah, it is sad, but I can you know, I can appreciate the amount of work doing it too. There's a lot, a lot of work as would say, but, um, you know, surprise, surprise. Jonathan might come out with something new and exciting that we can, um, envelope into as well. So, um, but I it is sad. But in some [00:38:30] ways, I hope And I really do hope that Jonathan and Kevin will do a sort of a Graham Norton show on TV because I because I, my 25 year old son who has said that Jonathan and Kevin will be brilliant bucking will be brilliant at that. Yeah. I hate that. There will be something more, uh, whatever Jonathan's decision is going to be, because I ask him if you get dressed up in Well, I was gonna ask. I mean, if even if queen of the whole universe stops, uh, does that stop [00:39:00] you from doing more? Well, um, yeah. Um, I'm not really sure I never thought of it. Yeah, so? So you mean to say that in the next? Once the show is over, I won't be seeing you vacuuming and dusting and And your long frock. Oh, sorry. You don't know what goes on behind those doors, do you? I've always said that nothing than folk, you know, no I. I only, um, dress up, Um, for the the of the universe. [00:39:30] Not that that dresses up, but we are going to the pink ball. Um, the gay ball in the Shadow Hotel. That was last year. Matthew went as Samoa, and, um, he will go as, um as I'll let you go again because I think it's a good chance to be yourself. But we're just trying to decide what outfit he should wear and how wonderful she's going to look. But with Matthew it II I know that a lot of dry queens and what [00:40:00] have you or take a lot of time to get made up. But Matthew seems to do it with a reasonable space of time, don't you? For Matthew to Mr So the pink ball will be fabulous. Have you been? No, it is wonderful. It was wonderful. And, um, raise money for Yes, I'm not too sure you're doing for, but it is. It's a chance for collectively and people are coming from overseas for it. And last year was the first one and it to and [00:40:30] just a beautiful old fashioned. You're too young to remember, Gareth. But in the sixties. You know, the balls used to be fabulous. Well, it's the same sort of feeling, you know, But that's what we're off to before the queen of the university. A. We're gonna be trout fishing for a week. And when doesn't been a bloke to Hello, Miss Patty. Hi. At the at the, um, at the ball. Actually, it would be really funny, wouldn't it? If, um, miss walks down the main street of with this fishing rod, but be highs close, [00:41:00] wouldn't it? We really get the locals, wouldn't it? One thing. Good, um, being the other character, like when we were on the cruise ship, Um, after, um, Samoa. The Hawaiian night next morning at breakfast. Um, they said to Brian Oh, who was that lovely woman drag woman that you didn't realise that it was me there sitting there and quite off them and and they were really quite serious. They weren't having fun with us. I said, Well, where's Matthew? And I said, Oh, Matthew's gone to sleep. [00:41:30] I didn't realise I, but I just still I, I still recall at on the, um, the cruise ship. The cruise director was really put out because that was his job of the night to make sure it all runs perfectly. And who should turn up at Miss Samoa and everyone flocks to him for the whole night here for the night. So he didn't have a chance to do anything. He tried to get line dancing going Oh, no. They all want to be around the the whole evening shouting a drink. So, yeah, it's [00:42:00] a lot of fun and that's the whole essence of it all the night.
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