Our acclaimed news and current affairs show The Project is on fire now, drawing big viewer numbers and recently hitting a three-year audience high. Season two of the hit comedy How To Stay Married is running on 10 Play and arrives on 10 Tuesday 5 May at 8.30pm.
What do these two shows have in common? It’s our beloved and non-Logie Award-winning colleague Pete Helliar. We had a chat recently with Pete about life in iso, what’s going on with his two shows, the state of the media these days, and more.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you these days?
A: I’ll be honest; I have filled my days with a combination of work, family time and creative outlets. I am reading books that have been lying dormant by my bedside for a while, learning to speak French badly, doing online PT classes with my wife and kids. Also I’ve been looking after Strauchanie who has made a comeback of sorts on Instagram (@Strauchanie59).
Q: How have you been keeping other people entertained?
A: I feel now more than ever, despite not having access to stages or audiences, the job of comedians and entertainers is bloody important. People need some light among the darkness. The response we’ve had to the “Life In Lockdown” segment on The Project has been phenomenal. Any true comic knows there is comedy to be mined in any situation, so we need to get to work!
Q: Is anything giving you comedic inspiration right now?
A: I remember on Australia Day doing a Bushfire Relief Gig. I opened with “Can the coronavirus please just f*** off. We are not ready for you yet”. The audience cheered before I added “I do have the vaccine for coronavirus. It’s a Panadol and a wedge of lemon.” It got a really big laugh. Fast forward two-and-a-half months and I think there would be a slightly different reaction. Possibly. Maybe not. But it’s such an ever-changing, fluid situation.
To be honest, people are providing the inspiration. I staggered at how quickly we have adapted to this unprecedented situation. People keep saying this is this generation’s war time. I wonder if we will get any classic war films out of this considering all we are being asked to do is stay home. I can imagine Saving Private Ryan From The Couch, The Beer Hunter, Hacksaw Fridge, Full Dinner Jacket and, of course, The Longest F***** Day.
Q: How has the content of The Project changed since the pandemic started?
A: Well, we have been covering way more coronavirus stuff than ever before! One of the biggest shifts has been not having a studio audience. I particularly thought it was going to be super weird but because there is a lot more serious discussion, it means we are not being dictated by the applause and laughs of a studio audience. It feels more like mates having a chat at a dinner party. We still, thankfully, like to bring some levity among the grim headlines. As I said, the response to Life In Lockdown has been phenomenal and it reminds me that even in the darkest times, humour is so important.
Q: What do you think about how Australian media in general has been covering the pandemic?
A: I think it’s been very good. Like the Government, the media need to relay the seriousness of the situation without freaking people out too much. It can be a delicate balance. I feel like there is a “We are all on the same side” vibe at the moment. Sometimes I see the occasional click-bait headline, which is just an opinion piece by someone wanting to point out apocalyptic prophecies, which isn’t particularly helpful, but for the most part I think the media has been responsible in getting the right messaging out.
Q: The new season of How To Stay Married is running on 10 Play now and starts on 10 Tuesday 5 May at 8.30pm. Tell us a bit about the new season?
A: I’m extremely proud of the new series. From day one in the writers’ room, we had the confidence of knowing who our characters were and the best way to put them under pressure. In the first season there was a bit more guess work. In this season we have Em (Lisa McCune) getting a dream opportunity at work but it’s going to put her marriage under stress. Greg (me) simply wants to take his family on a cruise – yes, this was written pre-COVID-19 and this storyline either hasn’t dated well or is pitch perfect – so he needs to find ways to make money from home.
We tackle very relatable situations that all Aussie families will face at some point such as discovering your child has been sexting, trying to make your house the “cool house”, making new friends as an adult, waiting for the NBN, relationships with in-laws and disastrous marriage proposals. It’s all here.
