David M. Green: Purveyor of fine humour

Tag: TVSydney

  • 31 Questions S2E06 & Sydney Funtimes

    31 Questions S2E06 aired on C31 Melbourne & Geelong on the 31st day of August. And there is it on glorious YouTube.

    I spent 4 days in Sydney last week. It was the first time in seven years I’d been somewhere that wasn’t Melbourne or Adelaide. And it was fantastic.

    I stayed in the seaside suburb of Sans Souci on the shores of Botany Bay (to my knowledge, the only bay named after a spaceship from Star Trek) with the lovely Barb Badham:

    She’s mother to my good friend and mentor Van Badham. Here’s a photo of her aged 14, which I discovered in a drawer that wasn’t locked in any serious kind of way:

    I forgot that I actually like Sydney. Last time I was there it was for New Year’s Eve 2006 when my Grandma treated the family to watch the fireworks on Sydney Harbour. An unforgettable experience. Back then, I returned to Adelaide via Melbourne. On that trip, I had a much better time in Sydney than Melbourne. To quote my 19-year-old self from my own diary:

    7 January 2007
    “I think I prefer Sydney to Melbourne. Watching this promotional video in the Rialto Tower really gave me the impression Melbourne is an arrogant city. It’s really just a bigger, more disorganised Adelaide.”

    It probably didn’t help I was travelling with my good friend John Timoney and by the time we got to Melbourne, we were well and truly sick of each other. While I’ve got my diaries out, here’s how I felt about Melbourne when I was there again 18 months later:

    12 July 2008
    “Melbourne is great. I can see myself living here more than I could last time.”

    Quite a turn around! And since then, the only news I ever hear about Sydney is to do with traffic congestion, high cost of living and racist electorates in the western suburbs. But I always have a great time when I’m there (I don’t drive and I stay away from the western suburbs).

    Highlights of this Sydney trip include meeting Mark Humphries from ABC2’s “The Roast” at Pizza Hut. We talked comedy and TV and such for 5 hours straight. Didn’t even take a photo with him. But he’s pretty good in this:

    I also caught the train to the Petersham TAFE to be interviewed by Sean Campbell for his “The Sean Campbell Show” on XRLENT Radio. Good guy. We talked about 31 Questions, TVS, RMITV, radio and Adelaide. Here’s the video of our chat:

    On Thursday, after one and a half cancellations, I finally caught up with my old radio pal Matty B at the Queen Victoria Building (or MB at the QVB). Hadn’t seen him in 3 years. Again no photo, but we did do this once:

    [display_podcast]

    And now for the strangest experience of my trip…

    On Thursday night, to coincide with the broadcast of S2E04 on TVS, I journeyed to Ultimo (a couple of streets back from the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), home to the infamous “Ultimo Bachelor Pad” – the self proclaimed (and probably rightly so) biggest 31 Questions fans in, if not Sydney, then the world.

    Now, they are some REAL fans…

    To illustrate:

    Dear God. We must be doing something right with 31 Questions?

    Thanks again to Mike, James, Zoe, Nathan, Mel and (via Skype from Europe) Daniel for a magnificent dinner and cake, as well as their ridiculous amount of support they continue to give to me and the rest of the 31 Questions team. Fans in other cities, you’ve got your work cut out for you if you plan on topping that.

    I’m now safely back in Melbourne. And it’s back to the hyper-reality that is my life.

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    PS. 31 Questions debuts on Face Television New Zealand this Thursday 9.30PM.

  • 31 Questions – The Recording of Season 2, Episode 7

    After the dizzying highs of Episode 6, we were back in the studio on Monday April 29 for our 7th shoot of Season 2. And I was dog tired.

    This year I’m back panelling “AFL Live” for Crocmedia on regional radio around Australia. I’d worked a 10 hour shift on ANZAC Day, which included 9 straight hours at the panel, panelling two full AFL games. It’s the longest I’ve ever spent panelling live radio. It was great fun, but I was pretty damn mentally exhausted by the end of it. That Thursday shift was followed by my usual weekend shifts. So I panelled for 29 hours in 4 days.

    Then it was straight on to 31 Questions Day.

    I was running late as I hadn’t had a chance to do all my little last minute preparations until, well, the last minute; Cutting out the questions and sticking them to my cue cards, ironing my only white shirt, practicing the movie quotes, organising props and sending out endless emails.

    As always seems to be the case with days like this, for the first time ever, I left my autocue script at home and I set a new record for finding the farthest ever parking space from the RMIT studios. When I finally hauled myself and my box of tricks in (well, Antonio carried the box), it was straight into shooting a sketch and then straight from that into Episode 7. In hindsight, I should have had a coffee. Or at least a can of Diet Coke.

    If for no other reason than to control my explosive flatulence.

    But aside from my slight irritability, it was another successful shoot. We’re continuing the string of great crowds and people seem to be “getting it”. Either that or they’re laughing at us. Either way.

    There was a guy named Henry with an English accent, sitting in the front row. For a moment there I thought he was that Marcus Taylor guy, making good on his threat to turn up to one of my gigs. Fortunately it wasn’t the same guy.

    Back in 2011 he asked me to do a funny review of his help self book. He didn’t much like my review. It’s a long and ridiculous story. Read it here.

    Kudos also to producer and production manager Riyana Kasmawan. Not only has she been making the fabulous prizes and props every week, she’s also been cooking dinner for the cast and crew. And though I personally haven’t eaten any of it because I’m never in the mood to eat before a taping, I’m told it’s been adequate and more importantly, within budget.

    A+

    Simon Owens from Melbourne radio station 3AW joined regular person Ashlee behind the contestant podium this week. It’s always great when our contestants have a go, even if they don’t get every question right. Points for effort count.

    Actually, points for absolutely no reason also count. That’s Moderator Anthony’s department.

    And so we reach the END of Season 2. Tonight we’re taping Episode 8, the glorious season finale.

    If you want to be a part of it, come join the studio audience!

    Pop in 8.30PM:

    Studio A, Level 2, Building 12
    RMIT University
    on Melbourne’s fabulous Swanston Street
    (near the corner of Franklin Street)

    Or RSVP to the event on Facebook.

    Of course there is still ONE MORE opportunity to see 31 Questions live in 2013. Next week on Monday 16 May, we’re re-shooting Episode 2, which we lost to a tape malfunction. And that really will be the last one. To my knowledge.

    See you tonight!

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    To my knowledge (wink wink).

  • 31 Questions: The People’s Game Show (both spiritually and financially)

    Our crowdfunding campaign for 31 Questions Season 2 is over. And we raised the incredible amount of… $1,846!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_Mxq3p7W6Pc

    That’s cold, hard, wet CASH!

    And we’re already using it to pay for stuff we need.

    All up, we had 72 donors from 4 countries around the globe, each donating an average of $26 and almost doubling our goal of $1,000.

    I’d like to thank the following non-anonymous people for their continued support:

    Kimberley Seeto
    Simon Mould
    Rhys Barnard
    Elliott Klein
    Nick Gates
    TV’s Dan Ilic
    Ryan Vickers
    Craig Faulkner
    Greer Forrester
    Kristen Rogers
    Tom Green
    David Cooper
    Kate Henning
    Jonus DeAguiar
    Adam Wozniak
    David Dower
    Walter Lee
    Blazenka Brysha
    Van Badham
    Tim Mahlberg
    Felix of House SYN
    Dan Picton
    Hayden Faulkner
    TV’s Sam Mac
    Ellen McCutchan
    Rachel Howe
    Harrison Gough
    Mark Humphries
    Sean Campbell
    Belle Hammond
    Zachary Clapper
    Patrick Bosher
    Andrew Williams
    Michelle Pay
    Daniel Guglielmin
    Lisa-Skye Goodes
    Peter Cirocco
    Peter Van Dort
    Alessandra Suuberg
    Bill Smith
    Brendan Johnson
    Sam Vandenn
    Richard Green
    Matt Meiklejohn
    Leon Hill
    Jane Watkins
    Daniel Lawler
    Mike Sinclair
    Gillian Terzis
    Bree Watkins
    Ben Hayes
    Aaron Hayes
    Daniel Krimmer
    “The Ultimo Bachelor Pad”
    Andrew Sullivan
    Jack Savige
    Wes Kingston
    Terri McCormack
    Hannah Green
    Rainer Selby
    Grahame Buchanan
    Grahame’s cat, Bella

    You’ve made Season 2 possible. Thank you all so, so much.

    To put the geographical scale of this campaign in perspective, this is where the money came from:


    View 31 Questions Crowdfunders in a larger map

    If you’ve ordered a Moderator Mug, there’ll be a slight delay before you can expect your mug in the mail. I ordered 50 mugs with my face on them, but only 5 of the [arguably more popular] “Anthony” design – so we’ve put in an order for more. T-shirts of specific sizes are also on order. And everyone should receive autographed headshots next week.

    We’re also very much enjoying the fan photos. Here are a few more:

    My only criticism is that ellipsis has one too many dots. But other than that: *Italian-esque hand gesture where the fingers explode from the lips*.

    Now let’s make the damn show.

    (Tech rehearsal tomorrow!)

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    I’m not a fan of pickles, but now I want one.

  • 31 Questions: Crowdfunding Endgame

    And now we enter endgame…

    With 4 days left of the 31 Questions crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, we’ve raised the unbelievable amount of $1,692!

    We’ve already long since surpassed our original goal of $1,000. But can we now get to $2,000? It’s up to YOU.

    Here are some tasty morsels that might convince you to contribute…

    Want to impress your friends and family with your knowledge of answers? Do it via this convenient “Moderator Mug”, while also questioning whether they too are aware of the answer that you yourself claim to know. Featuring a drinkable TV’s Anthony McCormack in his signature pointing pose, this mug will make a welcome addition to your cupboard or dishwasher. Available now for $31. All proceeds go towards production of Season 2 of 31 Questions!

    And the next 8 lucky fans who donate $10 to the show on Indiegogo won’t just receive a personally autographed headshot of benevolent host David M. Green, you’ll also receive an ORIGINAL SEASON ONE QUESTION CARD (featuring actual printed questions, hand-written notes AND last minute gags)! As used during the taping of Episodes 12 & 13, 17 May 2012. Think of how much these are going to be worth once David M. Green has moved on to better things and/or died! Strictly limited to the next 8 crowdfunders.
    We’ve now received contributions ranging from $2 to $100 from 65 individuals in 4 countries. Check out this map of their approximate locations:


    View 31 Questions Crowdfunders in a larger map

    How cool is that!?!?

    We’re already using this money to pay for tapes, printing, hard drives, set materials, electronic components for the new buzzers, postage, “fabulous” prizes, parking, costumes and all matter of miscellaneous things needed to make some sort of television show.

    It’s very touching knowing there’s so much love out there for this scruffy underdog of a game show. I had an exchange of Facebook messages over the weekend from a gentleman in Chicago, who informs me his whole family has been enjoying Season 1 on YouTube.

    And what put the biggest smile on my face was finding out his 7-year-old son has been repeatedly quoting the punchline “Just my colon”, as delivered by Sophie Loughran in Episode 4, and “dying laughing”. Evidently, American children are better educated on punctuation than their Aussie counterparts. I don’t think I learned what a colon was (either definition) until I was twice that age.

    This might be good karma for all the times I myself have quoted The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, National Lampoon’s Vacation and any other motion picture set in The Windy City.

    Keep those donations coming in. They’re making a big difference. I’ll leave you with some more Season 1 outtakes, highlighting a few community TV problems. Hopefully we’ll avoid them in Season 2. But somehow, I doubt it…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhwY1SehbRE

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    No sir, Mayor Daley doesn’t dine here any more. He’s dead sir.