The Turning Point: Lana Sandas

“I was on an $800-a-day heroin habit” and no one knew.  Think you know what a ‘junkie’ looks like?

Tom Cruise one-on-one with Marc Fennell

There is no bigger, no more iconic movie star than Tom Cruise. Whether you like him or not, his filmography is a library of iconic, culturally defining big screen moments. He is legendary. So where did it all start? I sat down with Tom to talk through his movie career. He volunteers some pretty incredible never-before-heard insights on a bunch of his films both old and new: Magnolia, Edge of Tomorrow, Taps and his latest: American Made. 

Dan Sultan on on changing the date of Australia Day

“It’s like getting spat in the face when they wave that f*cking flag around.”

Dan Sultan fires up about Australia Day, the songs he wont sing anymore, the craft behind his new album Killer and why his high school certificate may not be totally legit. 

Going deep with Bojack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg at Video Junkee 2017

Creator and Showrunner, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, of the hit Netflix Original animation series Bojack Horseman in a Q&A with me. We go deep into the creation of his wildly acclaimed dark comedy and how an animation about a humanoid horse became a global hit.

Morgana Muses: Porn star at 52

For her 47th birthday Morgana booked a hotel room and an escort. She wanted the night of her life… because it was going to be her last.

This is the story of how porn saved Morgana Muses' life.

Neil deGrasse Tyson on space, race and that one time he nearly became a stripper

I really loved this chat. It was funny, challenging, intense and really considered. If you enjoyed it make sure you see Tyson onstage. He's doing a wonderful series of events around the country at the moment. 

Ben Mendelsohn: Making the most of second chances

Ben Mendelsohn on actors "overthinking" their roles, and how working as a labourer between acting gigs kept him grounded.

So, I spent a weekend chatting to One Nation voters and it was fascinating.

When we talk about One Nation we invariably talk about one person: Pauline Hanson. We often don't tend to talk about - or to - the people that actually vote for her. So myself and excellent producer Simon Cunich went to find out what matters to them. What makes them angry? Why are they turning away from both major parties?  You may be surprised by their responses. You may be offended. Let me know in the comments what you think. 

Zac Efron used to Google himself every morning. Turns out that's not a great thing to do.

What’s it like to be young and famous in an age when you can google yourself every morning? I asked Zac Efron and Alex Daddario. 

James Blunt is surprisingly honest and legitimately funny

“I feel disrespect for anyone who enjoys my music.” So, um, James Blunt is surprisingly honest and legitimately funny. We talked about his years as a soldier in Kosovo, why Carrie Fisher had a piano in her bathroom and why music reviewers are bullshit and.. yeah... it's a full chat

Indigenous Astronomer: Karlie Noon

Karlie Noon was the first Indigenous woman in NSW to graduate with a double degree in mathematics and physics… but Indigenous Australians have been practicing science long before universities were teaching it.

Despite evidence in the form of rock art depicting Indigenous knowledge about astronomy, Karlie says that she gets pushback for claiming Indigenous Australian astronomers made discoveries attributed to Galileo, Newton and Kepler. 

“I'm young and I'm saying, ‘No, that's not true, Indigenous people knew about it before them.’ I guess it can be a little bit jarring to people.

“There's this perception Indigenous discoveries can’t add anything to western science, so why would we bother looking at it?” she says.

Karlie’s experience teaching students from low socio-economic and Indigenous backgrounds has led her to CSIRO’s Indigenous STEM Education project where she works as a research assistant.

When she left home and set out for a career in science, it dawned on Karlie that her background was worlds apart from those studying and working alongside her.

Like the students she has mentored along her way, Karlie grew up in a poor family; she left school in year eight, studied at TAFE then went on to university.

While many people in Karlie’s life are proud of her achievements, “there's the other side where people feel a bit weird when you're in the limelight.”

Karlie puts this down to a sort of internalised shame stemming from generations of Indigenous people needing to be fearful of the public eye.

Despite everything, Karlie continues to push ahead… and she hopes other young Indigenous people will follow her, or be inspired to forge their own path. 

#TheFeedSBS airs 7.30pm weeknights on SBS VICELAND. 

Kasabian's Tom Meighan opens up about anxiety.

After the death of his friend, and a break-up with his partner, Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan is back for the first time in over a year. He opened up to Marc Fennell about his dreams and his depression.
 

Why I'm leaving triple j...

It’s 1:54 am in the middle of an ABC studio. I just mixed what is very likely to be my last triple j review. 

I’ve been That. Movie. Guy for almost my entire adult life.

Sitting here alone tonight in an empty, cavernous public broadcaster feels somehow both anti-climatic and entirely appropriate.  In the last decade I’ve spent way, way too many nights like this at the ABC finishing off a review after a long week making The Feed,  Download This Show or Hungry Beast before them. So, sitting here for this Major Life Turning Point™  all by myself in the silent dead of night seems... about right. If I were producing this scene, it would need some nostalgic, swelling emotionally manipulative play-off music.

I’ve made roughly 734 reviews over 11 years. I’ve outlived 5 breakfast shows and the entire Twilight franchise. I think now is the time for someone new. 

And I'm pretty sure the next person will be 100% better than me. 

Because that person... is probably you. 

Right now, triple j is hunting for someone who will - I personally hope - rip up the sound and format that I created for myself. You should absolutely go apply. Be that person who decides the way we *should* be talking about movies and TV in 2017. Make it your own. Make it awesome. And, above all, make it better than this dickhead:

One thing you should know: triple j is not like other radio stations.

I will always remember my first exposure to triple j. It was a Hottest 100 party in 2001. I was hooked instantly. Adam and Will had a breakfast show that made being a nerd seem cool. Richard Kingsmill introduced me to my new favourite music but also gave me reasons to appreciate the music I hated. On Sunday nights before the school week, I was glued to Fenella Kernebone and Megan Spencer introducing me to new movies, arts and culture. I’d never experienced radio like that. It made me feel connected to a universe far bigger than my microscopically small community christian high school. It made me feel included. Even in the depths of shitty, shitty self-loathing adolescence, I could see a horizon.

triple j gave me that.

Sure, they played a bit more Jack Johnson than any of us would like to admit, but - look - everyone fucks up occasionally.

I still love film. I’ll still be bringing you the best cult movies on SBS VICELAND. I'm still going to be interviewing the most amazing people in film, music and writing on The Feed. I'm still very much part of the ABC with my other radio show Download This Show.  This week I'm also helping launch something really exciting with Junkee. And I've also helped launch a new not-for-profit called Media Diversity Australia.

But most importantly - I still want to talk with you about movies. I’ve always said that my triple j reviews were the beginning of a conversation that you guys get to finish. Right now, I’m thinking about what the next evolution of that might look like. I have some plans for something completely different and new. I'm also keen to hear what you want. So lemme know in the comments or shoot me a message on Facebook.

I walked into triple j when I was 20 and the fact that they haven't fired me in the last decade has been both an absolute shock and probably a testament to how cheap I am to employ.

It may have only been a little 2-minute piece of radio that I made but I still count myself so lucky. So lucky that I found triple j when I did as a teenager. So lucky to broadcast to the best audience in Australia. Ask anyone: there's no group quite like triple j listeners. You are an engaged, passionate, weirdly-Tool obsessed cohort of sexy motherfuckers and I can't wait to hear which one of you takes over from me. 

But right now - It’s 2:05am and I’m driving home from making my last ever triple j review. The good news is that I found the 2001 Hottest 100 on Spotify and thanks to the number 1 song I finally have...

Thank you triple j.

Thank you for the horizon.