If Wil Anderson has his way he’d spend all his time doing stand-up comedy. It’s not that he doesn’t like television, podcasts and radio – it’s just clear that stand-up is his first love.
This month Anderson brings his show ‘Free Wil’ to the Riverside Theatre, it’s one of the show’s final stops after a tour that’s taken him around the world.
“I’ve been doing this show since March and I’ve probably done it about 200 times in that period of time,” Anderson said, “the two shows in Perth are the last for 2015, so they’re a celebration.”
Over the last two years Anderson really got to spend some time doing what he loves best spending twenty months on tour, his popular TV show was on hiatus in 2014, only returning to our screens this September.
Since the Gruen machine fired up again it’s been enjoying spectacular ratings, showing that the break did nothing to damage the shows appeal.
When asked if he missed being on television Anderson’s answer is clear; “Not at all.” He declared, “If people could just come and see my stand up shows, I’d happily never do TV again. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that, so every now and again I have to get back on TV and say ‘hey remember me, come and see my stand up show.”
Anderson has a long history of naming his shows after puns around his name, ‘Free Will’ follows ‘Wilosiphy’, ‘Wiluminati’ and ‘Political Wil’ to name just a few.
“I’ll run out of show ideas before I run out of puns on my name.’ Anderson said. “I’ve got about another thirty on standby. So every year when my management call in July and ask ‘What next year’s show is going to be called?’ I can just look at my list and say ‘Fire at Wil’ – how does that work?”
Even though he’s spent years now behind the desk on ‘Gruen’ Anderson says he still has no interest in the world of advertising.
“When I come back to do ‘Gruen’ I have to sit down and study advertisements because I don’t watch them in my private life, it would be the same as if I was doing a show about sports, I’d know nothing and would have to learn. If I was doing show about cooking I’d have the same approach.” Anderson said. ‘My role is to be the everyman and ask the questions.”
Anderson said the important thing about ‘Gruen’ is it’s about understanding advertising not celebrating its industry.
“We’re eight years in to doing this show and if you offered me a million dollars I’m not sure I could name four advertising companies.”
Wil Anderson’s ‘Free Wil’ show is on the Riverside Theatre on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th of October, tickets are available via Ticketek, catch ‘Gruen’ on ABC1 on Wednesday nights.
Graeme Watson
Read more interviews with Wil Anderson.
