Q&A with Rhys in Maxim --April 2008

Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:26 pm

Q&A: The Third Man

As Murray Hewitt, the Conchords' dimwitted manager, Rhys Darby celebrates the rock'n'roll lifestyle in the tamest fashion imaginable.

Is Murray based on some poor schmuck you once worked with?
No, I pretty much plucked him out of thin air. Bret and Jemaine told me their manager often didn't connect with them, so that was the only hint I had. The rest of it I put in.

Besides managing the Conchords, Murray is also the cultural attache for New Zealand. Have you met any membes of the actual consulate?
Yeah, the guy with the equivalent of my fictitious job came up to me in New York, and he's a big fan of the show. When I went back to New Zealand, the tourism board invited me to their office for mornign tea. The whole staff, all 40 of the them, sang me a traditional Maori song. It felt really great, but when they finished, the sound of one man clapping was awkward.

Your countrymen don't hate you for portraying Kiwis as a bit backward?
Nope, New Zealand's really proud of the show. I was worried about showing the country as stuck in the 70's, with the Vic 20 computer and everything, but people are completely fine with it. We're so confident about how great New Zealand is, it's OK to say our biggest feature is the world's largest toothbrush fence.

So it's not like the way Kazakhstan feels about Borat.
It's pretty much the opposite of that.

Has the show affected tourism at all?
I think we have done a favor for tourism, although people come to New Zealand, and they think they're going to run into me, Bret or Jemaine straightaway.

Are you guys like the Beatles there?
[laughs] No, not at all. In New Zealand people don't really dig fame that much. The only famous people are the rugby team. Everyone else, no one really gives a toss. But the Conchords are getting quite a bit of attention. It goes Peter Jackson, then Bret and Jemaine, then me. I'm New Zealand's fourth most popular citizen.

Courtesy: Maxim Magazine

Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:22 pm

"
The whole staff, all 40 of the them, sang me a traditional Maori song. It felt really great, but when they finished, the sound of one man clapping was awkward."

Typical Rhys lol

Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:46 pm

No, I pretty much plucked him out of thin air. Bret and Jemaine told me their manager often didn't connect with them, so that was the only hint I had. The rest of it I put in.

I think this is typical Rhys... ;<br />D

Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:02 am

What a fun article! Thank you for posting that!

I disagree with what he said about fame in NZ though, and that the rugby team is the only fame they care about. Split Enz seems like The Beatles there. And Crowded House seems like second runner up. You might hear Crowded House occasionally in the US, but in New Zealand, you will hear them every day, and you will hear them anywhere. They're HUGE in NZ. When a Kiwi gets to meet those guys, it's a big deal.

My husband is a Kiwi, by the way. :-)

The cool thing about NZ is that since it is so small, you have much more of a chance to meet someone that you want to meet. Or, at least have some sort of connection to them. In America, because we are all spread out, most people only bump into famous people or have "
famous connections"
when they live in NYC, LA, Chicago, or Miami.

I'll bet FOTC are getting huge there now. I loved how he called himself New Zealand's fourth most popular citizen. Cute!! :-)

Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:00 pm

i think i secretly love Rhys. not like in a WOW YOU'RE HOT way, but like i want him to be my older brother or something. like a good buddy lol <img src=

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Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:21 am

LOL Alex... I think we all do! <img src=

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Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:25 am

i want to hang out with murray and dave. i'd be too scared to hang out with jemaine and bret!!!!!

Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:32 am

I'd hang out with all of them...and make out with bret...then arj...then bret...then arj...you get the picture. Mmmm what a man man lady threesome that could be hahaha

Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:33 am

after seeing those pictures and the video that Jemaine did for that fan, i don't even want to know what i'd end up asking him to do, so i'll stick to Murray and Dave. at least i could keep a clear head ;
-)

Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:57 am

aww, it'd be flighty and fotc cast party....with bits of making out on the side!!!--i love it!!

Fri Jun 20, 2008 4:50 pm

oh i just want to hug HIM LOL
"
fourth most popular citizen"

i love it XD

Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:04 pm

Amily wrote:[i]Q&A: The Third Man

Has the show affected tourism at all?
I think we have done a favor for tourism, although people come to New Zealand, and they think they're going to run into me, Bret or Jemaine straightaway.

MARIKA! How does he know our plan!?!?!?!?! hahah!

Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:49 pm

Aw! I love Rhys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <img src=

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Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:58 pm

that was a great article!! they are so effortlessly funny it's unreal. it just makes me love them all the more.