Rip It Up interview

This was in my Rip It Up magazine I got today, which is an NZ music magazine. Thought I might share, and since I don't have a scanner I typed it out especially. And I can't touch type, so that's 10 points for effort right there. And additionally if it is already online somewhere I'll be pissed. Anyhoo, enjoy

Roll Call: Darby...Present
Daniel Rutledge

Rhys Darby is one of New Zealands most successful comedians. Shooting to fame playing inept band manager Murray in Flight of the Conchords, Darby then landed roles in teo major upcoming Hollywood films- Yes Man, and The Boat That Rocked, and a nike advert with tennis star Roger Federer. With Season Two of FOTC in production and Darby's first standup DVD Imagine That! about to be released he still managed to squeeze in a chat with Rip It Up.

Imagine That! - Tell me about the DVD
Well, it's my proud life's work [laughs]. My standup routine is kind of unique. I Wanted to put it on DVD and what better time than now, when people are starting to know who I am? I was lucky enough to record it on Sunset Strip in LA. It's all of the best stuff, hand picked, from my 10 years of standup. So it's a combination of stories from my youth, its got my army stories, and then stuff leading up to where I am now.

Your standup involves a lot of sound effects and mime- will that translate well to DVD?
The sound effects came across really well- that was one of the most important things to me. When people put it on their surround sound, I want it to sound really good. I want my helicopters to sound like they're coming into the room, and the machine guns to sound like they're really killing people. There were seven cameras there,so you can see me from every angle and the physicality is shown really well. You get in really quite close so you'll be able to see all the subtleties and looks that I do.

Has the runaway success of FOTC influenced your standup?
No, not at all. That came later and my standup has always been the first thing I've done. I was a bit worried I'd come out on stage and people would yell "
Murray! Where's Bret? Where's Jemaine?"
But none of that happened. Myself as a standup is very different to Murray. We look similar but I'm clean shaven and he does his hair slightly differently, thank god.

Murray looks a bit like a goat
He does look like a goat yeah, he doesn't even like the goatie, you know, he has to wear it as part of the image [laughs].

Being an actor and not a writer, how much input do you have in Murray?
A lot of what I say in the show I'm making up as we go. The band meetings especially involve a lot of improv. So yeah, I have a lot of input. I don't get a writers credit but I don't have to come in three or four months production and write the whole thing like they have to. I'm still under the impression that I'm lucky to be there, so I'm not going to say "
Right! Where's my name on this thing. Come on, I've done two big Hollywood films now!"


Was it difficult convincing HBO that you needed to be in the show?
When they [Bret and Jemaine] got the tv show in America, I thought I wouldn't have any part in it. But HBO heard the BBC radio series and could probably hear how well the three of us worked together. Next thing you know I get a phone call and they're flying me over. It was the first time HBO had ever flown someone over internationally make do a pilot. This was back in 2006 and I'd never been to America. They put me up in this nice hotel- I could open my curtains and see the Empire State Building and I was like, "
Wow! This is New York!"
Then I was down on the set, frantically going over lines, and then shooting. And it just worked. Thank god! I mean, I could've sucked. I could've been just too nervous. But because my mates were there, and they were laughing as well, going, 'My god look at what's happening - we're actually doing this.'. There's so many Americans surrounding you with all sorts of things;
coffee, cakes, raincoats, asking if everything is okay...We're just like 'YES! 'uckin' hell, we're fine.' We were just having such a good time. And then the pilot of course was broadcast - it's the first episode.

What can you tell us about Season 2?
I haven't seen the scripts yet, but season 1 ended with Murray managing the Crazy Dogz and being rich, which really doesn't suit him. I imagine the Crazy Dogz will 'uck him over and he'll end up back in his office. That's the only thing I can really see happening. There's a lot of A-list type celebrities who are interested in being in the show. We might have the odd subtle one, but I don't think we're going to turn it into Extras where we have someone famous every week. But I think if we have celebrities in it, it'll be celebrity musicians.

'Leggy Blonde' is currently your only track. Have you got any more in season 2?
Yeah that was my one hit wonder [Laughs]. I'm hoping just to have the one. it could be on the cards that Mel gets a song this time, which would be very interesting. If I get another one, great, but if I don't at least I can't 'uck it up and have this one that I did well.

Thanks so much for typing that out!! " title="" border="0"/> Much appreciated. I got really worried for you because there's another interview posted with the EXACT same title, but it's a different one. phew! Your work wasn't wasted!

I like how much confidence he has in his standup routines. Definitely could use some of that myself...

pukeko wrote:
Being an actor and not a writer, how much input do you have in Murray?
A lot of what I say in the show I'm making up as we go. The band meetings especially involve a lot of improv. So yeah, I have a lot of input. I don't get a writers credit but I don't have to come in three or four months production and write the whole thing like they have to. I'm still under the impression that I'm lucky to be there, so I'm not going to say "
Right! Where's my name on this thing. Come on, I've done two big Hollywood films now!"

I love HBO! And Rhys, of course!

Thanks for typing all that out...

An interesting read - more detail than some interviews, so much more interesting.

Thanks again.

I LOVE YOU O_O
thanks you so much for typing this up!

DAMN Rhys is getting a LOT of press for his DVD, I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! " title="" border="0"/>

That really did have more details than most. I really liked it. Although I really like all there interviews. I can't wait till I get his DVD. Thanks for typing it out!!