Why Guy Williams is built different
The last four guests we’ve had on Between Two Beers represent exactly what we want our show to be.
NZ’s greatest-ever Olympian, a Kiwi cult-hero across business, sport and entertainment, a top TV star/comedian and a hidden gem of a mental skills coach, who had the smallest profile of the four and got the most positive feedback.
All four have ridden different paths to the top, while sharing two common traits; hard work and discipline.
Lisa Carrington hasn’t missed training in 13 years, Marc Ellis was simultaneously playing for the Warriors while being NZ's biggest TV star and also working at a start-up juice company, Dave Wood was an intensive care paramedic who created a side hustle as NZ’s leading mental skills coach and Guy Williams was at one point NZ’s leading drive-time commercial radio DJ, while co-hosting NZ’s biggest comedy TV show and also doing stand-up.
But of the four - Guy is built the most different.
Six foot five and perhaps the loudest man in New Zealand, his episode was unlike any other we’ve done.
It was a whirlwind. He came in so hot, saying Between Two Beers was a shit name, critiquing our episode with Marc Ellis and generally taking his yarns on fantastic tangents which were at times hard to keep up with.
But there were also moments of deep introspection, and piercingly insightful takes on Kiwi culture and society. It was entertainment. Polarising entertainment.
This passage of vulnerability was particularly strong:
“I think I’ve built my whole personality and my whole happiness on my career - and slowly moving forward and doing new and challenging work. When that dries up, what am I left with? I’m quite terrified of that challenge that comes forward.
“And on the flip side, which is even scarier and makes me a little bit depressed, every successful comedian you hear of - it never seems to end well for them.
“Most comedians and most famous people, in general, seem to go off a cliff at some point. I’m a little bit haunted by the tale of Robin Williams or Richard Pryor, not that I’m in the league of those guys, but it can be bad if your career falls apart, but almost worse if it gets better.
“All successful comedians seem to go to a weird place. It’s something I’m weirdly afraid of - I don’t know why."
That depth, juxtaposed with a story about being called a tall, ugly c*** by a Mongrol Mob member with a swastika on his face, is BTB’s brand.
Ride the wave. Different is good. Try not to be predictable.
Tough four to follow...
Let us know what you thought of the ep with Guy.
