E63 | Leigh Hart
Episode summary | Leigh Hart
Leigh Hart is one of New Zealand’s most popular comedians and a beer-and-chips magnate where the rollout of his Wakachangi and Snackachangi have been a roaring success.
He burst onto the scene as a weekly sport reporter on the cult show Sports Café, before creating Moon TV in the “off-season” which in-turn spawned a series of shows like That Guy’s World Cup, Olympico, Mysterious Planet, Screaming Reels, and The Late Night Big Breakfast.
He then brought his deadpan and irreverent style to the Alternative Commentary Collective which saw him transition to Radio Hauraki and Bhuja with Jason Hoyte.
Before all this his life was like one of his whacky characters, growing up at the top of The Andes in Peru, working on the Channel Tunnel, being deported from France, and he was the brains behind Motorway Patrol – one of the most popular show’s in New Zealand television history.
Leigh is hilarious and incredibly honest, this was an epic episode which could easily have gone for another two hours.
Show notes | Leigh Hart
1.52 Wakachangi in can, promoting Between Two Beers glasses, and a couple of Leigh Hart super fans out themselves
6.48 Some Snackachangi chat
9.54 Fact or fiction: Growing up at the top of the Andes in Peru?
17.12 A brief summary of post-Peru Leigh takes us to the early stages of his TV career
24.17 The Snail Racer and Sports Café
33.48 The importance of Ric Salizzo
38.30 Brent Spillane: The man behind the camera
42.55 Behind the scenes of some of the Sports Café classic segments
54.05 Was the Bermuda Triangle episode of Mysterious Planet the basis of the script to The Hangover?
1.00.05 Mysterious Planet: “It was my favourite show”
1.06.14 Are the guests in on the gags?
1.16.51 A couple Late Night Big Breakfast highlights: Mike the Mongolian throat singer
1.20.45 How an idea evolves: The Hamsterman from Amsterdam
1.24.29 Radio Hauraki and Bhuja with Jason Hoyte
1.35.32 Evolving over time
1.38.27 Reflecting on the Alternative Commentary Collective
1.51.43 The Wakachangi story with a bit of Snackachangi, Arty D, and Hellers sausages
1.58.00 Retaining content rights and moonflix.co.nz
2.01.17 Looking back over 25 years of comedy and looking forward to what the future might hold
2.06.54 Leigh on being true to your comedy craft
2.10.24 Last words from Steven, Seamus and Leigh
