February 10, 2025 • 12 mins
Ben Elton is a staple of the comedy scene.
He’s known as a pioneer for British comedy and the Godfather of Standup, though it’s his work on Blackadder and The Young Ones that he’s most well known for.
Elton’s been in the industry for four decades, last visiting New Zealand’s shores back in 2021 for his Ben Elton Live Tour.
The comedian is winging his way back this year, bringing his Authentic Stupidity Tour to Kiwi audiences, exploring the emergence of AI and the “idiocy” of the human race.
Elton told Mike Hosking that much of what he performs on stage is unpacking his bewilderment with the changes the new generations bring.
“I don’t really feel much different than how I ever did,” he said.
“We all feel 21 inside, our characters are largely formed by the time we’re in our twenties, and that’s who we remain. Meanwhile, the world passes on.”
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ben Elton. On his way back, he joins a veritable
flotilla of British comics who seem to be hitting the
road these days, David Williams, Graham Norton, Stephen Fry among others.
So what's he got for us, ben Elton? As well
as very good morning?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning indeed, and thank you for having me, very
pleased to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
No worries it or just to quick catch up the
tours receiving rave reviews and goods? Is this a comfortable
time of life where it doesn't matter anymore? It's all
cream on the cake.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Well, I certainly wouldn't say that.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
No, I think it's as I certainly find it as
as kind of, you know, important and vaguely intimidating as
I did when I was young. I mean, I think
I'm better at it now and I certainly enjoy stand
up comedy more so as much as I think. I
know the audience have come because they want to see me,
So you know, I've got to be I've got to
(00:49):
kind of be bad, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I've got to.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Prove myself, but I do have to justify myself. No,
I'm certainly not you know, sitting back on the big
fat Lauras. As my wife would say, I'm you know,
I took every gig very seriously. You know, a theater
full of people are going to invest in me for
the evening. That is a big responsibility. And also I
wouldn't do it if I didn't if the passion didn't
(01:12):
still burn. I mean, I have not lost the desire
to shout and swear and pontificate about all and sundry.
So no, I don't really feel much different. How I ever,
did you know I deal with this on stage? We
all we all feel twenty one inside. Our characters are
largely formed by the time we're in our twenties, and
that's who we remain. Meanwhile, the world passes on, which
(01:35):
is moves on, and you know, we who were once
the cutting edge and the change find ourselves being bewildered
and having to having to deal with a whole new
generations changes. And that's a lot of what I talk
about on stage, unpacking my bewilderment, having standing my truth.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Having said that, I wonder if your success is partly
somebody I read over the holidays. See in difficult times,
you've always got one foot in nostilgia, So we longed
for what was?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Is that that's something that they're not quote, not talking
about me. That's just a general.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
That's a general observation that you know.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, well, I think everyone has a sense of nostalgia,
whether the times are difficult or not. You know, I think,
you know, the current you know, the current right wing
resurgence is in, you know, and sort of you know,
the white patriarchy is for a world that you know,
never really existed in their dreams, but they but I
think they were nostalgic for it even while it was happening.
(02:30):
You know, if you watched sort of John Wayne movies,
there's a sort of like, you know, the Old West,
that was the when real men were men, and now
now the sort of equivalent of John like you know,
now Sylvester Saalone is is saying, oh, when John Wayne
was a man, that was when real men were men.
So I don't think I don't think the times people
are nostalgic for necessarily ever existed. But I think we
all love a bit of nostalgia. You know, my personal
(02:53):
you know, if you know the great what what would
you wish for? If you had one wish I'd love
a time machine. I cannot imagine joy to be able
to go to the theater and see the opening of
a George Bernard Shaw, or see the Beatles at the
Cavin Club, or yes, drop in on the colise. Yes,
I'm a bloke. I'm interested in the in the Roman Empire. Yeah,
I think we all got good. Times are bad. We
(03:14):
love a bit of nostalgia.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Speaking of time machines, there seemed to be a lot
of writing about it. But you were talking about Blackhead,
of the possibility of and you seem to rule it out.
Where did that come from? I just read a lot
of articles about it. There's a lot of you know,
they why don't we bring it?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
And so.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Show no, no, not not blackheaded? Where did the speculation
that there could be another one? And so I'm reading
you you said, there isn't one. Don't worry about it.
We're all moving on.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, it happens all the time.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I think whenever Tony Robinson's got a new show or
a new book out, he said, well, we're still talking
about so you can always hope. I'll always bring a
turner when balder It's doing an interview. I think that's
unfair really, because it's the same over all of us.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
You you get asked, you say, well, you know, we're
not We've got no plans.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I shouldn't think it'll ever happen, but it'd be fun
and before you know it, the sun will say, you know,
hints of a new black Adder. I think you know,
it's obviously not something I'm complaining about. I mean, the
ongoing interest in Blackadder is is nothing short of.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Miraculous for all of us.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I mean, every single person involved in that show had
the unique privilege of really contributing to something that's sort
of bedded into British culture. And that's that's I think,
for for popular artists, and I think all artists really
want to be popular, but at least popular artists don't
lie about it. I think that's the that's that's the
(04:44):
you know, that's the that's the greatest thing you could do.
Is it have to have our whole generation to generations
since we finished it. You know, the last black Adder
when they go over the Top, that was shot in
nineteen eighty nine, so it's a long time ago, forty
six years, isn't it. So yeah, I mean I'm delighted
that there's still that speculation, but I can assure you
(05:04):
there is apps there is you know, look, there are
no plans, it will never happen. But then I was say,
well you know who knows? And then then oh well,
Ben Elton leaves door open to a new black Adder,
so you can't really win.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
But hey, it's a lovely game to play.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Exactly which doves tails with my nostalgia question. I wonder
if it's like Faulty Towers, because it was so brilliant
and comparatively speaking, compact and short, we're desperate for something more.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Well, yeah, that Rick Mail, my dear friend, the late
great Rick Mail, always used to say that about the
young Ones. We only did twelve young ones, and he
always said, we've only got to do twelve. They only
did twelve forty towers, you know, And I always thought
it was stupid because they did loads of Dad's Armies,
they did loads of Steptos and Sons. More recently they
did about a million friends. I don't think you're right
about that. I think if you can keep the if
(05:52):
you can keep the standard up and Golton and Simpson,
I don't know if you remember, no, you won't remember
dad's a Steptoe and Son. But it was a very
famous I mean even I don't quite I mean I did,
I was in on the tail end of it. But
what I'm saying is you don't necessarily have to have
a whole writer's room like to have on Friends. I mean,
if the BBC for us, I've just done a show
(06:12):
called up Stark Crow, which was a stars David Mitchell
about Shakespeare, a bit of an adderish sort of take
on Shakespeare, and it was going great guns.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
But you know, the BBC only have a certain budget,
so they stopped after three.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I think fourth would have been even better and it
would have built even more. So I don't really agree
with you about that, but there's no doubt about it
that there is a certain cachet to having that mystery.
I mean, it's certainly intrigued Rick because he never shut
up about the fact we can't do more than twelve.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Rowan Atkinson I'm dying to know about. The Only reason
I ask that is because of course all you guys too,
are you working? But is he actually active? I mean,
what does he do.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Well?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
He's got you know, he's got his love, he's got
quite a young child. So that's a lovely thing. I
spoke at his birthday party only recently. I was very
privileged to big.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
He's a very well adjusted, lovely man.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
He has a lot of interest. I'm sure you're away.
He's very interested in cars. He's he's he was an engineer.
He did his under under he did his MSc, his
master's in engineering. I mean that when he first met
Richard Curtis and started their wonderful collaboration, he was an
engineering student. I mean, you know, he's a fascinating bloke
and he lives around in life. He has many friends
(07:24):
of whom I'm very proud and happy to call myself one.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
And yeah, I mean I don't think he works as
hard as I do. No, well, he does work very hard,
but on a project.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
So he'll spend a year on Man versus B or
something of the last thing he did for Netflix or something.
So yeah, I mean he's very, very focused and perhaps
not as eclectically energetic as some, but he certainly knows
sort of you know, some people have this idea of
this sort of Monkish weirdo. He's I mean, he's he's
a quiet bloke, I mean, and he won't you know,
(07:55):
he won't. He doesn't do many interviews. I don't know
if he does any interviews. Actually not for a long time.
But no, he's he's pretty well adjusted. I saw him
only a couple of weeks ago, as I say, at
his birthday party.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Fantastic. Just now, last time you're on the show was
five years ago. You won't remember any of this, of course,
you're on five years ago. But you came to the
country in the ensuing period, I think twenty one twenty two,
something like that, and there was a review on the
paper and you apparently.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
You would go quoting reviews at me.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
You apparently you attacked me, or you had you had
to go at me.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I have been.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I have no idea.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Wasn't an attack.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
You were my peers, Morgan replacement, and I always felt
a bit bad about it, because I don't feel it's
the same at all. All are peers and I have
always got on, you know, when we meet, but as
you and I do.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Look, you know, I.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Won't say all's fair in love and war, but I
was using you as an example, certainly, not of right
wing commentating, but of the robust male voice on radio. Okay,
and if that doesn't make you hard with man love.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I don't know what will.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I love it? Oh well that's good. Well it didn't
bother me either way. It's just the review. I thought,
I wonder what he said. So anyway, we got that
cleared up.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
It was in the middle of I might say something
which could be interpreted as a Wokes killing comedy, which
I don't think it is. But there is a case
to answer in a sort of new Maoist cultural revolutionary
absolutism on the fringes of good politics. As always you
have the the absolutists who suddenly you know, only the
(09:46):
purest line will do, and if you don't follow the
purest line, you need.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
To be sent to a re education camp.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
And I was saying, if I say something like that,
I'll end up getting depended by someone like you, and
before I know it, I'm in the other You know, yeah,
because we.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Have common ground. I'm talking living a democracy.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Do you think that's an age thing? Because, funnily, you
should say, because I've dealt with this my whole career,
and that is it. Like like, I don't know about
your I mean, I can get you politics, so I
don't really care. I like you. You're a clearer guy.
We have a chat. That's all good. Whereas a lot
of the artists look at somebody like me publicly and go,
hang on, there's something not you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I do, but I mean, I'm I'm I talk about
this on stage. I talk about how many I have
many friends who are Tories. You know, I wrote a
musical with a Tory, in fact, dropping a big name.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I got an email from him.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
About five minutes ago, and that's Lord Lloyd Webber to you, mate,
and yeah, we wrote musical together back in the back
in the late nineties. So you know, I mean, I
think Donald Trump has shown us what happens when kind
of hatred and contempt is weaponized, when when you basically
are only interested in your tribe. I mean, I think
(10:55):
that goes for some of the zelots on the left
as well. You know, if you're not with us, you're
you're against us. And I think that way leads down
a very very very rocky path, indeed, and so within
you know, within a great deal of laxivity. I'm you know,
I'm happy to for one. Then, when I wrote that
(11:15):
musical with Andrew, you know, some people said, because I
publicly support the Labor Party in Britain, he publicly supports
Labor Conservatives, and I was accused.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Of hypocrisy and I couldn't believe it. I said, I'm
an artist.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
When you think I asked what somebody votes when I
write a lyric with them, I mean, I have no
idea what Rowan votes.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I really genuinely have no idea.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
And I'm sure he wouldn't tell me because he's very,
very English in that sort of way, and he would say,
that's you know, that's my business. I mean, you know me,
I wear my heart on my sleeve and if somebody
asked me, I'll tell them. But I really thought it
was genuinely crazy that I was. I came under a
lot of flak for working with a toy. I wasn't
working with a toy to get a Tory government elected.
(11:57):
I was working with him to write a musical and I.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Was very proud and happy to do so. And as
I say, he only dropped me a line just today.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Well, as always, we're looking forward to seeing you back
in the country again, So go well on the tour
in the meantime and maybe catch up when you're here.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yeah, well I hope, so come and please come and
see the show. I think, I think, I think you're
going to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
I really do, all right, mate, ketchup so I appreciate it.
Ben Elton, Wellington in twenty six April, Auckland twenty eight April,
takes a couple of days off and then on the
second of May is in Christ Judge ben Elton.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
Ben Elton. On his way back, he joins a veritable
flotilla of British comics who seem to be hitting the
road these days, David Williams, Graham Norton, Stephen Fry among others.
So what's he got for us, ben Elton? As well
as very good morning?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning indeed, and thank you for having me, very
pleased to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
No worries it or just to quick catch up the
tours receiving rave reviews and goods? Is this a comfortable
time of life where it doesn't matter anymore? It's all
cream on the cake.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Well, I certainly wouldn't say that.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
No, I think it's as I certainly find it as
as kind of, you know, important and vaguely intimidating as
I did when I was young. I mean, I think
I'm better at it now and I certainly enjoy stand
up comedy more so as much as I think. I
know the audience have come because they want to see me,
So you know, I've got to be I've got to
(00:49):
kind of be bad, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I've got to.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Prove myself, but I do have to justify myself. No,
I'm certainly not you know, sitting back on the big
fat Lauras. As my wife would say, I'm you know,
I took every gig very seriously. You know, a theater
full of people are going to invest in me for
the evening. That is a big responsibility. And also I
wouldn't do it if I didn't if the passion didn't
(01:12):
still burn. I mean, I have not lost the desire
to shout and swear and pontificate about all and sundry.
So no, I don't really feel much different. How I ever,
did you know I deal with this on stage? We
all we all feel twenty one inside. Our characters are
largely formed by the time we're in our twenties, and
that's who we remain. Meanwhile, the world passes on, which
(01:35):
is moves on, and you know, we who were once
the cutting edge and the change find ourselves being bewildered
and having to having to deal with a whole new
generations changes. And that's a lot of what I talk
about on stage, unpacking my bewilderment, having standing my truth.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Having said that, I wonder if your success is partly
somebody I read over the holidays. See in difficult times,
you've always got one foot in nostilgia, So we longed
for what was?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Is that that's something that they're not quote, not talking
about me. That's just a general.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
That's a general observation that you know.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, well, I think everyone has a sense of nostalgia,
whether the times are difficult or not. You know, I think,
you know, the current you know, the current right wing
resurgence is in, you know, and sort of you know,
the white patriarchy is for a world that you know,
never really existed in their dreams, but they but I
think they were nostalgic for it even while it was happening.
(02:30):
You know, if you watched sort of John Wayne movies,
there's a sort of like, you know, the Old West,
that was the when real men were men, and now
now the sort of equivalent of John like you know,
now Sylvester Saalone is is saying, oh, when John Wayne
was a man, that was when real men were men.
So I don't think I don't think the times people
are nostalgic for necessarily ever existed. But I think we
all love a bit of nostalgia. You know, my personal
(02:53):
you know, if you know the great what what would
you wish for? If you had one wish I'd love
a time machine. I cannot imagine joy to be able
to go to the theater and see the opening of
a George Bernard Shaw, or see the Beatles at the
Cavin Club, or yes, drop in on the colise. Yes,
I'm a bloke. I'm interested in the in the Roman Empire. Yeah,
I think we all got good. Times are bad. We
(03:14):
love a bit of nostalgia.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Speaking of time machines, there seemed to be a lot
of writing about it. But you were talking about Blackhead,
of the possibility of and you seem to rule it out.
Where did that come from? I just read a lot
of articles about it. There's a lot of you know,
they why don't we bring it?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
And so.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Show no, no, not not blackheaded? Where did the speculation
that there could be another one? And so I'm reading
you you said, there isn't one. Don't worry about it.
We're all moving on.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, it happens all the time.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I think whenever Tony Robinson's got a new show or
a new book out, he said, well, we're still talking
about so you can always hope. I'll always bring a
turner when balder It's doing an interview. I think that's
unfair really, because it's the same over all of us.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
You you get asked, you say, well, you know, we're
not We've got no plans.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I shouldn't think it'll ever happen, but it'd be fun
and before you know it, the sun will say, you know,
hints of a new black Adder. I think you know,
it's obviously not something I'm complaining about. I mean, the
ongoing interest in Blackadder is is nothing short of.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Miraculous for all of us.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I mean, every single person involved in that show had
the unique privilege of really contributing to something that's sort
of bedded into British culture. And that's that's I think,
for for popular artists, and I think all artists really
want to be popular, but at least popular artists don't
lie about it. I think that's the that's that's the
(04:44):
you know, that's the that's the greatest thing you could do.
Is it have to have our whole generation to generations
since we finished it. You know, the last black Adder
when they go over the Top, that was shot in
nineteen eighty nine, so it's a long time ago, forty
six years, isn't it. So yeah, I mean I'm delighted
that there's still that speculation, but I can assure you
(05:04):
there is apps there is you know, look, there are
no plans, it will never happen. But then I was say,
well you know who knows? And then then oh well,
Ben Elton leaves door open to a new black Adder,
so you can't really win.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
But hey, it's a lovely game to play.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Exactly which doves tails with my nostalgia question. I wonder
if it's like Faulty Towers, because it was so brilliant
and comparatively speaking, compact and short, we're desperate for something more.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Well, yeah, that Rick Mail, my dear friend, the late
great Rick Mail, always used to say that about the
young Ones. We only did twelve young ones, and he
always said, we've only got to do twelve. They only
did twelve forty towers, you know, And I always thought
it was stupid because they did loads of Dad's Armies,
they did loads of Steptos and Sons. More recently they
did about a million friends. I don't think you're right
about that. I think if you can keep the if
(05:52):
you can keep the standard up and Golton and Simpson,
I don't know if you remember, no, you won't remember
dad's a Steptoe and Son. But it was a very
famous I mean even I don't quite I mean I did,
I was in on the tail end of it. But
what I'm saying is you don't necessarily have to have
a whole writer's room like to have on Friends. I mean,
if the BBC for us, I've just done a show
(06:12):
called up Stark Crow, which was a stars David Mitchell
about Shakespeare, a bit of an adderish sort of take
on Shakespeare, and it was going great guns.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
But you know, the BBC only have a certain budget,
so they stopped after three.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I think fourth would have been even better and it
would have built even more. So I don't really agree
with you about that, but there's no doubt about it
that there is a certain cachet to having that mystery.
I mean, it's certainly intrigued Rick because he never shut
up about the fact we can't do more than twelve.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Rowan Atkinson I'm dying to know about. The Only reason
I ask that is because of course all you guys too,
are you working? But is he actually active? I mean,
what does he do.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Well?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
He's got you know, he's got his love, he's got
quite a young child. So that's a lovely thing. I
spoke at his birthday party only recently. I was very
privileged to big.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
He's a very well adjusted, lovely man.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
He has a lot of interest. I'm sure you're away.
He's very interested in cars. He's he's he was an engineer.
He did his under under he did his MSc, his
master's in engineering. I mean that when he first met
Richard Curtis and started their wonderful collaboration, he was an
engineering student. I mean, you know, he's a fascinating bloke
and he lives around in life. He has many friends
(07:24):
of whom I'm very proud and happy to call myself one.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
And yeah, I mean I don't think he works as
hard as I do. No, well, he does work very hard,
but on a project.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
So he'll spend a year on Man versus B or
something of the last thing he did for Netflix or something.
So yeah, I mean he's very, very focused and perhaps
not as eclectically energetic as some, but he certainly knows
sort of you know, some people have this idea of
this sort of Monkish weirdo. He's I mean, he's he's
a quiet bloke, I mean, and he won't you know,
(07:55):
he won't. He doesn't do many interviews. I don't know
if he does any interviews. Actually not for a long time.
But no, he's he's pretty well adjusted. I saw him
only a couple of weeks ago, as I say, at
his birthday party.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Fantastic. Just now, last time you're on the show was
five years ago. You won't remember any of this, of course,
you're on five years ago. But you came to the
country in the ensuing period, I think twenty one twenty two,
something like that, and there was a review on the
paper and you apparently.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
You would go quoting reviews at me.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
You apparently you attacked me, or you had you had
to go at me.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
I have been.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I have no idea.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Wasn't an attack.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
You were my peers, Morgan replacement, and I always felt
a bit bad about it, because I don't feel it's
the same at all. All are peers and I have
always got on, you know, when we meet, but as
you and I do.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Look, you know, I.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Won't say all's fair in love and war, but I
was using you as an example, certainly, not of right
wing commentating, but of the robust male voice on radio. Okay,
and if that doesn't make you hard with man love.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I don't know what will.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I love it? Oh well that's good. Well it didn't
bother me either way. It's just the review. I thought,
I wonder what he said. So anyway, we got that
cleared up.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
It was in the middle of I might say something
which could be interpreted as a Wokes killing comedy, which
I don't think it is. But there is a case
to answer in a sort of new Maoist cultural revolutionary
absolutism on the fringes of good politics. As always you
have the the absolutists who suddenly you know, only the
(09:46):
purest line will do, and if you don't follow the
purest line, you need.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
To be sent to a re education camp.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
And I was saying, if I say something like that,
I'll end up getting depended by someone like you, and
before I know it, I'm in the other You know, yeah,
because we.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Have common ground. I'm talking living a democracy.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Do you think that's an age thing? Because, funnily, you
should say, because I've dealt with this my whole career,
and that is it. Like like, I don't know about
your I mean, I can get you politics, so I
don't really care. I like you. You're a clearer guy.
We have a chat. That's all good. Whereas a lot
of the artists look at somebody like me publicly and go,
hang on, there's something not you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I do, but I mean, I'm I'm I talk about
this on stage. I talk about how many I have
many friends who are Tories. You know, I wrote a
musical with a Tory, in fact, dropping a big name.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I got an email from him.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
About five minutes ago, and that's Lord Lloyd Webber to you, mate,
and yeah, we wrote musical together back in the back
in the late nineties. So you know, I mean, I
think Donald Trump has shown us what happens when kind
of hatred and contempt is weaponized, when when you basically
are only interested in your tribe. I mean, I think
(10:55):
that goes for some of the zelots on the left
as well. You know, if you're not with us, you're
you're against us. And I think that way leads down
a very very very rocky path, indeed, and so within
you know, within a great deal of laxivity. I'm you know,
I'm happy to for one. Then, when I wrote that
(11:15):
musical with Andrew, you know, some people said, because I
publicly support the Labor Party in Britain, he publicly supports
Labor Conservatives, and I was accused.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Of hypocrisy and I couldn't believe it. I said, I'm
an artist.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
When you think I asked what somebody votes when I
write a lyric with them, I mean, I have no
idea what Rowan votes.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I really genuinely have no idea.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
And I'm sure he wouldn't tell me because he's very,
very English in that sort of way, and he would say,
that's you know, that's my business. I mean, you know me,
I wear my heart on my sleeve and if somebody
asked me, I'll tell them. But I really thought it
was genuinely crazy that I was. I came under a
lot of flak for working with a toy. I wasn't
working with a toy to get a Tory government elected.
(11:57):
I was working with him to write a musical and I.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Was very proud and happy to do so. And as
I say, he only dropped me a line just today.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Well, as always, we're looking forward to seeing you back
in the country again, So go well on the tour
in the meantime and maybe catch up when you're here.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yeah, well I hope, so come and please come and
see the show. I think, I think, I think you're
going to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
I really do, all right, mate, ketchup so I appreciate it.
Ben Elton, Wellington in twenty six April, Auckland twenty eight April,
takes a couple of days off and then on the
second of May is in Christ Judge ben Elton.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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