Floor is lava 🌋

Have you ever looked at one of your coworkers, friends, or even family members and wondered if there was something they were keeping hidden from you. If only there was someone that talented, that hard working, that damn gorgeous you could do the work for you.

Well there is. It's me, Artsimone.

I'm uncovering the interesting jobs, hobbies and secrets seemingly normal people are keeping concealed. The catch is I don't know who was about to walk through the door or what they're hiding, but I'll use my amazing detective skills so we can uncover it together. Welcome to Concealed with Art Simone. Speaking of the guests, Oh, here they are, roll the tipe.

Hi. My name is Steven. I'm a mechanical engineer. I moved to city eight years ago from the UK. I also work as a personal trainer, so I love my fitness mountain claiming running, and I also like listening to music. I don't think Art will be able to guess what I'm concealing today, because even though she may have seen me before, she probably wouldn't recognize me.

Oh stumiand love me to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Oh my goodness, now you sit in front of your dress very nicely, very suave.

Dare I say, thank you very much.

I say the same thing about you, thank.

You, thank you. You've got this beautiful, nice shirt on. You've got a nice jumper draped around you shoulders. Dare I say a little bit preppy? Is it like preppy style? Is that what you call it?

Would you call yourself preppy?

I'm more of casual. I just call myself casual.

Oh that's very dressed up in my books for me, you know, if I'm not wearing drag, I mean like a T shirt and jeans. So you're very clean cut, you're well groomed.

Thank you.

And you were like you're a big boy.

A shirt is quite a tart around the biceptal area.

I don't think that's actually what they're called, but I am.

I am flattered. You've just lead me down with compliments.

Well, no, it's true though. I like what I see, darling. Okay, so you've said you're a mechanical engineer. Okay, so you're smart as well? Or is that or is that a fancy term for something that's actually like easy? What does that involve? What do you engineer with the mechanics.

Well, I'm capable of doing a lot of things, but now I'm currently focused in HVAC, which is heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Wow, well, are you responsible this studio being so bloody on at the moment?

Well, if I can see, you're the one beginnew.

Oh you picked it up just like I was hoping you.

Thank you, definitely, sure you're you're the one genuary.

I know, I know I look pretty.

I sound like a monster, but I look pretty and I at least got that going for me. So you'd like to do lots of sporting activities as well?

Yes, yes, I'm very athletic. I train a lot, exercise alte.

Wow, So about this stage, Stephen, we have nothing in common, but that's okay. You could be the ying to my alright, because I like sitting down, I like staying indoors. Not very good with mechanics, you know, but you know, so you know, we could balance each other out in this afternoon in.

Order to say opposite.

The tracks exactly got the tension in the room today. It's just beautiful.

So I'm going to ask you three questions, and to the answers to those three questions, I have to somehow try and work out what you are contealing from me.

Steven, all right, are you ready?

Okay, I'm ready.

Question number one, who would you choose to play you in a film.

You film about your life? Well, it could be any type of film.

It would biopic. You read my mind exactly. I would choose someone who's athletic, build fit, strong, and is capable of handling tough situations.

Is there anyone that would come to mind?

Anyone in particular that?

And I think Meryl Streep I've seen. I think she could play you quite well. I think she could play anyone.

I think you know, I'll go for Oh, this is this amazing American actor. His name is Idris Albert.

Oh.

I don't know who that is, but I'm sure that everything that you've said, and I can't wait to google them after this.

I mean, I could do it now, but I don't.

Will You'll be fascinated of what you've see?

Okay, all right, okay. Question number two, what is the last book you read?

Double Star by Heineman.

I feel like I'm talking a different language at the moment, but a double Star.

Double Star. It's titled Double Stars, so child, it's about the low down rundown actor. It's science fiction. But he's living on Mars, so he's contracted to act as someone else. And he's an actor on Mars. Yes, on Mars, so he plays the role quite great.

Oh wow, okay, all right, it sounds a bit trueman showish a book about a star Mars person who's acting. Okay, beautiful, And question number three, what is your most prized possession?

My price possession will be my body?

Your body. I was going to say, if the house is burning down, what do you grab first? Yourself? Myself?

You got that right, You got that right?

Okay, all right, so you love yourself, beautiful.

Okay.

There was once a very tall drag queen that I was on a TV show with her. She said, if you can't love yourself, how you're gonna love anyone else? So okay, all right, let me read your cap all right, very intelligent, athletic. Someone to play you in a film is It's all okay, we're getting vibes of body fitness. Okay, reading, so it's good to know you can read. That's always a good team. I can read. People can't read books.

Wow.

Okay, okay, Well, obviously I'm being led into a path something involving being fit and strong, but I like to keep it a bit kirky. So maybe you're like a former astronaut. Are you a former astronaut?

Wrong? Even though I work as a mechanical engineer and a personal trainer, I'm also a stunt double and I've worked with the likes of Idris Albert on a recent movie called three Thousand Years of Longing. I'm also starred in a few upcoming movies.

Ah, do you're like a Hollywood stunt double? You're like famous?

Yes? What?

Oh my goodness, I stupid is not a former astronaut. He's something even more exciting. He's a stunt performer.

What how does he jump off things? Does it hurt?

You know? How?

Is he breaking a bi And No? I don't know? And well I found out who Idris Elbow is.

Please all right, so we're here was Steven And I've just found out that No, Steven, you were not an astronaut traveling all of the universe you're actually a Hollywood stunt double exactly. Oh my goodness. Okay, all right, okay, there's a lot that I need to know. First of all, how did you get into being a stun double?

So in my case, I went to stunt school. I didn't complete it though, yeah.

Mood, I went to ask school. I didn't finished to day either and look at me nails.

And I predominantly learned a lot during the job. You get guys who've been in the industry way longer than you who would guide you through the called stunt coordinators. So, for example, in the job I did for Idris recently, I had to do a few diving courses. I had to learn how to breathe without a tank on the water.

A better human men maid sorry, quite scary.

Quite a long period of time. So you get all those skills and you get certified as you grow.

Yes, So in the world of stunts, what is like the most mediocre thing that you could do, which is I don't know, standing in a doorframe versus like, what's the craziest thing you do? Because I feel like they need the stunt doubles for everything and anything, whether it's jumping off buildings, or sitting in the car.

So the most basic thing will be jumping off of building, which is what you just said.

It's like, yes, the most basic, boring thing. I don't just jump off buildings.

Yes. So the way it works in the movie industry is that the safety control is immense. So tell you jump off a building. You strapped onto a harness, you're connected to a rig, and as an engineer, for me, it's simple calculation of this is safe, so my confidence level goes higher. So even without that, it is still risky, but the measures built in place are really really adequate.

Okay, so you say that jumping off a building is the most basic thing you could do, how do we even get started with that? Like, were you just really good at the game The Flora's Lava and one day you went, you know what I reckon?

I could jump off a building.

Now, yeah, jumping off buildings. Before you start doing that, you do some rehearsals, and the rehearsals is nothing like you actually jumping off a building. You're strapped onto a rig, but you're on the ground. So all you have to do is you're going to simulate the feeling of running and lifting yourself up and then the rig brings you

Yeah, but you're actually doing it.

Like, do you ever get grumpy when people get applauded for your stunts? Like you're in the movies and you're watching it together and it's like that was me. I'm just one jumping off the building. You're like, guys, come on.

I'll tell you what that's. That's a very good question. In fact, I just got off the phone with an associate producer for a movie which I did, and it was quite unfortunate because I wasn't credited for that movie at all at all. Now they're they're they're in the walks of sod In and Out. Yeah, but.

It's not anger. When someone doesn't tag me on Instagram, I'm.

Like, come on, I'm not there, but it's not the first time it's happened. Because some sometimes these actors they want the credit for that performance.

And I'm just like having a ghost rider, isn't it?

Yes, yes, yes it is. I'm signing.

I'm signed nda is it saying like, I'm not going to go around and say.

Exactly, I've signed a contract as a performer. That's stay. You will not disclose any information that you actually did this start work for mister such and so and so in this movie, and they pay you for it. So yeah, you see to have much money. Yes, it's good money.

Well everyone, I just want to let you know that I actually haven't been a stunt double for anyone, and I'm not being told to be silenced.

But maybe I'm lying. You'll never know.

Yeah, it happens. Some actors want that credit.

That's crazy because you sometimes read articles like yeah, I did all the stunts myself, really proud of myself. I'm like, yeah, yeah, true, you're too valuable. Like if you mess yourself up a bit.

Exactly like this, it's not realistic. Yeah, you get it scratched. I mean you can't work exactly. I've done things where I've done for they two takes on just the jump.

How rigorous is it?

Like?

How many times you have to keep doing things over and over and over again.

It predominantly depends on the director. The most recent stuff I did, I got in there, I was strapped to the harness. I did my role, and I got it on the first take, like exactly. But you find out that really really good directors want it from every angle. They want to assume from every point of view. They might want you raising your hand this way, raising your hand that way. So you find out you do a minimum of, if the director is reasonable, forty two takes. So yeah, a minimum of.

That kind of get at a bed in the morning sometimes like forty two times.

Yeah, and uh yeah, and that's what you're being paid for. And you can't complain. I mean, I don't complain. So you do it and you're in pain. Yeah, and they're constantly asking you are you good, and you're like, yeah.

You got it. You're the first one to complain. They're like, out that did in lockstep staying with.

Winging exactly, and yeah, I've done jumps where I did fifty takes and each time you jump down and a harness it springs you up. You do that one or two times and you're sore. Yeah, and you can imagine doing it for fifty two takes and when you're done the next day you're something else.

It's like a meat puppet. It's the right sling shot. You hear and there and you have to go, thanks guys.

And the interesting thing is, you see, that's what you learn to appreciate the beauty of movies. I don't see movies the way people normal people see it.

As soon as you work in television or anything.

That one minute action scene that took a whole day of thirteen hours, I look at it as Wow, that's just thirteen hours gone like this in one minute.

And for me, I get really distracted because I know lots about hair, makeup and wigs and costumes. So I'd be like watching Game of Thrones, I'm like, wig, wig, it's a week. And I'll be watching my friends and be like, we're ruining it, like it's a week. Look you can see the wig line. They're like, shut up, we're trying to get in the mood and like week. So you know, I totally get it. What is the most dangerous thing you've ever had to do. What's the

Not personally jumping off a moving truck moving about sixty per hour onto another moving na.

Yeah, how did you train with something like that? You get to go in and do a few runs before like.

Okay, So those are these scenes where you will probably have to get on a first take or you add max you do for.

Tax If you don't get on the best sect, you're on the grand he beIN run out of a back car.

Back in the days, you would have these stump performers jump off a car and they're meant to do a jump while the car is moving and jump onto another platform, but they end up missing their footing and landing and smashing their leg and it actor goes like, all right.

Get oh my god.

You know, yeah, I guess like in this day nagic there's a lot more safety behind it.

But yes, there's a lot more safety, but like I said, it all depends on the director, and it all depends on the availability of performers who look like the actor.

Yes, that's like camera technology has gotten a lot better and HD exists. You have to kind of look a little bit more similar to the person.

Yes, in terms of size and measures. There you have to be as close as possible.

Have you ever had to bulk up or shrink down to match someone more?

Yes, I've had to bulk up. So I have to cut a few types of training, probably have to stop running for a while, start eating more.

Stop running. I've actually been bulking this whole time. How did you get matched up with Idris?

To be?

Okay? So I got a call from a friend in the industry. She called me up to do some fittings work. So in a sense, I was just going to be a proper guy to size out his costume. And I did that, and then I met this beautiful lady called Kim Barrett. Beautiful, she's done jobs, like big jobs in Akoman, and she's designed heaps of stuff. And then she looks at me and she goes like, would you be interested in doing something for Idris? And I'm like, yeah, sure,

And now have you done more than one film with for Adris?

No?

Unfortunately, might we just get to travel with him?

Yes?

I did I don't care if it's a rom com out.

I did secretly make contact with him, and he's put me on a list of his future productions.

And do you have competition? Has there have been other people that have been stunted performance for him? And yess yeah.

But I don't know what he was being nice to me, but he says he loves me, and he.

Probably looked at you said, yeah, it's not looking in the mirror. He said, yeah, I look just like that.

He's a lovely guy. I've been around a few top celebrities, but he's by far demos humble love. Man.

That's so good to hear, though, because you know you don't want.

To work with the No, you don't, you don't, well imagine being if the price is right. Yes, I really don't care.

Let's do it, right man, I really don't care.

Like I'm thinking about is money.

Like a true hustler.

I keep getting cameraman asking me, are you okay? You do you want to stop? I'm like, my coordinator just comes and says, we'll give you a bonus, a fantastic let's do it. Let's do it.

I remember there's been some horred disking sometimes before and they're like, you stay an extra hour and probably I'm like smiling through my teeth and like, I'll give you some extra money. I'm like, yes, I love all of you. I'm already here. We keep going one another number.

Let's go just calms.

It's amazing. Have motivation from money, don't nowhere it is.

I think i'd be super strong too, and I could do stuff if they paid me enough money. All right, let's do it. Strap me up. So have you had any injuries before?

Yeah, I've just had an injury on my deltoid here. Beyond that, it's fine.

I'll say that that's the worst thing that's happened to you a deli.

Yeah, but it was really bad because I fell on my actual deltoid and my bone snapped off. Yeah yeah, And uh.

So you guys just say, oh, injured my deltoid and then and I fell up be like oh yeah, well the bone snapped off, so.

It popped out and I was I was like that for about three minutes. That was that was really excruciated.

Did you get the shot though, yes, I did.

You always get this shot. You get it shot in the first Like I said, you get a shot even if like when you're working, Yeah, the only reason you would stop is because the health safety officer says, So that's it. If not, man, then all it takes is just really remember the contract you signed, how much you're paying you and you knowing that you've already spent eight hours and one more hour adds an extra too grande your money.

So you're like, we're on overtime at the moment. Have you been a stuntable for anyone else? Notable, coltiable, exciting?

Yes, I have, actually, but I'm not allowed. Those are one of the Yeah, they're actually two people who I'm really really I'm really proud of girl Streep.

I reckon right the right camerangles. You've got her shoulders.

She's been holding the entire film community on her shoulders for so many years. They're just as big as yours now. She's so strong.

Oh we love Meryl, Oh my days.

Why do I feel like you have a crush on Meryl Street?

Everyone does, ye, queen because Meryl Streeps? Who should play me in a biopic?

A definitely don't.

You'll probably dead by the time I get one, but I'll be like wheel are out come on flap the corps around. It will sep a lot better than I am. So true, you could paint the corpse and it still be the same. I got really dark, didn't it, Meryl Streep, don't die. Please Today I want to put your stunt performer skills to the test, because now you have to be my stunt performer for me today in the podcast.

Which is hard.

So I want you to repeat after me. Okay, so my iconic lines. Yeah, okay, repeat after me.

Here we go. Hello, I'm Art Simon.

Hello, I'm Art Simone.

All right, we'll work on that one. Okay, here's another one. I'm well known for saying, well, I'm not here to fuck spiders.

Well, I'm not here at fox s Vaders I was.

Okay, that's all right, Okay, all right.

Last one, and this is my probably most notorious infamous thing that has come out of my mouth. I don't even remember saying it, but this video footage, unfortunately, and it goes to be like this.

I need to take myself back to that moment.

That means nothing, That means nothing, that was the best one. Actually, that's good because I don't want to have to say that line ever again.

So I'm gonna call you in.

Oh my God, and you can relive my trauma for me instead of me doing it.

We'll give you a bonus.

It's okay, Yeah, that works for me. And that walks Frae.

So Stephen is.

Not an astronaut. Here's Idris Elbow. I just elbow woman Idris Elvis stuck. I don't know who that is, but the sun double for that person. And although it sounds like it's great at that, I don't.

Think you could actually pass as being made. There's only one art Simone. You've been listening to an iHeart Australia and Kiss production concealed with Art Simone.

Listen for free on the iHeart app and listen to your arts content and don't forget to check us out on the socials and you can check out the Specimen of a Man for Yourself or or Delicious