So I reiterate here, the bill is dead. The story of this great city is about the years before this. Night we are free. Hey everyone, this is Ho Ho Hong Kong with me, the infidel Vivek Malabani along with two other people enjoying Ramadan. Enjoying Ramadan on their way to heaven. We have a guest in the studio, Rizal van Giesel, all the way from Kuala Lumpur. Rizal, thanks for joining. Us thanks for having me guys.
We can talk a little slowly because both of us are not drinking water, so you don't have to like. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you for your. Vocal cords. That's true. I'll try to do a bit more of the talking. You just say yes or no, Yeah. Exactly. Yeah, you just tell us a bit more. So just to give some context, Rizal is here in Hong Kong because he performed his show Arrested Yes at the Backstage HK on 8th of March 2025. It was like a packed house. I've seen the show, I love the
show. As I said on the podcast before, yes hands down. If you didn't like the show, contact me. I will refund you the money out of my own pocket. Yeah, he did say that. I actually didn't tell you yes, when I when we announced the show in the podcast and he was like, I will personally refund you if you come to a show and not enjoy it, which was there. Yeah, no one, Vivek. It's a big. Deal. That's a big deal, man. That's a big. Deal, man, yeah, because I I
personally seen the show. I love the show and I was like, OK, there's none of results. My friends support support kind of thing. I was no, I know exactly what this is like. I'm telling you people like you can be all like no, I like a certain like laughter of mine. I'm not really into that kind of like, trust me, you can enjoy. We got a review that on Google reviews that says Reserve and Gazal was a riot, which I feel like someone. Yeah, that's a good term. If anything I caused the riot.
Yeah, exactly. I'm like, obviously their intention is good, but I'm like, can you remove the word riot? Yeah, really. Yeah. Specify exactly what you meant by Riot, you know, Yeah. And we had another buddy of ours, Peter Balak, shout out him and his wife Sandra were at the show last night. And he messaged me today saying he said Sandra says that the his show was better than Russell Peters. So there you go. That's a big. Oh, yeah, Head down, dude. Yes.
I mean, like, dude, OK, I'll tell you the result. Like me and MO, we went to Russell Peters. I forget which year. Yeah, and then 2-3 years ago. Three years ago. And then I remember, like sitting there and I watched the show when I was like, OK, yeah, get it. And then afterwards we left and I was like, OK, so I guess that's the level that.
Well, you know, in, in all fairness, yeah, if I were to reach that level of fame and that level of richness, yeah, I'd probably lose a bit of edge too. Yeah, yeah, I get it. The mass public I understand. Yeah. And we're, we're trying to come up, Yeah, you know, and so we judge. From a comics perspective. And you judge from a comics perspective. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But that that was The thing is that for me, I've learned to judge not comics perspective only, but more the artist perspective where like are you creating something that's not been done? Is this unique to you or are you just doing something that is trying to test it, just a different variation of it. So what I find is that a lot of comedians, they will do the the racial culture thing and it's
been done enough. However, there you need to put a little bit of yourself into it where it's related to you. Hence why I liked your show because it was you had a lot of the, you know, being Mumi Putra, being this be Malaysia, all the stuff and Indian, Chinese, all stuff. But it wasn't like Indian people. They do this the end next joke, right?
There was a bit more story to it and this the relation to your context of you living in Malaysia with the whole, you said the identity was you get the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians. That's right. And your take on it not like Indian people in general. Like look at this guy over here. Yeah, he's not getting a drink because he's cheap. He's like, how we get that? Yeah, Indian people in Malaysia, they, they drink. They drink. Exactly. That's why you didn't make that joke.
He's like, no, they actually do drink, you know? Well, also I, I got to say when I started coming to KL to perform like whatever it was 7-8 years ago, there was more of that than there is now. Like it feels like the level among the local comics as well, like they all moved collectively past like the Indian, Malay, Chinese jokes. Is that is that our accurate observation? No, no, that's, that's pretty accurate. Like as I was, as I was telling Calvin the other day, you know,
it's, it seems like it's staple. The crowd always loves it, you know, but at this point, you have to it has to be more than just that. You have to be more clever. Yeah. You know, you can't just do the. So all Malay lazy, you know, Chinese, Chinese money, money, you know, Indian gangster and. That's a Kevin J previous guest on the podcast Shout Out Kevin Players comedian. Yeah. And so, yeah, you have to, you have to give more than just that, and you have to be more
clever. Yeah, yeah, I think, I think would you say this the evolution over? OK. So just to give some history and context to those who were not at the show, which you should regret right now. Is that, well, we can catch it at the Melbourne Comedy Festival? Yeah, in yeah, end of March. When are you starting? Arrested. I'm doing arrested in. Oh, yeah. OK, everybody fly down. OK, It's as simple as that. Yeah, I'm again, hands down. You're guaranteeing again you. Fly down there, Yeah.
You go to Melbourne. I don't include no hotel stay free yes, but if your flight and you go watch the show and you're like that show sucked. It has to be a level way like dude that was an absolute waste of my time right? I will refund you your your flight ticket. Oh my God, not the show ticket. Too bad. Show ticket is resolved problem, yes, but the flight ticket. OK you we will cut this and you can use it for promo.
Imagine some poor guy taking advantage of this and the next thing you know, we have Vivek living out on the streets like they're like 10 to 20 people. Like, you know what? It was a great show, but let's just like. Yeah, put. On our put on our acting skills. Yeah, I just hate the show. Just hate the show. The irony is that after I go broke and stuff, the only way for me to make money is to rob people. Yeah. And I end up getting arrested. I write my I do that result watching.
He's like, hands down. Go watch the next show. I will back it up with the flight tickets. I was in full circle man. Exactly. Pyramid scheme. Exactly. It's like you thought you were laughing. The jokes on you, buddy. So Speaking of arrested, would we, a lot of people are familiar with your stories, especially like we, we did a documentary last year and you're obviously heavily featured in the, in the Malaysia part, you're the main
feature there. So people, if you haven't watched it, go back and watch cross-border Comedy and I worked on it last year. The three of us are featured. So, but I would like you to give maybe not even a quick version, but more of like from the comedian's point of view, were you there that night? Were you running the open mic? I was there, yeah, OK. But I was actually, I was actually out buying supplies for the kitchen when that when that
woman. So it's a bit of an embellishment if you heard the story that I was actually in the room and I saw him do it. But yeah, that wasn't the truth. I was actually out buying, I don't know, sugar flour or something. Yeah, Yeah. I would like because again, people know like they're kind of like the outline of what happened, but maybe more of that like more of like the. Your perspective, Your. Own your own movie? Yeah.
Going on, yes. So when I, when I got back from the, from the, the shop to my shop, somebody was like one of my staff just walked down the door and he was just like just completely phased out. And I was like, what's going on? I'm like, dude, some lady just took off all her clothes and I'm like, oh shit. Like in a sexy way. She's like, yeah. But you know, it was it just like she was, she was wearing a, we call it Tudong. Yeah. Yeah, she's wearing a tudong.
Before that, and I was like, and I immediately like this one attention seeker, you know, Yeah, just. I shocked. Shocked. Yeah. I missed it. Yeah. It's obvious this. Is just some open my open mic. You know, I have no no skills in writing actual jokes. Yeah, yeah. Just wanting to shock the crowd, yeah, you know, were.
You familiar with her? I think I remember like the the chatter being like she is kind of a known problem or she tried to. Only only later on we found out that her and her boyfriend were there were a known problem and they had actually been banned from other venues. Yeah, that they tried to organize their fucking. I don't know, swingers group, Yeah, like, you know, they want to invite all there. Is that even like allowed in in Malaysia? It's it's not, it's not.
So it's very hush hush like the the few communities out there, they do it very low key, right? Yeah. So that's why. The ones who do swingers. That's why yeah, yeah. So. Yeah, so. All right, on the Patreon, we're gonna know that. Get the. Names. Yeah, exactly. The the website, the registration. Policy, In fact, that was one of the reasons why these two were kicked out, because they were making too much of a big deal out of it. They were. They were recording the the the parties.
Yeah, thank God. Uploading it. They were uploading it on YouTube, you know. Yeah, yeah. So they have their own little channel and everything. So it was getting out of hand. A lot of people didn't like that. And and then a few venues were were already calling them out and saying these people just want to start trouble, you know. But I did not know of all that until after.
Yeah, right after they had finished their set and I and and before they had uploaded like a month, but it took them like the span was like one month from from her stunt to the upload. It was one month. Yeah. Yeah. So there was that quiet time. Yeah. After that we just thought, OK, done. Yeah, whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They are. They're out of our hair, you know? Yeah, that's fine, right? And then lo and behold. Yeah, that whole thing happened, That whole thing.
Happened. Wait, how do we find the videos on YouTube? It just. No, no, no, not her stunt other videos. You were saying this video is just. Just just look for the article of the story of the crack house. Yeah, just find her name. Just click on her name and just look up. YouTube OK and yeah, it's all over there. Wow. Oh my God, man, yeah, I already is like probably someone's monetizing those videos and making money off of YouTube because like, you know, like they're getting a lot of.
Like us, we can put it on the page on that cost as well. Yeah, yeah, put it there. And like all the like, let's say trip.com advertising, yes, you know, fly on down to Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne and watch, watch reserve and get the show and. It's part of you. Like, actually, I mean, it's up to you to choose how honest you're gonna be. Are you, like, still, like, stalking like what she's up to? Not really, no. No, I don't really care. Yeah.
True like right because like I guess the whole ordeal at this point I feel talking to you now I feel like whenever you do mention that whole situation I don't see this whole like motherfucking this guy yeah like that happened yeah OK well I mean there's. No, there's no, there's no bitterness towards her. He, however, is still stalking us. What is?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So. And not just me, all the comics, he's just constantly pushing me, Harith, a few other the local comics, some of the open micas that he met at that fateful night. Yeah, yeah. He was, it was on his Twitter, Yeah. And somebody forwarded me a screenshot and look, he's, he's threatening to come after you guys. I actually had to make another police report. Yeah, Yeah, I'd make another police report just to protect myself. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And like this is the guy that.
Caused all the trouble. Yeah, and I'm making a police report just to cover myself, right? Yeah, and did. They actually get any jail time. They they both did. So they were both investigated for inciting racial disharmony. I was investigated for sedition. Yeah, both of that warrants remand like, yeah, just time and lock up until your court hearing, right. Yeah. So they, but however they, they had a very expensive bail, 20,000 ringgit each. And then I my, my bail was police bail free.
So no bails. Yeah, I could just come out. And then so but their bills were so expensive they couldn't afford it. So they were, they couldn't afford it immediately. So they were moved from police lock up to actual prison. Because they don't have. To bail, yeah, yeah, They have been actual prison for two weeks. Wow. They must have love that there because their whole thing is, yeah, people together. Yeah, like getting attention. They're filming about the prison and stuff.
Exactly. And like 2 weeks later, like we got to kick them out, man, we kind of. And they're like the first time ever. Not for good behavior, even for bad behavior. They've never done this before. Swingers. Potty in. Prison. Yeah, In the prison they were dropping soap on purpose and they were like, hey, someone's got to pick that up and it's me. Ohh man. Alright, so then that all happened and then two weeks later they're they're out basically. Yeah, they're out.
Two weeks later, they were out. Yeah, yeah, they, they're out. And then there was there any immediate contact your side or their side? No, I mean we, we, we, we, we bumped into each other. So like walked past each other in court. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, A. Few times, a few times in court, a few. Times are like your cases are different. Different, different cases, but you know, in in appreciation. We walked by then one time he did like a cheeky like hello
comedians and then he how was. He like, after everything was going on, this guy went to jail and he was like, all right, let's make a joke. You're like, do you know what you're going through right now? Yeah, these, these people, they, they, you know, I don't know, sometimes they miss their medication or something. Yeah. That their parents didn't hug them the right way. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's crazy. And that's seeing a lot coming from comedians. Right. Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, We're the ones who were all messed up. And we're like, you have a. Problem. You have a problem Bad. Yeah, 1. Thing that I think is fascinating, haven't seen you over the years, like, well before that as well, is that having seen you perform now and seeing you last year as well, it feels like a completely different comedian. Yeah. Like, and it feels like, you know, with all due respect, you're a good friend of mine.
It seems like you're like. You got like, I don't know how much percent better than before you were. Obviously it makes sense with time, you're just more experienced medium, but at the same time, it's almost in a way you can correct me if I'm wrong. It's almost freed you up to really be to achieve your potential. Is that a? Is that you think it's accurate or? That's very accurate. And I don't know. The answer is just one word.
Yeah, sobriety. Yeah. Sobriety, I don't know the time when I was running crack house, yeah, I don't know if you guys remember, but I was, I was off the rails, man. I don't think you remember. We remember. I don't think you do. Yeah, that is actually true. Yeah, pretty sure I went in a couple of times, headline a whole weekend, came back, got paid by you. And in my mind I'm like, I don't think he remembers anything. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Wow, yeah, fair enough.
I mean, so then, but then back then you, you were not sober, you were drinking, but it wasn't at the point that you were like on stage kind of like you weren't like. Not, not. Yeah, Thank you. It wasn't to that point, but I wasn't. I was still short changing myself. Yeah. And the audience. Yeah, Yeah. You were not like maximizing who you could be because you were like, I'll do that.
Whatever is free flow. The way the way I put it is like, if I'm already high, yeah, then there's nothing for me to chase while I'm on stage. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm already there. Yeah. I've basically been half assing it in front of the crowd and going like, you guys know I'm funny, right? Yeah. You figure out the jokes, you know? Yeah, you're all right, you know, But now in sober mode, you kind of have to climb that feeling and the audience climbs with you and then you both kind
of get high together. Yeah. Which is it feels more rich and fulfilling, whereas then you know, if really and how irresponsible it was being a business owner and also making it. It was a full time profession. Yeah, I was just fucking around. I mean, that can only say two things. Either number one, that you're that good that even if you're fucking around, people think you're funny, or the standards of Kuala Looper audience is so low.
And let me just say, having been there before, I'm like, it's the second one. He's the one who's setting the standard because he's the only full time club and they're like, yeah, this is what, comedy? Is I guess we did some. MC half assing it on stage and you're like all right, we'll all have a good time. Yeah, Yeah. You're tracking that type of an audience who's like when you
have a happy attention. Yeah, this is perfect combination for me. But this is such an interesting way to put it for you when you said, like, you're already high, so there's nothing for you to chase. The audience is like, they just have to find their own journey. Yeah, yeah. You know what, there are many comedians I've seen at open mic that do the same thing. The audience is chasing their own journey. They're like, I can't find the punchline anywhere.
And the comic is like, dude, I wouldn't open. I'm going to update my Instagram right now. Yes, I'm a comedian. Yeah, you have that. No. OK, Now I do want to jump back though. OK, so that whole shenanigan blah blah, blah happened and everything. My question is this is that at what point did do you have any point when you were like, I'm going to take this and make this this comedy? Or were you just thinking, I just need to get through this, man?
I don't know what it's like. I think for me, what I found is that in my brain now I've kind of got this formula where I'm like, I call it equal tragedy plus time, that kind of thing where I'm like, no matter how bad things are, like what? The angrier I get, the more motivated I am like I'm going to make this into the best goddamn comedy and make money off of this, you piece of shit. Dude, I was telling him yesterday like, we were just, like, chatting.
And obviously it's not secret. We mentioned this many times. I was talking about you. Yeah. And how you're just completely fueled by spite and anger. Oh, yeah. Hilarious. Absolutely. Everything you do in your life is not like I did this thing. It's like I fuck you. I. Fuck, I'm gonna go to yourself in the school. He sure goddamn kiss me better people in the world. OK, I'm gonna do that and show you how good they are, you piece of shit parents.
You know it's. Like that, that sounds, that sounds a lot like me, yeah, when I was running the club. There you go. We're dealing with. That's why I don't drink. Much. I'm grateful, little shit. Yeah. How much I put up with you all? With this Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, I that's the thing. Where was that one point during this whole shit thing I was going on that you, we're like, you know what?
I see what's going on. I don't like it and everything, but I am going to somehow flip this over and make this beneficial to me and take advantage or basically make this a good thing after all. Was there any moment like that? Immediately. Immediately, yeah. When you say immediately what, which do you remember what the moment like? Like whatever it is I was going through from having to being questioned by the. Police and. Everything.
The police and the religious authorities giving statements, Yeah, you know, getting, getting, getting arrested, You know, throughout every moment, one thing that kept pushing me to keep going was that this is going to be fucking gold. This is going to be good. Shame you, right? Away. The more, the more shit I go through, yeah, the better stuff that's going to come out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was just worried if anything, if there was any worry or anxiety, it was more towards my
kids, you know? Yeah. It's like, of course, you know, 'cause, 'cause I was the, I'm the sole bread earner in that family. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was the only. Thing and also like they're at the age of influence where they see this going on. Like what's going on over here? I'm confused. And yeah. Well, one thing that was worrying me and, and some of my my fucked up in laws man, they were they were just pressing the fact that Oh well, be careful, the kids are going to get going
to get spat on in school. And stuff like that. People are going to fucking isolate them in school. And yeah, but none of that at all. I asked the kids like, do they talk about this in school? They're like, no, they don't. There was like maybe one person that asked if you're the comedian and we said yeah. And then they walked away. Yeah. And said that's it. So that's that's the whole gist of it is actually there was more noise online than it was in reality. Yeah, I can imagine it.
Was all noise online and I still retained the corporate gigs that I had. I still retain. Them, yeah. I used to retain them because I asked them and like, you guys sure you want to still book me. I don't know if you've been reading these or is our PR team did not pick that up at all. It really was completely out of their scope. Like, they're aware of the story, but for them, they're just like, yeah, but this is just. You know, they come up, make us
laugh and yeah. Yeah, they they by then, I guess I had ready build a repertoire. Yeah, I'm a comedian. I'm a working comedian. So they know that these are just people that don't appreciate your comedy and you know they're dumb. Yeah, it's pretty. Funny also, you're thinking immediately of like that comic part of your that thinks like this is going to be great. Like immediately I saw a tweet. I don't remember who the comic
was. I'm sorry, but he he tweeted like comedian, like just do it like conversation between two people. Comedian. My dad just died. No more person's reaction. I'm sorry that your dad died. Comedian's reaction. My dad died first. Yeah, that's mine. That's mine. You can't take that one. I'm doing the dad dead joke. Yeah, you can't take it away from me. We just have a completely different brain. Yeah, but but then so, OK, so then you were like already on comedy mode.
I'm like, you know, I'm going to see this stuff and that you already think like, this is going to be gold one day I will somehow make it. Was there any moment of fear, though? You were like, will I even get a chance to get on stage to tell this thing that I'm going through now because I think it's so funny, but maybe something might happen and say like, sorry, you are just completely banned from any sort of public speaking. Was there any worry of that? No, not at all.
No, because I've, I've already. I ran my, I ran the comedy club for eight years. I know how to produce my own shows. Yeah, if anything at all, if I'm rejected. Left, right, I'll just do my own shows. Yes, as long as you're free, basically, yeah. Walk around. Yeah. Yeah. But then you also have your punishment, which correct me if I'm wrong, until this day you are banned from ever having a business license in. Colin Port OK, so this is a part of the story that's not in the show, right?
Yeah. So yes, the explain the municipal council who grants licenses for businesses. The the head of that which is the the mayor and the deputy mayor of Kuala Lumpur issued a statement to the to the press that the proprietors or the owners of crack house comedy club are hereby blacklisted forever.
Even though if they were to open a business under a different entity name, as long as their names, my name, Muhammad Rizal, my partner Shankar Santiram are on the board of directors list of board of directors, they will not approve the license from them. That was what was released to the press. Yeah. So the lawyer that that defended me, he was really mad at this. He was like this is this is a totally.
Out of proportion. Constitutional, you know, like murderers who go and pay and and and fill their their jail term of 50 years come out. They can still own a business, they can own a burger stall or whatever. How is it that you guys who clearly did nothing wrong get to have this very unfair judgment on you, right.
So we filed a judicial review, which is to question that order from the municipal council bring basically bring them to court la bring the court and say like, you know, justify this, you know, so filed, we filed a judicial review. The High Court granted permission. That means they said OK, yes you can. We'll discuss this. So the court then reached out to the municipal council and said Crack House Comedy Club is questioning your judgement on this.
You have to turn up at court at this time, at this time, at this time, right? They wrote back to the court and they just went actually, there was no such order. We. Didn't we? Didn't really. They just did it for like they. Can they can run a business, it's OK. Yeah, wow, so basically that politician that made this thing was doing the exact same thing most comedians do is bullshit on stage it. Was just just a stunt.
Yeah, just to get attention. Trying to get a few laughs over there like this guy doing something right. Like I don't know how the laws work, but isn't it like illegal to to say stuff like this and like issue a statement of sort like oh I banned this private citizen or whatever. It turns out it. Turns out it's not true. Yeah, exactly. But then it fell on us to take action against. That. Right. And we decided not to.
That's true, actually. I mean, like, at the end of the day, though, what are you going to do? Tell the I say, oh, this guy's an asshole? Like, oh, in that case, yeah, I'm really going to make this happen now. True. True. It's like the war not worth fighting. Yeah. So right now, when you. Are it would it would take up more legal fees and more time just to prove to everybody what they already know, that some of these guys are cunts?
Yeah. And they'll talk all that shit just to kind of win you over a bit, but actually they're not really doing anything about it. Exactly. Yeah, Yeah, yeah, that's right. Now are you, if we are looking, do you can you get a clean criminal record sheet or does it have like a little asterisk that says like he also did some fuckery? Oh, I'm I'm a non registered convict now. Oh. Fine. OK wait hold on a second. Non registered convict all of us non registered convict like who
has never seen before. I have been convicted of a crime. But if you go on the head of, you know, head of police, the police headquarters, the main headquarters of Police Kuala Lumpur, Bouquet Aman is they called Bouquet Aman. If you check out their list of I'm not on it, it's basically like kind of like if the equivalent of being summoned, traffic summoned. Yeah, yeah. That's it. But that's what Americans called a misdemeanor. Yeah. Is it similar to that perhaps?
Too. That's pretty good. Like, I feel that every Asian parent should have this unregistered convict thing for their kids and be like, if you don't do your homework, yes, I'm gonna make you an unregistered convict. They're like, that will ruin my whole life. You're like, well, I don't know. You know, on your CV. I'm gonna have to add that line over there. So you have, yeah, obviously charged that the the process is like charged, like arrested, charged conviction. Convicted.
Yes. Because I'm relating like some of our long time listeners. No, I had a issue with Hong Kong immigration a couple of years ago and I stopped at charge. They did charge me, but then we basically kind of settled, so we didn't get to the conviction. What did they charge you with? Basically working outside of the visa. Which wasn't. Exactly true, which is why we settled. It was a kind of a Gray area
case. And my lawyer, shout out to Adam, great lawyer, he just basically we went into something called a bind over. I don't know if you have the same thing or not. So bind over basically means like you admit that you did whatever they're charging you with and they agreed to drop the charges and in return I don't apply to get my legal fees back. So everyone wins kind of. I don't get a record at all and they we don't go to court and then the judge just has to sign off on it and that was it.
I love how all these things can be, like, just negotiated out. But OK, OK, OK. Look, Look, Yeah, Look, real simple. I don't want to pay you money. Yes. But you know what I'm going to do? I don't want to push forward. Let's be done with this. I'm going to go home. You go home. It's all good and everything. Dude, you know what I learned? And maybe you can also share your experience being in courthouses and stuff. The every time you see like whatever they do in movies, it's
so not the case there. Aside it from being boring or whatever, it's also all so the the part where you, the judge hands down orders and stuff. It's basically literally like us doing our act. It's all already orchestrated between the prosecution, the lawyer and the judge. Basically you just go up and do the thing, yes. So it's like you're in a plane. So it's really understood like the the the the juror is going to say this yes.
And then the, the judge asked me, what have you come to a a final what's the word verdict, verdict. And then they're like, we have well, in that case, please do tell. It's like I. Don't think it was ever at least because this is a criminal case, a Criminal Court. And there was like a bunch of cases before me. It's all just like, like the whole like movie idea of like, my hand is three years of present. No, your honor, doesn't happen.
Oh, really? The lawyers know what what the sentence is, what the sentence is, and the prosecution know. Yeah. And the judge doesn't go like hey, fuck you everyone. Here's the block twist. Oh shit, no, it doesn't happen. OK, so it's actually like very anti climactic almost all the time. So let me ask you, I did open this podcast with me saying that I'm the infidel, yes, But so far it seems to be the two of you are the criminals. Here I thought we were Robin
donning man. Like I see that the one who's eating breakfast they doing pretty good. Actually it's yeah, you were. He's the ex-con. I'm ex. I have not been into court in any court for any reason. The only court I've been to is the tennis court. That's a good. You know, I'm confused here. I'm like, you were all like, we go to heaven, We're doing all this shit and I'm like, I just had breakfast and now I'm going to go back to my room and do my
work. And you're like, but in a few short years, yeah, we'll be hanging out in actual heaven. Yeah. And you will be with Gandhi and stuff. OK, going there. Now, let me ask you this. When you enter that courtroom, you both went into the courtroom. Yeah. Kowloon Magistrate, Yeah. You know, like how normally when you go to restaurants, when like celebrities and stuff have been to and you're like, I want to sit on that same seat. Yeah.
Did you have any moment? You're like, who else has been sitting on the seat? Who? Which of the criminal, which other big, big deal has been here? And would you said that you're like, oh shit, that's the same seat. Yeah. Fucking Ted Bundy side, you know, like you know I. Would like, I mean, if it's like, you know, America or whatever, like there's like some famous would. You commit a climb just to sit on that seat. Absolutely not. I never want to be in a courthouse.
Again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mine was just cyber court so. I wait cyber court. Cyber court like people who commit prime online. They actually have a designated cyber court literally called cyber court. They actually the bunch of boring lawyers. Yes, yes, that down what not what art thou call it the court of scholar Internet Cyber court 332A four. Yeah, really. They call it cyber court. Oh, wow. OK. I would have called like something something more legit like.
So, so people who get charged for like scams, online scams, gambling or, you know, yeah, just all they, they go to that court. My goodness. Be the lamest jail ever. Yeah, like they're not like tough guys. They have, they probably have like computers with like Internet connection with just 50-6. Yeah, this is painful. You're like, no, stop the yeah, that's right.
So cyber Court now is cyber court designed much like what I think on TV, like those kinds of course, where you have people sitting in the audience watching what's going on or it's just one small room. You have people, there's a place for people to watch, to see. It's the same here it is. Yeah, it's the same. Because British. British, Yeah. So is that British? Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah. So they have to hold the jury. But the judge didn't have at least mine.
They didn't have wigs. Oh yeah, this is now they've gotten rid of the wigs. I'm not sure around. Maybe just with photo OPS because I know that. They still wear the black robe. Yes, yes. But I think actually here, based on the media, I think the High Court or like the wig court or whatever, they are still wearing wigs. But like the regular criminal judge, he's just wearing the, yeah, the black robe. But yes, the members of the public can just go and watch.
Like there are people, because I've been a few times. Yeah. And there are people, even the same people, yeah, who are not like, clearly they're just hanging out. You can just, you can just sit in the air. Conditioning whatever air. Conditioning and just watch what's happening. But then are the audience, are they allowed to give a reaction like, oh, can they do that? They can they. Can I mean obviously if it gets out of hand? Yeah, order, order, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But. Then again, that actually exactly to my point earlier, it doesn't happen because it's also procedural. So maybe the audience? Doesn't. No, but they don't know. Yeah, exactly. But also. To be honest, I did not sit in a sentencing. That's true. Yeah. There's no, there's no. Maybe we can get back there. Oh, no. Yeah, one of those, luckily. Never want to be in a sentencing.
That's when it. Gets like tense because when it's you're sentenced, you're literally so if you're on bail, yes, where I was, you're going in as a free person, yes, and you're walking out, you know, for the next thing or whatever. So if you are going through your sentencing hearing and then you get sentenced, that's it, you are not walking out a free person. Oh true, you are taking immediately. Yeah, taking you immediately. So every time I went to the courthouse, I took the MTR and I
left with the MTR, you know? What I see what you mean. Even being escorted by police, you're just going in as a free person. Yeah, yeah. But if you are sentenced to jail time, you're going straight to jail after the courthouse. So. Yeah, Oh my God. OK, But then. But then last thing is like with the courts and everything, is that so you know what to expect. They've already negotiated the deal, yes. You go in there where we tell you yes. So then yeah.
Cuz then technically are you told to keep a straight face until they give you the final result? Cuz like, technically you know that you're free, let's say. I guess again that's that's a sentencing thing that neither. Of us, Oh no, But that when you go even with the charge thing because they already made the deal yeah, you don't have to go into court anymore after that yeah.
They just they just the court is just there to sort of officiate, witness everybody see the deal go through like a. Ceremonial. Yeah, it's already we're going to get married. Ceremonial. Exactly. Ceremonial, ceremonial. OK, OK, OK. So you already know what it is. Let's go into the thing. Yes, my my question is, but then you have audience public that can be sitting over there, right can yeah. So tell me like they they don't know if you're going to now go into the next level where you
can get into more stuff, right. So you know, like, OK, we made a deal. I'm going to be Freeman after this and everything like that. But facial facially, you can't let the audience know. No, actually that's not true because they know when they're going in if it's a hearing or a sentencing. So the screen actually at least for us here, you probably have like blackboards because it's Malaysia for us it's just a TV screen, very advanced and it says hearing with the case of this and that.
And it is actually like almost a description of is going to be a hearing or a sentencing. So I am sure there are people who just go for the sentence. Oh yeah, dude, yeah, of course. Thrilled, to be honest, like, as a comedian, if that courthouse was closer to, you know, do you live? Yeah, where I live, I would definitely go yeah, to just watch. But it's in Kowloon's, far away. But it's pretty cool, you know? OK, I've honestly never been.
When I was a kid in secondary school, we did go for one of these court visits and we were like, let's say 20 students, right? Teenagers and everything. You go in there, your teacher, all of us sit down. Can be quiet, right? Yeah. And you know, kids can't be quiet. And we go. And then I remember they were doing and it was so boring because, like, the judge speaks in English. Yes. The defendant is a Cantonese speaking guy. They've got the lawyer who's speaking Cantonese.
Yeah. And then the translator that does English. And it's like, it's like, I'm like, this is boring as hell. Yeah, Right. And you know, kids, when it's boring, you're like and the judge like quiet. We're like, okay, okay, let's get out of here. We don't want to be going to jail for this one. You know, the teachers like you say, you say you can't be doing this stuff right. I'm like, okay, you got, you made your point. You made your goddamn point, man.
That's the only experience I've had inside a court has. The other experience I've had is when I've been to some schools who actually have a room that's designed like a court room. Oh wow. And they've done. Is that like a sexy kind of like what is it called Role play 0. It could be maybe the principal after hours, you know. So there there were two schools I remember like these SC 80 school of something something and a Scandinavian College of something and design in Champ Shapo.
They turned to magistrate. Let me just say, Scandinavian school in Champ Shapo. Yeah, sounds. Like, it's gone now, but like, I'll tell you when I went there, when they invited me as a speaker, I was like, what? There's a school? What over here Champion was like such a old, old Chinese district, really like Scandinavian school of what? Right. I went there in the courtroom, I'm giving like a workshop slash lecture and I'm like, this is so bizarre. I voluntarily walked in here, right?
I can't believe I did this right. But that was the only space I've had. But hence why I'm like, yeah, I've never had that feeling of going like, oh, man, just this is all right. And hence why I'm so curious about like the the the feeling you have what you're thinking in your head. But now that you say you know what the I. Absolutely love how this podcast turned to you. Being so curious, what is the criminal? I've never committed crimes of your level.
I mean, I don't know what it's like to be such bad people never done that like I maybe like didn't give enough right, the right amount of change when I took a bus. That's the most I've done. But like this level I'm I'm I'm admiring. Well, it's also because. Yeah, we're Muslims, so we're paying for our sins in this life. Yes. Well, say yeah, you could. Yeah. Yeah. You know, the suffering now or later of the. Yeah, eternal paradise later. You tell yourself about that, man.
You go do that, dude. I will. I will happily live in denial if that's what The thing is. You're like I have. Lived in denial and then I left my country. Yeah, you go. There you go. Exactly. All right, let's move in. So we're getting out of that little thing. You've gone through all that stuff. Now this is the This is the Resolve and Gazelle version 2.0 would you say? Yeah. I mean, it's, it's certainly and I, I, yeah, it's definitely a next, you know, a different, no,
a new chapter. Yeah, a new chapter. So if I were to compare, let's say back then, if you were to walk down the street and there was a background soundtrack versus the version of you now with the background soundtrack, let's say you're like in WWE, right? What would have been your intro soundtrack back then when you were like half high this or whatever versus now? Can you think of that? I don't know, but I'll probably doing during the whole time. Back then it was probably Afro
man, you know, you know. I haven't heard of it. 'Cause I got high. Ohh nice. I was supposed to run the show. That one, yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, So that was back then. You were on the nose, man, right over there, just like the people do with cocaine, right on the nose, right. And you do that and now version 2.0 well. Let let me let me actually give the version 2.0. It's the van a lot I. Knew that that that is obviously you know, yeah, yeah.
But like would you say is that level now or would you say once that anywhere between? It's it's that level now. You walk in UI, Yeah. Mos Mos right about. That OK, OK. I would just for cinematic purposes, I would say it's the, it's the closing song of the first Matrix movie. Oh, against the machine. Yeah, I've woken up from the system. Yeah. Yeah, I get what you mean. Yeah, Yeah, that's definitely a good song.
There is a character that was heavily involved and started the crack house with you, Jonathan Atherton. Rest in peace, Jonathan. I want to kind of close on some Jonathan stories just because he's an absolute legend for us. Legend, you know, can have different meanings. Yeah. Anyone who's performed in Asia will have some at some point. If you have any quality level, you would have at some point encounter Jonathan Atherton.
And you would have Atherton stories too, so a lot of our wider audience, especially in Hong Kong, wouldn't know who Atherton is. I would like you to first introduce who Atherton is and then we can maybe close with a couple of legendary Atherton Atherton stories. So Jonathan Atherton was a comedy, was a comedian and a comedy promoter based in Southeast Asia. I think he started in Singapore. He's the reason why we all know who is Butch Bradley, the great comedian, the great touring
comedians. You know, Tom Rhodes, Paulo Gada, Gina Yashere, Shazia Mirza is from Australia. Hung Lee, Peter Boehner, Gary Egg. And so he really brought all the Western comedians into Southeast Asia. And then he created basically he helped create the scene, He helped create the English speaking stand up comedy scene in Singapore and Malaysia. And then I'm sure in some ways it influenced the other region as well, Philippines, Jakarta, Cambodia, Vietnam and such and
so forth, right. And he was, he was, he was, he had, he had a few business partners. One of them was history. History and him ran the Comedy Club Asia, which ran international showcases. I think he flew you in one. Yeah, yeah, I was one of them in. Singapore. And that would sort of give us an insight of how pros do it. Like we were. We would just fucking round open mic nights, right? But until we see a working comedian, that may not be necessarily a household name,
right? So this is one thing that the public always needs to understand. Like there are more comedians than just Trevor Noah and Russell Peters, right? Right. That are professional full time working comedians, right. Then you just might not have heard of them. But you come to the show and you see that they're they're really good. They might even be funnier than the household names. Yeah. They just haven't gotten a big break yet.
Right. So Jonathan was very good at bringing on. OK, actually we get a few household names. Like I don't know who I should come and think of it. You said like Andrew Schultz or is that was that later? Andrew Schultz was later through. He was also obviously before. He it was before he became huge Andrew Schultz and Akash. Both. Of them came down and did Singapore and and Crack house yeah.
Jonathan became partners with me in 2013 we established a company together with Shankar Santiram and 2014 in April we opened Crack House comedy Club. And yeah, he's he's he's he's a he's a real he's quite a character. He spoke 7 languages. Yeah. Yeah. Right, 7 languages. Just for context, he's just like an Australian white man. He's from Brisbane. Yeah, he's from Brisbane. He's a lawyer by by qualification. I think he finished law school or something like that.
And he was a journalist. He was a writer for What's the Planet Travel Planet. What was it called? Lonely Planet Lonely. Planet, yeah, Lonely Planet. And then then he became a stand up comedian. And he was, he was just a guy that could entertain anybody, no matter what language they spoke, no matter what background they were from. Yeah. You know, like, I've seen one of the things I would say this. This really encapsulates Jonathan, right? Yeah. We're sitting after one of the
shows. We're sitting in a dinner table, supper table. And there's a group of African students, like 7 or 10 of them sitting at the next table. He's just staring over there and he's just like, I wonder where they're from. And I, when I look at it, John, John, why don't you go and ask them? Just go and ask them, right? He got up, went over there. Within 5 minutes, that table was cracking up laughing. They were just whacking the table. They were just bursting out laughing.
And they were so astounded that this Australian white Australian dude can speak their mother tongue, you know? And that's the kind of character Jonathan is, just a real a human connector. He was a connector of humans, yeah. Among among there's certain characters that like in the Asian scene, like whenever people get together the mansion, Jonathan is obviously one of them, but he was also a legendary partier. Yeah, yeah. And you obviously you guys ran the club together for for many years.
What was what was partying with him like? And maybe if there's stories, I mean, rest in peace again. So. Well, we'll try. We will try not to speak I'll of the dead right, but there was if there was one funny bit about John that you know, we were in Cambodia and I was flown. I was me and him. We flew out from KL. We were hosting a show in in in Nom Penh with Jen Brister and Paul Meyerhog, right, great,
funny guys, right. And then I was just like three years in the game, four years in doing comedy, you know, So I'm just still learning in. So we do the show. I, I, I get by. I think I did a good job. And then, of course, Paul and then Jonathan hosted. If Jonathan hosted, you know, the show ran until 1:00 in the morning. Yeah. Yeah, he won't. Stop, dude.
Yeah, he won't stop, right? And then after the show, we all go to this, like, Backpackers bar, OK, we'll go to Backpackers Bar. And we're sitting there and Jonathan from across the room, OK, Shouts at me. He says, oi riz. And I go like, what is it? What? What? What? And he goes, what's local Cambodian makeup? What, what he said what? And he went Khmer Rouge. And you can see all these back these white backpackers go like. What the fuck did this guy just say? That's very funny.
It's so stupid. That was the one of the tamest like author Everton stories above my heart. OK, Well then, well, then right after that, we went back to the hotel and we found out that he had trashed the reception because he couldn't find the key to his room and he got really upset and he trashed the reception. Right. OK. Threw the laptop into the the, the swimming pool. Yeah. Not surprising, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He used to that extreme poor.
Old Was it Dan Riley? Oh yeah, Riley, the promoter. Yes, shout out, he was actually involved indirectly with producing the documentary as well. Oh yeah, you go. Oh, what a lovely guy. Yeah, Dan is a sweetheart. Shout out. Dan Riley. Yeah. Was Sam Thomas around then? No, not yet. Yeah, OK, Yeah, yeah. Dude, it's such a pleasure to have you on on the so on the Patreon. I would like to ask you about the actual experience of being in jail. You can just describe it to us.
There was an like an actual ex-con years ago on the podcast and he also mentioned what it's like. He was in Hong Kong jail and he would experience and also the other side of it because you were arrested in front of your children. What was that like as well? But we'll leave for the Patreon. We'll. Leave all of these two things for the Patreon. So if you want to check out, if you want to basically a full description of a Malaysian jail, sign up for thepatreon.com/opod.
It's also a good way for you guys to support what we're doing here, having awesome guests with us. Thanks so much for joining us, man. Thanks for having me guys. Yeah, you have a Melbourne Comedy Festival coming up. That's right. Do a 60 seconds elevator pitch to for people to come to your I forgot. What dates I'm doing? I think March, March 31st until April 6th around there. Around there, Yeah, one of those. 6th at Oxford Street and 9:00 PM. That's right.
People can just find Yeah type result on the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Just go. To comedyfestival.com dot AU go over there type result RIZAL press enter obviously don't mean an idiot. Just type the words and be like what's going on Don't do anything right yes and you'll see results show arrested immediately. What you do then immediately get use your mouse left click on the buy ticket button yes. Don't look at the date. Just buy it first.
Then when, when you whatever destiny gives you all the date that that's the show you're watching, that that's the day you go for. If you don't live in Australia, as I said, go guy, your ticket right now. Fly down over there, watch the show, enjoy the show. And then if you have the gut to lie to me until you didn't, then
we can talk. Yeah. And if I find that you're lying to me, I will take you to the motherfucking Kowloon magistrate and I will sit you the ass in cyber court in Hong Kong. Cyber. Court. But lying to me via e-mail saying you didn't enjoy a result show? There, now you have the Vivek Mahabubani guarantee that's right of result. So do check out his show and in general, if he is in your area or your city or your country, don't miss his show. How do people find you online?
They just resolve Van Giesel on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and TikTok. Nice. OK, TikTok, we don't have that. Yeah, yeah, we don't have what is this tik? T.O.K yeah shit, we have like a different version of it. I'm. Sure. Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah, But we don't have it at all. What's it called We. We don't. We don't have. Yeah, no, we're too busy. Yeah, we're not doing like, hey guys, I'm eating Bradford. Yeah, no, we don't. TikTok is not available.
That's not what TikTok. TikTok is not about. Hey guys. I mean that's Instagram. TikTok is more like like. Let me dance, Let me dance. Yeah, I'm eating breakfast and check out this day. Exactly. Wow. That's definitely much better. It is better than Instagram, Yeah, Yeah. All right. Thanks, everyone. Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next week. Bye bye.