OZ & OMAR WON'T BACK DOWN ON THE BLOCK!

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload, the podcast last deep their line and welcome back to TV Reload. My name is Benjamin Norris, and on this podcast I go behind the scenes with the biggest players in television. Each episode you will get a front row seat with content makers like executive producers, writers, editors, and casting agents, plus the talent we see on our screens.

Obviously, the negative energy just keeps building up. Meet Omar and Osmond. We did care about everyone, but at the day it was always osen Omar first.

Omar is a professional footy plant and Osmond works in property maintenance. No one could just possibly come to the blockad and it's time throughout the night.

You have to be registered and on the payroll.

They have run with the advice that we gave them and presented back to something that is really, I think quite exquisite.

I hope we kind of changed a lot of people's minds on what they think of two Muslim kids from Australia, the winner of week one on the Block Tree Change. I've got homes, got my back and let's go to the finish line as hard as we can.

Hi, boys, thanks for coming on the podcast.

Hey may I remember you right? Yeah? That is smart.

Smart, Definitely, I paid. I've paid the boys to say that for the people that are listening at home. Are you guys ready to get off the block? Roller coaster?

We we definitely, we could comfortably say we are ready to get off, But are we ready to let you have this home?

No blood, sweat and teas we put in within this beautiful im so not just yet.

As a viewer, I'm stressed looking at the landscapes. How are you guys going to get them done in time? Surely they're going to have to let some houses, you know, have a little bit more overtime.

It feels like that. But there's still a few days to go, and we'll probably get there come Sunday. We're pretty confident that we've got the team to do our landscape and do it to the we can. But I think come Sunday, it's surprising a lot happens in a couple of days on the block. So we'll get the lights on overnight and we'll make sure we put in those extra hours to get the job done.

It's been a fairly hectic season of the block right from the start. What was the hardest thing about doing the show?

I think The hardest thing would be away from the family, the living standard.

It was just too cold, you know, no time to go out and temper yourself, gave a shower, relaxed the mind.

It's always ongoing.

It's just fast paced and if you snooze, you lose, right, That's what Scottie says Tree every second.

Like your last, and that's exactly what it was. So it was very hard in that sense.

I think your place has been very ambitious, and after walking through the houses, I think that your house has a real wow factor about it. You know, what do you think worked in the house and what do you think didn't, And maybe we'll start with what you thought really worked in your build.

I think just the way our design was, how we can just literally grasp the view of like the massive and rangers from literally every room of the house. That probably was our best feature, the living room and kitchens obviously stunning in the fact that we do get those views and we're probably the only house that's uninterrupted. So being House five did have a lot of downs in regards to getting material and everything done so late, but I think the view kind of takes over on that one.

Is there anything that didn't work, Like, what is there anything you're looking back on thinking, Oh, I wish I had more time, or I wish I would have done that differently, I.

Don't think so. Decisions that and I did was always backed up with ourselves.

Everything we made were always made sure that we backed our decisions no matter what. So there might be little things that, yes, we might have chosen that, but we definitely as the fast pace was goal with decisions made was crazy. But just like you got twolve weeks right, seven days a week, two and four hours. We wish we had more, but the block is always precise of their timely so if they say Sunday delivery and nine am, it's literally tool down nine am.

So we wish we had more.

We all wish we had more time, but unfortunately this is the block and you can't play with the time he made.

I always wonder about the relationships between the other contestants. I mean you both, I mean all these groups are going through the exact same thing at the same time. Do you think that you'll walk away with lifelong friends out of the other contestants or has the pressure and competitive nature of this entire show impacted those relationships.

Yeah, Well, honestly, Oz and I are so competitive. We've obviously come on the show and it's always family first. We definitely want to do well. We do hope everyone walks away and does well. I think that the fact that everyone had put twelve weeks of hard work in, you do want everyone to walk away with something. I mean that they probably came into the block the same mindset as us looking after their families. So we'll never

Yeah, I can understand that. You know, the funny thing about this season is that everyone online, everyone watching the show, everyone talking about the series wants to know what Sharon is really like. What's what's your take on Sharon.

We got along with Sharon. I mean, we've we've had plenty chats with her on and off the camera. She's she's very nice. Like I mean, obviously itels pretty hard. They're not put in a very tough position. We all did, but obviously Oz and I came in with a very very different attitude. I think I feel like we came into the show knowing or was going to be hard. But we also said, we don't want to dwell on anything.

We wanted the experience of a lifetime and definitely, if you asked me, but you asked Omer, we definitely enjoyed the road.

So it was pretty good.

I just couldn't believe how much you two were laughing. Like it was quite stressful the day that I was there and there was mud everywhere and you guys were finishing a working week. But you guys have the best sense of humor and you seem like you have so much fun together. And I don't know when we first met you on the series. Well, you boys were just always laughing and it's infectious. Where does that come from?

It's important to enjoy yourselves. Yeah, look, if you ask me, I'll be honest.

It was one of the hardest but the best experience, and all comes back to our attitude from the get go. We didn't want only to come onto the block to build a beautiful home, but enjoy the experience. So we go back home and watch with our family, and it's all about having each other's back. And we walked in knowing that it is going to be the biggest competition,

It was good, it was really good.

Well, you guys are the first Aussie Muslim contestants to take part of the format. Was there any hesitation coming on the show? When you heard that no hesitation? We did feel like we probably had a little bit of added extra pressure. I mean, it wasn't just our fa that we're going to watch the show.

We knew that we were going to bring in a whole different, like a completely different viewers that probably never watched the block, and we wanted to give them a good experience. I feel and I feel like we did that. I do feel like we had a great time on the show. We did really well, built an amazing home and I hope we kind of changed a lot of people's minds on what they think of two Muslim kids from Australia.

Absolutely, I mean, do you both feel proud to be a part of a change in conversation. You know, I say this because I still feel like there are some Australians that might have a fairly warped and out of date thought on Muslim Australians. But you guys, just being yourself is a real They're just like us.

Moment Oh definitely, Like take you back to our conversation we had with Dan form and Dan we had a problem, but what we've been taught from our beliefs is learned to forgive and forget. Then and there, we did not go on about to the other contestant and say he said this, he said this is how we feel.

We went straight to the source. It was kind.

Did you sit down and speak to us? And we told them is that Yeah, we're feeling and it's beyond just us. It's our community, our people, and we need to articulate. You know a couple of words that you and Kith have said to people to understand back home, it's not only us. We understand where you're coming from. You've got a hard job, but explain it to people because we know you're good, but they don't know that.

What's the relationship being like for the two of you, You know, while the show's been on television, if you had a lot of support from Australians well, from everyone coming up and saying you're doing a good job on the show.

Yeah, I mean we're so happy, Like honestly, we just literally before the podcast, we had a few people come and say that we were their favorites and we hope they hope we do well and all of that, and we get that everywhere we go, Like, the support's been unreal. Everyone's loved having us on the show, they said, as a breath of fresh air. So we do. We are very thankful that we've had the opportunity to make them

It's a bit of a catch twenty two. You want to go on a show like this and risk it all to try and make some money, but then you've also got to deal with everyone watching the show and having their opinion you know, what's the strangest rumor that you've read about yourselves or you've heard about yourself why you've been on the show.

I think the strangers. The most weirdest comment would be a mania abothers.

Blood brothers. Yeah, blood brothers, be's mates, best mates, best mates. I think the weirdest one was the boys fled the country. I love that one.

They were like, the boys have fled the country and gone to Bali because they are overwhelmed and they know what's about to come on the show. And you know, that headline came out a few weeks ago and then we saw the next few episodes and there was nothing for you really to be worried about. But it's strange the way that a rumor can start. But I guess the best thing to ask you was how was Bali?

Exactly? How our kids? It was good? Yeah, like you can't you can't pretty much control what media, you know, what goes out in the media.

But it's like when we had the chance to speak and people to understand where we come from, will take that opportunity.

But insaying that, you.

Know, one of the one main advice my father has me was when you go on the show, b why and people will love you? So that's exactly how I were on the show. Be you are what she sees, what she got.

So we love everybody out there, so send them alove.

Well, no one on the show escapes. You know these rumors. There's now rumors over the last week that the judges scoring is rigged and that's why the points scores are too close. While you were making the show, did you ever suspect that maybe the judges on the show were.

Yeah, absolutely every week. Every week we went home and we didn't win, and we thought I was rigged. But might be joking, but there was a few weeks. I mean, I definitely feel like living the kitchen, we probably did deserve a lot more than we got good. But I don't in the saying it's rigged. I wouldn't say that. I just feel like maybe the judges probably were in his open minded that day. I do feel like we probably got cut short a little bit on a few of those rooms that we put a lot of effort in,

Get a hush punishment from last year, right, Yeah, but we both took it like two men. We were open about the piano from from Monday, but it was just a shame to get that that feedback from Schood here on Sunday, you know, while standing there disappointing and we were looking forward.

To living room. You know, we knew we had the win, but it is what it is. What can we do? Man, We can't change it now.

That living room you have to stand in it to believe it. Because I saw everyone's living rooms and I will never forget that moment. It was just it was still so livable, but it's still felt like something from another world. It's a moment.

Definitely when you have two minds come together. It's definitely out of this world. To be honest, we oh my and I are stand at the block at the moment, and every time we go to bed, honestly, we make a little happy lap around the island bench to the fire to that brick wall around the.

Piano, just a couple of you know, buttons on the piano. They straight to bed. But we still can't believe, Wow, we did this. It's amazing.

I love to think of you two doing that.

I really do.

I love I love your attitude and I don't know, I just watching this show. I think it's it's a good attitude for people to have for everyone watching the show. You know, it's interesting just about those judges. People were saying, is it time to change the judges? Do you think that having the same judges every year works?

So?

Do you think that they could probably change it up every year?

Like we said before, it's such a tough job to do. I mean, don't you think I would say about judging? I feel I do feel as though everyone's got different tastes. People that are going to be buying the house. They're probably some people will like house four or five, some people will like House two, three, like the houses are completely different. I also feel like the judges do have

Do you think all the houses are going to sell this year? Do you think all the houses are going to make money?

You know, hard to answer. Everyone.

Every house has got a different, different style, definite execution. But at the end of the day, we hope everybody. The houses are definitely worth it, that's for sure. I like, no matter what the price tag is, no matter what the reservers, they are definitely amazing homes and the.

New technology that's something that's never been done before. And obviously I'm not we're not really trying to sell their houses, but two years lockdown and COVID, these ore the how so as you want to live in if there's ever going to be a lockdown again, that's for sure.

Absolutely. I mean the house I saw it just at the end of the lockdown. I saw it the last week of filming and you know, I still had the COVID blues and I was like, these houses represent everything that we now want from a home. You know, we want from our homes to be where a place we can work, where we can socialize, you know, where we can have our leisure. Like all of that needs to be encompassed into my home and the homes from the block this year are just they have everything that you need.

Well, Oz and I both have kids. I mean, just imagine not being able to go to the park, being stuck at home, and imagine these COVID houses, like I mean the houses that we've done on the block. We've got your own basketball, tennis court, play sock out there, You've got your own pool, ten acres of space completely off the grid, and that that like your kids can actually go out and do whatever they want. They don't need to travel anywhere. You can get coaches coming and

Is that Mitchen Mark in the background or is that a magpie?

That's a magpie?

Who's going to be the Mitchen Mark of this year? Like, who do you think is going to be the person that makes the most amount of money?

Not the Mitchen Mark, but god willing will be the winners of twenty twenty two.

So there was people talking about Scotti Cam last night saying that he's a little bit crankier than this year than any other year. I kind of always have loved Scotty Cam's cranky nature on the block. I kind of enjoy him leaning into that. But what did you guys think? Did you think Scotty was a bit harsh this year.

We've always watched the block. Scotty's a champion, he's a real role model and he was a real leader on the block this year For him to be seen as being more crankier and it was big, it was massive.

You know. He was the captain to the ships.

Everything that we were wrong, he was always there to solve problems and anything that went right or wrong.

He was the one to solve everything.

For us, Like look at him, had to apologize to us because they couldn't get our work from home space. Really for us, it's never ever happened in block history. He knew our frustration. He knew we didn't have a chance to win another another room. We understand it's frustration because of the shortage of materials and labor.

But it is what it is at the day. There's nothing we could change.

We did make sure that our voices were heard on many, many occasions, but Scotty was there to take lead and to keep us composed at all times.

So it was good.

There's also been a lot of constant chatter about you guys getting more help than any other houses, you know with trainings, reportedly working throughout the night. Is that true to you? Did you were you guys working throughout the night? Do you think that there was any disadvantage to the other people because of that?

I think we were probably the most disadvantage team this year. You've been at the blockhouses. It takes probably like twenty minutes to get to House five, so without being.

Security check signed and who you are as an individual, so no one could just walk in at any time to be out the night. Yeah.

I think well, at the end of the day, if anyone does feel disadvantage, it should be us. Perfect example, our working from home space, we got an apology obviously that room wasn't ready, but we can. Week out we were getting things last delivered to our house, whether it was material or getting things done for the room to get done, like structural stuff. House Wife was always last. So we did have concerns very early on in the show because we knew how much it was going to

But one of the houses, when I was talking to them on the podcast, they were like, we saw their friends and family going to that house throughout the night, you know when we shouldn't have been working. Is that just jealousy of maybe they're just competitive have how nice your house is? Or was there truth in man?

Well, we'll be from Sydney, so all our friends and families are from Sydney, so that we're not from Melbourne, right And in saying that, we said it before, when I'll say it again, No one could just possibly come to the block at and throughout the night. You have to be registered and on the payroll, so you know, we don't want to sit in his human things. But if you're saying it could possibly be the jealousy, then

So we don't care. Also, everyone works throughout the night on the block. That's how you get your job done. So, like you'll probably see it on the show this week landscaping week, everyone gets massive ken Ouds lights put outside their house to get working through the night. So there's no rules against working through the night on the block. Obviously there's powerful stuff and that and that you can't

To end on a sort of a lighter note, I just want to say, what has been the moment for you? That's the hero moment for taking part of the show.

The hero moment would for us obviously, just being able to be on the show and create what we created over twelve weeks. Revealing rooms to the standards that we did week and week out is obviously going to be something we're going to be proud of and we're going to tell our kids.

And hopefully a lot of people for years to come. But probably one of the biggest moments that was, and I shared that we both loved on the block was obviously the charity home. Just pointing just being able to use a block as a platform and build a dream home for two guys that were both awesome kids, I mean Tim and Tyler. To get them to I wasn't going to do the basketball caught outside and apart, but stuff and just see their faces. That was That was the most rewarding part of the block so far.

Well, everyone who joins the podcast gets asked this question to finish off the show, and that's what's something from behind the scenes, something that we won't see, kind of like a behind the scenes secret from being on the block for you guys.

That's a that's a solid that's a solid question. That's the good. If they want to know something, they need to know that it is so real that it is not scripted at all. Like obviously they do edit the show. But in regards to how much work we have to do and how much stuff we have to do to get rooms revealed every Sunday, it's ten times harder than you think. Do we get help, No, we don't. Seven days to get a room ready.

Yes, as a builder, I thought it was impossible, but now well, wow, seven seven days.

That's all you've got.

Let's than seven days, six and a halve days to get a room week in week out, really at nine am Sunday every morning.

So it is real. It's the most realious reality TV show I have ever seen and actually been a part of it. So it's real.

Guys, The block is real. Do not get help design building? No one's at that to help the one you're like like a vampire.

Do they have a therapist that to help you out? I feel like i'd need therapy. I think I'd need constant therapy.

The only therapy that we had was omer and was this therapy we had each other, so that's the only therapy we were accepting.

At the time.

Boys, can I just say thank you so much for being so generous with your time and talking to me today. I've you know, I was so privileged to have been able to walk through your house and see how phenomenal it is. And just lastly, I just want to say, I think it's very amazing for you both to come on the show and and be yourselves and show Australia that you know, we're all pretty much the same and we all should be treated the same.

We're all the same guys. We are proud Australians and we love everyone. Amazing, amazing, Let's let's go.

Actually, if if you win seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, what are you guys going to do? Would you go into business together?

Like or like? Have you got plans flee the country? Flee the country? No? No, no, definitely not Oh annoy brand name.

Now we want to showcase our talent to the world, so definitely there's there's got to be media for us in regards building.

Definitely we have something along the way, so see how we go. Charity definitely a lot of charity orf.

That's that's what we do back home, and would like to use this platform to really build it to the best we can so get that awareness.

There's a lot of people out there that are struggling, and I think we're pretty lucky. We've got it so good in this country. But there's a lot of kids and well we're definitely going to work with kids.

And one one main point on why our attitude also positive on the show, it's just two people. You know how many times we got shut down, you know, three shutdowns and team shutdowns, many doors shut down on us, not on purposely, but just to show people not to give up the life. You know, stay composed, take a step back and understand who's your loved ones around you. I had hom on the show. Knew he had my back, I had his back and yeah, Omer, yeah, you know we got shut down.

Do we give up? No, put a smile and just keep pushing life. Life is beautiful.

His life is beautiful and colorful and it's very short, so you don't want to regret it.

So just reach out to your loved ones and make sure you just keep pushing. You know, there's always someone there that want want to eat your problems. And then that's exactly how we took this experience on the block.

Just have the right attitude, sur around yourself with the good people and say less you know, it is what it is. At the end of the day, God, God's best planners. Now we plan, you plan, but God is always known to be the best of planners. So just keep cashing less.

Well, I'm in your audience, guys. I'll be in your audience for years to come to see what you guys are up to. As I'm sure a lot of other Australian tool as well, but yeah, thanks for being on the podcast today and good luck at the auction.

Thanks Legend, Thanks awesome chatting, Mack, thanks for having us chat. Lovely to chat to you both. Good Luck. I'll definitely remember you this time, because

I paid you, because I gave you the Mad Guys.