REAL REALITY - AUSTRALIAN IDOL - SCOTT TWEEDIE

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast past weep that line. Hey guys, welcome back to TV Reload. Thank you for clicking and downloading. On today's episode with Scott Tweety, one of the hosts of this year's Astray and Idol, which is back on Channel seven. Twenty years after Guy Sebastian Pitch Shannanol to

You right, I'm good man, So nice to be back in the country and I'm loving this season.

It's it's so good to good season. Yeah.

When we were recording it, I knew there was something special in the air with some of the contestants and I was like, this is going to be great. But then when I started to see the edits evolve and that twist they put in the audition process just to have that cliff hanger at the end of every episode, and just good feedback from friends and family.

Yeah, but you know, it was so weird. We were so excited to see it back last year that we were like yes, and that kind of nostalgia was what kept us there while this year. I mean, it's kind of the Math's antidote, is what I could say to people, because I talked a lot of people who watch Freeware television and it does really feel like you can tell someone's personality based on if they're an idle person or if they're a maths person.

He put me through these personality traits. What's it come down to?

At the core of it, what Australian idol is is somebody who wants to watch people succeed, while Maths is a type of personality that wants to watch people fail. I think that's that's a basic read of it.

I mean, if we can have all the people there cheering and supporting on the winners, bring them over to our side all day every day.

Mind you, I love both personality types. I don't want to I don't want to shade anyone here. I think that we need, the world needs both of those sorts of people.

I've got many friends and many family members that watch Maths. All right, so I go, that's cool.

But as soon as you flip that channel over to us, you're going to see why it's a piece of magic, And yeah, it's it's a really special show to be working on and for a second time around, for me and for Ricky and a lot of the team, it just feels like we learned a lot first time round and we were like, Okay, this is a modern version of Idol.

Now what do you want to keep? What do you want to change?

And that's the beauty of going again and every time you can refine a show and refine a format. Also amazing for Fremantle to let us change the format of what is a global show.

Idle around the world has a set format.

Eureka Channel seven and Freemantle We're like, let's shake it up down Under and then let us do it.

So that's been magical as well.

Well, you kind of needed to, I mean, when you need to level up, you know, that's what happens. Does this feel more like Astray and Idol to you than last year?

It does? It does for many reasons.

But there's so much Australiana to the contestants, to their stories, to the level of talent that they're bringing to the table. Because you've got to remember, I live in la and I'm very ingrained in the music industry over there as well, and I just see how much respect there is for Australian musicians, Australian produces, Australian artists, Australian creatives in general. So it's so good to see that translating on a reality show which is within our own backyard.

And it's like, this is what I'm talking about, this is it.

And you're seeing that through the clips on TikTok now of people watching some of the contestants sing and they're like, yep, I mean, Ripley has gone viral around the.

World, viral.

He's massive in the Philippines. Now they love him.

I love him after just one audition. So it makes me just really proud. It makes you really proud because from the very top to the very bottom of the production, everyone's on the same team.

Well, I want to talk about Ripley in a second, but I want to talk about the judging panels chemistry. This year, what seemed to have been a really good idea by having these big American or global names attached to the show didn't seem to work in a way in hindsight. Really. I mean, it looked fine last year, and it was very glossy and it was very exciting, but then when you see Australians judging our Australian talent. It just fits better.

I thought it was.

I did think it was a really good season last year. Maybe it was because my first and it.

Was exciting for you. I watched, I went and watched you do some live episodes, and there's nothing better than watching someone who's very good at what they do doing what they do. And I thought you looked like a kid in a candy store loving it.

I walk get it and I'm like, yeah.

But Ricky and I have this magical moment where you fist pump before we go like a few seconds walking out there with the crowd screaming, and we're just like, how good to that job?

But this is it. We get to facilitate this.

So what you were saying with the judges, look, I think people do agree with that, and I did like having the American point of view there. But I do feel now after starting this season with an all Australian lineup, and.

That just that Marsha Gold.

It's that care, it's that wisdom, it's that pace and the way.

She talks, you know, started saying you're welcome to people when it's not even needed, you know, how she does that, She's you're welcome, and you're like, it's just so deep and it's so meaningful. And so I started doing that just in random conversations because talking to Marshall last week, she was so gracious and so humble and so acknowledging of other people. And I feel like we need that more in our life. But I might have taken it too far.

No, I keep going, get it out there.

You're welcome.

From like the husky heart. Seeing that chemistry. Her and Carle know each other very well. They have the amount of respect for each other.

Yeah, then bringing Amy in as well, Like Amy's just grown to another level. I was watching some of her stuff on camera this season, just going and I DMed her going, Amy, You're on fire, Like, keep doing doing it because it's working well. Like the three of them, they're just weaving in and out. What I think it is is as a view are because I love working on it as the host, and then I'm watching it right now as it rolls out.

It just glides.

It's not that you don't feel like, oh, it's Judge's time now, it's just the series is gliding through and by having them there as experts, but then also letting some people down who kind of aren't the greatest singers, and should it be on the.

Shape We want that though, like the that's what's missing from shows these days. We want you want people to to try, and you want people to be deluded because we are that. Do you know what I mean? Like we as people are that. We have ideas of grand delusion of becoming Mariah Carey, you know what I mean? Like we we all have that inside us.

So now our bathrooms make us sound like that?

The reburb what's your bathroom look like? I do not sound like Mariah carry sing.

Harder, harder, louder and it works. Okay? Can you sing not at all?

To be fair, an effort and found the right range, could belt out a good song.

I think you'd be greater than karaoke booth.

I can invest in that time and energy. Yet no, I.

Think because you're this is going to sound like and people listening to the podcast will be like, oh my god, Ben, you're insane. I think because you're so good looking, I think people would forgive you for having not quite the best.

Excuse. Ben, it's not an excuse.

Once again, just get into that bathroom and let the reverb happen, and that's where the magic happens.

What I feel sorry for some of the contestants. My family's honest, so I sing, they go, nah, don't do that. Some people, you know, they've been bigged up all their lives for years and years, and their parents are so proud of who their children are, and they're happy for them to be individuals and put themselves out there at the family Christmas party sing and of course they're happy, but it's that embarrassing moment where they haven't experimented anywhere.

Else other than like their home and within their loved ones. So then come on National TV and do it for the first time.

That's when I'm like, oh, we've all been at a Christmas party where someone in the family's gotten up and sung and it's been really shit, and like you're just standing there going holding your Christmas bombonds be like, oh God, when will this end? And that's why Kyle Sandalans works so well on this show, because I think there's a small part of all of us as well that want to stand up at the Christmas party and say your shit, don't don't give up.

Your day job, get out of here. Stop.

That's fun so far. Mate, was when Kyle just started going like just just the dumb and dumb an nooise that Jim Carrey does in that film, just because the sound of the person singing was the most annoying sound in the world.

It's correct, It is great, and I back him up ninety two percent of the time to say the loose eight percent not evolved. But yeah, it's great. It's great to have him there. And he does care about this show, and that's the thing. All three of them care a lot about this show and what we produce out of it, which is a great thing.

And you can see it.

He's soft of this year. And I want to know. I mean, every day, I'm always thinking this. I'd love to just be there listening to you and Ricky having the conversation on the sideline and knowing what you think. But what were you and Ricky saying about Kyle this time around because he is softer? Did you have theories like maybe Harry Conic Junior's not there and he was an asshole or I mean not that one, but maybe

Definitely softer, but I think it's the word soft isn't the right word. It's more he's more passionate about seeing these singers succeed this season. And I think when he does be brutally honest, there's only one person I feel that can really pull him back. Two people Jackie o Marsha Heinz Yeah or understand his way of thinking and understand how to operate and bounce with him. And Amy Shark's getting very good at it, but she's still the cheeky.

Voice from the rest of Australia going laughing at him. You can't say that and are you serious?

So you know why that works like that? I mean, I think that the reason why it works like that you have to love Kyle and you have to know him, and I think if you don't like him, he's at his worst, do you know what I mean? Like And there was a lot of conversations about him and Harry and I kind of made a joke about it before, But I know Kyle and when he's in a room with someone he doesn't gel with, it's like he has he wastes too much time sort of thinking about that

You know, whatever the formula is, he's soaring right now.

And so you can't get to the live shows because we kind of edit him in the live shows, as you know, so it'll be interesting to see where he takes it from there.

That's why people.

Watch the show though, Like, that's why we're spending so much money on Idol being back and being live, because we get to see people being raw and unedited. And in the world of television these days where everything's pre recorded, Australian Idol is fantastic and it's amazing because of that.

I cannot wait for the live shows.

Same it's so competitive this year that he has to up being more harsh soon because they're all great. We're going to have well, really good singers, and so he's got to nitpick out like, nah, wasn't a good week for you?

You got to lift? Why doing this? Why doing that?

And he comes He is an expert of pop culture, whether you like him or not. He has been living and breathing it for longer than most of us because that's his job and that's why he has a huge radio contract.

What I was going to also say was it feels like not everyone's going to get along this year, where last year, you know, I was there and I met them all and it felt like you were watching kids at summer camp that were all getting along. It felt very Disney Channel time. And that's okay too. But if we all remember Australian Idle when the first season happens, I might be wrong in saying this, but we always felt like Cossima was going to cut a bitch, do you.

Know what I mean?

Like if you remember with her with Guy Sebastian and Shannano, she would have run those blokes over with her car. And that's what you need in the industry, you know.

Yeah, there's individuals that already understand the game right now and understand the industry, and they want it.

More than everyone else, and they'll do whatever it takes.

And you're going to see that Top thirty week was a great example where you've got Shane Bouchet who got knocked out last year first round, so she's got this like second chance card and you know they have an option to stay up late, learn a song or go to bed and get sleep.

And she's like, I'm honestly not here to f spiders.

I want to win this thing, so let's go, and was drilling the other two Gab and TJ to go, Nah, this is my shot.

I don't only get one more.

I don't like you don't normally don't get second chances, but this is my second chance.

I'm going for it. So yeah, there's great reality TV coming as well.

Need tenacious people, we need ambitious people like I mean, we don't all need to be amm Rossiano, but and that's what this industry is. You aren't going to survive the scott You know that yourself from just being a presenter. If you want to stay in this industry, you have to be ruthless to a certain extent. You have to have the talent, but you have to be ambitious. And there's so many other words that I could use, but you know what I'm saying. I feel like Jonathan is

Yeah, we are looking for the entire package.

We've said that from day dot from this season, and so some of the viewers are like, well, this single was better than this thing, but it's like, yeah, but when the cameras aren't rolling, or when they are rolling but they're not singing on stage, we need that rock star, pop star pizzaz from them.

We want.

I want to take them out as my plus one two events in Sydney and have people intrigued by them and be like, well, who is this person? I want to get to know them?

Are they cool? Are they an asshole? Are they a diva?

All of that, And that's what being you know, having that X factor is all about. So that's part of it, and we are so honest with that. So, yeah, Jonathan is a character. He can sing and dance, but there's something about him where we're like, we can't let him go because he's going to do.

Something on camera that we want to see and we want Australia to see it, but.

It's also for the viewer at home. We want to see ourselves. So if you remember watching any of these talent shows when they first came about, people wanted to be these people. They didn't just want to hear them sing. They wanted to meet them at a bar, you know what I mean. They wanted them to be their best friend. And that's that's a huge part of television.

Couldn't agree more and that's what we're getting.

We've got thirty of them getting shopped to twenty one right now.

I know once we tighten it even.

More to the twelve, we've got a long time now as viewers to get to know these people inside and out. So you'll know their backstories, yes, but then you start to see week in week out what they're doing and what's happening, and if they get up to mischief or if they go viral again on TikTok or all that sort of stuff is going to be fed into the show. So that's what like the core essence of Idol's about, and that's what is really important. I think that's why

I couldn't wait to talk to you. I was like, this is so exciting to talk about this series. Like the series is so good, and I'm remembering people's names, and like even just the other week, someone said, oh, Amy and Kobe and Dylan, they get paired together in a challenge and they're going to see Natalie and Brullly as torn and I was like, I have to watch that. That's a point in television, do you know what I mean? Like, I want to watch those people get up and sing

And that's a strategy of how we've done those first episodes, because it kept looping back into them.

The contestants are the rock stars.

I think last season there was a lot of attention on these international judges, and it kept coming back to the judges.

But it's like, it's not about the judges.

It's about the contestants, it's about the Australian characters and that's working for us right now.

Yeah, it's about the singing capability.

You know.

Just before I move away from that song torn being sung you song? Do you think songs that are super recognizable can hurt a singer in a way because maybe an uneducated audience member might expect it to be sung like the original artist on that I think.

It's a double edged sword. I think you need to get the votes, you need to have a recognizable song, but you must put your twists on it and exhibit a which I'm sure we're going to talk about Ripley his audition with Mama MEA. I'll follow a song that globally everyone knows or in particular least nationally, but then put your personality to it. If you're trying to match the artists that's made it and put it on the

Well, he took us on a journey because when you hear an artist being introduced with and now Ripley's going to sing Muma Mia from Abba, you know, the audience go, no, don't do bad. Yeah, And then they hear a version of a song like that from Ripley. It's genius and so likable and so warm and god, it's so easy to watch, you know. Yeah, just quickly, do you have a favorite.

I've got a couple of favorites.

Okay, just give me one or two of them, the ones you can remember.

Oh, I can't.

I'm Switzerland to the world out there inside here they tell you.

To say that, Scott, there you are. You told you're not allowed to have favorites.

We've actually never been told that. I just okay, Judy weird y.

Yeah.

I want to see everyone win and have the best advantage, and I don't want to contestant seeing me on a podcast.

Go, well, that other person my favorite, and then I'm trying to yeah through the process.

I heard you on TV. Really Okay, So before you go, what is something from behind the scenes of this second season that you can tell us kind of like a behind the scenes secret, something juicy that audio says won't know.

I feel that some of the contestants and this wasn't revealed, but they and I found out through the contestants. They went out in Sydney the top thirty days, We've got three days in a row and a couple of them went out the night before and had a night out in Sydney, crashed on TV the next day, and I reckon internally they knew in their minds because I went out last night and because I had a big night out, I didn't perform and we saw that.

So look, I can't tell you who.

It is, but you can do the math, so you can go all right, takes twenty one.

I'd be in Sydney on an idol and I'd be like, I can't. I can't not go to the Stonewall on Oxford Street and tell everyone I'm on Australian idol.

I reckon.

They went to pub trivia and I'm like, I hope you're good today, and then they bombed and I was like.

Did they win the trivia?

Mate?

I have to let you go, but you're doing such a fantastic job and congratulations on coming back. I hope to see you and Ricky doing this show for years to come. Good luck as it goes to lives, We'll all be.

Watching come out, come out again. If you're allowed or if you want it, you Travesa, I'm allowed, come out, I'll let you in.

Amazing.

Did you come backstage last year?

You did?

No?

I didn't, but I mean I think there was a conversation about it. But it was also Marti Gras, and so there was a bus leaving and I was like, well, Channel seven's paying for me to be here and I'm staying in a hotel, which, by the way, during Marti Gras is like one million dollars to have a hotel. So I was like, take me to Marti Gras. However, this time around, you are my Marti Grass. So I'll come backstage.

Mantogra's happening again this year, so you can do the doubleheader. You can do that, you can do the Saturday night show. Then we'll go out.

My partner goes to me yesterday, he goes, you're going to Marti Gras this year, and I go, why do you say you? Like, wouldn't we both be going? And he goes, well, you went last year without me because you went to Australian Idol. And then you went, and I was like, what a day that was?

What a day?

Anyway, so good, we'll get again later the season.

Sounds good.

Expand schies, yeah, I