T minus 20
The year is 2004... Your polyphonic ringtone habit is sending you broke. George W Bush is sworn in for a second term. And in spite of everything going on, the most controversial thing is a wardrobe malfunction at the superbowl?
T minus 20, rewind to this week in history 20 years ago with Joe and Mel.
T minus 20
Batman scales Buckingham while Britney weds K Fed
Get ready to rewind the clock with us as we dive into an absolutely bonkers week from 2004! 🕰️
First, we break down the day “Batman” didn’t just save Gotham—he scaled Buckingham Palace! 🦇🏰 Yup, activist Jason Hatch, decked out in full Bat-gear, gave the royal guards a major wake-up call. Then, just when you thought things couldn’t get wilder, pro-hunt campaigners pulled a Mission Impossible-style stunt and breached the House of Commons. 🏃♂️🔨 Security? What security?
On the sports front, we relive Roger Federer’s unstoppable run at the US Open, where he absolutely crushed Lleyton Hewitt in the final. 🎾🏆 And for our music lovers, we’ve got the deets on Brian McFadden’s post-Westlife debut with "Real to Me" 🎤🎶, plus Ashlee Simpson’s "Pieces of Me" drama, featuring more relationship issues than her reality show could handle. 📺💔
Britney fans, buckle up! We’re spilling the tea on her surprise wedding to Kevin Federline. 💍🍾 From secret invitations to Juicy Couture jumpsuits—this was peak 2000s chaos! 💄👗 And speaking of chaos, Resident Evil: Apocalypse hit theaters, reminding us all why the zombie apocalypse should stay firmly in fiction. 🧟♀️🧪
So grab your flip phone 📱, pop in those earbuds 🎧, and let’s time-travel back to a week where Batman met Buckingham, and Britney said, “I do”... again. 💒 Trust us, you won’t want to miss this!
Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.
Transcript is generated automatically
The year is 2004. Your polyphonic ringtone habit is sending you broke. George W Bush is sworn in for a second term, and in spite of everything going on, the most controversial thing is a wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl. T -, 20 rewind 20 years with Joe and Mel.
Wait.
Of 12 September 2000.
4.
The rest is history.
You know what? I'm very forgetful.
Hello there stop trying to make fetch happen.
You're fired.
When we're waiting.
For this is harder than I thought it would be.
My fellow Americans.
Let's roll.
A welcome aboard the little vessel. The good ship that we call t -. 20, which is gonna transport you back 20 years in time to this week in history way back in 2004 with your host Joe and Mel. Hello.
Mel, hi, everyone. You just made me think of the good ship Lollipop. Then you started, and now I have a.
Right. It's a good ship t -, 20.
Craving for chubby chubs.
Ohh, I love a good chubby chub. What's your favourite chubby chump?
I like the strawberry and cream.
Rowberry and cream.
Yes.
I'm gonna see I'm a sucker for a. Cola chopper chop.
Ohh OK, not like the creamy.
But I don't mind some of the creamy flavour ones as well. I have to say no endorsements, but if Chuck, Chuck wanna come on board and sponsor the podcast more than welcome to do so.
Flavours, not the soda flavours. Why don't you think I've had? One since 2000 and. Four, actually, that's probably the last time. I had one. Hmm.
Is that a fact? This go chubby Chubs were very big in the 90s amongst ravers. Yes. Yeah. And it was all a bit odd. It was like grow up. Take off the furry boots and spit out the chuppa. Chup. You're an adult.
Yes, probably.
With with Rave rave culture. Yes, that's true. There's a lot of neon wasn't. There.
What are you doing?
We are rewinding it to the 12th, to the 18th of September, 2004, all birthday week.
Ohh yeah, another lap around the sun for me. We'll get to that in a second. There was all sorts of other important things happening in the news this week.
Jason Hatch, a protester with fathers for justice, scaled Buckingham Palace and displayed a banner. All while wearing a Batman costume.
Because if you're gonna do something that's significant, I think it's even more significant if you do it as Batman.
Hmm.
Costume. Yes. Oh, man.
A Batman.
And that's what happened.
My job is to help people to understand what dogs really mean. When a dog is balanced, you're going to enjoy it through friend.
When a dog is balanced, you're gonna enjoy a true friend. That was a massive TV show back in the day. We were obsessed with it.
We were obsessed when we accidentally got a mini foxy Jack Russell Cross instead of some bird seed.
I know that was bad. We'll talk about that a bit later on. That was the dog whisperer. If you didn't know, and I look, I've got a few things that I need to say about that that I need to get off my chest because, you know, we know a lot different these days.
No.
I know this sounds like the cheesiest thing in the world, but finding somebody to. You know, share your life with what it can do and what it really means and how you should embrace that.
Yeah, you should embrace it. That was one Britney Spears, Britney Jean Spears.
Big week, big week for her 20 years ago. Yeah, bit emotional, actually reflecting on it now.
Really. Would be great. You're emotional.
Yeah. Well, yeah, yeah, thinking about it.
Wow. OK, you know what? I'm a bit emotional about the fact that I'm yeah.
Birthday week.
Her birthday week is always an.
What did you get for your birthday in 2004? What did you do? How did you celebrate? What were you gifted? Do you remember?
Emotional week. Me. Goodness me, I don't.
Do you remember?
Why? Because I knew you. Then didn't.
That's right. We were going steady. Yeah, I would have.
Ohh we were ohh so you would have gotten something from me. I would have. I I'd say it's probably the PlayStation related. Maybe maybe one of those books.
But possibly like a video game or something. Yeah, those were the days 20 years ago. So that was like I was. I'm I'm 48 now.
Gives you the. Answers to your PlayStation. Or Davey Day I. Probably bought you. Would probably bought you a DVD, a horror movie or something.
Yeah, I'd say you probably did. Maybe JB Hifi voucher, I don't know, I'm 48 now.
Hmm.
Congrats.
Which means I was 28 in 2004. Does that? Is that right? Is that the correct math? Wasn't even 30 years old in 2004. I was just a little Bubba and now now I am. I have become and I did this today. I have become the old man in the street that washes his car.
Yes, that's 20 years, yes. Baby, yeah.
On the weekend and you know what? I got so much pleasure out of it. I, you know, this is my. This is my idea of an exciting time. It's like I'm. I'm gonna go down on in the morning and I'm gonna go to the butchers and I'm gonna get some nice steaks to cook on the BBQ for the evening. Right before we podcast. But during the day today.
Ah yes. I know you did. You had a good time.
I was like, oh geez, the cars a bit dirty. I might give it a wash and because, you know, I'm, I'm into the two.
You're checking you're checking the radar as well.
Yes, I was checking the weather radar to make sure it's not gonna rain in the next couple of days. Well, the thing with with washing the car is you need to wash your car in the shade. Otherwise, and this is this is what happens. This is the outcome of becoming an older ******* in the street who washes his car. You you can't wash your car in full sunlight because it the.
And no sun or sun Adam, no, you're doing.
Monitor the weather.
Really.
No, because it drives. You get water spots on the car. It looks terrible. And then we we had to get a new car recently. Because the other car got written off through no fault of ours, somebody crashed into us. I thought it was Jeffrey's fault. Bloody Geoffrey crashed into the car, and so we've got a new car and the new car is causing me a lot of anxiety.
No.
It's Jeffrey's fault.
But one thing that.
Yes, I know.
Because I don't want to. I. Don't want people to even look at it.
And second hand, second hand anxiety for me.
We we part well, I we have never in our lives owned a brand new car. It's always been a used car but.
None. None.
Hmm.
And look, I'm not like people like, oh, Lordy dog. They're getting a brand new car. Let me tell you, it's not that easy. We. There was a lot of budgeting and balancing of the books and stress that went into getting a brand new car because we when we get cars, we run them into the ground, we keep them going until the wheels fall off because cars are expensive. And we don't know. So lots of anxiety over the new car. Don't look at it. Don't breathe on it. And the other thing is, is we got a car that's a dark colour.
Hmm.
I think that was a mistake. Now in hindsight, yes.
I think that might have been a mistake as well, like lots of people in Australia get white cars, but it's a beautiful colour. It's a beautiful colour and when the car is clean it looks wonderful. But but it picks up the dirt. So today, today as soon as the afternoon Sun went over the far side of the house and it was casting.
Oh, it is stunning. Stunning. Dance.
Yes.
You're out there. With your shammy in your pocket.
Enough of the shadow for me to park. Under 2 Bucket Wash 2 Bucket Wash my special towels I had I I was listening to the A of the football on the ABC on the AM Radio and I was washing the car 2 bucket wash it was wonderful and our son he was out there helping out as well doing a fabulous job turning the hose on and off cause the other challenge is is we have a a tap that.
And special rags. You had the AM radio on as well, didn't you? Today I may say arrangements.
We don't have any taps out the front of the house and the back gates locked anyway. It's first of all problem, Big deal, whatever. But anyway, so washing the car 2 bucket.
No. OK. Poor planning, poor planning.
Wash nice and you know you've gotta drive the car off before the water dries up, so it doesn't leave any spots. I nailed it perfectly clean shiny 2 bucket wash car and I am so happy. I'm so I have zero anxiety. It looks great. And then like you know our son and and I are out there.
I know you've been crapping on. About it for the last two hours.
Cleaning the car. He's doing a great job. He got paid for that, too. 10 bucks. 10 bucks for that.
Yeah, good. Fair enough.
Oh, he's when?
I got allowance when I was a kid. I got 5 bucks a week, 5 bucks a week. He got 10. That's the other thing, too. You know, back in the day.
What $0.20 for what I would have gotten to that $0.20 maybe 50.
Way like he used to. Just wash the car. You get a bucket and a soapy sponge and you'd and then you'd hose it off and now you go into the shops and.
It's like this.
Is this washing wax and there's gold wash and then there's drying clothes and there's shammies. And there's all these other things.
And you've got a special cloth, don't you? Could you got you got very nervous when my dad brought out a towel to wipe.
Yes.
Off some bird poo, the.
That's right. He used to old an old singlet from the shed.
Other day. Can't just. Use. What have you singlets?
Yes, I can't do that.
Wow, he only pulls those out for people that he really cares, so I mean.
Yeah, I was like, listen, sorry, sorry, pops. I'm gonna have to stop you there.
You've got this. Special singlet and you turned it down.
You gotta put swirl marks in the new paint. Honestly, I've become that guy. It's terrible. It's terrible.
You are that song.
Remember when I was a kid I was like, geez, like that old ******* in the street? He's out there watching his car again.
Always. His. Yeah, it's you. It's you.
Here I am and remember water restrictions. Ohh the water restrictions.
Ohh many people used to fight each other in the street. If you washed your car during water restriction. If you put the Suns down the drain, did you put the suds down the drain? Did they get down the drain in the street?
Yes indeed. I we like.
Someone will fight you for that.
Well.
Fight away. Complain to the council. Wouldn't be the first time I'd have happened with prisoners in our own St anyway. Look, moving on to the hatches, matches and dispatch. Clue a little clue for a celebrity who was having a birthday this time 20 years ago. Actually, it's just their birthday in general. That said this.
Yes, yes.
Is the knees up? You gonna buy your *******? I hope y'all drink a lot of water today. Cause y'all gonna be so dehydrated and you're gonna look like one of them trees from a. From a Tim Burton movie I'm talking any Tim Burton movie. Even Dumbo. You freaking Dumbo.
Yes, Sir. If you can guess who that is. Good for you. We'll find out who is at. The end of the show.
Over in the news for the week of the 12 to 18 September 2004, starting with 13th of September. Batman breaches security at Buckingham Palace. Batman. Batman got in. Jason Hatch was our Batman. He he was a member of and probably still is the activist group of Fathers for justice.
I'm Jason hatch. I am the knight.
They campaign for father's rights, particularly in relation to family court decisions and child custody arrangements.
I am vengeance. Ohh I shouldn't probably. Make jokes about that. Yes, that it's very difficult. This is I mean. I understand why fathers they do in some circumstances get the raw end of the deal when it comes to welfare, sometimes good dads end up getting a bad deal with this out of a divorce. Whatever. It's awkward, it's awkward. And I think, you know, there's a there's a big movement.
I think for anyone. Yeah, not getting to see your kids would be horrible. Absolutely horrible.
The men's mental health and. All of that. Sort of. Often, and so this bloke Jason found himself in a situation where his marriage hasn't kind of worked out, probably hasn't seen his kids discovers this activist group called Fathers for Justice and they're like, hey, Jason, we've got a great idea for you and he's like.
I'm allies.
They're like you should put a Batman costume on and scale Buckingham Palace. That'll. That'll help you cause. And he's like.
No worries.
Yes, he dresses up in a full Batman costume, complete with a Cape and mask, and he busts into Buckingham Palace. He scales the front gate and he makes his way up to a ledge above the buildings main entrance. Once he gets on that ledge, she unravels, a sign he had a sign with him. A big banner that's read super Dads.
Hmm.
Yes.
Of fathers for just. Justice obviously drawing attention to the group's cause.
He he didn't only unveil a banner he unveiled a few other things as well. Let's just say that the costume that he was wearing.
He didn't position the outer undies too well. It's yeah.
Yes, yes, it looks. It's like it was like a cut lunch. It was like meat and one vegetable. And then the other part of vegetables were just underneath the the the white front.
Was very visible.
Wasn't it?
It's very visible and very unfortunate because he's on a a high up ledge and he's gotta use one hand to sort of keep himself on the ledge. The other hand is holding the banner so there's no room for readjustment. That's just gotta say.
Yes. Yes. Yes, it's not like you can sort of pick it out and sort it out.
Just there, just there for all to see. No, no.
You can't. You can't repack the cut lunch, so to speak, and it was. And you know, you've gotta also think about the fact that these are fathers for justice. So this is Batman.
In his dad face, sitting on the couch in the bat cave with the remote resting a beer on his belly.
Where it's like you know.
Well, he he got over the fence and he got up onto the ledge. So he's pretty. He's pretty nimble.
Ohh, that's a very agile that's when push comes to shove, dads have cat like reflexes and they are willing to put themselves at great risk. Very high up. Yeah, yeah.
Yes.
It's. Very dangerous and I'm a. Bit suss on the timing actually we. There's what are we probably 2 weeks post book week.
Uh-huh. Ohh. You think he should put it on a book?
Maybe he's just, maybe he's just borrowed the kids costume because it was a bit ill fitting. Now that I think about it, it's very suspicious timing.
For he costume. Yes, yes. Well, that would explain a few things. Let's just say, I mean you don't want to have that kind of constriction down there. You need to, you need a bit of air and and all of that sort of stuff you need to allow circular.
No. Yeah.
And look, as far as circulation goes, his circulation in that cut lunch was restricted for about 5 hours because that's how long he was on that ledge for and it during the time he's in the Batman costume. And ohh look at that, there's Batman up on Buckingham Palace. Look, it's Batman, Can you believe it? And he's up there and he's waving to the crowd and he's holding his banner.
Fathers. Yachts.
Yes.
Not Bruce Banner cause that's the Incredible Hulk we're talking about. Bruce Wayne, Batman. Yes. And despite being surrounded by all this heavy security, he stayed up there for that five hours, and then they brought out this crap. Matt for him and then the security security were on the on the balconies adjacent and they're like alright Batman like the the jig is up like you're supposed to fight crime, not commit crimes and yeah. So he was coaxed down by the police and arrested. And he wasn't actually charged with any major crime. And I think the queen at the time was on holiday somewhere else.
Ohh. Inflated with me. Casey got tired and fell. How many?
Yeah.
Surrender.
Yes.
She was, yes.
She wasn't in Buckingham Palace? Yes, so.
The incident was pretty embarrassing, though for the security forces responsible.
Yes indeed.
For.
Protecting Buckingham Palace because middle aged Batman and his sons book Week costume got in pretty easily, so it highlighted some pretty serious vulnerabilities in the arrangements at rest security.
Do you know I'm not?
And what it's. Meant to be one of the most secure buildings in. The world.
It well, exactly. It's where the queen. Lives it's, you know.
Yeah, they've got all the. Guards out all the time.
With the horses, they're they're too busy getting their photos taken with people. Obviously they can be quite rude, though some of those guys.
Yes.
Maybe they're distracted. The fact that he got in and he could stay in there for that long raised. Questions and fast security.
I was just like when I look at the gadgets and he climbed up, he I wonder if he had that ascending gun like, but he had to climb up and because I reckon he's like Dad bod Batman. Maybe he went over the weight limit for the Ascension gun. You know, it's just like not not not being able to take one at a time please.
Ohh, I'd love that gun.
Babies.
Can't get you back down. Just gonna have to stay there. They had to have a pretty big security review after that, although no major changes were publicly disclosed, it was widely believed that security was tightened as a result of the incident.
Yes.
And it obviously achieved the intended purpose because it did draw. I remember seeing it on the news here. It drew significant media attention for fathers, for justice and therefore.
Well, it's not every day that Batman is perched on the side of Buckingham Palace, even with, you know, half of his cod hanging.
And international news headlines. And I think one of the other fathers for justice was on the ground and he was dressed as Robin and he was having a chat.
He was. Yes, yes.
That's right.
For justice produced the blueprint. That lays out certain guidelines for family law on the 20. Century the government don't seem to want to look at that, so we will. We will do these high profile stunts and make people aware of what. We're doing.
Yes, that was Robin there.
That was Robin. I think Robin got arrested too.
Holy high profile stunts Batman. He did get arrested and he was the one that was doing all the talking to the press while he was up on the thing. They the fathers for justice.
Yes, she was a spokesman.
This look, they don't muck around. They've done this quite a few times. They've actually got a little show reel together on YouTube that you can check out of all their stunts, but they've done a whole bunch of high profile things like the Batman costume has been trotted out on several occasions.
No.
Yes, yes, woman.
Is it same person wearing or do? They share it.
I don't know, and if it's a shared costume, my goodness. I mean, you basically. Yes. You mean you want to do the dishes after?
Oh. But they they.
That.
Love a landmark? They've scaled the Tower Bridge and the London Eye as well. Umm.
Yes, yes indeed.
And it really.
Became a bit of an iconic representation of early 2000s protests.
Ohh pros. It's on a landmark, yeah.
And you think you? Think back to early 2000s and that was the thing to do. If you had a cause that you believed. In.
Just climb up something, get on it, get.
Get up a landmark, hang a banner. Paint some words. Yeah, throw some things. Keep yourself. Lock yourself up there. Handcuff yourself to it. It's really big. Early 2000s. I don't think we've seen any recently, but.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, it's like that when they used to climb up trees, you know, the greens would climb up trees, but it's kind of a more urban version of that where they instead of living in a tree house, they just perched themselves on the side of an object like a baby.
Yeah, that was like that was very seventies, 80s. Yeah.
I don't know a roadside billboard or like like when Steve Tho got up on the Billboard for SeaWorld. There to protest SeaWorld, for example, there's been lots of stuff. I think the Opera House with the no more thing. Yes, yes.
Yeah.
Yes, yes. Opera House. We spoke about that from 2003. The Eiffel Tower, also in 2003. I think that was related to, I think that the G8 summit was was going to be there and it was about corporate power and inequality highlighting issues around.
Ah yes.
That Greenpeace also protested against the war by scaling Big Ben yeah. Statue of Liberty as well.
So that's a high risk manoeuvre, Statue of Liberty back in 2004. You'd be lucky to get yourself shot.
Of. Well, because it was closed. Yeah, it was closed. Down too, so I don't even know how they they got up there, but that was against the war as well. I think in 2004, yeah, mid 2004 was that one?
Yeah, yeah. If if you were. Gonna scale something to protest, right?
Yeah, something.
Now, what would you do? Just you know.
Yeah. Do I have to have a cause or can I just? Choose something that. I'd. Like to scale I do.
Well, it's up to you. What do you want? Ohh, you can climb something just because.
I need A cause. If you like, I don't. Yeah, I don't think I have any causes that I feel that strongly about right now. Yeah, maybe the big merino, the big scale, the big, the Big Marino.
Really. Marino. He scales the big Marina. Why? Because you're offended by, I mean, this is, you know.
I say I have to do. I have to have a problem with it. No, it was just the. First thing that popped into my heads and it.
Because you can climb up on the inside of the Big Marino for free.
Felt like but. It feels because it's so big and. It it just.
Yeah.
Feels like it'd be. A safe thing to climb feels a bit.
Put yourself up on top of the Big Marino to protest.
Well, the prawn, the big. Born in Ballina was there to give it a lick of paint cause.
The big prawn.
That'd be a good thing if wanna.
It's a bit faded. Last time I saw it.
Yes, it wasn't as orange as it could be as sort of.
No big avocado, big avocado, and then you can sit in where the seed came out. That'd be like a big chair. That'd be a comfortable protest.
Scale the big. Yes, yes, you could protest. Right, you could protest hipsters with a big avocado. Or or.
The price of smashed avocado on toast. There we go. Cost of living. Cozie lives sit in the middle of the big avocado.
Perfect. I knew we'd get there eventually.
Otto and you can just relax. Yes, you wouldn't. Have to perch. No, and you could adjust your code piece because you're just sitting there in the hole where the seed came out.
And if you.
You can take a six pack up there and get smashed. You can be smashed on the big avocado be perfect, 15th of September. We've got more activism. Yes, security breaches.
All right, there we go. Done. I I enjoy a bit of activism.
Ohh so do I you know, and you've gotta.
I like it. I love. I love people.
Have a cause.
That are so passionate about their causes, it's not. I agree with their causes.
Yeah.
Yes.
I just love that I love the passion that you're.
Yes, well, I mean.
Willing to sort of. Put put your life on the line. Or maybe your health or. Just a little bit. Risky but, but do it get.
Absolutely.
Out there and fight for your cause.
Yes, I mean or, heaven forbid, you know, you actually end up passionate about like washing cars. You're just out on the street at the end of the driveway on a Saturday morning. Like all the other old. Mustards. It's good to have a passion.
But what's this one? What's this? Passionate protests?
So Parliament is suspended in the UK after Pro Hunt campaigners. That's right, Pro Hunt campaigners broke into the House of Commons. This is fantastic. So there's people that obviously like the the pastime of hunting and it's very big. The Fox hunt with the hounds, yes.
That's very big over there. Well. Royals, the Royals. Do it, don't they?
Yeah. So I think there's like an annual Fox hunt or something like that and they all get on their horses at Tally Ho.
So Buckingham Palace would have been on board with that.
And. Yes, or or or dogs that love.
What are the dogs? The.
They sounded like seals then, didn't they? No, they're hounds.
Water dog. How? Ohh yes. Yes, yes, yes.
Of course, chasing foxes. Yeah. So they were going to the Labour government in the UK were going to pass the Hunting Act 2004 which aimed. Ban the hunting of wild mammals, including foxes, which I believe were a pest with dogs, so you were no longer allowed to hunt with dogs.
Ohh so you could still. Shoot them.
There's a bit of a dog theme to this episode as well. No? Well, there's very contentious, so you could hunt foxes with dogs. So the dogs would run the fox down until the fox was absolutely exhausted, and then they ride up with the horse. It's a very gruelling thing. It's a big chase. It's a it's. It's a long.
Hmm.
Process. It's not quick to hunt a fox, so they're saying that it's cruel because the fox is obviously clearly extremely stressed after being chased by a multitude of hounds and a bunch of landed Gentry on horseback. Going tally ho get after this boy, that sort of thing. Yes, they're not.
Yeah, she likes it to that. Tyres. Tides.
Hmm.
They don't like as very contentious, particularly in rural areas where fox hunting was a traditional and culturally significant practise, very important to their culture, which is and it's you gotta be careful because it is probably the culture of white middle aged males.
Ohh, culturally significance. Ohh.
Let's face it. And that never goes well for anyone, especially the white, middle aged males. They tend to get kind of fat on from a great height anyway.
So what was? What happened? What? Was this purchased? What was that?
Well, these 8 blokes, these 8 blokes are like this is both. I mean, sorry, they're like, this is ******** and we would like to hunt our foxes with our dogs anytime we wish. So eight men enter the palace of West.
Hmm.
Mr Disguised as construction workers.
All those suspicious timing, two weeks after Book Week.
Yes, well, at least they're all. As construction workers, I mean, if there was one that was an Indian and one as a policeman and one dressed in leather they.
Bob, the builders.
Would thought it was a village, people. They they dress up in builders outfits, including hard hats and fluoro jackets. This is a thing if you full thing right.
They've gone. Theme.
You put, I'm telling you.
All in all in, if you've got hyvee on, you can go anywhere.
Exactly.
It's like a backstage pass these days, isn't it?
Completely. There's two things. If you've got a high V on and you have a very expensive video camera on your shoulder, you can get into anywhere as well as. As someone who's worked in video production, if you've got a video camera on your shoulder, you can Mosey into anything without a lot of questions being asked, which is really weird, but it's.
Yes. Yes, yes. And I love you can just buy Hive, visit Kmart too. It's not like you need to prove that you are in that line of work. You just go buy it at Kmart for 10 bucks and you're in, you're in the House of Commons.
Perfect. Perfect. No, back off. I'm in construction. There's an actual tradie there going that's stolen valour. That's you're not. You're nothing constructive at all.
Look at your hands. There's no calluses at. Ohh get off it.
Yeah. So they wanted to blend in. They wanted to blend in with the legitimate workers who were carrying out renovations on the building at the time. And there was actually a reunion where they all got back together and they talked about this.
High visibility, yes.
And there was some works going on in the house apartment at the time. And and we were disguised as as builders and architects and surveyors and. But it was as well as sticking up for. Our beliefs, because at the end of the day, if it's not hunting, it's gonna be shooting. It's gonna be racing. It's gonna be eventing. It's gonna be horse using horses to ride or, you know, the the, the, the, the hard end, animal rights activists. I don't think they'll stop at anything. So you know the the, the, the, the standing up for what we believe then we we just we're with the first nail I suppose but there's a lot more nails. Probably to come. Did you get any inside?
I didn't have any inside help. No, no, no, no. Walked in very casually. In fact, I didn't think we'd get in. So I I sort of hadn't told my wife. I haven't told anybody I was working for an hour at the time. Who? Who said it's all very well, Robert, if you want to break in and do these demonstrations, I support you. But keep your phone on. I need to talk to you. And but we when we, when we did get. In I one thing I remember very clearly is Luke. He we went the the entrance into the into the chamber was saying like that. But Luke was going so fast that he couldn't stop. So he carried on round and he came in through the front entrance and and it was just like John Cleese arriving his all arms and legs and the and the. The thing that probably shocked him as much as I was that there was no one in there, they're debating something that we all consider very. Important and there were no MP's in there.
That's hilarious. So they went. They went in. They went through this elaborate scheme. And then after police, obviously, to pass that motion about that hunting Bill didn't even show up to vote for.
Nobody cared. It, but I like that they've they've done the construction outfits, they've done the heavies and the hard hats, but they're still allocated roles within there. There was a surveyor, there was a builder.
No.
Yes. Yes. Yes, yes, they gave him a back story. What's my what's my motivation for this scene? Yes. Yes. And they still kind of cocked it up and like what you hear? The guy he was like, so convinced that they were gonna get caught. He's like, Ohh, didn't tell my wife. It's like, well, it's probably for the best.
There was a like each of them had their own. They had their own specialisations. That's a lot of efforts.
Mate, but you know, they all went out there to get their point across. The group was known as the Westminster 8. That's what they were called, the Westminster 8.
That sounds very evil, actually.
Yes. So they go, they go in there, it does. It does sound very the Westminster 8, yes.
It's sounds. Sounds a little bit worse than.
Much more nefarious than what it actually was. It's just a bunch of guys who wanted to hunt foxes that decided to disguise as construction workers and.
Yeah.
In hyvee.
Break into parliament. They made their way into the public gallery and from there down into the Chamber of the. The Commons, while the debate was taking place, but there was ****** all people there, cause no one was really interested in it. Once inside the Chamber, they disrupted the proceedings by shouting and attempting to address the MP's present.
We want to hunt foxes and do construction because we're surveyors.
And so you don't, you can drop character now because you're at the actual protest. Yeah, calm down.
Yeah, you're in. You're in. Yes. Tell us what? You want, so they were apprehended by House of Commons security and police officers quickly escorted out of the chamber and arrested. Yes, they were actually part of what was called the Countryside Alliance as well as.
We are the country signed alliance and we are here to do construction.
Other pro hunting groups who were opposed to.
The act we are pro.
Have. Hunting.
And they believed that the ban was an attack on their way of life and their rural traditions.
This ban is attack on our way of life and rural traditions.
It was one of the most significant security breaches.
Order order. This is mine. I'm just trying to the dramatic reenactment. I know, right?
I feel like I'm there. It's just amazing. I'm. Danny, this was one of the most significant security breaches in the history of the British Parliament. After one of the most significant ones at Buckingham Palace two days earlier. Did they just take all the security over to Buckingham Palace and then no one was over in Parliament that day like going on?
She got Batman.
Jesus Christ. What awake? First we got Batman. Now we got freaking Bob the Builder.
Yeah.
So they also had to have a bit of an investigation as well. So there was, yeah, I don't know if it was the same.
Yes.
Investigation. But everybody was concerned about the adequacy of the parliamentary security.
It was, and both of them were were sort of, you know, middle aged white males.
And they definitely drew attention to their cause. But the act still passed, so they didn't prevent it from passing. It was passed by Parliament. Later that year came into force February 2005, effectively banning fox hunting with hounds in England and Wales.
Well, you know it's. We've got a hound who loves sniffing out and chasing after folks and it's it's ridiculous. It's kind of what? What she's predisposed.
Oh my gosh. Anything.
To do, but I you know it is an old school thing to be doing. It's very archaic now.
Hmm.
Reminds me Mary Poppins. Remember, they went on the sock, remember? They went on the fox hunting Mary Poppins. So I used to. I grew up thinking it was fine because it was in Mary Poppins and it was like.
Hunting boxes? Ohh yes. Yes, I think so.
A cartoon? It was a bit of fun. What's wrong with that?
Of course, that's right. And I think that would have been their argument. Look, it's in Mary Poppins and we're bloody hunt foxes. Anytime we bloody well once supercalifragilistic expialidocious.
Yes, OK. And I'll be like, OK, sure.
Sport time.
It is and we've got tennants. We've got the US men's Open U.S. Open men's tennis.
They're open, man. They're like, listen, I just wanna before we play tennis, we're all feeling a little bit open. Let's just talk about where we're at. Let's talk about our feelings.
Just got something to share with the group.
Vulnerable.
Yeah, well, that's good. That's good. Should.
Yeah, this is what happens when you stop fox hunting. Men need to start sitting around talking about their feelings. All play tennis.
Be more of that. Yes, which is what happened on the 12th of September, your birthday, birthday, tennis.
Yes, U.S. Open. And I was like come. On come on, lighten. Come on.
Ah, al Layton. Yes.
Layton Hewitt versus Roger Federer from Switzerland. Unfortunately, Federer too good for Leyton Hewitt.
He's done it and look what it means to Roger Federer. The world #1 claims his first US Open title and in emphatic fashion, it was as well. And a lovely embrace, not just in Federer's camp, but by Leighton Hewitt, generous in defeat. And as as Stewart said, too good, mate. And that's exactly what Federer was.
I want a good sport, ladies.
Crowd going crazy. Layton is like too. Good mate. You know what?
I loved recently when Kate Middleton was it was it the tennis? I think it was the tennis. When she came, she came out and she got the standing ovation it was.
Take those watch. Yes. Oh, of course. You were sick. Yeah. Amanda. Yes.
Happening was it? Was a beautiful it was really beautiful. It's really emotion.
No.
But then did you see who was sitting behind her?
No.
Our Australian royalty Beck and. Leighton beckon Leighton. We're behind him.
Beck and Layton was sitting behind Kate Middleton, where?
So you see all the the shots of her because it was quite a quite an emotional moment and they're behind her as our royalty, our back and Our Lady. Yes, yes, the commemorative hubcap. Yeah.
That's very exciting. Yes, the Australian royal families, that's amazing. They absolutely need a commemorative plate or ashtray or hubcap, probably an ashtray. Actually Federer. Federer did very well in this. He cruised through the 1st 4 rounds before facing Andre Agassi in the quarterfinal.
Home cat.
This was after Agassi, I think, stopped wearing the.
When he went bowls.
You remember? You said the mullet and and nobody knew, but it was a week. How? And I just, I still find that story about Agassi. Extraordinary.
Yeah.
I never knew that. I never knew that, and he always had, like, really amazing eyebrows. Were they really? Were they real or not? What about the eyebrows?
Yes. Well, I think so, I think so, but just imagine having to wear that on your head at like the Australian Open where it's ridiculously hot. Anyway, Agassi, he beat Agassi in the quarterfinals, his match.
Hmm.
Dry weeks aren't comfortable, no?
No.
Against the two time U.S. Open champion proved to be a thrilling 5 set epic and then after splitting the first two sets, the third set went to 55 before Federer broke and took a two set to one advantage, and then Agassi took the 4th. But Federer claimed the 5th and decisive set, so that was it. And then in the semi finals he just cruised past like Tim Hedman. In straight sets, yes. Big nemesis. Former nemesis anyway. I mean, they're all friends, aren't they? I don't know. And then he won his first US Open singles title, defeating Hewitt 607660 in the final. Smashed him too. Good, mate.
With his nemesis, apparently. Our former they. Made up. So Rob, we should have played the audio there. You ruined the ending right at the start you.
Too good man.
Could have built some tension.
Just you know, just giving a little bit of a synopsis, just wrapping it up, trying to trying to see.
OK. Our royalty.
How professional and?
Yes.
Layton these days, you could probably picture him at the end of the driveway washing his car as well, washing the Range Rover would be good. There could be in the kitchen, you know, making some lemonade for him in a hot day. So you can have a cool drink after, you know, outside washing the car.
Well, of course.
Yeah, too good mate.
No. It's.
Music time. Let's make some music, Mel.
Umm some?
Ohh well, you know, let's talk about music in the context of the they haven't made any for a while. Let's.
Yes, we are. Making.
Let's talk about it in the context of the podcast.
Australia #1 is still maroon at 5:00 with she will be loved.
Up on my window, knock on my door.
I don't mind washing the car every day, so long as it's not pouring rain.
Yeah. It's nice. Yeah. It's nice. Yeah, you don't you you never won over in the UK real to me, Brian McFadden.
With.
With my family. Real. Real to me.
Real to me.
Brian.
McFadden debut single of Irish singer Irish Finger Irish singer.
Finger. Ah, is it like finger? It's like powder finger side project. You know a cover band.
A fish.
We're Irish finger.
These days turned out nothing like I had planned fiddle. Dee Dee.
So yellow, no vine. Oh, same thing.
That's Coldplay.
What do you talk?
Could have been.
I don't know, Irish singer Brian McFadden.
Ryan McFadden, yes.
This is his debut single from his debut solo album, Irish Son. You'll remember. We spoke about it earlier.
Day.
Yes.
Yeah. Yes. Well. Everyone was devastated in March 2004. Was he left Westlife.
Ohh cause he left Westlife and this is so this is all this is a big deal then isn't it?
So because he left, remember, the press conference was very emotional and he wanted to spend more time with his wife Kerry from Atomic Kitten and their two young daughters.
Well, so sorry.
So Lilly, I know that's not spending time with them. That's recording his solo and so.
No. Putting out another single.
He was at. That point was Brian with a Y and now.
Ohh really Brian with an I.
Brian with an I real to me is Brian with an I knew I knew me new album, new single.
Brian with an.
Really.
Are we sure? Are we sure it's the same Brian?
It is it is it is it.
Are you are you 100% sure? I mean, it's conspiracy theories. Look, I'm just saying like, they reckon that Avril Lavigne died and was replaced by somebody else. And like Paul McCartney was, there's a new Paul McCartney all of a sudden. Brian McFadden, guys Brian with an eye to Brian with a Y.
Is the same, Brian? And.
Ah.
From Y to eye. Very suspicious.
Maybe it's like, no, I'm still with my family. That's a different Brian.
That's the other Brian, that's some. Of the why?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Well, he did split from Kerry, so.
Kerry, Kerry, Cantona, kanter. Katona cause cancer has a soccer player that kick someone in the head. That's Eric Cantona. No. Kerry Katona. Yes, not Cantona. Yes, of course.
I think it's the turn. Kerry Petrona from atomic kittens. They divorced in 2006, but they split up sometime in 2004, so maybe he started spending more time with her and that was a bit too much for her, so they split up, so then he goes and does his album and he changes to Brian with an I new start.
Right. Good hand to leave at home, yeah. Like go, you gotta go and make some music. Otherwise he he was like he was out in the driveway every Saturday washing the car. And he's like, you know what?
Fresh start. Fresh start.
This isn't for me. I can't do it and so he decided to.
Maybe she was like, this isn't for me. Go go away.
Every time I hear real to me, just the title real to me, I think of that meme about that old guy who's talking about wrestling and he discovers it's it's kind of predetermined and he starts, he gets really emotion. He's.
Like it's real to me.
And he starts crying. It's. It's a very. Popular meme you need to check it out and I was wondering if if Brian was talking about that. No, he's not.
No, I didn't say that. No, I'm sorry. Talking about wrestling. No, he's not. Not at.
And and what's more interesting is the fact that, you know, I thought you wanted to spend more time with your family mate.
All. Not at all. Yeah, I know. Liar. You're liars.
And he's like I did. And then and then I took up fox hunting, and they banned that. So I just thought, ohh, I'll make some music. And everyone went ohh. Don't.
No people liked it. It went to.
Number one. And then they're like, is it the same Brian? And we, we're not even sure. We're not even sure. I think we.
We don't know. You're not so.
Need to do a DNA test. Like Maury Povich style.
Can you please pee in a cup, Brian?
Yes, exactly.
We need to. Check. Yeah, maybe. Alright, let's go to the.
Let's see.
US, shall we? Please. Bye.
Yes.
You know better than I can tell. This is this is me.
Just just. Read.
You could call me.
Don't dancing. Just pull up my pants. Do the rock. Please leave.
I'm a DJ. I beat mix that well. Whoops, I that right up, didn't I? Sorry.
And the robot? Yeah, fine series 1.
Now what happened then?
It's gonna be because that's his favourite number.
Did I miss the what? I don't even know what happened there.
To pronounce the H. There was no one and that. Was that's like the highlight of his week.
Wait, that was a production nightmare, that one.
He loves he loves saying number one, that's his favourite. Digits. You've just ruined his life.
You know the thing with that that top five is that it's like the the only new track in there was pieces of me. Everything was in the same order as last. Week so I don't know.
Well, how did you? How did you even mess that up?
Really hard to conceive how an error of this magnitude could occur.
It's just.
Control C Control V.
Yeah. Well, something happened anyway. It doesn't matter. You get the point. I'm not going back to do it again. I'm gonna leave that in there, too. Just quietly. I couldn't.
Select. Poor robots.
Be bothered.
I was enjoying laying back as well. Then you ruined it.
It's a free podcast and people get more than what they pay for. If I'm being honest.
You ruined it. Number one was goodies.
Goodies in the jar? Yep.
Fair. Lean back terror. Squad feet Fat Joe.
MHM.
Well, I shouldn't say feet Fat Joe cause. Fat Joe is in terror squad. It's not featuring him. He's he's terrace.
Well, he's kind of the main event though, really.
Sunshine. A little flip feet. Leah. My place, Nelly. But who was the other guy?
Yes. My place? Yeah. With that other guy. I don't know. Some smooth guy. Yeah.
I don't mind that song. Actually it's. Not bad. And our new entry obviously passes are my Ashley Simpson.
By Ashley Simpson this song, I think is a banger.
I know. Tell you can tell me.
Look, and I'm probably wrong in saying that you know, with all of my. ******** musical roots, you know, heavy metal and whatnot. It's a well crafted song. It's very well crafted and it's been crafted in a in such a way that it really suits her vocal range and style. And I think it is just a very well written.
It's because you love to sing it. On some stuff. It's fun to sing. On singstar.
Pop song as. Well. So whoever did that for her did do a good.
Job well done.
Person that did that.
I mean, you know, you could, if if she was a car, you could 2 bucket wash her out in the end of the driveway and you could stand back and look at that with pieces of me as a music producer and say, Yep, that was a good job. And you'd experience the same sort of satisfaction that me as an old man on a Saturday morning, he experiences washing my car out on the street.
I have no idea what you just said then. That was the debut single from her debut.
Well, it's as if you knew me better than. I have and knew myself, album, autobiography. How old is?
She.
19th is at this point.
At this day, she's 19. She's doing an autobiography. Wow.
19 she had a she's had a busy life. She had a big.
Isn't he short? What is it? A golden?
What?
She's done a lot.
Of things very full life then she did.
Yes.
Ballet for a bit this single.
That's right.
Was released in mid May, so it's taking a while to get into the.
Well, that's what.
I thought about that some time ago.
Charts. No, I think we talked about no, we.
Or the controversy. Talked about the show ohh the Ashley Sanford, Sir.
The show debuted.
As the vehicle to so well. No wonder.
And then the Saturday Night Live drama comes next month. I think it's it's a big year for her.
Right. So it's it's entered the top five.
It's entered the top five even though it was released mid May. But isn't it interesting now that it's entered the top five because the show started, so the show has?
Will it go to #1? Ohh, the show is on.
And effectively promoted puppet. Joe was right. All you need is a TV show. Then you move the units.
Right, got it.
Papa Joe is always right. Yeah, I wish I could use that phrase in this house. It never work.
What? Never.
Papa Joe was right. No, ever.
The recording of.
Papa Joe was sorry. Papa Joe was out of line. Papa Joe should maybe not wash the car this week.
The water restrictions, Papa Joe.
Hmm.
The song was recorded during the show as well, so they filmed the recording of the song for the Ashley Simpson Show. It's featured in episode.
Right, little rockumentary.
I don't know what number, but the the name of the episode is called Valentine's. Bummer. Ohh actually it was the 4th episode of season 1.
Uh. Well, yes. And so during that show they talk about obviously the recording they're in the studio with her and she talks about the origins of how she actually, because she apparently the inspiration for pieces of me.
Rono the #inspo.
I've been writing a song called Pieces of Me and it's about Ryan or how it feels so nice to have something that feels real in my life.
Me.
Hey, that's cool.
I got him on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Snap it. I don't know why I keep on messing that up.
Yeah.
****** that. There was someone singing it to her.
Yeah.
And she had to mimic them. Yeah. Yeah. So that first bit the first bit where she's recording it wasn't actually her. There was someone singing down the line and getting.
What?
Is that what it was?
Really.
No.
Her to.
Ohh, on the phone I thought she was just going through playback.
Yeah, not on the phone. So now someone in the studio guide track, there was someone in the student. No. Like a chick was in the studio.
As a. A vocalist.
Yeah, singing and like, getting her to kind of copy it, yes.
So she had a professional session vocally.
In there, coach, it was a coach, it was a vocal coach, but they were setting the the pitch and and she's trying to to match it and she was struggling.
Oh boy.
Well, that's OK.
Yes.
Well, they do.
That is that a common?
Thing look OK, so if I'm doing like when I used to record commercials, if I'm doing a voice over or or if I'm getting a client in who's maybe wanting to voice their own commercial and they're not really, you know what I'm talking about.
Hmm.
Ohh I do.
Yeah, right. It's a it's. It never goes well and they're the client and they're paying lots of money for their ads. So. So I will be like.
Yes. Never. It never ends well. Now it's time for sharing ads. Please don't do that.
Instead of getting them to form full sentences because for some reason people will walk into a studio in front of a microphone and soundproof booths and put headphones on, and then hear themselves back and themselves. So it's like, OK, repeat after me and you'll do the loan, you'll be like.
On a Monday, I'm waiting.
Yeah. And then they'll be like on a Monday, I'm waiting. Be like, that's perfect. Just get him to imitate. So obviously, they've got the vocal coach.
But that's what.
To do something similar.
You do when someone.
Well, I don't think that's fair, I don't think.
So we well. That's fair. No. Is that common, though? I feel like I feel like Pharrell did that for timber, timber. Timberlake on justified.
I think it's I I think. And she's quite young here. She's 19. Is this is her debut album, her debut single and it's called Autobiography, which is just dumb because she's 19, but she's probably not had a lot of experience in a recording studio, although I I don't know, like her sister has done stuff and Papa Joe's the big. Anyway, she's probably not had a lot of experience, and as a cop. Sequence, even if she's been OK singing live and doing all of that sort of stuff. When you get into a recording studio, it is a very different beat and and you can hear every single mistake you can hear every single floor and every single mistake and lie and.
Is there a difference when you got a? Microphone in your face. Yes, yes. No, that's not what I sound like in my hips.
Life you might get away with it, but then we if we're talking about Ashley Simpson and live well, that's not even a.
Hmm.
Thing is it.
Hmm.
Well, it's on Saturday Night Live. It's a TV thing that wasn't fair. People mind on TV all the time. It's difficult.
Like I said, I've changed my, I've changed my tune with her because she is. She's she's very young and there's a lot of people around her telling her.
So.
What to do?
Correct. And the song is about Ryan, is that right?
It's about Ryan Cabrera, who's now with the the. Yes, we've spoken about them before, but this is when they're got. They're still going steady at this stage. Well, I don't think for much longer.
Cabrera, Alexa bliss. Yes. Right. Ohh, because they had. A bit of a in this. Was it this particular episode that we're talking about in the the Valentine's episode, and it just she went to a gig, didn't she?