10 Questions with Dave Hughes, comedian and radio legend
"Life is absolutely ridiculous. It will continue to be, and so all you have to do is see the stupidity of life. There will always be something to laugh about."
ARGUABLY Australia's most popular stand-up comedian over the last 25 years is Dave Hughes - Hughesy! - and he sat down to chat with Adam Zwar.
"He's played to packed houses all over the country for years, he's hosted radio shows on Nova, KIIS, and now 2DayFM," Adam said.
"TV shows he's either hosted, or been a regular on, include Hughesy, We Have a Problem, The Project, Before the Game, and of course, ABC's The Glass House.
1. When were you most happy?
"I remember driving to the airport one day after I'd just met my now wife, and I thought, 'you know what, I reckon I've met the one'." Hughesy said.
"I remember a feeling of joy on the Tullamarine Freeway... in 2002. It was a sense of 'oh, I think maybe I'm onto something here.'
"Twenty years later, here we are."
2. Who would you like to apologise to, and why?
"I've got a new motto, a recent motto; if you live in the moment, you can't hold grudges.
"My last job was at KIIS FM, and there was a bit of an argy-bargy over contracts. I really got angry at the boss of KIIS FM. Very angry, actually.
"I'd apologise to him and say, 'I don't get angry anymore'."
3. What is your greatest regret?
"My life's not over, but maybe I would have tried to go more international with my comedy back when I was younger."
4. What do you still need to do to live a satisfactory life?
"Now is all we've got, and now is all we'll ever have. I really am trying to zen it out; this is it, and every moment is a miracle.
"I don't think I have to do anything else to live a satisfactory life.
"The realisation that every moment is all you need is something that is going to mean I live a satisfactory life."
5. Who is the person that most influenced you, and how?
"In comedy, I was influenced by someone I've never met. When I was 13 or something I got a video out from the local video shop.
"It was Rodney Dangerfield...hosting a night involving a number of comedians doing five-minute spots.
"There was one guy on it I'd never seen before that point. His name was Sam Kinison.
"His form of comedy was really taking the piss out of his own situation... and he got really angry on stage. I felt a truth to it which I really connected with.
"I'd like to think that my comedy has sort of followed that path to a degree, where you're able to get the humour out of your own situation and people hopefully can connect with you being honest."
6. When was the last time you cried, and why?
"The true story is, you often cry on planes and they reckon it's the air," Hughesy laughed.
"I watch movies and cry on planes. They say it's the atmospheric change that does it.
"Adam Sandler movies on planes can really get the job done sometimes."
7. What is your current state of mind?
"It's pretty good. This year, I've gone to do breakfast radio in Sydney. I've gone from a drive show to a breakfast show.
"It's tense when the ratings are low and you're trying to find your way, but I have absolutely leaned on living in the moment, to be honest, so it's been good.
"I'm in a good state of mind right now."
8. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
"Career-wise...all I ever wanted to do was to be able to make a living being funny.
"Although I was on the dole for a number of years... I started making proper money (in '99) when audiences started to come and see me in particular.
"Life is funny, but it's funny for everyone, no matter what situation you're in. Life is absolutely ridiculous.
"It will continue to be, and so all you have to do is see it, see the stupidity of life. There will always be something to laugh about."
9. Who would you like on your side in a battle, and why?
"I will take my wife at any point in time, because she's just someone [who can] control her ego.
"My own ego has caused all my misery in life. My wife has always just been in control of her ego and she's never really appeared to have an ego. She's a rock.
"We've got three kids who are the happiest kids you're ever likely to see, and it's to do with their mother and her ability to be present and also just have a sunny disposition."
10. What would you like your last words to be?
"We never know when it's going to be all over, do we? I do not want my last thought to be me feeling sorry for myself.
"I want my last action to be a laugh. I want to be laughing."
Adam's book Twelve Summers: Being a life-long fan of Australian cricket is harder than it looks, is out now.
Find Adam Zwar on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
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