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“I’m in trouble here”: Hughesy recalls disastrous surfing accident

<p dir="ltr">Dave Hughes has recalled the details of a horrific surfing accident on New Year’s Eve, that resulted in him being rushed to hospital in excruciating pain. </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking candidly on his <em>Hughesy, Ed &amp; Erin</em> radio show, the 53-year-old shared what happened on the Surfers Paradise beach as he was ringing in the New Year. </p> <p dir="ltr">He told his co-hosts Erin Molan and Ed Kavalee that he was having surfing lessons when the disaster unfolded. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s New Year’s Eve, I decide to go surfing and I crash on a huge wave,” Hughesy began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve all got out big boards, and the problem is, the boards are too big.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, and, I didn’t listen properly when the instructor said, ‘If you’re going to fall off your board, fall off backwards, don’t fall off forwards’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“And I didn’t really realise why, but I found out why.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2HC0_ILybf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2HC0_ILybf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Hughesy, Ed &amp; Erin (@hughesyedanderin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While still sporting a sling on his arm from the accident, Hughesy explained that he fell forwards off a wave, and the surfboard took the next wave, which was directly behind him.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The board got a really good wave and the board smashed into my back and dislocated my shoulder,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was immediately like, ‘I am in trouble here’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“The instructor saw me and said, ‘are you okay?’ and I said, ‘I don’t think so.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">“He started laughing! And I’m like, ‘no, I’m really, I’m really in pain’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Still trying to keep his sense of humour through the ordeal, Hughesy described the pain as “worse than childbirth”, with the situation only getting worse when he “sat on the beach crying for an hour” waiting for the ambulance to arrive. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hughesy <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hughesy-gives-health-update-after-being-rushed-to-hospital">first shared</a> the news of his accident in the days after he was released from hospital, sharing a series of photos to his Instagram from the fateful day. </p> <p dir="ltr">He shared that he had "morphine and the rest of them" after enduring "two hours of the worst pain of my life", thanking the hospital staff who treated him, as well as the Surfers Paradise Surf Club before admitting he will "be in a sling for a while". </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / 2DayFM</em></p> <p> </p>

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Hughesy gives health update after being rushed to hospital

<p>Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has shared an update on a dramatic accident he suffered on New Year's Eve, after he was rushed to hospital in the "worst pain of my life". </p> <p>The TV and radio host took to Instagram to admit he had the "least sober NYE in 30+ years", after having to take extensive pain killers to cope with a severe injury. </p> <p>Hughesy shared that he suffered a "shoulder dislocation whilst surfing" while spending time on the Gold Coast over the holiday season, which saw him rushed to hospital for the injury. </p> <p>He shared that he had "morphine and the rest of them" after enduring "two hours of the worst pain of my life", as he shared a series of photos of the dramatic incident.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1iN1RqSLdM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1iN1RqSLdM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dave Hughes (@dhughesy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The 53-year-old went on to thank his wife, the Surfers Paradise Surf Club and the health professionals who helped him during the accident, while admitting he will "be in a sling for a while". </p> <p>In the days after the incident, Hughesy shared an update on his condition with his followers on Instagram, making light of the painful situation, which now means he can't manage to feed himself properly.</p> <p>Standing over a kitchen bench, the comedian struggled to eat a bowl of cereal, laughing as he tried to get the spoon to his mouth. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1p4C7WyxJp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1p4C7WyxJp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dave Hughes (@dhughesy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Four days into my surfing accident and I'm nearly back," he joked.</p> <p>"That’s one way to do a summer shred," one person commented. "I’m so pleased we can hear a little giggle! Wishing you a speedy recovery," another person said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Matthew Perry's cause of death finally revealed

<p>The sudden and tragic death of <em>Friends</em> actor Matthew Perry <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/you-were-loved-tributes-flow-over-tragic-passing-of-matthew-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shocked fans worldwide</a>. Now the County of Los Angeles' medical examiner has finally released its report detailing the cause of his demise, attributing it to the acute effects of ketamine.</p> <p>Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the iconic TV series, passed away at the age of 54 on the morning of October 28, after a game of pickleball. He returned home and sent his assistant on an errand. Two hours later, the assistant returned to find Perry unresponsive in the spa. Emergency services were called, but paramedics pronounced Perry dead at the scene.</p> <p>At the time, the coroner's report listed only drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of opioid buprenorphine as contributing factors, ultimately ruling the death as an accident.</p> <p>Ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic with hallucinogenic effects, has now been determined to have played a significant role in Perry's demise. The autopsy revealed that Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to manage depression and anxiety. However, the ketamine found in his system at the time of death could not be attributed to the most recent therapy session, as its half-life is only three to four hours. The report stated that the high levels of ketamine in his postmortem blood could lead to cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.</p> <p>Perry had a history of substance abuse, openly discussing his battles with addiction dating back to his time on <em>Friends</em> in the 1990s. Despite being reportedly clean for 19 months before his death, the toxicology report revealed ongoing ketamine infusions. Perry had detailed his experiences with ketamine in his memoir, describing it as a "giant exhale" that made him feel as though he were "dying".</p> <p>“Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s," Perry wrote in his book <em>Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing</em>. "There is a synthetic form of it now, and it’s used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression. Has my name written all over it – they might as well have called it ‘Matty’.” </p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">During the pandemic, Perry received ketamine infusions in a Swiss rehab clinic, as revealed in his memoir. He explained that the drug, known for its pain-relieving and antidepressant properties, provided a unique and different experience. However, he also acknowledged the rough hangover associated with ketamine, ultimately stating that the drug was not for him.</span></p> <p>“Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel," he wrote. "But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel. Ketamine was not for me.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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The enduring appeal of Friends, and why so many of us feel we’ve lost a personal friend in Matthew Perry

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-gerace-325968">Adam Gerace</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p>The <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/world/friends-star-matthew-perry-dies-aged-54/cloatn0ae00ea0jqbpdz0h8td">death of Matthew Perry</a>, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the television series Friends, has seen an outpouring of grief from fans and the Hollywood community.</p> <p>His passing at age 54 has shocked both those who admired his acting work, as well as those who followed his efforts to bring awareness to <a href="https://people.com/tv/matthew-perry-opens-up-about-addiction-new-memoir/">the pains of addiction</a>.</p> <p>Tributes to Perry have understandably focused on his star-making turn on the incredibly popular television sitcom. Scenes, catchphrases, and his character’s lines have been lovingly repurposed across the internet to memorialise the gifted actor.</p> <p>Meanwhile, many viewers have situated their <a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/friends-fans-mourn-matthew-perry-new-york-apartment-1235772520/">recollections</a> of Perry and the series within the context of their own experiences.</p> <p>Viewers who came of age, or were the characters’ ages during the show’s original run, have reminisced about what the work of Perry and his co-stars meant to them at formative times in their lives. Newer viewers have similarly shared how important the series has been to them – their relationship with the show often beginning long after production ended.</p> <p>For many, Friends was the television equivalent of the soundtrack to their lives.</p> <p>To appreciate the staying power of the series for original and <a href="https://www.etonline.com/streaming-friends-how-a-90s-sitcom-became-gen-zs-new-favorite-show-132624">newer viewers alike</a> almost 30 years since it debuted, we need to consider what functions television viewing serves and the bonds we form with its characters.</p> <h2>Enduring appeal</h2> <p>Part of Friends’ popularity lies in its timing. The show premiered in 1994, a period when network television was still dominant. By its end a decade later, while the power of the big television networks had <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08838150701820924">eroded</a>, the series had maintained <a href="https://www.ratingsryan.com/2022/09/friends-nbc-ratings-recap.html">an average</a> of more than 20 million viewers each season.</p> <p>The 2004 finale brought in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/08/arts/friends-finale-s-audience-is-the-fourth-biggest-ever.html">record-breaking</a> 52.5 million viewers in the United States. The series then entered repeats around the world. It hasn’t left our screens since.</p> <p>The late 90s and early 2000s have sometimes been referred to as the end of monoculture. While a <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/12/17/21024439/monoculture-algorithm-netflix-spotify">contested and controversial idea</a> because of, among other concerns, who was included and excluded on our screens, monoculture meant we watched <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/bestmusic2012/2012/12/21/167836852/the-year-in-pop-charts-return-of-the-monoculture">many of the same things</a>.</p> <p>One of the most popular shows of its era, Friends brought people together. It was a show we watched with our families or friends, spoke about the next day with colleagues, and it provided a common connection. It allowed bonding with real friends as much as fictional ones.</p> <p>Friends did not only reflect style of the time; it also frequently created it. Jennifer Aniston’s haircut, coined “<a href="https://www.bustle.com/style/the-rachel-haircut">The Rachel</a>”, or Perry’s lovable smart-alecky cadence, typified with Chandler’s catchphrase of “Could I <em>be</em> any more…”, were endlessly imitated. I know I attempted to replicate Chandler’s <a href="https://www.gq.com.au/style/celebrity/unexpectedly-great-fashion-inspiration-courtesy-of-friends/image-gallery/f55ac75cc180e31c462525da961295fc">sweater vests</a> and light blue denim look. Participation provided viewers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5931.2011.00866.x">a sense</a> of identity.</p> <p>As people enter their 30s and 40s, they often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208595">gravitate</a> towards the memories made during their formative adolescent and young adult years. So perhaps it’s no surprise Friends endures for original viewers as it represents – and was a part of – their lives at this important time.</p> <h2>Likeable characters</h2> <p>Television and other fictional media meet our needs for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2009.01368.x">both</a> pleasure and extracting meaning. We get excited, entertained and moved by television.</p> <p>As part of this, we bond with fictional characters. We cannot help but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327825MCS0403_01">empathise</a> with them. A series like Friends with its characters and their combinations of breakups, makeups and other mishaps allowed us to safely use our empathy muscles to cheer on and sometimes commiserate with the group of six. It helped that each character was flawed but inherently likeable.</p> <p>Fictional characters also allow us to <a href="https://theconversation.com/neighbours-vs-friends-we-found-out-which-beloved-show-fans-mourned-more-when-it-ended-212843">experience lifestyles</a> we might not otherwise. In the case of Friends, who didn’t want to live in a rent-controlled apartment like Monica’s, or regularly meet their supportive and funny pals for coffee at Central Perk? As a teen, I imagined such a world for myself in the not-too-distant future.</p> <p>Younger generations might be more aware of how out-of-reach that lifestyle was, or find the show’s <a href="https://ew.com/tv/jennifer-aniston-friends-offensive-new-generation/">humour sometimes dated</a>. But the idea of what the friends’ lifestyle represented – possibility, freedom, a chosen family – evidently still holds appeal.</p> <h2>Fictional relationships, but real sadness</h2> <p>In forming relationships with fictional characters, we form bonds with the performers who bring them to life. The lines between character and creator become blurry, both because of the knowledge about actors’ lives celebrity culture affords us, but also because their characters seem so real. When the actors pass away, we <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.06.042">feel real grief</a>.</p> <p>It’s important for fans of Matthew Perry to <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/why-with-all-the-sht-happening-in-the-world-its-still-okay-to-grieve-a-celebritys-death/">acknowledge</a> their loss. Even though his character is fictional, and you didn’t know him personally, you can still feel sad. Watching the series may be difficult right now. With time, it will become easier.</p> <p>Matthew Perry wanted <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/matthew-perry-death-addiction-alcoholism-drugs-b2437980.html">his legacy</a> to be awareness of addiction and the help he provided to people struggling with this disorder. Hopefully what will be felt now, alongside collective sadness, is an empathy for those facing addiction. That may be the power of television, and of a character named Chandler, and the actor who brought him to life, who many considered their friend.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216626/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-gerace-325968"><em>Adam Gerace</em></a><em>, Senior Lecturer and Head of Course - Positive Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-enduring-appeal-of-friends-and-why-so-many-of-us-feel-weve-lost-a-personal-friend-in-matthew-perry-216626">original article</a>.</em></p>

TV

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Why Dave Hughes didn't buy the final Block house

<p>David ‘Hughesy’ Hughes was the surprise guest at this year's <em>The Block</em> auctions, and the Aussie comedian was keen on buying the final home to go on auction <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">– </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> Leah and Ash’s house. </span></p> <p>Hughes was one move away from buying House 2 - which was passed in after it failed to hit reserve - but his wife blocked him from buying the home. </p> <p>“I was accosted as I left the auction, trying to get out of there, because one house didn’t sell and I said, ‘I’ll go talk to my wife’,” Hughes said on KIIS FM’s <em>Hughesy, Ed &amp; Erin </em>on Tuesday morning. </p> <p>The radio host then called his wife Holly live-on-air so she could explain the reason why they did not buy House 2. </p> <p>Holly revealed that she "was being asked by students and teachers,” about whether or not the couple bought the <em>Block</em> house. </p> <p>“You [Hughes] came home and as we were getting into bed, you said, ‘How would you have felt if I just bought that house?’ And I said, ‘Furious’," Holly revealed. </p> <p>She then called out her husband, claiming that he only wanted to buy the house to "show off". </p> <p>“If you bought a third house [in Melbourne] without consulting with me …” she said. </p> <p>“He never expressed any interesting in investing in that part of Melbourne, it’s so random, he would’ve just been buying a house to show off.</p> <p>“He had not looked at the houses or anything. He hadn’t watched an episode.”</p> <p>Although Hughes didn't get a property this season, his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/dave-hughes-sets-the-record-straight-over-famous-block-house-purchase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous <em>Block</em> buy</a> in 2017 was a huge success.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Matthew would enjoy the humour of it": Ironic detail spotted in Friends tribute

<p>While many fans of the long-running sitcom Friends are in mourning over the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/you-were-loved-tributes-flow-over-tragic-passing-of-matthew-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sudden death of Matthew Perry</a>, others have delighted in an ironic detail surrounding the Friends apartment in New York. </p> <p>Since the announcement of Perry's death on Sunday, thousands of fans of the show has flocked to the apartment building in New York City's West Village, where the external shots of the gang's apartment was filmed, to pay their respects. </p> <p>While the sitcom, which ran for ten years from 1994, was actually filmed in Los Angeles, the Bedford Street address was used for the external shots of the New York-based show, with the humble apartment being home to each of the cast members during the show. </p> <p>Fans of the show have left notes, flowers, Central Perk memorabilia, and other sentimental items to pay tribute to the late actor. </p> <p>However, one eagle-eyed fan spotted a quirky detail hovering around the building, as Perry's death coincided with Halloween. </p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKidspotAustralia%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02xSVyrpRthTeLeBNqtvHKWUB36us5bVB5vKCW1R9DYgF66kBWqnsSYarY2kDFfCT3l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="581" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Part of the building's Halloween decorations included a large ghost hovering near the iconic apartment, with many quick to point out the hilarious irony of the figure floating above the makeshift memorial. </p> <p>“That Halloween ghost is kinda fitting for the photo/mood and I think Matthew would enjoy the humour of it,” fan Holly astutely pointed out, sharing photos of the ghost on Facebook.  </p> <p>The ironic decorations emerged shortly after Perry's Friends co-stars have <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/so-utterly-devastated-friends-cast-break-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broken their silence</a> over his sudden death in a group statement to People magazine. </p> <p>Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said on Tuesday, "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family."</p> <p>"There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Kidspot</em></p> <div id="fuse-injected-22953829264-1" class="fuse-slot-dynamic publift-video-ad" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 24px; padding-bottom: 24px; display: flex; justify-content: center;" data-fuse="22953829264" data-fuse-injected-at="1698722632652" data-fuse-code="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" data-fuse-zone-instance="zone-instance-22953829264-1" data-fuse-slot="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" data-fuse-processed-at="1440"> <div id="bb-iawr-over60au-1692594483990158" class="bb_iawr" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; overflow: hidden; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; width: 730px; height: 0px; opacity: 0.01;"> <div id="bb-wr-over60au-1692594483990158" class="bb-media bb_wrapper bb-muted bb-phase-init bb-mode-video bb-state-loading" style="box-sizing: content-box; cursor: auto; 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box-sizing: border-box; position: var(--button-position); top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 54px; height: 54px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 1;"> <div style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); min-height: 12px; height: var(--icon-height); line-height: var(--icon-height); min-width: var(--icon-height); display: inline-flex; justify-content: center;"> </div> <div class="toggled slot-content svelte-1eoizxx" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); filter: drop-shadow(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0px 2px 0px); box-sizing: border-box; position: var(--button-position); top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 54px; height: 54px; display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, transform 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 0;"> <div style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); min-height: 12px; height: var(--icon-height); line-height: var(--icon-height); min-width: var(--icon-height); display: inline-flex; justify-content: center;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="start-time svelte-fllze1" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); top: calc(8px + var(--size-big-button)); position: absolute; left: 27px; transform: translate(-50%); background-color: var(--bg-color-pane); padding: 8px 16px; border-radius: 32px; font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: var(--margin-size); margin-left: 2px;" data-cy="start-screen-duration">01:31</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="center-area svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); flex-grow: 1;"> </div> </div> <div class="chrome-bottom-shadow svelte-10zo7b2" style="text-shadow: 0px calc(var(--font-size) / 12.5) 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); transition: opacity 0.15s ease-in-out 0s; opacity: 0; position: absolute; inset: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="bb-layer bb-context-layer" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 730px; height: 411px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px; pointer-events: none !important;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem;">"For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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Dave Hughes sets the record straight over famous Block house purchase

<p>Dave Hughes has hit back at long-standing rumours that he grossly overpaid for his house in Melbourne at <em>The Block</em> auctions. </p> <p>The radio host addressed the speculation on <em>2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin</em> breakfast show, as his co-host Erin Molan queried him about how the investment property was performing. </p> <p>In 2017, Hughesy bought the five-bedroom home in Elsternwick, built by contestants Josh and Elyse on Nine’s long-running reno show, for $3.067 million: a whopping $447,000 over the reserve. </p> <p>Given the steep increase of the price, the purchase of the house led to a lot of talk that Dave Hughes had overspent. </p> <p>Molan told her co-host on-air that a recent value estimate of the property that she’d found online put the home at $3.4 million.</p> <p>Six years on from his purchase and with inflation, stamp duty and other factors weighted, Hughes noted that that $300,000-odd increase in value would actually put him at a loss.</p> <p>However, Hughes said he had recently had the house valued himself, and the news was much better: He was told it is currently worth around $5 million.</p> <p>After the purchase of the house, even Hughes himself conceded that he may have spent much more than what the house was worth. </p> <p>In an interview with <em>Stellar</em> magazine in February 2018, he said that the bank had valued the property at “much less” than he paid.</p> <p>“I went to get a bank loan the other day and they haven’t valued it the same as I paid for it, which is fine, but annoying because there were five bidders,” he said.</p> <p>He said it was “enough less that it made me annoyed”.</p> <p>“For f**k’s sake … I just think it’s good value and in a few years’ time people are going to be going, ‘Well, f**k, didn’t he do well with it!’ I am playing the long game, all right? That is what I say to my wife, anyway.”</p> <p>In September of 2018, he told his then-co-host Kate Langbroek that he’d “copped so much flak” over the purchase.</p> <p>He said, “It was ridiculous and it’s gone on and on and on. A lot of experts weighed into my purchase … There are articles that have been written all year having a go at me. One article from one mob called Property One or something, they had a dinner party discussion about how I paid too much.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Matthew Perry's huge net worth revealed

<p>As the world <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/you-were-loved-tributes-flow-over-tragic-passing-of-matthew-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mourns the loss </a>of one of its beloved <em>Friends</em> stars, Matthew Perry, whose iconic portrayal of Chandler Bing left an indelible mark on fans worldwide, it's important to remember the legacy he leaves behind – a legacy encompassing not only his role in <em>Friends</em> but also his achievements in film, television, literature, real estate and more.</p> <p>While his presence will be missed, his work will continue to inspire and entertain fans for generations to come. Let's take a look at the legacy he leaves behind.</p> <p><strong>The <em>Friends</em> Phenomenon</strong></p> <p>Matthew Perry's fame skyrocketed when he became Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom in 1995. Initially earning US$35,000 per episode, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/so-utterly-devastated-friends-cast-break-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perry and his five co-stars</a> (Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt Le Blanc) rewrote history in 2002 when they negotiated a groundbreaking deal to earn US$1 million per episode during the show's final season. Each season consisted of 23 episodes, meaning that Perry made well over US$20 million for just one season. Over the course of the show's ten successful seasons, each cast member earned a staggering $141 million.</p> <p>To add to his wealth, <em>Friends</em> continues to be one of the most popular streaming series globally, guaranteeing the stars royalties of approximately $16 to $31 million annually. Even Warner Bros., the show's producer, reaps substantial profits, with an estimated $1.5 billion yearly from reruns.</p> <p>The 2021 <em>Friends</em> reunion special on HBO Max further contributed to Perry's financial success, with each principal cast member receiving $3.9 million.</p> <p><strong>Film and Television</strong></p> <p>Matthew Perry's talents extended beyond the realm of <em>Friends</em>. He starred in various film and television projects, including <em>The Whole Nine Yards</em> alongside Bruce Willis, Aaron Sorkin's <em>Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip </em>alongside <em>West Wing</em> alum Bradley Whitford, <em>17 Again</em>, and <em>The Odd Couple</em>, where he also served as an executive producer.</p> <p>In his memoir, Perry disclosed that he negotiated his <em>Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip</em> salary from an initial offer of $79,000 per episode to $275,000 per episode. In the romantic comedy <em>Fools Rush In</em> (1997), he earned $1.57 million.</p> <p><strong>Memoir</strong></p> <p>Perry's memoir, titled <em>Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir</em>, was released in November 2022. Despite a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/keanu-reeves-attacked-for-still-being-alive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minor hiccup involving actor Keanu Reeves</a>, where he questioned why Reeves was still alive while others like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger had tragically passed, Perry's memoir received a warm reception. Perry swiftly apologised for the comment and promised to remove all mention of Reeves from future editions.</p> <p>It's rumoured that Perry secured a "seven-figure" book deal for the candid memoir, which is bound to generate significant earnings through book sales.</p> <p><strong>Real Estate Ventures</strong></p> <p>Perry also dabbled in real estate throughout his life. In 2011, he purchased a $17 million beachfront home in Malibu, later listing it for $23 million in 2020. Ultimately, the property sold in 2021 for $20 million.</p> <p>In 2015, Perry sold another Malibu home for $17 million. In 2017, he acquired a luxurious 40th-floor condo in Century City for $30 million. Two years later, he listed the condo for $46.4 million but eventually sold it in 2021 for $28.3 million, 38% less than the initial asking price.</p> <p>One of his most recent acquisitions was a $7.8 million Hollywood Hills home, purchased in June 2021. In 2020, Perry bought his Pacific Palisades residence, where he resided until his passing. This midcentury modern ranch-style home boasted four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, a fire pit and a raised pool overlooking the ocean.</p> <p><strong>Car Collection</strong></p> <p>Apart from his real estate ventures, Perry was known for his impressive car collection. It included various luxury vehicles, such as a Lincoln Navigator, a BMW 6 Series Convertible, a BMW 7 Series sedan, a Porsche Panamera, and a Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible. He also owned a BMW Z8, an Aston Martin Vantage Convertible, a Porsche Taycan 4S, and an Audi R8 Spyder, each valued between $300,000 and $500,000.</p> <p>Perry's enduring legacy spans far beyond the confines of the <em>Friends</em> universe. His multifaceted career, literary contributions, and real estate ventures have solidified his status as an entertainment icon. While his presence will be missed, his work will continue to inspire and entertain fans for generations to come.</p> <p><em>Image: NBC</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"You were loved": Tributes flow over tragic passing of Matthew Perry

<p>The world was left in shock and mourning as news broke of the tragic death of beloved actor Matthew Perry, best known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom <em>Friends</em>.</p> <p>The 54-year-old actor passed away in an apparent drowning accident at his Los Angeles home, leaving a void in the hearts of countless fans and colleagues.</p> <p>Emergency services were summoned to Perry's residence in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood after an assistant found him unresponsive. Initial reports indicated that it was a "water rescue or water emergency". Disturbingly, a 911 call made from Perry's home shortly before first responders arrived mentioned the word "drowning." The actor was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi, where his life was tragically cut short.</p> <p>In the aftermath of this heartbreaking incident, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the death investigation at Perry's residence, marking the untimely end of a talented and cherished actor.</p> <p>The circumstances surrounding Perry's death remain the subject of public speculation. While law enforcement sources reported that no drugs were discovered at the scene and foul play is not suspected, the investigation continues.</p> <p>The family, including his mother Suzanne Morrison, father John Bennett Perry, and stepfather Dateline NBC's Keith Morrison, issued a statement expressing their profound grief and gratitude for the outpouring of love from fans.</p> <p>"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother," the family said. "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."</p> <p>In the dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, emergency responders referenced a "drowning" incident. While it is reported that Perry was found in a hot tub, a source later claimed that he had just returned home from a game of pickleball.</p> <p>Perry's passing has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and beyond. Former colleagues and fellow stars have paid their heartfelt tributes to the actor who brought laughter to millions with his portrayal of Chandler Bing.</p> <p>Maggie Wheeler, who portrayed Chandler's unforgettable on-again, off-again girlfriend, Janice, in <em>Friends</em>, expressed her gratitude for the joy Perry brought into people's lives. She shared on Instagram, "The joy Matthew brought to so many in his too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared."</p> <p>Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler's mother, Nora Bing, described herself as "heartbroken" by the untimely loss of her "son". She acknowledged the brilliance of the young actor and the shock that this tragedy has brought to the entertainment world.</p> <p>Even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who knew Perry from their shared history when Perry's mother worked as an aide to Trudeau's father, former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, expressed his grief. Trudeau remembered the schoolyard games they played and the worldwide joy that Perry brought to fans. He said, "Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed."</p> <p>Piers Morgan, the renowned broadcaster and journalist, acknowledged Perry's talent as an actor but also recognised the struggles he faced. Perry's candid autobiography about his battle with addiction left a profound impact, and his passing is a stark reminder of the difficulties he endured.</p> <p>Warner Bros Television Group, which produced <em>Friends</em> for its entire run, released a statement expressing their devastation over the loss of their dear friend. “We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.”</p> <p>NBC, the network that aired <em>Friends</em>, also paid tribute to the late actor, highlighting the immense joy he brought to millions through his pitch-perfect comedic timing and wry wit. They emphasised that his legacy will continue to live on through countless generations.</p> <p>The passing of Matthew Perry is a loss not only for his family and friends but also for the countless individuals whose lives were brightened by his humour and talent. His portrayal of Chandler Bing on Friends remains etched in the hearts of fans around the world, and his memory will live on as an enduring source of laughter and joy.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty / NBC / Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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"She has earnt the rest": Dave Hughes shares devastating family update

<p>Dave "Hughesy" Hughes has thanked his friends and radio listeners for their messages of love and support, following the death of his mother. </p> <p>Hughesy's mum, Carmel, passed away on Friday at the age of 83, after a decades-long battle with cancer. </p> <p>Announcing the heart breaking news on Instagram Saturday night, "My angel mum Carmel passed last night, at home, surrounded by the love of her family. She has earnt the rest."</p> <p>On his radio show on Tuesday morning, he reflected on his "warrior" mother's life. </p> <p>"Mum has battled cancer for over 20 years, really," he said, as he recalled calling her three weeks ago where she told him she was "on the floor and couldn't get up". </p> <p>She then spent weeks in hospital surrounded by her loved ones, before going home for the final week of her life.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEyBoJSvop/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEyBoJSvop/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dave Hughes (@dhughesy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Family surrounded her, let her know how much she was loved. It was beautiful, she was such a warrior for so long," he said.</p> <p>"What a woman. People who know, who've been through this - it's a tough time. Maybe there's something special about mums, but my memory just goes back to a woman who supported me from the moment I was alive."</p> <p>He thanked people who had sent him condolences, including many former patients of Carmel, who worked as a nurse.</p> <p>He ended the emotional segment by simply saying, "Good on ya, mum."</p> <p>Hughesy <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/she-s-still-with-us-but-it-won-t-be-long-hughesy-s-heartbreaking-family-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first announced</a> that his mum was unwell last week, telling his listeners, “My mum’s unwell, and the family have gathered around her, and we’re celebrating her life.” </p> <p>“She’s still with us, but it won’t be long. She’s a beautiful woman who’s been a great matriarch of the family, and we’re all around her at the moment.”</p> <p>While holding back tears on <em>2Day FM’s Hughesy, Ed &amp; Erin</em>, Hughesy then revealed that “she’s asleep now and she probably won’t wake up again”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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“She’s still with us, but it won’t be long": Hughesy's heartbreaking family news

<p>Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has held back tears as he shared the heartbreaking details of his mum's health battle live on his radio show. </p> <p>Speaking candidly on <em>2Day FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin</em>, Hughesy shared that it had been a "tough few weeks" for his family as his mum, Carmel, was nearing the end of her life. </p> <p>“My mum’s unwell, and the family have gathered around her, and we’re celebrating her life,” Hughesy told co-hosts Erin Molan and Ed Kavalee. </p> <p>“She’s still with us, but it won’t be long. She’s a beautiful woman who’s been a great matriarch of the family, and we’re all around her at the moment.”</p> <p>While holding back tears, Hughesy then revealed that “she’s asleep now and she probably won’t wake up again”.</p> <p>He explained the family had been “going through photos” recently in celebration of Carmel’s life.</p> <p>“Mum grew up in an orphanage, and there’s a photo of her teaching a class with nuns looking over her … She had to leave the orphanage because she didn’t want to be a teacher, so she left with nothing and went and became a nurse, and met Dad.”</p> <p>Reflecting on his mother’s legacy during the segment on Friday, Hughesy told his co-hosts: “She’s been a beautiful mother, who really supports her children.”</p> <p>He went on: “Everyone goes through [losing their parents] … but the memories of all the sacrifice, and all the good times … She’s done so well in her life. We’ll miss her a lot. </p> <p>“She’s always been stoic and never complained.”</p> <p>Despite the difficult time Hughesy and his family are going through, the comedian was still able to smile and laugh as he reflected on his mum's sense of humour that she has kept "until the end". </p> <p>“We were around and didn’t think she could even speak again, and one of the nurses was lifting her and said, ‘I’m sorry if I drop you’, and Mum just whispered, ‘it doesn't matter now’, and made the nurse laugh.”</p> <p>“So she was still coming out with zingers … she’s a beautiful woman.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Dave Hughes spills on worst celebrity interview

<p>Dave Hughes is the latest media personality to open up about his worst celebrity interview. </p> <p>The <em>2Day FM</em> breakfast host named and shamed the singer in an interview with <em>news.com.au’s Shock Jocks, </em>where radio hosts have to answer tough questions or be "electrocuted". </p> <p>“Avril Lavigne was a shocker,”  he said, referring to the pop-punk sensation, who peaked during the early 2000s. </p> <p>“She had a bad attitude, it was back around Sk8er Boi when she was at the height of her fame,” he added. </p> <p>“She wouldn’t look at any of us. I’m not saying I’m the most attractive person in the world, but you can just look at me once.”</p> <p>Hughesy's confession comes just over a week after Chrissie Swan revealed that former AFL legend <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/absolutely-the-worst-chrissie-swan-fires-up-on-sam-newman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Newman was the worst interview</a> of her career.</p> <p>“It was terrible,” Swan said about Newman on Nova last week, “it was a terrible, terrible situation and so unusual in my career to feel so attacked.”</p> <p>The interview was so bad that Swan had to walk out, and the interview itself never aired. </p> <p><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/sam-newman-hits-back-at-chrissie-swan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newman hit back</a> in response to Swan's comments and said: “What a coward to ask someone to come in, then walk out of the studio about an opinion over a topic we were talking about.</p> <p>“I just gave my opinion and she walked out, how unprofessional. What a coward."</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

TV

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Dave Hughes mugged by "big man" on Melbourne street

<p>Comedian Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has shared an incident on air about a harrowing encounter he had while grabbing dinner in Melbourne for his family on a Tuesday night.</p> <p>The 52-year-old radio host recounted the incident during his appearance on 2DAY FM’s morning show, "Hughesy, Ed &amp; Erin", with fellow comedian and stand-in host, Kate Langbroek.</p> <p>Hughes explained that he had ridden his electric bike to a nearby takeaway restaurant close to his residence to order dinner for his family.</p> <p>Unfortunately, upon his arrival, he discovered that the restaurant he had in mind was closed. Frustrated by the situation, he took out his phone with the intention of calling his wife to discuss alternative dinner plans when, suddenly, his phone was snatched from his hand.</p> <p>While recalling the incident, Hughes expressed how startled he was, saying, "I’m on the bike, and I put my phone up to my ear, and then all of a sudden, someone grabs my phone out of my hand, just grabbed it, yes, stole my phone."</p> <p>He went on to describe the thief as a "big man" who appeared to be under the influence of drugs, suspecting him to be a "meth head": “I look and it’s a man, a big man, and he is off his nut. I’m gonna say he’s a meth head, you know what I'm talking about.”</p> <p>The assailant's erratic behaviour didn't end with the phone theft. Hughes continued, "He tries to talk into the phone and he goes, ‘You weren’t even talking to anyone.’ Like it was my fault, like I was pretending to make a phone call."</p> <p>Rather than pursuing the thief on his bike, Hughes resorted to shouting, "Give me my phone back!"</p> <p>The situation eventually deescalated as the man threw the phone to the ground and stumbled away, eventually confronting a nearby vehicle. "He just staggered off and basically attacked a car,” said Hughes.</p> <p>Langbroek criticised Hughes for not immediately contacting the police after the unsettling incident, expressing concern about tolerating such dysfunction in society.  “I know that we’re all like, that’s sort of how it rolls," she said, "but when you start accepting dysfunction like that, then dysfunction will rule.”</p> <p>Hughes, who had lost his driver's license the previous month due to a series of minor traffic violations that resulted in the loss of his accumulated points, had been relying on his electric bike for transportation. </p> <p><em>Image: 2DAY FM</em></p>

Legal

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"Dave was the best of us": Friends raise over $79,000 for young dad's family

<p>David (Dave) Orange, 38, has been remembered as an "amazing family man" after he died suddenly, leaving behind his wife Kerry and their seven-month-old daughter, Eleya. </p> <p>The father, affectionately nicknamed “Mango” by his friends and family, passed away at around 8am on Wednesday, August 9, due to natural causes. </p> <p>Dave grew up in Toowoomba and played A-grade cricket for four years.</p> <p>In 2007-2008 he played for University Cricket Club in Toowoomba and led his team to a premiership win with a record-breaking 199 innings, the highest score ever by a university player. </p> <p>Later on in his career, the young dad became a successful entrepreneur, after selling his business Glow Worm Lighting and running a second business, Orange Electrical.</p> <p>His best mate, Mitch Connell, who he met at school, paid tribute to him and started a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/dave-oranges-legacy-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help the grieving family, successfully raising $79,000. </p> <p>"We believe Dave was the best of us,” Mitch said about his late friend. </p> <p>“He was an aspiring entrepreneur, avid sportsman, great loyal friend, and an amazing family man,” he added and said that Dave was a “cheeky larrikin” who was “positive and infectious”.</p> <p>“He was incredibly honourable, trustworthy and loyal,” he said in the touching tribute. </p> <p>“He was also a great boxer and well known around many Toowoomba and Brisbane boxing clubs.He ran a bar in New Farm called Calgety for a bit … he did a bit of everything and was just so much fun to be around.</p> <p>“Mango was also known for his modern day sense of fashion … he liked to dress well and was somewhat of a fashion icon among his mates.</p> <p>“He had such an infectious smile. I used to call him ‘shiny teeth’. He was also known for his great sense of humour and positivity.”</p> <p>Dave and Kerry had been together for seven years and tied the knot just three years ago. The couple were also reportedly getting ready to try for another baby. </p> <p>“Kerry is just so heartbroken and devastated,” Mitch said. </p> <p>“They were the perfect couple and were incredibly happy.</p> <p>“They had their entire life ahead of them and were loving being new parents and a little family. He was a very doting and loving dad and (Eleya) was such a daddy’s girl … He was very fun and patient with her.</p> <p>“It’s just not fair and so sad for those two to be left on their own … It feels so cruel.”</p> <p>Although Dave's seven-month-old daughter won't be able to remember him, his friends are doing everything they can to make sure his legacy lives on. </p> <p>“All of his best mates and I are planning on creating 52 videos of us talking about and sharing stories about her dad,” Mitch said. </p> <p>“We want to present these to her on her eighteenth birthday, one to watch every week, so she knows the kind of man her father was.”</p> <p>Dave's sister, Madeline Bertram, revealed that the family is heartbroken and that he was loved by all. </p> <p>“We ask you to keep us in your thoughts and prayers throughout this time. We are completely shattered," she said.</p> <p>“May you fly high Dave.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Hollywood A-listers quietly move to Australia

<p>Hollywood couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie are the latest A-listers to make the move Down Under. </p> <p>The A-list couple kept their relocation under the radar, as they moved to the quiet coastal town of Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast. </p> <p>The married couple, who are usually based in Los Angeles, now join the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky, Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso, and Zac Efron as the latest famous Byron Bay residents. </p> <p>Alison Brie, best known for her roles in TV series <em>Community</em> and <em>GLOW</em>, is in Australia filming her latest project, TV miniseries <em>Apples Never Fall</em> based on the best-selling novel by Australian author, Liane Moriarty, with her actor husband by her side. </p> <p>The actress’ Instagram page showcases plenty of moments of the couple’s happy new life in the popular coastal town, as well as pictures of them taking in the sights of Sydney and Melbourne, where they celebrated Franco’s birthday.</p> <p>The famous couple met in 2011 after being introduced by a mutual friend, and got married six years later during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.</p> <p>Byron Bay has long attracted high-profile celebrities looking for a slower pace of life. </p> <p>Chris Hemsworth brought plenty of attention and star power to the town back in 2014 when he purchased a 4.2 hectare property for $7 million.</p> <p>He and wife Elsa Pataky lived in the original eight-room home before knocking it down to build a $20 million mega-mansion.</p> <p>Zac Efron also famously rode out most of the pandemic living in the coastal town, while American actress Melissa McCarthy chose to base herself there for a small stint after wrapping up production on Nicole Kidman’s <em>Nine Perfect Strangers</em> TV series in 2021.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

International Travel

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Matthew McConaughey's surprising connection to Woody Harrelson

<p>Matthew McConaughey has shared a revelation about his relationship with his friend and Hollywood co-star Woody Harrelson. </p> <p>The acting duo, who notably shared the screen on the debut season of acclaimed crime drama <em>True Detective </em>in 2014, have been friends long before they ever acted on screen together. </p> <p>Now it has been revealed their bromance could have even greater ties, as the actors could be blood related. </p> <p>McConaughey, 53, and Harrelson, 61, are set to reunite on screen for an upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series, titled <em>Brother From Another Mother</em>, which triggered the conversation about their relationship. </p> <p>Appearing on the <em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-off-camera-with-kelly-ripa/id1676166337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa</a></em> podcast, McConaughey shared that the pair could actually share the same father.</p> <p>“You know, where I start and where he ends, and where he starts and I end, has always been like a murky line,” McConaughey began.</p> <p>He continued, “In Greece a few years ago, we’re sitting around talking about how close we are and our families,” McConaughey said. “And my mum [Mary Kathlene McCabe] is there, and she says, ‘Woody, I knew your dad’ … Everyone was aware of the ellipses that my mum left after ‘knew.’ It was a loaded ‘knew’."</p> <p>“We went on to unpack what this ‘knew’ meant and did some math and found out that [Harrelson’s] dad [Charles Harrelson] was on furlough at the same time that my mum and dad [James Donald McConaughey] were in their second divorce. Then there’s possible receipts and places out in West Texas where there might have been a gathering, or a meeting, or a ‘knew’ moment.”</p> <p>McConaughey said he and Harrelson are "on the precipice" of getting DNA testing done to uncover the truth, but McConaughey shared he has reservations because he’s spent “53 years believing” his dad James was his biological father.</p> <p>Both their fathers have passed away, with James dying of a heart attack in 1992, and Charles, a notorious US hit man and organised crime figure, also dying of a heart attack in his jail cell in 2007.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Fed up neighbours band together to boot out squatters

<p>A group of resourceful residents living in a cul-de-sac on the New South Wales Central Coast have banded together to kick out a mob of squatters who had been wreaking havoc on and in the vacated home of a disabled man.</p> <p>Walls had been destroyed, a car had been set alight – and the community had finally said they'd had enough.</p> <p>"For the last several months we've had squatters living in our cul-de-sac running a 24-hour a day, drive-through drug den," local resident Christy told A Current Affair.</p> <p>Christy claimed squatters and drug users have been a problem next door for years.</p> <p>"Lots of fighting, brawling, threats to kill each other, to shoot each other," she said.</p> <p>"(They say), 'Bitch better have my money', you know, constantly."</p> <p>Christy then told the programme that things had ramped up recently, and it all culminated in the lighting of a dangerous car fire.</p> <p>"The flames were like two storeys tall. My whole house reeks of burned tyres and we've all had enough. We all have little girls ... and we can't let our kids out," Christy said.</p> <p>"My partner woke me up in the morning (and said), 'Oh my god, there's a car fire' so we ran out and looked out the window and yeah, that was too far," another neighbour, Dean Rainback, said.</p> <p>Rainback said the fire was the final straw for him and his young family.</p> <p>"There's trees over there where the car is and that house right next door could have caught fire," he said.</p> <p>"I'm from Texas, we don't put up with this kind of crap," Christy said. "So we decided we would take things into our own hands and get them out ourselves."</p> <p>Christy said she gave her unwanted neighbours "a verbal warning" to let them know the "jig is up, we've had enough".</p> <p>"I also shouted it in the house - 'Tomorrow's the day. It's over'," Christy said.</p> <p>True to her word, Christy and the other neighbours confronted the squatters and kicked them out!</p> <p>The group of frustrated neighbours then surveyed the damage and were shocked by what they saw.</p> <p>After removing all the junk, they boarded up the house, so no one could get back inside.</p> <p>The unit belongs to a disabled man named Terry who is now living with his mother after disability support workers who were paid to care for him failed to do so.</p> <p>"I think that is a disgrace, that it has been left to neighbours to do this," she said.</p> <p>The neighbours have now organised a council pick-up to get rid of the squatters' mess.</p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Am I ever gonna see your face again? Nuanced and thoughtful, Kickin’ Down the Door puts The Angels back in the spotlight

<p>When I was a kid, my dad Max took me to basketball games at Melbourne’s Entertainment Centre. I’d wait in my plastic bucket chair as the cheerleaders shook their pom poms and the teams did lay ups. The music was loud, and around the time everyone had found their seats, one song would often come on. </p> <p>It opened with a wailing, single note guitar, followed by a chunky, palm muted riff, driving along until bursting into the chorus when the vocals would demand “Am I ever gonna see your face again?” And as I licked my lemonade icy pole I’d delight as the whole stadium would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/apr/15/australian-anthems-the-angels-am-i-ever-gonna-see-your-face-again">chant back</a> “No way, get fucked, fuck off.”</p> <p>I had no idea the band was called The Angels. I didn’t know they were supposed to be the next AC/DC but didn’t quite “make it”. The intense relationships at their core were lost on me. I was just delighted by how wild it felt, this song the audience owned, breaking rules, answering back. </p> <p>A new documentary, Kickin’ Down the Door chronicles Australian band The Angels across four decades, from suburban Adelaide to the gloss of <a href="https://themusic.com.au/news/iconic-alberts-music-studios-to-be-torn-down-to-make-way-for-luxury-apartments/wSnS1dTX1tk/08-10-15">Albert Studios</a>and beyond.</p> <p>The classic Oz rock vibe is omnipresent: dudes, riffs, volume. </p> <p>But this story’s star quality is how hard it works to showcase the band from both front of house and backstage, offering something far more nuanced than the well-thumbed tale of these national music icons.</p> <h2>Finding intensity</h2> <p>The documentary centres on the songwriting team of the Brewster brothers, vocalist Bernard “Doc” Neeson, and a revolving cast of drummers, bass players and producers. </p> <p>The themes are what you might like in a documentary about Australian rock ‘n’ roll: journeys to adulthood, mateship, resistance, lashings of hope, dollops of luck. Interviews from the band and their nearest and dearest sidle up against archival footage with cute animations bridging scenes. </p> <p>There’s the ubiquitous drop-in from a couple of international names to provide cred – thankfully a Bono-free endeavour. There’s a slither of pre-hat Molly Meldrum. The eye candy of 70s and 80s Aussie life abounds.</p> <p>The songs are central to Kickin’ Down the Door, but rock ‘n’ roll has always been about theatre, and front man Doc Neeson’s lead in creating an unsettling intensity at live shows lifted The Angels beyond the meat and potatoes of standard Oz rock.</p> <p>In one scene, the lighting guy talks about how Doc used silence and darkness as a tool of intensity – the antithesis of rock show bombast.</p> <h2>A complex portrait</h2> <p>Like The Angels did with rock ‘n’ roll, Kickin’ Down the Door offers a key change in the way it positions the people behind the scenes. Director Madeleine Parry has brought together a complex web of relationships pivoting on creative jubilation, obligation, devotion and estrangement.</p> <p>At an early gig, the Brewsters’ mother is recalled as dancing on a table in a “sea of blokes”. These were her boys, who could do no wrong.</p> <p>Mothers, girlfriends, wives and children are elevated close to the story’s centre, anchored within the nostalgic rhythm of white suburban Australian life to contrast with the band’s sprint – then marathon – to rock ‘n’ roll stardom. Beyond the band bubble, everyone’s sacrifice is apparent.</p> <p>“We all supplied the stability while they chased the dream,” says Neeson’s then partner. </p> <p>In bringing women to the front, Parry frames the main players as multi-dimensional, emotional and expressive. The intensity of volume, riffage and flamboyance sits in dialogue with each band members’ reflections to present the way that “performance” seamlessly slides across gender and genre.</p> <p>This deep thoughtfulness shines through the dizzying foray of complex legal and financial arrangements bands can be thrown into, setting them up with lifelong debt. </p> <p>This is the persistent myth of “luck” in rock ‘n’ roll. This myth grinds against the power imbalance inherent in an incredibly competitive, brutal and sometimes hedonistic global business culture. For decades, rock ‘n’ roll has relied on the exploitation of artists who sacrifice family, health, economic security and friendships to have sustainable careers.</p> <p>This documentary skilfully weaves the devastation that comes when these pressures evaporate years of work for bands and their teams. </p> <p>It isn’t so much a story about the big bad music industry swallowing up another Australian wanna be. Rather, it is a well-crafted assemblage of the pervasive way rock ‘n’ roll’s mystique works behind the scenes, prioritising profits over health and wellbeing, and the sustainability of artists and their families.</p> <h2>The sonic legacy</h2> <p>Undoubtedly the biggest names now in Australian guitar driven music – Amyl and the Sniffers, Courtney Barnett, King Gizzard &amp; the Lizard Wizard, Tame Impala – are part of the sonic legacy of bands like The Angels. </p> <p>But they also show a marked shift in how they do business when courting international markets, maintaining elements of independence and control that The Angels had no blueprint for.</p> <p>This current crop of bands also show we are on the road to far better gender representation of what contemporary rock music looks and sounds like. And in other genres, artists like Baker Boy, Genesis Owusu, Barkaa and Jaguar Jonze continue to contest and take ownership of “the sound” of Australian music. </p> <p>Incidentally, I never went on to play basketball. I picked up an electric guitar instead.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/am-i-ever-gonna-see-your-face-again-nuanced-and-thoughtful-kickin-down-the-door-puts-the-angels-back-in-the-spotlight-194057" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Music

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If you want your child to be more resilient, get them to join a choir, orchestra or band

<p>One of the most important qualities for a young person to develop is resilience. This involves their ability to overcome adversity. </p> <p>Resilience is perhaps more important now than ever. Today’s young people have been <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-youth-in-brief/contents/summary">facing adversity on a mass-scale</a>, thanks to COVID and all the disruptions to their education and social, home and working lives. </p> <p>The good news is, resilience is not just something you are born with. It <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/ca34a20a-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/ca34a20a-en#chapter-d1e10348">can be learned</a> from our experiences and interactions with others. </p> <p>Parents may not be aware that one way to develop resilience is through group music making, such as in a school or community choir, orchestra or band.</p> <h2>Our research</h2> <p>We wanted to investigate how group music making can develop skills beyond just learning to play an instrument or sing. </p> <p>Our <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project">study</a> is based on the Tasmanian Youth Orchestras, which include accomplished musicians aged from 14 to 25. This includes the state youth orchestra as well as two other orchestras, specialist ensembles and two choirs.</p> <p>For our project, we collected comments from players, managers and conductors/teachers on a closed Facebook site and then did eight follow-up interviews. </p> <p>Our findings show how qualities like teamwork, empathy and grit – all components of resilience – can be developed through group music making.</p> <h2>Teamwork</h2> <p>In order for a group of players to make a piece of music work, they have to work together. </p> <p>People have to listen to each other, understand what is happening around them, and be prepared to change how they play something (slow or fast, loud or soft) depending on how the group is performing. You need to be able to value the contributions of other people, not just your own. </p> <p>So, <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project/teamwork">we found</a> if you are playing in a band, you are learning team work skills. As David*, a conductor told us: "After a while, players realised that they were ultimately responsible to the other players not to the conductor."</p> <h2>Empathy</h2> <p>Players also need to be able to understand others in a group and share their feelings. </p> <p>In a choir or orchestra, the music making is a shared creative experience – that involves the whole body. And this is where <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project/empathy">empathy</a> comes in. </p> <p>Empathy, like teamwork, can be cumulative, growing over time through rehearsals and performances, as players and teachers support one another. As brass player Tom said, "I have to understand that I am not always going to be the main focus of a piece."</p> <p>Another player, Simon, told us about his realisation that other people were also having to work hard (and it wasn’t just about him). </p> <p>"You certainly aren’t the only person having to practise your doubles [playing two notes at once] for that piece."</p> <h2>Grit</h2> <p>It is important for young people to develop a “<a href="https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/">growth mindset</a>”, where they understand effort makes them stronger and learning is a long-term commitment.</p> <p>This is where <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project/grit">grit</a> also comes in: pursing a goal and sticking with it even if it takes a lot of work or gets difficult.</p> <p>It can take many months to learn a piece of music up to performance standard. And learning an instrument requires practice every day. So commitment is a key part of learning music. </p> <p>Lawrence, a player, told us about participating in his school musical, "There were many points throughout the year which I felt like giving up […] but it was something I had committed to […]. I kept working on playing the music to the best of my ability, even if it felt like I couldn’t do it."</p> <p>Tory, a choir conductor, described performance as both “safe and unsafe”. Young people in a choir learn to deal with the unexpected as part of performance. And this takes a kind a bravery. </p> <p>"You’ve got safety in numbers, to some extent, but you are still stepping into the unknown every time you walk on stage to do a thing. You can rely on each other, because you’ve rehearsed, but stuff does go pear shaped. Stuff happens […] It’s an incredibly useful life skill to be able to go, ‘well, that sucked’ […] and go, all right ‘let’s [go again]’."</p> <h2>Why music?</h2> <p>But what is so special about music in fostering resilience? Young people also work in sporting teams or academic assignments. They can also work together while playing games. </p> <p>Playing music provokes activity in many different parts of the brain at the same time. Listening to music that we like triggers the pleasure/reward centre of the brain. Dopamine and serotonin are released, resulting in that “feel good” sensation, and <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/this-is-your-brain-on-music-daniel-levitin/book/9780241987353.html?source=pla&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966B_bnNSq0206FOdSKqjfAEbrRWPkyKsh1tlY4v7eD1JGqZMB5qYGmoaAgmKEALw_wcB">providing an incentive</a> to keep engaging with music.</p> <p>Learning a musical instrument also <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2021/01/14/JNEUROSCI.1985-20.2020/tab-article-info?versioned=true">strengthens connections</a> in the brain, linking the auditory cortex to parts of the brain involved in the processing of complex information. This link has <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02023/full">been shown</a> to improve memory, motor functions and learning in other subject areas. </p> <p>Making music with others also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661313000491">affects levels</a> of the bonding hormone oxytocin, supporting a sense of togetherness, while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and boosting immune function.</p> <p>For young people, music can provide valuable respite from study and daily life, and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049732320944142">help</a> manage and express their emotions. </p> <p>So, if you want your child to be a team player who is empathetic and shows grit, our research suggests that joining a music group could be the answer.</p> <p><em>*names have been changed</em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-you-want-your-child-to-be-more-resilient-get-them-to-join-a-choir-orchestra-or-band-190657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Music

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Puzzle-cracking Matthew McConaughey fans could win tickets to meet him

<p dir="ltr">If you consider yourself a sleuth or a puzzlemaster you could have a chance to meet Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey when he touches down in Australia for an “off-grid” concert.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans hoping to see the <em>Dallas Buyers Club</em> actor at next month’s concert will need to identify the exclusive, secret location from a series of cryptic poems that will be shared on social media.</p> <p dir="ltr">Attendees of the concert, which will be headlined by Boy &amp; Bear, will be selected by the Aussie rock band.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-840c7e80-7fff-0519-3a62-0f7ca669d2c1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">McConaughey shared the news with fans in a statement, encouraging hopefuls to trust their instincts.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkJqaBSh4-6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkJqaBSh4-6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Wild Turkey Australia (@wildturkeyau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Trusting yourself, your instincts and spirit are the key to discovery and will always lead you down the right path in life, or a road up north,” the 52-year-old said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For this reason, Wild Turkey and Boy &amp; Bear are challenging Aussies to let go of the monotony of the last few years and let yourselves discover again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Discovery Series Acoustic Session fuels this spirit. However, it's more than discovery; it's for the love of the wilderness, and the enjoyment of bourbon and, most of all, music.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, sit back, check into the words and Trust Your Spirit – I'll be waiting patiently to congratulate those who take on the journey.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In a clip shared on social media, McConaughey described the event as a “very special evening out in nature”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Each of the clues will be posted on Wild Turkey’s official Instagram page.</p> <p dir="ltr">McConaughey has been involved with the bourbon brand since 2016, when he came on as its Creative Director and became the “chief storyteller”, according to the Wild Turkey website.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Wild Turkey has the history and qualities of a brand that depicts the dedication of someone to do something their own way – even if that way isn’t always the most popular,” McConaughey says on the site.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to help share their unique story.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-624508ed-7fff-371f-a062-e0a09cca888f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @officialmcconaughey (Instagram)</em></p>

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