Australian Entertainment & Street Reporter
Brad Blanks is a hapless US Celebrity hunter who does everything he can to nail the hottest celeb interviews, often resulting in failure. Thanks to his unique self-depreciating style, he's made it work for himself!
Brad's Website:
www.bradblanks.com
Brad on Instagram:
@bradblanks
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“I thought, how good's America? Well, what a country.”
“I look like a guy that stormed the White House 3 weeks ago.”
“95% of the people just get on with life.”
“Hey, isn't it weird how we've got to a stage where we're rooting for Joe Exotic to get a pardon?”
“I come in peace.”
“Why would you buy a baseball team? Because really, the pinnacle of owning a baseball team, the pinnacle of a feeling, not necessarily owning it, is to sit in a seat, have a beer, eat a hot dog, and watch baseball.”
“It's like that whole thing when you do a meeting and then you leave the meeting, go to the bathroom, and then you get the elevator with the same person you had the meeting with. It's like you've already done your goodbyes.”
“I think I caused about 3 traffic accidents as well and shut down the whole of North New Jersey during that stunt.”
What should you do when an interview or conversation goes badly wrong?
Brad says the only way to recover is to come up with a funny or entertaining question about two minutes later; if you can land that, you can get back on track quickly.
How do you secure good guests for interviews?
Build trust with publicists over years by signalling the interview will be fun, easy and quick, avoiding gossip or any sense you're trying to set the guest up — publicists are protecting their client's reputation, so they need to trust you.
What's a good fallback question to end a difficult interview on a high note?
Ask the subject for advice (e.g. 'do you have any advice for me?') — Brad says this works about 85% of the time to get a laugh or warm response and finish on an upbeat note.
How do you stay motivated when you're low energy or not getting ahead in a public-facing career?
Treat it as a self-psyching game: you never know where you stand in your career or ambition, so just keep turning up even when flat, because you might stumble into a breakout moment (e.g. interviewing an unknown who becomes huge the next week).
How should you think about your own ambitions during a crisis like a pandemic?
Brad suggests that your pre-crisis ambitions and 'mapping' of goals no longer apply in the same way, and that you need to recalibrate what you're trying to achieve while still holding onto your underlying passion for your work.
Brad recounts attending Bill Clinton's second inauguration in 1997 as a backpacker (partying with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders at the St. Elmo's Fire bar), Obama's inauguration (partying with elderly women from Alabama), and now Biden's locked-down 2021 inauguration.
Brad describes driving a minivan 6.5 hours from New York City, stopping overnight in Philadelphia where his hotel overlooked the site of the Declaration of Independence signing and the Liberty Bell.
Brad takes Josh and Tommy on a live phone video tour from his hotel through multiple military checkpoints toward the White House, passing soldiers, a BLM street mural, and meeting a camper named Smokey Sims near the final barricade.
Brad Blanks sings the radio jingle for his father's caravan business, Cobram Caravans, which used to run across country Victoria radio stations, and reminisces with Tommy about Shepparton.
Brad Blanks describes living in a trade-deal hotel suite across from Madison Square Garden for six and a half years and hosting roughly 150 visiting Australians, including Mr. 97, in fold-out beds.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
According to Brad Blanks, the city was on deep lockdown with empty streets, heavy military and National Guard presence, checkpoints requiring hand checks, and almost no members of the public visible, following the January 6 Capitol riot.
From episode 941→No. Brad Blanks explains Trump skipped the event, reportedly the first sitting president not to attend an inauguration in about 150 years, instead organizing his own farewell departure ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base.
From episode 941→He drove a minivan roughly 6.5 hours from New York City, breaking up the trip with an overnight stay in Philadelphia before arriving in D.C.
From episode 941→In 2007, as a sidekick on the Scott and Todd Show on WPLJ, Brad Blanks dressed in an expensive fibreglass-and-hessian Elmo suit and travelled 21 miles through the suburbs of New Jersey — 7 miles on a kid's BMX, 7 miles on a scooter, and 7 miles jogging — crossing four counties with rotating police escorts, and claims he caused about three traffic accidents along the way.
From episode 712→At a 300-person Coldplay event at New York's China Club, Brad asked Chris Martin's associate Johnny if he'd host a cigar night for Chris's next baby. Chris Martin stopped the event and told Brad that was a personal question he couldn't ask in that environment, leaving Brad mortified and sweating, calling it one of the most painful experiences of his career.
From episode 712→Brad says it's largely a publicist's game built on reputation over years — making it clear interviews will be fun, easy and quick, and avoiding any sense that you're chasing gossip or trying to set up the guest, so publicists trust you with their clients.
From episode 712→According to guest Brad Blanks, streets emptied rapidly in the days before lockdown, people carried hand sanitizer and Lysol sprays, trains and Penn Station cleared out, and by mid-March hospitals like Elmhurst in Queens were overwhelmed, with tents serving as makeshift morgues in hospital car parks and later in Central Park.
From episode 655→Brad Blanks said friends across the political spectrum generally found Governor Andrew Cuomo's daily press conferences more matter-of-fact and reassuring than Trump's, noting Cuomo had become something of a sex symbol for his calm authority, while Trump focused more on his press conference ratings and made legally dubious statements like threatening to quarantine New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
From episode 655→Mentioned on 13 episodes Bradwasn’t on.
Mentioned as a generous past guest on Hump Day Replay who required a paid hotel stay due to poor internet.
A friend living in New York who Tommy jokingly tries to FaceTime to illustrate social media's connective power.
Tommy references a red carpet reporter from Hamish and Andy's show as a comparison for natural, unscripted interviewing style.
American radio personality and longtime collaborator of Dan Ilic's, featured in the Sundance jet story and the Heath Ledger scoop.
Referenced as someone the hosts spoke to in America about salary requirements and the use of nannies.
Referenced as someone they reached out to for the podcast, part of the 'putting yourself out there' theme.
Referenced as the previous day's podcast guest, an Aussie they met in New York.
Every episode featuring Brad Blanks on The Daily Talk Show.
Brad Blanks joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 941 (19 January 2021) — "Brad Blanks Live From Washington DC". Brad Blanks joins us from Washington DC the evening before Biden's Inauguration! We chat about the current vibe in America, Trump's farewell party, what Brad's children think of politics, and Brad takes us on a walk around the streets of DC!
Brad Blanks joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 725 (9 May 2020) — "Josh Piterman & Brad Blanks - 24 Hour Live Stream". Josh Piterman and Brad Blanks are back! We chat to Josh about his role in The Phantom Of The Opera, how COVID-19 has impacted the arts and his phone call with Josh Frydenberg about artists in this time. We're then joined by Brad Blanks again! We reminisce about our New York trip in 2018, intervi...
Brad Blanks joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 712 (3 May 2020) — "Brad Blanks - 24 Hour Live Stream". Brad Blanks is back! We chat about Brad's old radio stunts, what isolation has been like, stories from celebrity interviews, and his high energy!
Brad Blanks joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 655 (30 March 2020) — "Checking In With Brad Blanks". Brad Blanks is back and live from New York! We chat about what the feeling has been like recently in New York City, job security, how entertainment has been impacted, and the silver linings in a time like this.
Brad Blanks joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 186 (1 October 2018) — "Brad Blanks Makes Moments". Brad Blanks is an Aussie who has spent over 18 years in New York City interviewing some of the biggest celebrities in the world. He's done it with a unique self-deprecating style, seeing him move his way up the red carpet position. You may recognise him from Hamish & Andy's radio show where ...