Will Connolly - Egg boy
Will became well-known after standing up to Fraser Anning's shameful comments surrounding the mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Since, Will has raised almost $100,000 for Christchurch Foundation and Victim Support, as well as acting as a beacon of positivity in the aftermath of the Christchurch tragedy.
Will is an advocate for mental health, youth homelessness, and hardship, among many other social justice issues.
Will on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willconnolly__
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“Life is never as pure as when you're helping people, because I've had that, I've had like that bit of fame, I've partied, I've played like high-level baseball.”
“I felt like the least loneliest person and but the most loneliest person at the same time because everyone's coming up to you wherever you go.”
“I could see myself running down and it's like, oh, what's that in my pocket? That's a heroin addiction shit. Like, it's not fulfilling, you know?”
“I've learned like a lifetime's worth in 8 months.”
“I don't care about money. Like, honestly, my goal in life is to be spiritually rich, not rich.”
What should schools teach that they currently don't?
Will Connolly suggests schools should teach deeper connection with others and yourself, remove the pressure of marks/scores, and let students explore and find their passion rather than breeding ego through competition.
How do you decide which advice to follow when everyone has opinions after you become famous?
Will Connolly says he filters advice by checking whether it feels right or wrong inside himself, rather than following whatever people (like friends pushing t-shirt lines or brand deals) suggest.
Connolly describes attending a climate rally, watching footage of the Christchurch shooting, reading Anning's statement blaming victims, and deciding to egg Anning after a tip-off that he'd be speaking in Moorabbin the next day.
Connolly recounts walking up to Anning, being slapped and tackled, staying calm while being held down by bystanders, and police driving him to lunch rather than arresting him.
A stranger set up a GoFundMe for Connolly's potential legal costs that grew from $300 to nearly $100,000; Connolly chose to donate the money rather than keep it for himself.
Connolly describes calling his boss, who didn't understand English well or know what had happened, to say he couldn't come into work because media were following him.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
After the Christchurch mosque shootings, Anning released a statement blaming Muslim immigration and saying victims were "not blameless." Connolly, upset by the comments, found out via a Facebook tip that Anning was speaking nearby in Moorabbin the next day, went to listen, and after Anning made further racist remarks, decided to egg him.
From episode 497→He donated it rather than keeping it, saying he would have felt it was unjust to keep money that wasn't legitimately his, even though in hindsight he admits it would have been nice to keep a little for his schoolies budget.
From episode 497→He felt increasingly isolated, becoming known only as "Egg Boy" despite feeling there was more depth to him; he described feeling like the loneliest and least lonely person simultaneously, with people constantly approaching him but not for who he really was.
From episode 497→Every episode featuring Will Connolly on The Daily Talk Show.
