Toni and Ryan - BONUS: Hunted winner and an INCREDIBLE story

Episode Date: August 20, 2022

Ryan is obsessed with the show 'Hunted', so we chat with *spoiler alert* the winner, Stathi! He shares with us the CRAZIEST story we've ever heard. If you need to catch up on Hunted or we've convinced... you to start watching, you can watch the Aussie season 01 on TenPlay. Love you! Toni xx Check out our Patreon at patreon.com/ToniandRyan, and make sure you join our Facebook Group! Find #ToniAndRyan on Instagram @tonilodge and @ryan.jon OR on TikTok @toni.lodge and @ryanjondunn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, it's Starthy from Hunted Australia and I approve this podcast. First of all, Tony, do you want to do a disclaimer because this is a very different episode for us? Yes. So we don't do guests. Never. Except for now. Except for now. Except for now.
Starting point is 00:00:26 So this is not a real episode. This is the boner episode. The boner episode. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, you've learnt the lingo. That's good. I went to my Brazilian today. So Ryan and I are chatting to somebody from his very favourite show.
Starting point is 00:00:41 Thank you. And basically I only agreed to this because then it meant that I got a favour up my sleeve. So the next time I watch a shit TV show, I'm allowed to ask for a favour. Just know that I requested you and Tony goes, cool, when Lord's in town, that'll be my one. I love that I'm in the same league as Lord. That's exactly what I was about to say.
Starting point is 00:00:59 I would have accepted Madonna or Britney, but Lord is totally there. Britney doesn't do press anymore. So we would love to chat about the TV show, Hunted. I don't know if it's Donna or Brittany, but it's totally there. Brittany doesn't do press anymore. So we would love to chat about the TV show, Hunted. Yes. And I've been corrected that it's not actually called The Hunted. I think I kept calling it The Hunted, which is a huge faux pas.
Starting point is 00:01:17 Not a true fan. But would you like to introduce our guest? The winner of season one who stole our hearts. Stathy, welcome to Tony, right? Thank you for having me. This is an honour. Now, straight off the bat, because this is what I think captured everyone's hearts, and I don't know if Tony knows this yet.
Starting point is 00:01:38 You won. You won a heap of money. I did. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. What are you doing with the money? Because this is going to melt everyone that listens to this podcast.
Starting point is 00:01:46 Starting with the big questions. Well, I'll dive straight into it as long as I can remember. From when I was like a young kid, I always wanted to get my needs done. So when I got my needs done, now I'm taller. No, I'm joking. Oh, my God. I was like, on what? She can call that was a joke.
Starting point is 00:02:04 Apparently it exists. You can make yourself taller. But no, I've made no issues Oh my God. I was like, I'm watching. It's a fake leg. That was a joke. Apparently it exists. You can make yourself taller. I've seen that TV. One thing I did have issues with was my dream of being a dad. And I am a single gay male, which poses biological challenges. I've tried with many ex-boyfriends and we still can't recreate. Doesn't work. How many times you finish up there, it still doesn't happen, huh?
Starting point is 00:02:21 I keep getting offers through Grindr subsequent to the show. I've never made it past a second date, but now I'm finally not being blocked as much as I used to. But I always knew, as long as I can remember that I wanted to be a dad, I always knew as long as I could remember that I'm a gay man, so I knew
Starting point is 00:02:37 that was not going to be an option for me, because when I grew up, I never saw that. There was very limited visibility in the 80s and 90s. I just gave away my age. In my embryo state. Yeah, so I saved for 10 years to buy, get a deposit to get an apartment and then to think I need to save for another 10 years
Starting point is 00:02:58 to save up a deposit to go through the surrogacy process. Like it was pretty tough financially. So when the opportunity to do 100 and potentially win prize money and put that towards my surrogacy process. Like it was pretty, pretty tough financially. So when the opportunity to do hunted and potentially win prize money and put that towards my surrogacy journey, that was my, that was my key motivator. And to give visibility to the community, I've had so many men reach out to me telling me how they've always wanted to be dads and they had given up on that dream, but seeing me fighting for it on national TV, I made them want me to win, but also reignited their passion for being dads. And just the visibility for people that that's something that people want
Starting point is 00:03:31 and that it is so out of reach purely because of the money for so many people. Absolutely. And surrogacy and fertility issues have always been covered from various perspectives. You do see a lot of hetero couples. You see a lot of females who are struggling with fertility, but not as much attention is given to single men or single gay men. People trying to adopt or whatever.
Starting point is 00:03:51 So it's been a great reception from people who have learnt more about my desires and dreams of being a dad, but also it's really exciting to be 25 grand closer to that. Absolutely. I was so emotional after the finale because it's one thing to like, oh, this is exciting, it's a TV show. But as soon as you told that story and they, obviously the editing, they re-taught that story like just sprinting for the finish line and I was just sitting on the, like screaming on the couch.
Starting point is 00:04:19 The cynical X Radio producer in me, as soon as you would have told that to them, they would have gone, fucking, yep. Let's go on in the finale. You have so many people out there who have their theories and like everything. You get your sceptics. But Matt and I were last-minute additions as well to the cast. So I think we were producers' favourites.
Starting point is 00:04:38 It also undermines, A, the struggle that we endured for 21 days. And we got there from pretty good strategy. We were planning and planning. And to say that, you know, there are people out there who suspect, oh, you just got there because of your narrative. That narrative made it more prominently into the show. That's not something that was apparent earlier on. So that gets a little frustrating when I'm addressing that particular thing.
Starting point is 00:05:00 But at the end of the day, I got there because I got cards to steal. Absolutely. I've been running away from responsibility for 35 years. So you've won season one. Congratulations. Congratulations. That's fucking huge. Congratulations.
Starting point is 00:05:11 I'm Hunted's biggest fan. Yeah. Tony watched her first episode about two hours ago. So instead of Stathie or myself explaining what this show is, Tony Lodge, what is Hunted? How does it work? Okay, so a heap of groups of two people, not necessarily couples romantically, but bunches of two people, they all agree to go on the run as fugitives, quote unquote, not actual illegal ones, but have to go underground, right? So you
Starting point is 00:05:44 have to hand over your phones and everything and all of your rights, basically. You get, what, $500 cash and all you can fit in a backpack. Correct. And that's all you could take with you. And then they were able to track you and they had access to your Facebook. Oh, no, actually, all they had was your first and last name and where you're from. The Hunters. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:05 Do you have to hand over your social media stuff? You do see it on episode one. I was handing over all of our devices. All your phones and stuff. So they're replicating those state powers of surveillance when it comes to social media, electronic devices, and also your name, I think your address, or not address, just area, and your age. Unfortunately, I've been telling people I'm 21 for years.
Starting point is 00:06:24 Here on the national TV. So Tony got pretty close there. That's pretty much it. Unfortunately, I've been telling people I'm 21 for years. Here on the national TV. So, Tony got pretty close there. That's pretty much it. Very, very close. And then there's a group of the world's best fucking detectives trying to find you. You took the words out of my mouth. The world's best fucking detectives and some pretty
Starting point is 00:06:40 handsome ones too. I just couldn't believe how intense it is to watch. I mean, it's helped with the music and stuff, but actually looking at the detectives doing their thing, I was like, wow, I cannot imagine doing that job. Yeah, it looks full on, right? I think I'm pretty good at finding, you know, single boys on Facebook,
Starting point is 00:06:58 but this is like a next level, right? I need to recruit you. What's your single gay male demographic? So I think what the best part of the show is, it's very easy as you're watching. This is my theory about why it's so popular. It's so easy to watch and go, what would I do? Everyone has that theory and everyone reckons they know
Starting point is 00:07:19 and obviously it's so much easier for us sitting on the couch. So I thought, what if Tony and I did it, right? This is my first thought. When? When they do the celebrity version, it's when you easier for us sitting on the couch. So I thought, what if Tony and I did it, right? This is my first thought. Now, Tony. When? When? When they do the celebrity version, it's when you're going to do it. They would not let us on a celebrity version.
Starting point is 00:07:33 But I first thought, oh, well, Tony between the two of us is like the stressor warrior and I'm more calm. And I was like, maybe Tony is too stressed. But now I think you need that person to be over. Because it's the paranoid people that go, no, we've got to move. So what's – That's exactly what I thought. I was like, actually, I wouldn't be good at the running.
Starting point is 00:07:53 You'd be better than those Gold Coast girls that kept falling over everything. But it's not at all about the run. You can be like an Olympic athlete, but you can't outrun a chopper or a cart. That's so true. So physical endurance, important. But the most important is strategy and gameplay. Yeah. And having complementary skill sets, absolutely.
Starting point is 00:08:09 So is that a good mix of one to be a bit more calm and one to be, because between the two of us, like, is that a good thing or is it a weakness of me being so chill because I'll just get caught and go, yeah, whatever. No, we'll just give you extra coffee and then that will elevate your car. But I reckon I'd be able to make a really good, like, snap decision. I'd be like, no, we need to leave. Whereas I think...
Starting point is 00:08:27 That's exactly what you need to be doing on the road. Where you'd be fucking staying at Vicky's house, like those two birds in the first episode. Vicky, she's got no fucking idea. She's like, oh, hello. Answering the phone. The cops are on the other end. Anyway.
Starting point is 00:08:40 One thing we need to ask is, and Tony and I were looking at, even though Tony's just watched the first episode, I sent a link to your dress-ups, which was called Kmart Drag. Let me get the headline here. Viewers mock extreme reality show Hunted Australia as a bumbling fugitive dresses up as a nonna in an op shop dress while trying to evade capture. What's the vibe of the article there, Tony?
Starting point is 00:09:03 So it's actually hilarious. Describe what Stathie's wearing. I think it's pretty flattering. I was described as the weirdest moment in Australian television in 2022. If that's a Logos category, I'm the winner. I was literally about to say that's gold, I think. So you are dressed in like a floral dress
Starting point is 00:09:19 and then you've got like a netting cover, which isn't that like for Greek mourners? I took everything out of my grandmother's wardrobe. So the weekend before, I said, hey, grandma, can you get me some lettuce from the backyard? And then just raided a wardrobe. And I had no idea that the netting was so visible because when I got the netting in the house, it looked like it was more opaque than it was.
Starting point is 00:09:43 But then in daylight with sunshine and light into my bald spot, I was like it was more opaque than it was. But you can actually see straight through it. In daylight with sunshine in light of my bald spot, I was like, oh, God. Because I think everyone went, oh, this is an exciting show, and then we went, hang on, you're taking the piss because when you're trying to blend in and not be recognised, you couldn't have stood out more. I think the other reality is as visible as that might have been, as long as you look something away from your own aesthetic. Even though I acknowledge it was a very, very small distance
Starting point is 00:10:13 from my aesthetic, but it was not Starthy in his Kmart cargo pants and boots walking down the street, which would have been the absolute most obvious. Maybe Nona was the second most obvious option. And whilst we went there to defy some stereotypes, we also went to conform to some. So are you going on RuPaul next? Is that what you're thinking?
Starting point is 00:10:33 I got the call yesterday. Fantastic. I just need to come up with a drag name, which we actually developed on the show, Avery Goodlay. I think I remember. But the hunters didn't know who Avery was. I remember. And that was funny. And so you were meeting up who Avery was. I remember. And I was like, oh. That was funny.
Starting point is 00:10:45 And when you were, so you were meeting up with the drag queen. Was that in Daylesford? That was, we went for the Chili Up Festival, which was a risky option. And that's when Matt got caught. Yeah. But we wouldn't change anything because the outcome at the end of the day. Oh, absolutely. You don't want to risk that.
Starting point is 00:10:59 But yeah. But when you were talking in drag name code, I was like watching, trying to figure out what the hell. And of course, because then you're confusing me, confusing the hunters. And that was the hunters were onto it. They're like, this is complete misinformation. They're just like throwing so much info out there. They don't know how to differentiate between truth, fact, fiction, reality.
Starting point is 00:11:17 And that was a major strategy going into it. Our codes with Catherine, our codes with Dean. If they were intercepting phone calls, I've done surveillance work in the past, they can't understand what we're talking about. I can't say combi van, I'm going to say chocolate. I can't say laneway behind the pub, I'm going to say where we first met Avery. So that having that awareness of what they might be doing,
Starting point is 00:11:37 I'm like, I've got to be two steps ahead. So how much time do you use? Like, are you weeks out strategising planning? Or how much time do you use? Like are you weeks out strategizing planning or what do you, like how much time do you have to figure it out? Everything was organized on the run. So nothing was organized in advance in our heads. We had decoys. Like ideas and stuff.
Starting point is 00:11:55 Our Ds, our disguises, our decoys and our diligence, not the other Ds which many people have thought. We had that as well. On the night of the 21st. But yeah, so we had that in our mind that we were constantly going to be using decoys and disguises in various ways and throwing a lot of information out there. So they didn't know what we were doing. But then the other thing in retrospect, when you start reflecting, you're like, there's also an element of we didn't know what we were doing.
Starting point is 00:12:25 So we would wake up in the morning and be like, hey, Matt, where are we going? And he's like, I've got no idea. And then I'm like, that's good because if you don't, nor do the hunters. Yeah, true. But season two, three, four, and all the other seasons, they're going to have that awareness.
Starting point is 00:12:36 They're going to be thinking a bit too much, which I think might be their worst enemy. But it was something that kind of was difficult and it caused a lot of anxiety and paranoia, but as a gameplay strategy it was brilliant. Yeah, of course. So in the final scene when you're running to the helicopter, basically the helicopter is the same as any video game.
Starting point is 00:12:56 There's that one moment of that's where you've got to get to. And so we've heard your story about using the money for surrogacy. You can see the helicopter in the distance. You're sprinting after after it and then we see the hunters who also can see the helicopter and it's like a sprint and holy shit my spanakopita's coming back yeah every time i think of that moment every emotion yeah and i was scared after we finished filming i was like i've never done tv is that actually going to capture the intensity of that scene? Like my anxiety, my pressure in that moment. I got a blood nose that morning. Like I was so stressed.
Starting point is 00:13:29 I remember that, yeah. I just couldn't stop bleeding. By the way, that guy threw you under the bus. Oh, there were a few buses. Yeah, far out. But so you've got a blood nose and you're running and you've got a backpack and I've seen you go, it's the end. You just toss the backpack away.
Starting point is 00:13:41 Piff the backpack. Yeah, and just run for it. Piff anything and just run because at that point it was literally two minutes so from when you get to the helicopter when you watch the cut it looks like they're three seconds behind you in reality like how close were they so we had that 10 minute window that the show covered that you had to get there from 12 50 to 1 o'clock and at 12 55 i was two blocks away and I was going to start that sprint. But my helper had gone to the corner and saw a group of hunters. And I was like, they're right there.
Starting point is 00:14:12 So I was like, I can't navigate this way. So that's when you see me bolt in the opposite direction, piff my bag. And at that point, I was like, I've got to go a block away from where they were. And then when I intersect on that main street and potentially bump into them or they see me, just trust your legs. And at that point, that's when I see them on the road and see the others when I hit the sand on my periphery. So I'm not stopping and actually looking to confirm who and how many. But on your periphery, you can see. Black T-shirts, keep going, keep your eyes down. We had no visual at that point.
Starting point is 00:14:42 Like we hadn't met or inter... Oh, I did see Matt's hunters. So correction. I had the idea that... But it hadn't been coming for you. Yeah. So then to like have that on your periphery and I've seen all the foreign versions
Starting point is 00:14:53 and in the UK, they've caught everyone. They've caught people two metres before the extraction point. I knew that was a possible reality. There's no like, oh, he's got close enough. Yeah. So I was like, am I going to be that guy? And I could see Rob in the chopper. I was like, they've already got a winner. Yeah, they. A possible reality. There's no like, oh, he's got close enough. Yeah. So I was like, am I going to be that guy? And I could see Rob in the chopper.
Starting point is 00:15:06 I was like, they've already got a winner. Yeah, they don't need me. I was like, oh, shit. And I don't even know what I was speaking or saying. I hear it now and it was like I was speaking in tongues. I don't even know what sounds were coming out of my mouth, but it was all captured on screen. And I was like, oh, God, that was like so accurate, that moment.
Starting point is 00:15:25 The anxiety of that. I was just bolting and I was like, oh, God, that was like so accurate, that moment. The anxiety of that. I was just bolting and I was like, ooh, ooh. Because in your head you're like, oh, like literally I'm metres away from starting this journey. Like in a few months I could be in Europe and making appointments with clinics and my entire life can take a 180 depending on what happens in the next three seconds. Like that's such a big, whew. That's terrifying.
Starting point is 00:15:45 I would have thrown up. Honestly, I actually think that I would have just passed out and been like, you know what, I don't want the money. I don't want the money. So Tony and I have both worked as producers and behind the scenes of different bits and pieces. And I guess I'm seeing this show and I think it looks great, you're on the run, you're in disguise,
Starting point is 00:16:03 but you've got a camera guy following you around. Is that like a massive hindrance or is it a help when you approach strangers? I love when this comes up in conversation because it's very easily addressed with two thoughts. A, if they can see the cameraman, the hunters have already hunted you for reasons unrelated to the cameraman. the hunters have already hunted you for reasons unrelated to the cameraman. It's not like I could have 300 cameramen and a Madonna live show at the Great Ocean Road, but if the hunters are in Melbourne, they don't know that unless I cross CCTV, I use my phone, someone from the public rats me out.
Starting point is 00:16:37 And then the second reason, when it gets to that point where you get the visibility, they're being filmed. Of course. This works both ways. People forget that at that point, obviously, you need to capture it. Because they're being filmed. Of course. Like this works both ways. Like people forget that, yeah, at that point, yeah, obviously you need to capture it. Because they're undercover as well. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:50 And the alternative, do you want an audio book on Channel 10 next year? Yeah, exactly. If you get no cameras, that's what you're getting. Well, I've literally written down here. Hunted podcast, 2023. And then Starkey ran and he ran. You can't make a great show without great footage. You can't make a show without footage.
Starting point is 00:17:07 Exactly. So is there a little bit of like, oh, when you run across that bridge, can you go again and we'll film from the other direction and that kind of stuff? No, because Matt and I are perfectionists. We always get it right the first time. But was there any of that where they were like, oh, you running out of that building, we didn't quite get it,
Starting point is 00:17:23 could you do it again? Like was there any of that? Not for us. I don't running out of that building, we didn't quite get it. Could you do it again? Like was there any of that? Not for us. I don't know what other experiences were, but we were – because on this show you don't really have the luxury of time. And it's also like, mate, I've got 50 grand on the line. I'm not going to do – Exactly, I'm not pausing here to like accommodate this.
Starting point is 00:17:37 I'm just running. And being involved in the first season, that complete unaware, unknown, like as you progress, you see the hunters when Matt got caught and you get those interactions. But at the beginning, you don't know if there's 100, you don't know if there's 10, you don't know if there's 50. You assume they're going to be like in military operational gear. You don't know that.
Starting point is 00:17:57 You don't know what kind of cars they're driving. So all of a sudden you're just paranoid when there's any car. You're paranoid when there's any person, even a random member of the public who's just like, you know, offering you coffee. Leave me alone, Hunter. I can only imagine how anxious the camera people would have been as well because they're worried that they're going to miss an amazing moment.
Starting point is 00:18:20 So they're kind of like there's a scene in the first episode where they were running after the old birds that got caught in the first one and there's like a wheelie bin and like the cameraman like jumps over a wheelie bin and i was like holy cannoli can you imagine having been running behind and you're like if you miss something like can you imagine how angry the fucking tv bosses would have been if you stack it over the wheelie bin and you miss the shot of you know know. And the credit where credit's due. Like, again, not knowing anything about TV production, but to do what they did, to produce and create what they did in that,
Starting point is 00:18:52 like, logistically, I start to think about it. Every other show. How much footage they would have had to go through. Survivor, Amazing Race, Big Brother, every other reality genre has a format, has a structure. This doesn't even have a structure. We wake up in the morning and Matt and I choose where we're going. How did they plan for that?
Starting point is 00:19:10 Like, how did you produce that? Like, your teams could literally, oh, wait, we weren't allowed to go to Mykonos. I tried. So is it the same camera person the whole time? Yeah, we had our BFF now who's like family. I was going to say, do you, obviously it's not on the show, but the reality of the three of you being on the road, you'd have to develop a sort of friendship relationship. I'm that poor man stuck with
Starting point is 00:19:29 Matt and I all that time. He's a changed man now, he needs therapy. So you don't ignore them, obviously when it's night and you go into bed, they need a place to stay as well. They're with you 24-7. They're your protection, they're your cameraman, they're making sure that everything's by the book
Starting point is 00:19:45 and you don't escape and go get funds from someone or do something. So they're sort of a camera slash... Security. Yeah, keeping an eye on to make sure the rules are being... You've got to make sure everyone's adhering to the rules and it's a fair game for everyone. Of course, yeah. If you just let people off in the wild with GoPros,
Starting point is 00:20:00 then what's stopping them from breaking the rules? That's very true. That's not their advantage and that's not going to be enjoyable. You want to actually see people use the 500, use the card that they've given it. And do the right thing, yeah. So when it's all said and done, is that camera person, like obviously it's their job and whatever,
Starting point is 00:20:17 but like are they pumped that you won? Oh, hell yeah. Yeah. Because now I'm taking them to Mykonos. It was such a good vibe and the staff involved and everyone that we work with, it was just, yeah, really. Even all the Fugees, I keep comparing to other shows where everyone's competing against each other.
Starting point is 00:20:36 Technically, 18 people could have got to that chopper. It would have had to be a really big chopper. Yeah, yeah. But you're not competing with these Fugees, so we've got this shared experience and we've all connected now and it's just really great. That's so nice. It's like the first season of Big Brother where they didn't know
Starting point is 00:20:49 what this was going to be like. Yeah, real uncharted territory. Completely uncharted, yeah. So there was a lot of like I mentioned on the pod a few weeks ago, a lot of manly man kind of vibe from the hunters, some pretty shit language to be honest from some of the fujis the like people the security people like whatever they're fucking called um i was just like oh so once you've seen because obviously you don't know at the time you're just running for your life but now that you've like watched the show back does it increase the sense of like
Starting point is 00:21:17 yourself a gay man rob a bigger boy is there this nice satisfying like, like, sucked in smug? The smile has not left my face. Yeah, I bet. You fucking deserve that. Selfies every night and I've been tagging all the hunters. And I'm like, wait until I come back next year as a hunter and I catch all the fugitives. So then I outlasted you guys and I did your job for you next year. So you actually want to flip sides because you love the show?
Starting point is 00:21:44 You want to go and be a... I love it. Like I'm so obsessed with the format. And I know Jake is a police officer in WA with my surveillance background. I keep saying to Jake, let's do it. Team Foxy Foxtrot, you and I, let's pitch this. That'd be mad not to because what a twist. And the fact that you guys did well, it's not like, oh,
Starting point is 00:22:00 someone that was on for an episode wanted to do something. And I think it'd bring a little bit of a different colour and flamboyant energy to Hunter HQ. And it needs it, to be honest. Yeah. So say if Tony and I are doing it next year, what's like... If. This is a huge if.
Starting point is 00:22:17 Did you get your audition video in? No, not yet, no. What's one thing that Tony and I could do that would, like, help our chances of winning this show? Oh, like strategy no. What's one thing that Tony and I could do that would, like, help our chances of winning this show? Oh, like strategy on the road. Strategy on the road or even just like you said, because you know we're very different, like where do we lean? Like what's the –
Starting point is 00:22:35 I won't go down the triple D because we've spoken about it. Yeah, triple D, yeah. I'll, like, pass the parcel, trail mail. Don't rely on digital communication. Get an envelope and put an envelope in that envelope and put an envelope in that envelope and put an envelope in that envelope and then distribute that to people
Starting point is 00:22:53 and give them instruction inside, maybe with codes, and make sure that that gets delivered to people hand in hand. Maybe have a USB in there and maybe in that USB have images of you from various parts of the state. Get them to create fake social media for you. Like maybe an Instagram account that didn't exist eight months ago. Hypothetically speaking, that's what I'd do.
Starting point is 00:23:12 Interesting. That's very interesting. People are fucked if you're a hunter next season. You'll be thinking of everything, every piece of paper. You're like, that's them. That's them. I've always used my background in very strange ways. There was this one time that I had 10 grand stolen from me.
Starting point is 00:23:27 What? It was this crazy story. Like in real life? In real life. So I closed the bank account and I withdrew 10 grand from this bank account. And I was going to take it to my other bank, but I had a barber appointment in the meantime. Wearing my black North Face backpack, i sat down at the barber shop my favorite barber in the world finish off he gets my backpack and i'm like jack that's not my backpack and he
Starting point is 00:23:51 goes what i'm like that's not my backpack he goes oh the guy sitting next to you had a black north face backpack too and i was like jack i had 10 grand in there and he's like what are you doing with 10 grand in your back yeah i mean fair question yeah fair question um and then did he know that he stole it or was it a mistake? It was a mistake, accident. But, oh, the story continues. And then the barbershop calls this guy and he says, oh, my God, yeah, this is in my backpack.
Starting point is 00:24:16 I'm in South Bank. I'm like two minutes away from the barbershop. I'll be right over. And this was 5 p.m. Yeah. Quarter past five, 5.30. Because he's had a squeeze, right? Because he goes, what the fuck's in this backpack that he wants so bad?
Starting point is 00:24:27 He sounds a bit stressed. Gets to 6pm. He comes into the barber store with my backpack. He hands over my backpack. And the first thing I do is open this zip. Yeah. And look where the cash was. Of course.
Starting point is 00:24:40 Empty. But it's the same guy. Same guy. Same guy. The gall. And I just said, oh, I think there was something in here. And he goes, no, this is how I found the backpack. And in that moment, I pause the story and tell everyone,
Starting point is 00:24:53 what would you do in that scenario? Like if we were you? Yeah, if you were me in that scenario. Well, there is no like, oh, this is what I – it's like I do know for a fact. I'm not – you know, that there was actually stuff in there. You've been – do your citizens are – like what can you do? Do you respond with emotion? Do you respond with violence?
Starting point is 00:25:12 Call the police. So many options. But no one has said they would do what I did. And that's why you won the show. So what did you do? In that moment, I looked him in the eyes and I said, I'm so sorry, mate. I'm losing my mind.
Starting point is 00:25:26 It's been a long day. There was nothing in there. Enjoy. Have a great day. Bless you. What the fuck? And then he left. But what he didn't know is in the hour I was in the barbershop,
Starting point is 00:25:37 I went through all his identity documents. Oh, because you had his bag. I had his bag. So I started hypothesizing what could happen. I'm like, what if this guy doesn't come back? I need to have a plan B and plan C and plan D. And this is why I won Hunter Australia Season 1. So he leaves, but in addition to having his info,
Starting point is 00:25:54 I needed him to be so complacent and think that I was absolutely insane because if he was onto me, he would have either left it at a mate's place. Stashed it, got rid of it. Stashed it, done something. I spent the next week surveilling this residence, making sure I knew how many people he lived with, what his movements were like, when he came, when he went. Because my only goal in this moment was I need my 10 grand. That money back.
Starting point is 00:26:18 Absolutely. Like, this is 10 grand. I was working for like $12 an hour in APS. Like, come on. And after confirming his movements, when he was gone, when he wasn't, he lived on a laneway and would always leave the bedroom window open. I literally entered and opened his desk drawer and my ANZ envelope was in the top drawer with the same elastic bands.
Starting point is 00:26:41 Holy shit. And what's he going to do? Go to the cops? What's he going to do? Go to the cops? He's like stolen 10 grand from me. Holy shit. So then I he going to do? Go to the cops? What's he going to do? Go to the cops? He's like stolen 10 grand from me. Holy shit. So then I took my cash back.
Starting point is 00:26:48 Are you okay, Tony? That morning, I also ate food that really, really doesn't sit well. Oh, you didn't! He shat in his bed. In his bed, I lifted the doona cover. You didn't! You didn't! Yes!
Starting point is 00:27:00 This is the best story involving a barber this podcast has ever heard. And then I closed the bed sheet and now he's probably maybe, yeah, he's listening because you guys have millions of listeners and they are Australian. Oh, my God. And again, what's he going to do? What's he going to do? You stole $10,000 from me, mate.
Starting point is 00:27:17 I needed it back. I didn't break anything. I didn't steal anything. I took my $10,000 back. I don't think I've ever been quiet for this long. No. I am genuinely speechless. What psychotic behaviour.
Starting point is 00:27:31 I mean, it paid off. Yeah. 10 grand. Yeah, I mean. Like, it fucking paid off, but that's pretty crazy, eh? I don't know if I want to piss you off. Wait until I'm a hunter. Yeah, far out.
Starting point is 00:27:44 People think I'm just a gay. I watch RuPaul's Drag Race but I also watch Mission Impossible. Well now I've just realised not just anyone can be in this show. You've been five steps ahead. I don't have that razor sharp brain, I don't think.
Starting point is 00:28:00 I don't think I could be that cutthroat. But fucking good on you. But then again, you wouldn't be dumb enough to go to a barber and leave $10,000 on the ground. Exactly. Very, very valid point. I also wouldn't steal $10,000 from somebody. Yeah, true.
Starting point is 00:28:13 I think my moment where I was like, now I'm on a mission, is when they looked me in the eyes and said, no, there was nothing there. It's like, you don't know whether that money was used for a child, for medical treatment, whether that was my grandmother's. Like you have no awareness of that. And for them to like look you in the eye and lie, I was like, no, I'm getting this money back. Fuck, that's crazy.
Starting point is 00:28:33 Now I'm on a mission. Well, screw your hunting. That's the best story I've heard on this podcast. No, no, no, I've got a question. Yeah? Have you never gone back to the barber? No, it's my favourite barber in the world. Because what if you cross paths with this guy again?
Starting point is 00:28:46 I don't think he's ever making his face. Yeah, he's still the bad guy. He's probably more worried than you. Yeah. I reckon he's left the country and he's now living in the Cayman Islands. Yes, I hope so. Not with your money. Darthy, thanks so much for coming in, man.
Starting point is 00:28:58 Like I said, I was obsessed with the show. So good. So good. I can't believe that. If anybody hasn't watched the show, this is so good. I can't believe that. If anybody hasn't watched the show, they definitely will now. Like having listened to the behind the scenes stuff and hearing how fucking crazy you are.
Starting point is 00:29:11 Spoiler alert. Starfy does alright. Yeah. Spoiler alert. Spoiler alert. But you can watch it on 10 Play. Yeah. And if you're not in Australia,
Starting point is 00:29:20 you can get a VPN or something like that. That sounds like your problem. But thank you for listening and thank you for coming in and thank you for the spanicopter that I'm going to go and fuck with that you brought in. Thank or something like that. That sounds like your problem. But thank you for listening and thank you for coming in and thank you for the spanocopter that I'm going to go and fuck with that you brought in. Thank you for having me.
Starting point is 00:29:29 I've been going to bed with you the last couple of weeks. Congratulations. Oh, thank you. Hopefully it wasn't the bed you're shouting. I must admit sometimes I fell asleep before you were finished, Ryan. I do that sometimes too. Not in the podcast. Love you, bye.
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