No Comments Written by Dilja Thorpe on April 10, 2010 – 10:00 am

Randy is the creation of puppeteer Heath McIvor, who along with Sammy J has been travelling around the world with their side-splitting show Sammy J in the Forest Of Dreams.  The two have recently returned to Melbourne’s stages with Sammy J and Randy in Rickett’s Lane.  Although the crew are busy being fabulously hilarious at this year’s Melbourne international Comedy Festival, they sent along the felted, spotlight hugger Randy the to answer some of our questions.

Randy, you’re a pretty schmoozy guy, how did you befriend a human [Sammy J]?
I resent the use of the word schmoozy, but if you must know I met Sammy on RSVP.com.  Skinny man and puppet together at last…

It seems that amongst your crew, Sammy J is a bit of a token human, how is this received amongst your puppet mates?
I don’t really hang out with puppets, they’re mostly wankers.  Plus Sammy J is a bit of a token human amongst the human community as well, so there’s little-to-no social variation in whichever circle we happen to co-habitate at any given hour of the day.

You guys seem like a bunch of pissheads, off stage what do you get up to?
Sammy is bordering on tea-totaller, but he still carves up the dance floor like no one I know.  I usually busy myself confirming the common misconception that anyone who works in comedy is an alcoholic.

What do you think of the muppets? Are they sell-outs?
The muppets are good eggs.  I don’t think they’re sell outs, we’ve all had to make certain creative sacrifices since Jim died.

Was last year’s Edinburgh Fringe festival your first time overseas?
Last year was my second time at the Edinburgh Fringe.  I was freighted back in a road-case on a cargo ship.  It took about 6 weeks and I hated every fucking second of it.  This year I’m going to check myself into oversized luggage and be done with it.

So you went to Edinburgh’s Fringe festival last year, is the Lonely Planet’s ‘Europe on a Shoestring’ a helpful guide for a puppet?*
That book is a shameless cash grab from self important wankers that ruin the otherwise spotless image of the modern day backpacker.  So yeah, it worked a treat.

Being a purple puppet, how did you find getting through Customs? Did they assume that you were filled with drugs?
Assume? [rolls eyes].

What’s your earliest childhood memory?
Being thrown into a scenery flat at the age of seven by my father in his travelling sideshow act.  My mother would play the bassoon side-stage. I could take a pie in the face like Fatty Arbuckle on his best day. Good times…

Do you get anxiety before you go on stage?
No, I usually just get loaded.

What do you love most about Melbourne?
Tequila bars in the inner northern suburbs and the smell of Abbotsford at 3am on a balmy summers’ evening.

Are you a bit of a ladies man?
I’m always confused by that expression.  I enjoy having sex with women if that’s what you mean…

We heard Heath went over to do some puppet workshops with kids in Cambodia, did he take you with him, or did you have to stay at home? How did he go over there?
I was still stuck on the aforementioned cargo ship while Heath was trailing his pinky toe in the Kampot river, sipping a gin and tonic and waffling on about how he’s changing the world one puppet making workshop– for disadvantaged Cambodian children– at a time.

What’s your relationship like with Heath? Do you find him to be a bit controlling?
Heath and I are back on speaking terms now but we rarely hang out when we’re not at work.  I think he’s selling life insurance to make ends meet at the moment.

Randy, last year you starred in your debut solo show ‘Postcards from Purgatory”, do you prefer having the spotlight or are you happy to share it with co-star Sammy J?
I really enjoyed doing the solo show but there is something about a pre-show vocal warm up with Sammy J that fills my felty little soul with joy.
You may or may not still be able to catch these guys at the comedy festival.  But there’s always YouTube!