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[0:00] Anthony Field: G'day there. I'm Anthony Field from The Wiggles. The Blue Wiggle. And you're listening to The Art of Kindness and what a great, great, great show it is.

[0:16] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to the Art of Kindness, where we have compassionate conversations with artists from all areas of the entertainment industry who are using their voice to spread joy and make this big spinning planet in the universe a better place to be. I'm Robert Peterpaul, and I'm so glad you're here.

[0:44] Robert Peterpaul: Hot potato hot potato. Hello, friends. I can't stop singing today, or ever, really, as we take a trip back down Childhood Lane to visit one of the most legendary children's music groups of all time. I had the privilege of connecting with founding Wiggles member, Anthony Field across the field. I don't know what that means. In Australia, amongst the koalas. And although it was early in the morning for him, and later in the evening for me, it felt like we shared our own little moment in the sunshine. This conversation was fun, surprising, uplifting, and I really hope it gets you wiggling those kindness muscles. Today's guest is the Blue Wiggle himself, Anthony Field.

[1:36] Robert Peterpaul: Anthony Field is an Australian musician, actor, songwriter, and producer. Best known as the founding leader of the children's group, the Wiggles. Fun fact: Anthony loves playing the bagpipes and guitar. He's also ready to whip up a fruit salad, yummy yummy. His favorite color is blue, and he loves being a part of the Wiggletown community. For over three decades, the Wiggles have delighted millions. The band was formed in 1991, coincidentally the year I was born. After Anthony spent two years as a preschool teacher, he then was inspired to make a children's album. And wow, did that idea turn to gold and red and purple and blue? With songs like Hot Potato, Hot Potato, and Fruit Salad, yummy yummy.

Yes, I'm gonna keep singing those songs this entire episode, so just get ready. You know now. I've warned ya. The Wiggles have been entertaining millions of families across the globe for over 30 years. The band has sold over 30 million albums and DVDs, 8 million books, as well as accumulating over 2 billion music streams and 3 billion views on YouTube. The Wiggles continue their legacy creating new music and performing live shows, entertaining and engaging children around the world. And I gotta say, the inspiration for one of their newest ventures, a single with the one and only Dolly Parton, may have been sparked during this very discussion. Just saying.

[3:35] Robert Peterpaul: Now, without further ado, cook up some hot potatoes and mix that fruit salad because we're welcoming the blue wiggle, Anthony Field.

[3:55] Anthony Field: Hi, how are you?

[3:58] Robert Peterpaul: Good to see you.

[3:59] Anthony Field: Hey, I'm good. Yeah, it's a mate. Good to see you too. It's so nice to meet you. I'm so excited. It looks lovely where you are. This is like a very scenic, idyllic day behind you, this blue sky.

[4:10] Anthony Field: Well, it's winter in Australia in Sydney, which is for us it's chilly, but for you guys, it's I guess you get it worse. Where are you, Robert? What city are you in?

[4:20] Robert Peterpaul: We do. We get it worse over here. I'm in New England. I'm in Connecticut. So we sort of get the worst of winter.

[4:26] Anthony Field: Yeah, we've never had snow here or anything like that. This is winter, and I still don't have gloves on. But for us that's cold, you know.

[4:33] Robert Peterpaul: Do you love snow? I feel like people that don't experience snow are fascinated by snow. Is it something you wish you had?

[4:40] Anthony Field: Yeah, I'm a bit scared of snow. I don't really know about it, but I'll tell you something that Australians do. When they get to America, they see squirrels, and we all take photos of them because we don't have them. We think they're the cutest things.

[4:55] Robert Peterpaul: Really?

[4:56] Anthony Field: But people in America, I don't know if you guys share the same affection that we do for them.

[5:02] Robert Peterpaul: Sometimes. Maybe some. When they get in the house, you know, you might chase them out with a broom. But I mean, I feel that. I would feel that about koalas. I used to have koalas wrapped around my bed growing up my bunk bed.

[5:13] Anthony Field: Oh, yeah, they're beautiful.

[5:15] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, they're that all everyone thinks they're beautiful too.

[5:18] Anthony Field: Well, I love that. You know, I mean, we can get into koalas and all these animals all day, but I do want to say, Anthony, I am thrilled to speak with you today. I just think you are such a legend, and I'll do my best, you know, to hold back on my sort of outbursts singing like hot potato or something like that. But you truly I might. It'll probably come out. But you truly, you know, you helped define my childhood. I grew up with the Wiggles, and I'm so grateful for the work that you all have done to help sort of lead a new generation of kinder and just all around more fun people. So I'm thrilled to have you.

[5:52] Anthony Field: Oh, that's really lovely to be here, and it's lovely to hear that. And we always tried from the start and right through till now we've been gone 32 years now. But we what we called was pro-social skills is what we wanted to empower children with, where you we try to model empathetic behavior, you know, where you have empathy for all where you have children with special needs with children with different needs and you know, don't make a big deal of it. They're just in there in the song and dancing along and very inclusive but also very supportive. And we used to like we something we learned at university was with young children, give them no fail challenges. So no matter what you're doing, if you give them a chance to participate and they feel like they did something, they gotta walk away feeling, wow, I was part of that, not oh, I failed, you know.

[6:54] Robert Peterpaul: Oh yeah, I know. If they're like me, they'll be like, I deserve a cookie now. I did something great. I wonder this might be a non-intelligent question, but over there in Australia, do you have SEL as social emotional learning part of curriculums there? That's big in the states here with teachers.

[7:09] Anthony Field: It's called SEL.

[7:12] Robert Peterpaul: Emotional and social learning?

[7:14] Anthony Field: Yeah.

[7:15] Anthony Field: Yeah, social and emotional learning. It has become part of the curricula now. But it when I was teaching, because I was a preschool teacher, it was part it was incorporated into your whole day. So everything you did was meant to foster emotional and social learning. So then when they got to primary school, which is the next stage in Australia, I'm sure it really wasn't part of it was just, you know, mathematics, English, you know, no break for mental wellness. And I'm really happy to hear that that's become part of the curricula now. But it really wasn't when I was teaching, which was back in last century.

[8:02] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I loved learning that you were a teacher and it makes a lot of sense. It really shines through just in the way that you teach children now, you still do in a different fun way, you know, sort of a uniting way that I think is music and the stories you tell and I wanna get into all that, but I do always start out asking the same question of my guests here in the arts and it's it's a silly one. It's how are you at accepting compliments? Because I feel like it can be kind of tricky and you probably get a lot of them all the time. Probably from kids. You might get weird ones too, actually, from children, sort of saying silly things.

[8:34] Anthony Field: Mate, I'm terrible at it. I've I don't have ironically, I don't think I've got the greatest self-esteem. So when someone says, Oh, you know, you really helped me, you were really great, I go, Oh, thank you very much. But inside I'm going, Oh, I didn't do you know, I've done anything, you know, like so. I'm not I'm one of those I guess people that I don't like I'd rather give a present than accept one. So yeah, no I'm not good at it, not good at it at all. I wish I was, I wish I'd learned that. I wish I'd learned, but I think it's about I think that's wrapped up in your self-esteem. That can you take a compliment?

[9:13] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I appreciate you saying that. Well, that's it's interesting to ask me. I think because I asked that question so much on here now to my guests, it's something I thought about a lot. And I would struggle with this as an actor, sort of at the stage door. If someone said, You were so great, I love that, I'm so happy to meet you. I would find myself, you know, going down a rabbit hole, sort of saying, like, oh, I'm uh no, I was sick today, and uh thank it, it wasn't good, you know, and kind of denying it. And what I've learned from a lot of guests is that it's also about the other person. So just to sort of like hold space and say thank you, which you did when I kind of ambushed you with a compliment earlier, it just to say thank you, I guess is is the best way, but it can be hard. And then at the end of the day, you're sort of like, I do want this love, I just don't know what to do.

[9:56] Anthony Field: That's right, mate. Yeah, and at stage door, people just want that moment to say thank you, and you know, maybe you sign an autograph, take a selfie or something with them, as you know, and that's so I don't think they actually do want to go into the depth of how do you actually feel about that compliment you would never get through.

[10:24] Robert Peterpaul: That's true, and like too much of anything, like too much ice cream, sometimes too much love can it can be overwhelming, and you don't exactly know what to do with it, and you're like, I don't deserve this. They're lying, and there's all sorts of things. But what's fun, I'm sure with you is that you have kids standing there, so they might come up to you and say something weird, like, you know, your shirt is weird. Well, yours is you have an iconic shirt, so they wouldn't say that. But you know what I'm trying to say.

[10:47] Anthony Field: Well, it's funny with that with us, and now we've got second generation. And dad who grew up with the Wiggles are bringing their children. And sometimes mom or dad are just as much excited about seeing the Wiggles as the children, you know, at the stage door. And we always really do make the time to get a photo with the children, but the children Wiggles they're really young children, and they're very happy to meet you or to tell you the news about you know what happened at their house, or and mom or dad will encourage them to say, Well, what did you like about the show? You know, yeah, and they might say, Oh, um, you know, the song that we were playing over the speakers before the show started.

[11:35] Anthony Field: Oh, yeah. I say, Well, I'm really happy you enjoyed that. Oh, that's fantastic.

[11:44] Robert Peterpaul: Yes. I think in research I found too, you had sort of a segment that was a la Carol Burnett almost asking the audience, I think it was called Dark Dorothy Ass, maybe.

[11:52] Anthony Field: Oh, yes, and I've learned that with children's theater too, doing family shows, having QA's after. When a kid gets the mic, it's not usually any question.

[12:04] Anthony Field: And isn't that brilliant? And it yeah, I think that's that's what if you respect we learn it at university. You know, if a child says something, it's it's good to to echo back, say what they said in a different way, like if you know, I say, Oh Robert, how are you today? And you say, Well, I've got a you know, I've got a cold today, I've been blowing my nose a lot and go oh you've been blowing your nose a lot with the cold and you wait and then I'll tell you more. So with with with a child as an adult adult when a child speaks on the microphone or says something it's very easy to be a smarter than child adult and I don't think the audience appreciate it I think they there's enough fun that comes out of just repeating what they say respectfully but you know I think people just love children and they love their innocence and they love their enthusiasm.

So we you know just repeating what they say back um I remember once we were we were asking once the audience what should we um how should we wake up Jeff and and a little boy said um well you should um you should shoot him right so and that's you know that was and and I said and I said well we we I we could shoot him but yet uh Jeff wouldn't be part of the show then and we wouldn't have Jeff and it'd be very sad if we did that so um I didn't say oh we can't say that I just let it go out and say well if we did that this is what would happen to be terrible everyone would be bum yeah and can maybe we think of another thing and then the guy said well kiss him I went well that's probably more appropriate and that would be but it was a really fun moment even though like um it was totally inappropriate like an adult but yeah but we still I we still gave it I guess we we listen I listened to it and he wasn't trying to be smart, he was he just seen TV shows, and that's how they solve problems, you know.

[14:15] Robert Peterpaul: And we just said, Well, that won't solve our problem that might make another problem be very sad, the show wouldn't go on.

[14:22] Anthony Field: Yeah, well, that's why we're also glad we have shows like The Wiggles now, and you led the charge in a lot of the children's programming that's happening today.

[14:29] Robert Peterpaul: And I'm glad you're still beating to your wild wiggly drums because we need that for kids. And I think one thing I've appreciated about The Wiggles is there is no shame, sort of like what you're getting at because shame is a really dangerous weapon, I think, especially with kids. And so I love that you mentioned that from the top. I do think what y'all do is so kind. And so before we get any further, I would love to know what is your definition of kindness and how do you think it's changed over the years if you had to define the word.

[15:02] Anthony Field: Oh wow, that's a great question. Kindness to me is people looking at other people or animals or plants or trees, whatever it is. Yeah, squirrels. That yeah, looking at their world and seeing someone that might need their help, and going in and even though it might hinder what you're doing during the day, if you go and help this person somehow or other, or just look out for this person, I think that's kindness, and I feel like as I get older, and I'm really being honest here, as I get older with The Wiggles on being off, I love it, but I know these young performers that are working with us now. We've got, you know, seven new Wiggles. Uh we got eight Wiggles and I'm the old one, but I forget things as I get older, and I know that these guys are so good at being kind to me.

They look out for me, they say, Anthony, did you know you've left your belt there? Oh Anthony, you know, today like even today's podcast, it was it's 7:15 in the morning, uh 8:15 in the morning here. Oh wow. No, but I thought, because my brain's not graded. So I arrived at 7:15 and I put my bag down there, and I'm I was sitting here, and Tom, who organized came up and said, mate, it's not on for another hour. But that's so as I get older, I'm forgetting things. I'm really appreciative of the younger members of our cast who really do look out for me, or they look out for, or on the road, as you know, in a show, you know, some people don't handle things as well as other people, and I think being kind is like Patty, who's Captain Feather Sword, and he's been Captain Feather Sword for now 30 years.

So, but he's a guy who loves to get in a car, and after a show, he'll drive straight away and doesn't wait around, gets on there, and I know that's him, we all know that's Patty, and I think it's kind, kindness is going. We accept that we're not trying to change that. That's him. So who would like to go in that car that goes straight there? Where I'm the exact opposite. If I see something interesting and I'm driving with the guys, I go, guys, do you mind if we pull over and have a look? Uh-huh. So I think we worked out that Patty's never gonna change. So we accept that. And they know that I'm not gonna, I'm gonna be the guy going, well, hey, look, there's a let's go have a look at the right over there.

That I mean it might seem like a simple thing, but that acceptance is so hard to do. That's such a brilliant tool in life. I mean, I even felt that with the show I just did on lunch break, some people would rush out and go and sit in their car and read by themselves. Some people would read outside by themselves. Other people like me, maybe would gather whoever would join them up to go to lunch, and then other people maybe just wanted to take a stroll by themselves. So it is kind of something maybe subconsciously we do, but it allows for better art. And I would say too that you now being sort of the, I want to get into this with you in a little bit, but being the ringleader and the one everyone's looking up to in your current iteration of The Wiggles, I think what you're saying also comes back to you because you probably set a tone of kindness and love, and that's probably why they're giving it back to you now. So it's maybe whether you realize it or not, it's I think it's a full circle kindness there.

[18:31] Anthony Field: I do think that you do in a group dynamic or you know, in a family or whatever, you if you do if you do accept that people are different, but what show were you in, Robert, recently? Can I do that?

[18:43] Robert Peterpaul: Oh no, it was uh Kinky Boots.

[18:47] Anthony Field: Oh, yeah, Kinky Boots. Okay. Well, I'll show you my boots under here. No, I don't know. But uh but uh about so about being in a show. Yeah. We every day here at Wiggles when we're not on the road, we're filming it. If someone has a birthday, no matter who they are from, you know, anyone who works in the office, works on stage, whatever, we will set the time and everybody comes together in the room and we sing happy birthday.

[19:18] Robert Peterpaul: Did that happen in your show?

[19:20] Anthony Field: You know what? This theater, actually, on sort of the contract intake form that you sign, they ask you if your birthday's during the run, do you want to celebrate it? And then they kind of they have you rate like how much you like to be celebrated. Um it doesn't always happen at theaters, but I wrote in all caps celebrate me. I want cookie dough. They were like, what kind of cake do you want? Uh that's brilliant too because we we once everybody we try and pretend that it's a surprise because everyone knows if it's their birthday and everyone's gathered up there, there's gonna be a birthday cake. But one time one of our dearly beloved office workers really didn't want a cake and really didn't want that.

We had not asked, we had not thought that that would be and so what your theatrical agents or whoever it was that did that, that's really smart. So we learned from that that wet that everybody we now ask, is everyone okay with a birthday celebration? So yeah. That was a learning experience for us because people some people are really not comfortable with the spotlight on them.

[20:35] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, you know, kindness is not a one size fits all thing. And speaking of these group dynamics, where I'm sure you learned a bit about that early on. I want to go back a tad because I found out you're one of seven, I think, growing up, which my cousins shout out to the other Peter Paul's are one of seven. So I've sort of been around that loving, chaotic environment firsthand, and there's always something going on, and it's like a party house. You have your own little community. What do you think your childhood taught you about? I guess kindness and love and the themes that you're really teaching kids today.

[21:08] Anthony Field: Well, I think as a child, I was never really aware of the, like most children of what my mum and dad were doing to all the work they were putting in and how hard it must have been for them. I know when I this was 1963 when I was born so my mama had seven children under six and she had the nappies or we you call them diapers, we call them nappies but they were the you know the cotton ones you know so she they weren't disposable nappies, diapers so she she would be working with Asian we had no preschools in those days where we're where I grew up my dad was working um at a he had a pharmacy and he was working from uh ten in the morning till ten at night every seven days a week um and and I um I did you know as a child you just you know and but but we were all crammed into um we had four boys in one room three girls in the other house like a movie yeah it was but it was a house of love mum mum um mum said uh mom used to always tell us three things in life important to her most important is children music and flowers she yeah she she was so accepting of of of us and and and uh our strengths and our not so you know I wouldn't call them weaknesses but things that we're not so good at but um but I just as a I'm now a parent and I I got to think about what mum and dad what they did for us.

You know. My dad, they actually lived their whole lives for us. But here's something though I I do think people have got to be kind to themselves as well. So I feel like sometimes parents live almost too much for their children, so they lose themselves. So um I I feel like my dad, you know, sadly passed away about 30 years ago, but he he um he had very little life for himself. He would work, he'd come home, you know, give us all the love he could, and then go to work. And I never saw him do anything for himself. And I feel like, you know, and I know mums with babies, like my mum, they would they're just working all the time for their children. And if it's possible, I know reality's different to you know, theory, but if it's possible for for parents to take a little bit of time to remember who they are.

My sister Maria, who is um who passed away a couple of years ago, she had cancer, and um she she was a psych nurse and uh psychiatric nurse. And when she had her children, she put her degrees, her degrees, she put them above the washing machine. So when she was washing all their clothes, she could see and she said, I had to remind myself that I had a have a brain.

[24:16] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. What we take in that that sort of is the inspiration, what what we see throughout the day, and whether it's it's subconscious or you know, it starts to blend in with the banging of the dryer. She's you're still reminding yourself that. So I think that's actually really brilliant. I have a friend that puts post-it notes everywhere just to remind her of you know little phrases or things about herself when she opens the closet to get dressed.

[24:43] Anthony Field: That's really good.

[24:45] Robert Peterpaul: And who was your with your incredible talent you're born with, but there is was there somebody that you feel like was the person that went, I feel like I'm supported. I feel I feel somebody changed with an act of kindness.

[25:03] Anthony Field: Yeah, you're so you're so sweet. That's my next question for you. You're you're so sweet to ask me that. I think my nanny who's still listens to this podcast every day has always been I've been very fortunate to have wonderful parents and family members but my grandma, my nanny sort of was my auntie meme. She took me to the theater when I was a kid and saw my jaw drop and then kept taking me and kept encouraging me and you know that was something I I wondered about you too. I was this household this kind of dreamy idyllic household that I that I envisioned with all the kids running around and you know nothing's ever that simple but was it sort of conducive to dreams? Like what what was your initial dream as a kid? Was it music? Was it the arts?

[25:43] Anthony Field: No it was it was music but because mum I I was a I played the violin in our school orchestra like that was what I was was in before but for me um when I went to school uh at high school it was boarding school and it was very um it like I was playing violin and I got a lot of people picked on me for playing the violin. So I gave up gave up the violin and um started the guitar, right? But but there was a teacher amongst all these, you know, it wasn't a great environment, but there was one teacher I remember who gave was so nice to me and so loving to me that it changed everything for me. I went, hey, I'm not that bad a person. You know, um, that's why I was thinking as I was coming in, as I was driving in today about kindness. I thought his kindness to me. Like mom and dad gave the foundation, but I lost it at school, which was so uh, you know, it can be very intolerant. Two people are a little bit different.

[26:48] Robert Peterpaul: No, I I can relate to that. I I mean I actually really relate to that deeply. Having to wanting to been an actor, you know, that was not popular at least at the time when I was in middle school and growing up, and so I would sort of deny I denied it so much to the fact that when I looked at colleges, I wouldn't straight up sort of admit that I wanted to study theater, and then it took me like a second to get back to it. And it did take sort of my supporters, my nanny, and then a a teacher. Shout out to Mr. Uh Stein Steinmeier for really championing me at college. But anyway, this is not about me, but I I really relate to what you're saying, and I think it's a lot of people do.

[27:26] Anthony Field: Well, there was uh it was a uh a brother, brother Pascal was the guy um and he he was so nice to me and he and he knew that I was sort of struggling and he and he was just like yeah, you can come in and if you need a space to you know play your music or whatever, you can do that. And I was like, Wow, someone actually kissed Wow, yeah, the power of teachers. And then you, I mean, I I was really fascinated to read that you spent, I think, was it three years in the army and then you became a preschool teacher. I mean that just kind of blew my mind. You lived such a a life and sort of I was thinking of a way to phrase this, but you've almost held like these two very iconic jobs, like being in the army and being a teacher.

[28:09] Anthony Field: Though, like when you say the word job, those are things people think about, and you've had all this experience. I mean, what's it like to have those things under your belt? I know teaching really informs what you do today.

[28:19] Anthony Field: Yeah. I'm being rather circuitous here with my question. What's the name? So I'm being a little circuitous with my question.

[28:27] Anthony Field: Oh no, no. I I when I was seven years old, I've still got it. I wrote, Well, do you want to do when you grow up? And I wrote, I wrote, teacher, policeman, or soldier.

[28:38] Anthony Field: Wow. And and I did two out of the three. So yeah, I had I've I always wanted to be uh a teacher or a or a soldier or a policeman.

[28:48] Anthony Field: I don't know what's wild. I want to see your picture of that.

[28:52] Anthony Field: Yeah, yeah. So have you are you always that specific with your goals? I feel like that's like, are your goals very specific? Like, have you always kind of had that?

[29:05] Anthony Field: Um, I wanted to be a good preschool teacher. Um, I got into preschool teaching as an accident after I got out of the army. I I went to uh my my sister, I drove her to a university, she was doing a mature age test in Australia. Um, you could get free education, free university education. Uh if you didn't matriculate at high school, you could always do a mature age test when you're older.

[29:30] Anthony Field: And she was doing that, and I said, Well, you know what I might do it as well because I just got out of the army, I didn't know what I was gonna do. And I got in and she got in, but she didn't actually go to the university and become a preschool teacher. So I think fate took me there.

[29:45] Anthony Field: When when when we were doing preschool teaching, going through it, uh, and music and theater were such a big part of preschool teaching, as opposed to primary school, where it became about the curriculum, you know, 10 o'clock we do mathematics, 12 o'clock we do this. Preschool, it was like the uh Microsoft uh uh, you know, the words, what would you like to do today? Well, that was what we were doing at preschool.

[30:10] Anthony Field: We would I would set up little um art places for the child with headphones so they could, you know, paint inspired by classical music or rock music or whatever they wanted to. Over here we had a really bus. Over here was a um I'd set it up so if they wanted to do dress up play, or we had uh clay for them to make all the and it really was the children would come into the preschool and I go, um, okay, Rachel, we've got all the what would you like to do?

[30:42] Anthony Field: And uh and we encourage and that's what I loved about preschool teaching. It was open-ended, it was child-centered, and it was never ever boring for a teacher because you were always on your toes, you were being asked by three or four different children at once their attention.

[31:02] Anthony Field: Yep, I could do that. I try over there. Um did he really say that? I'm sorry about that. I I loved that.

[31:11] Anthony Field: I did I did a class in high school on child development called uh young teacher, and we were each assigned a student, and then we were in a a working classroom, you know, studying, and then at the end of the year you did a home visit, so you got to see your student in their home life.

[31:24] Anthony Field: And seeing that, I I think I almost wish it was at the the beginning of the year, even though we weren't as bonded, because you sort of got to see what their needs in the classroom might be. And so I think what you're saying is kind of spot on because it, you know, if only we could all kind of do that in every grade, make it so custom for each student. Imagine how how much people would excel.

[31:45] Anthony Field: Oh, it'd be fantastic. Of course, there's there's practical reasons I can't do that. But but you know, I I do think um, you know, as a in the wiggles, uh, you know, over the years that they people who um, you know, we have these rules, and sometimes there are certain performers who you know don't abide by those rules and some do.

[32:07] Anthony Field: And and I always treat different strokes with different folks, and sometimes that gets people out of their nose out of joint because they go, but you just said to, you know, whoever it was, they can do that, but for me, and I'll say they need to do that because that's they're not their brains not going the same way your brain's going. If we can do it this way, great.

[32:32] Anthony Field: But having a little bit of uh I guess a little bit of movement with your rules for for the individual, you know, uh, I think that helps. And I don't even know how I got onto that role.

[32:46] Anthony Field: No, I I love that because I I mean I have so many questions for you, and I'm trying to uh respect your time, so I'm like Xing them off as I go, which is sad. But no, what you just touched on was one of them, you know, as as a leader in the classroom, and I I think I read you had to take this course. I I thought the title was hilarious, called There's a Man in Your Classroom, which I I found silly, but it was man a mandate, you know, as a leader there, and then in the wiggles, I mean, and you can you can talk about that if you want to, but I did want to know how you handle these sort of more difficult situations with kindness and navigate them and have these sort of difficult conversations leading with love, which I think any advice you could share in that might help people listening, especially in the world we live in now, it's it's hard.

[33:29] Anthony Field: A lot of people aren't listening to each other, and I think the Wiggles are the perfect people to turn to.

[33:34] Anthony Field: Well you're right, mate. I I I I feel like yeah well the the one about the there's a man in the preschool. Sorry, that was a lot coming at you, but I Yeah no no mate that that was part of our at the uh Institute of Early Childhood Studies where where myself, Greg and Murray went to there was only five men in the hundred and two years had been going that had actually graduated.

[33:58] Anthony Field: Wow. It was seen as a woman's job the um uh, you know preschool teaching um and also because of you know this is a a a terrible topic but but with with child abuse uh men at that time were seen as 97% were male. That it's changed a little bit but so we had to be we knew when we were going into the preschool that we were going to be uh we had to be above suspicion, trained and also just be alert.

[34:32] Anthony Field: Um I always had and from my teaching I from the teaching at university I always had another teacher present. Uh when a child came up um unfortunately when a child came up to you know give you a hug I would I would stand up and and uh sort of kind of divert them away to uh Ronnie who was a girl who would give them the hug but that was but that was because uh it was really new that a man in the preschool, and um so uh I guess that was respecting our the parents uh because they would have have have the fear of a man in the preschool, and it was really it was really uh foresightful, I guess if that's the word, um, that the university gave us, they were actually giving us uh they were arming us with management tools to go into the school.

[35:24] Anthony Field: Now, I had a friend, Andrew, uh, who was who I went to uni with, and he was the nicest man, and he went to a primary school, and his first day at school, he was outside supervising the toilet as I got, you know, kids going into the toilet, and he's outside it, and one of the parents saw him and called the police.

[35:44] Anthony Field: Oh no. Yeah, and Andrew's this man is just the sweetest guy, and he was in tears that night. He called me up. And I said, Andrew, that's that's just the reality of you know what we learned at university that people um that's why it's good that there's mom and there's dad, you know, that men are part of a child's life, and you weren't doing anything wrong, you were supervising your outside.

[36:08] Anthony Field: So this this was the wiggles was even even the wiggles when we started. We used to get children laughing at us, and I'm in that in a good way. Laughing that we were dancing, not that we were great dancers, but men don't dance, you know.

[36:26] Anthony Field: It was it's it's it was quite incredible, but but uh how this relates to kindness, I I suppose just accepting uh that people have certain ways, um, and if you're if you're you're ready and accept that they may not accept you. I don't know.

[36:47] Anthony Field: Yeah, no, I you're I I mean honestly, you're that your articulation in the way you're speaking so wonderfully is sort of heading my questions in the order I had it, which is kind of beautiful. So I that that kind of brings us into the wiggles because I I was gonna ask you something you learned from that experience teaching with taking that course that translates to you know the wiggles, and I think you sort of just answered that.

[37:09] Anthony Field: But while we're here, what's something you learned from now being in the wiggles, I guess in a similar vein, that translates to your everyday life. So are you the kind of person who's still sort of like wiggly and and this fun at home? Do you need to be more restful and to yourself?

[37:25] Anthony Field: Yeah, I guess what's something you've learned there.

[37:28] Anthony Field: I've got ADHD. I've been diagnosed. I just got the official diagnosis.

[37:34] Anthony Field: Yeah, I got the official diagnosis. Uh what I'm gonna do with it, but oh yeah, with and um I that beside was I've been going to the same therapist for the last three weeks, and she said, She said, you know, ADHD with a you know, touch a bipolar in there, and I've got depression and all that stuff.

[37:52] Anthony Field: Oh, okay. We should yeah, we'll have to swap family DNA offline because I there's a lot of boxes being ticked.

[37:59] Anthony Field: Yeah, yeah. So but for me, um I'm I'm like this the whole time. I'm I'm but I but the ADHD thing is you know, you're on a except when I'm doing music, when I'm on music, I can stay there for hours.

[38:13] Anthony Field: I can just I I never need to leave it. But everything else, I'm like, you know, okay, let's go. What okay, what's next? Like I'm always doing that.

[38:23] Anthony Field: Um this is about kindness. Why children recognize that in me and they kind of accept it and they they do help me.

[38:32] Anthony Field: Um I have this irrational fear of uh children uh having accidents. So this is this is a nightmare for me. I'll go to a par uh playground and this is with my own kids and I go up on on the um the slide slippery slide and I can't watch I have to walk away because I think my brain goes oh they're gonna you know this is gonna and all the those nets that they go climbing in I can't do it my my wife just always says she used to say just walk away but it still happens to me today when I'm um with the kids there they're all grown up now and one of them's in the wiggles which yeah yes I can't wait to talk about that but even I I see you know escalators at the uh shopping center oh yeah so I see a child without you know walking down and I go oh no no no and yeah and which they go it's okay dad and that's the kindness of recognizing that dad's a little bit got a little bit you know there's a little bit of and and and accepting but it but helping me as well um yeah um so yeah it's I know Anthony I can't even I when I'm watching my niece I can't I really this sounds bad but I can't even feed her because I'm afraid she's gonna choke on my watch so my wife knows that and she'll she does a lot of the stuff subconsciously at least she knows that I'm afraid to do that.

[38:43] Anthony Field: That's a that's a characteristic with people with uh who swing up and down um like if you go to if I go to the beach I think the wave I go oh around the boat oh yeah I walk into a room and I I either think, what's the weirdest thing I can do? Or I think what's the worst thing that's gonna happen? And you kind of know in between for the same thing.

[40:23] Anthony Field: Yeah. Or when we're on a bus in America, when we're touring, the guys will always talk about this one moment. We'll driving, you know, I saw a truck, which I thought was because we're on the different side of the road. I I didn't kind of get it.

[40:36] Anthony Field: In Australia, we're on a different side of the road. So I was there and I was going, and I yells out to everyone in the bus, quick, everyone get up the back. We're gonna hit this truck, right?

[40:46] Anthony Field: And I raised they all laughed, and fair enough, they still drink it up. And I laugh about it.

[40:54] Anthony Field: Oh, yeah. I mean, I think I get it from my mom too. I mean, there's a famous story that I won't tell because I don't want to uh waste our time together.

[41:01] Anthony Field: But my mom, we basically thought there was well, you know, I came home one night from hanging out with my friends, and my dad was away, and my little brother kept coming out of his crib somehow, but he had never gotten out of his crib before and couldn't get out of himself.

[41:14] Anthony Field: And when we asked him, he said the man took me out. And so, long story short, my mom freaked out, and my little brother we saw the door handle turned of my brother's room again, and she like shoved me and ran out of the house screaming because she thought there was an intruder in there.

[41:28] Anthony Field: And I'm standing in there alone, you know, I would have gotten taken or whatever. And that kind of describes this thing I've inherited because I I now understand why she did that.

[41:37] Anthony Field: It was the same my mom, my mom was pretty well the same, and she was also funny about um like I've got tattoos everywhere, right?

[41:45] Anthony Field: Of like yeah. Um, when I got my first tattoo, when I was in the army, I got my you know, the tattoo of the regiment, and my mom, this is a great mom expression.

[41:57] Anthony Field: She said, Nine months I grew that arm, and you've ruined it.

[42:04] Anthony Field: You're like, I've enhanced it, Mom. I've enhanced it. I love that. That's that's so fun. You know, I well, I guess now that we're at the wiggles, I was gonna ask you about uh founding it with your friends, but you've talked about that a lot, and there's a an amazing documentary that everybody can watch on Amazon Prime where you go into that even further.

[42:21] Robert Peterpaul: So I guess skipping over that a little bit, and then of course you can share whatever you want to share. You have all been entertaining and teaching people for three over three decades now. I mean, I realize it was founded in nineteen ninety one, which is the year I was born. So The Wiggles has been with me my entire life.

[42:36] Anthony Field: That's awesome.

[42:37] Robert Peterpaul: Is well that no, thank you. I mean, is kindness something that you all think about and talk about a lot when you're producing your music and your shows? Do you sort of have these conversations or is it is it more uh like a feeling?

[42:51] Anthony Field: Well, you know what it is? It's it's um it's more of uh it's it's more is this in we we go is this empowering the children? What is it what is it is there a negative in this? Is there and we've sometimes we've we have sometimes missed the mark, you know. And um it where we've tried to be positive and it's it's coming out not positive, but we thought it was. Uh we had this uh um Mumbles the Monster. Uh we thought it was funny, Mumbles and uh uh we thought Mumbles was funny with Simon and and Mumbles used to go, um, and we got a few emails saying that maybe not great for my child who you know doesn't pronounce words and all that. So we quietly retired Mumbles the Monster, even though our intention wasn't for us to we weren't trying to take off or you know but when we get when we get feedback sometimes that that we would goes, oh, you know what, they're right. We we didn't mean that.

[43:50] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[43:52] Anthony Field: So I suppose that that uh we we really are always thinking about our audience and is this gonna make them feel better? Um, you know, are they gonna enjoy this? What are they gonna get out of it? So and I guess we always try and model the best we can be, and which in real life we would hope to be, but sometimes you can't always be, you know.

[44:16] Robert Peterpaul: No, no, that acceptance sort of is the theme. I mean, we've been talking about this whole time, having the acceptance that okay, maybe that worked for some kids, maybe it didn't work for others, and sort of being able to navigate that, I think is is part of the reason why The Wiggles are still going now, because it that's human. I mean, we all hope maybe to be something else, but the reality is having role models like yourself that are human and maybe make mistakes and then come back from it and come up with something else and talk about it, you know, publicly like you're doing right now, is really it's really beautiful, you know, in this world where a lot of people are guarded and afraid to do that.

[44:50] Anthony Field: And and one thing about children, uh, well, there's a lot of great things, but uh what they're so honest, and I think they deserve us to be honest back. So if you know, in a show, if you're doing say you're doing Kinky Boots, the you know, the role of whoever, if someone's out, will be played by you know, whoever, right? But the role is still the same, it's still the same character. But with The Wiggles, if you know, at the moment we've got eight Wiggles, say if I'm not there that day, well, Simon or or or uh the chair or somebody will say at the start of the show, Anthony couldn't be here today, you know, he had a sore tooth today, or you know, whatever whatever reason, but we've got somebody else in blue today, and it's blah blah blah. Everyone say hi to children, are so accepting. Um we don't try and pass off somebody being Anthony, you know, you know, or somebody being, you know, uh so and and we've learned early on that hologram.

[45:53] Anthony Field: But that being yeah, hologram. So being honest is is a really I think it's a very good, and it shows respect for the audience too.

[46:03] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Well, you mentioned these eight Wiggles you have now, and one of them is Lucia, your daughter, which I think is incredible that you've sort of wiggled down the wiggle gene to your daughter. You know, what was your initial advice, I guess, to her in becoming a Wiggle? I'm sure she's observed you her whole life. I know you said she's she's got the talent, she's got sort of the the wiggleism already in her. But did you give her any wise words, I guess, before she started?

[46:28] Anthony Field: Well, uh, I think because she went to Australian Ballet School where she boarded there for three years and she was by herself in another city, she really matured and she became her own person, which would which was fantastic. When she came back to Sydney, I was like, wow, um, this is incredible. Um, of course, COVID um changed everything, and they were doing their ballet lessons in individual rooms, and it was that wasn't so great. But but with The Wiggles, when um when when it came up to ask Luci if she considered being a Wiggle, um, and she said, you know, she thought about it for a day and she said, Yeah, I'd love to. And then I I just said, Look, uh in enjoy yourself, uh, be yourself, try not to get on social media and read.

If you're going to read what the people say, take it with a grain of salt because they they can tell you the greatest thing in the world, or they can tell you the exact opposite, and there's a lot of nastiness out there, you know. So that they're the only things that worry me that people can be so nasty. I know her intentions. She loves children and she she loves entertaining, she loves singing, dancing. Um I just said just trying not to be worried about what people think. I think performers can worry too much about the bad reviews, you know.

[47:49] Anthony Field: Um and if you put weight in one, you sort of have to put like we were talking about compliments in the beginning. If you put weight in one, you sort of have to put weight in the other, and then it's a tricky place versus maybe staying in the middle and just kind of thank you, thank you. Walking around and not paying any mind.

[48:06] Robert Peterpaul: Have you ever had a bad review? Have you ever had a nasty?

[48:08] Anthony Field: Actually, no. Not until semi-recently. And it wasn't really to me, it was more so to the theater and the show I was in. And it it would the worst part was it was a family show, so it was Beauty and the Beast. And I was Lafu, you know, who's like the silly weird one, which is on brand for me. And yeah, they just uh the theater was really small, and Beauty and the Beast is a big show, and I've done that show a bunch at a bunch of different theaters, and they were just really mean overall. And I I'm thinking to myself, this is for kids, it's sold-out show, every child had the best time, we're meeting them all after. What you know, why why do you have to sort of knock down a show that's based off of a cartoon and sort of just silly and fun?

[48:51] Robert Peterpaul: So I don't know. I think when someone's job is to be a critic, sometimes maybe they feel like they have to say something.

[48:57] Anthony Field: That's true, mate. So I yeah. But all you but on social media, you would have got so many compliments, but you just skip over those and remember the bad one.

[49:07] Robert Peterpaul: Is that what it's happening?

[49:08] Anthony Field: Oh, I know. Oh yeah. It's sort of like what Lady Gaga said. There could be 99 people in the room, and if one person believes you, it's sort of the opposite of that. You know, if you get 99 compliments and then one sort of harsh critique, I I guess that's the human thing that it it stays with you. But that's why we have friends and people to lift us out of that, because they can say that's again you're right, mate. What people think about us is none of our business.

[49:30] Anthony Field: That that's it. And and and that's when the group dynamics or helping a friend out. That's it, there's your kindness, going in and going, Look, you know, I've read terrible things people read about me like someone wrote the other day, uh, you're too old, get out, what are you doing? Blah blah blah.

[49:46] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my goodness.

[49:50] Anthony Field: I just I don't I it it's really water off a duck's back for me. I just go, okay, whatever. I'm just Melissa McCarthy talked recently about someone that wrote a really, really sort of hurtful and sort of like physically degrading review about her. I recommend everybody looking that up and reading it. I won't read it to you now, but it words words can hurt, and it's it's hard, especially again when you don't maybe have the highest self-esteem already, and then someone just feels like they're knocking you down. Uh but you know, those are just the people that don't necessarily get it. And putting energy into the other people is is it's like uh you gotta stay in the middle always because sometimes if you put too much energy and weight into the good things, then you find yourself on stage saying, Well, this person thought this, and then you're not really in the moment doing what you normally do. So just have fun and be in that space.

[50:38] Anthony Field: Um, and now you have your daughter up there, which is wonderful. What one thing that I love that you talk about is the great sacrifice that's come with what you do. There were years when you're out on the road and you didn't get to maybe spend as much time with your family as you would have wanted. Now you have her with you, but that balance is tricky, and I know a lot of artists relate to that. What have you sort of learned about balancing the personal and the professional life? I know no one has the answer there, but you're so right.

[51:05] Anthony Field: I when The Wiggles uh were up four times a day on the Disney Channel in the States, we were touring and we were absolutely massive then. And it was we were touring nine months a year in the States and coming home to Australia and then doing a tour and so we had minimal time at home for about six years. There was no balance. I didn't even think about it. I was just I was like the hamster in the running wheel.

[51:32] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[51:33] Anthony Field: Um the the thing that really woke me up to my family was COVID because I stayed at home for two years, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me because I got to know my children and my wife again. I was like, Wow, wow, you guys are pretty good. You're pretty cool. The reason I picked you it really was, mate. I like um uh yeah, my wife at the moment, she's on a holiday in Italy for a month, and with my daughter Maria, who's who um who who wants to be an actor, she's just graduated from school at school congratulations.

[52:13] Robert Peterpaul: Cool.

[52:13] Anthony Field: Yeah, she got great marks, and everyone's thinking, oh, she's you know, doctor lawyer, and she said, you know, all she wants to do is act. And uh she can play a doctor or a lawyer eventually, maybe that's so cool. She just did a uh a course in at Yale.

[52:30] Robert Peterpaul: Oh nice, yeah.

[52:33] Anthony Field: Yeah, that's down the way from us. Yeah, and she did that, and now she's gone. But I think to myself, this is kind of great because Mickey is fine, like I was away all that time enjoying myself. And now she's over there enjoying herself with Maria. And it's so funny, she sent me photos of her in Italy and I'm in the cold in C well, it's not that cold, but in Sydney. But that was what it was like when I was, you know, in New York. Hey, look, I'm in New York.

[53:03] Robert Peterpaul: You know, so um I I really love how you all over there say holiday instead of vacation. I just think holiday, like I'm on a holiday. I love that.

[53:11] Anthony Field: Whoa, is it different?

[53:12] Robert Peterpaul: Is it vacation different?

[53:14] Anthony Field: Yeah, we say going on a getaway or a vacation. Uh and holiday sort of is reserved for you know, Christmas, Halloween. So every time you all say, Oh, I'm going on a holiday, it's very sort of grand and uh there's a lot of fanfare.

[53:28] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[53:29] Anthony Field: Yeah, and and uh one good thing about Australia, they all everyone every job's got at least four weeks paid holiday. Uh um, so you have to, it could be six weeks, and um so you always ask, but uh the downside in in Australia, if you ever and ever want anything done over December, January, February, which is summer, forget about it. If you want anything done in your house, it's not gonna happen.

[53:55] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, that's not I mean, yeah, that's not nice if you want something done to your house, but sort of putting the the family and the people first ahead of the work. We can learn from that over here, I think.

[54:06] Anthony Field: And another well, another thing I want to I want to learn from you. I I work with an amazing nonprofit, I want to connect you with kindness.org, and they have a free curriculum called Learn Kind, that's K through eight, and it's all based in science, sort of proving the power of kindness. And we talk a lot about teaching kindness and how it's rooted in this evidence that we found in our labs. Do you, I guess, have specific ways that you found teaching kids to be kind to themselves to be effective? We kind of touched on that earlier, but I feel like teaching kids to be kind to themselves is a specific thing that maybe you're not going to learn in school.

[54:42] Anthony Field: Well, even in my my own children, like my son Antonio, you know, he has he has anxiety, and it it's it he would and his anxiety stemmed from me going away all the time. He thought dad's never going to come back. And I think again, acceptance, you know, realizing where where a child is, or their children, like don't have unrealistic expectations of them. I think accepting uh, you know, this child loves this, or this child's gonna be doesn't like that so much. Accept it, don't force. I think being kind is accepting people have different tastes, different likes, going with it, but trying to steer them, of course, try and manage them into as an adult. Your job is to try and I think try and inspire children to living the best uh life for themselves, and they can't be expected to make moral choices uh all the time that like like say they're in a team uh uh of of of football and and um one of the bots just skipped because he wants to go to a party for someone else.

Well, you know, as they're teenagers, and you go, Well, you know, that you're in the team, like trying to I understand you want to go to the party. Um, but my dad would have just gone, you're going to the team, you play in the team. Whereas I try and go, okay, so you want to go to you know, whoever's party, but you're in a team. How do the other teammates feel? You know, like but again, I'm I'm not great at being you will play the

[56:26] Anthony Field: We're all on a team, we're all here together. So I really like that outlook. But without making guilt the thing, like, uh, I'm Italian and half Jewish, so I get the guilt. Oh my, yeah, my mum was the queen of guilt, she was brilliant. But my nanny, I keep I always bring up my nanny, she coined sort of this phrase, guilt is a useless emotion, and I try and I try and stick by that. Guilt is a useless emotion. So anytime it comes up, I just think, okay, this is useless. I'm feeling it, I accept it. But it's useless. And jealousy is an unfortunate fellow, isn't it? It's um, jealousy's, jealousy's, and I think the best way for children to learn about not being jealous of other children's abilities, I think that comes from the parents.

Uh, if you're, you know, Robert, you're a much better singer and dancer than me, and I would no, no, you are. I don't, I would say I do that all the time. I would say, you know, I know people's strengths, I know what my strengths are. Um, you know, I'm, I'm, I, you know, play a good mandolin, banjo, and the bagpipes or whatever, or I write songs. That's me. But I know on it in the Wiggles, I know who's, you know, Lockie's got this voice from heaven. I don't, uh, I'm not jealous of that. I'm celebrated. And um, I think my children, uh, I think they've, they're the same, and I'm so glad that they're not, they don't go, oh, you know, it's like when you see people jealous of other people or try and bring down other people because they're talented.

Yeah, it's, that's unfortunate. I feel and that's the opposite of kindness, I think. That's that pettiness and nastiness. Um, jealousies of people's abilities, jealousy of people's achievements. Um, you can, I think if you celebrate their achievements, you become happier. I really do, I think. Yeah, don't be jealous, celebrate. That's such a great poll quote. I'm gonna write that down. I'm sure you've been in shows and you feel like instead of being jealous of somebody who just in awe and like, wow, I'm so happy that I'm on stage with whoever it is, uh, or I'm so happy, uh, that I get to do this role, you know. I'm filling in for someone, but they're gonna come back. But I'm so happy for the 12 days of uh, heaven that I have.

Yeah, you know what I mean? Like love over fear, sort of is what we're talking about a lot over here. Um, and the jealousy and then the guilt, useless emotion, but I am, I'm feeling it a bit because I know we're almost out of time. Do you mind if we go just like a little longer? Like maybe five. I want to respect your time. I just know we started a little later, so I have a few more things. I'm having the best time, mate. I, oh, I'm having the best time too. So let's go ahead and throw it out. Well, they're, well, I do want to mention, you know, one way I think to teach your kids to be kind to themselves is to let them watch the Wiggles and they'll just have a great time. I love how it's just, it's still going, it's better than ever.

I know in the United States at least we can watch it on YouTube. What are you most excited about this coming year with the Wiggles? Are there any episodes or topics you're specifically excited about, knowing that this will probably come out in September or the fall, just so you know?

[1:00:06] Anthony Field: Yeah, mate, we've, we've, we we've been um concentrating on YouTube. We concentrated for years on TV and live performances, and only in the last couple of years we've decided we'll really, we'll, we'll make TV episode episodes just for YouTube especially. And we did Wiggle and Learn. We've done, we've done 20 hours of television for YouTube, and that's, that's, that deserves a little. I can do this now.

[1:00:36] Anthony Field: Yeah. No one should ever give me a soundboard because I'm surprised I haven't pressed that more. Chris. So the Wiggle and Learn is, is we have done emotional episodes on emotions. We've done on friendship, uh, we've done on kindness, we've done episodes on fun, we've done episodes on all sorts of things. Um, so, uh, uh twice. That's been, that's been the really exciting. Um, we've also, um hopefully, uh going to tour America next year, the States.

[1:01:10] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[1:01:11] Anthony Field: I'll bring my niece.

[1:01:13] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I would love that.

[1:01:14] Anthony Field: Yeah, I'll be there. You know, you've also collaborated with so many amazing folks over the years. Do you have a dream collaborator still out there that you're hoping the Wiggles can join forces with?

[1:01:26] Anthony Field: Well, um, we've recently, uh, I guess, uh, there, there are, yeah, now, well, the dreams have already come true for me. I've, I've had, um, yeah, we, years ago, um, uh, John Fogerty from Credence Clearwater, he did three songs with us. Um, Barry Williams, who was Greg Brady from the Brady Bunch.

[1:01:48] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah.

[1:01:48] Anthony Field: He did songs with us. That was, that was incredible. Um, we've had, you know, uh, on stage we've had Shaquille O'Neal come on stage and sing Hot Potato with us. Um, so we've had some great ones and, and recently, um, uh, Dasha, you know, the country singer, um, she, she did a song with us, and, uh, it hasn't come out yet, but um, I can't even think I'm just, anybody's, I'm happy with anybody. I'm like, I'd love to see the Wiggles and Dolly Parton. I don't know.

[1:02:21] Robert Peterpaul: I mean, I feel like that feels like a crazy and Katarina, our red Wiggle, she has a tattoo of Dolly Parton on.

[1:02:22] Anthony Field: We would absolutely love to do a, uh, a duet with Dolly Parton. That would, that would be, yes, yeah.

[1:02:41] Robert Peterpaul: She's perform at Dollywood and then maybe it should pop in.

[1:02:45] Anthony Field: Have you been to Dollywood?

[1:02:46] Robert Peterpaul: It's wild.

[1:02:46] Anthony Field: No, I've never been, but again, that, that, that's on the, that's on the bucket list.

[1:02:55] Robert Peterpaul: Dollywood.

[1:02:56] Anthony Field: Good.

[1:02:57] Robert Peterpaul: Well g get there.

[1:02:58] Anthony Field: I reckon I'll, I'll give you recommendations when you go.

[1:03:00] Anthony Field: Um, but I just think you all to kind of wrap it up, have have given it's the world so much with the Wiggles. It's resonated with children, like you sort of said, who are now adults who are raising children, who will then have children. I mean, it, it's kind of this circuitous, just circle of life, I guess. Um, all this considered, how do you specifically hope? I, I don't like to put these big questions on people of what is your legacy, but, but what is your legacy? But how do you hope the Wiggles kind of changes the entertainment landscape for kids? Is there, is there a specific hope that you have?

[1:03:35] Anthony Field: I, I think what, yeah, I think when we started our, our ethos was, uh, to come from an early childhood, uh, development, uh, background and, um, provide music and entertainment and theater for children at their level that encourages them to empower them. And I think that there wasn't so many. Well, Sesame Street was doing it, but, but in Australia we, we, there wasn't four men doing it, you know, like that was quite incredible. So not just maybe like under puppets. Maybe hidden. But now we, I love that we've changed with the world. We've, we, we've, we're gender balanced, we're diverse, um, but we're still these guys are so talented and, and um, uh, we just want to keep encouraging children to be themselves, to be happy with themselves, whoever they are, and to feel accepted, and also then to accept others.

Uh, I think that's if we inspire, uh, uh, tolerance, especially in the world where we are today, mate. We're, we're where people are just intolerant of people for all sorts of reasons, and they, we can, if we threw that out, it should be a nice place, wouldn't it?

[1:04:49] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, no, I agree.

[1:04:50] Anthony Field: It's what the world needs now is love.

[1:04:52] Robert Peterpaul: And I think what you need right now before you go is a surprise game. If you're down to play, it's absolutely, it's not much of a game, honestly. I know I like screamed surprise. I conspired with your team here, your wonderful team. Basically, we reached out to someone in your life for a compliment or a loving statement about you. I'm gonna read it to you, and then you have to guess who said it. It's called the compliment game.

[1:05:20] Anthony Field: Uh, insert a rough version of a cheesy theme song here.

[1:05:25] Robert Peterpaul: Everyone's beautiful in their own way. It's the compliments game on me.

[1:05:28] Anthony Field: Yeah, okay.

[1:05:29] Robert Peterpaul: It's the compliment.

[1:05:30] Anthony Field: Compliment.

[1:05:31] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[1:05:34] Anthony Field: Mump.

[1:05:35] Robert Peterpaul: Love it.

[1:05:36] Anthony Field: Gotta, yeah, gotta redo that. Maybe, maybe y'all can help me with that.

[1:05:39] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, okay. Let me read you yours. Anthony is a funny, genuine person who always puts others first. I have always looked up to him as a role model and would love to be even half the man he is when I reach his age. Now I'm sure a lot of people feel that way about you, so I also have a hint if you need it.

[1:05:58] Anthony Field: I need a hint.

[1:06:00] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, okay. This is the hint. He walked so I can run.

[1:06:05] Anthony Field: Johnny.

[1:06:05] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, John Pierce.

[1:06:07] Anthony Field: Yeah, John Pierce.

[1:06:10] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, he's great.

[1:06:11] Anthony Field: Oh, that's fantastic.

[1:06:12] Anthony Field: That's beautiful. Do you know what I said to John Pierce today? Who I absolutely love. He's, and he's one of the men that looks after me. Now his dad, John's only 30 something. His dad is 90, 92 years old, right? He's dead. And I said to him, That's why you relate to me. I'm 61. I said, I saw your dad, and he looks at you the same way I look at you. And he said, and he said, No.

[1:06:38] Robert Peterpaul: So oh, I love that.

[1:06:39] Anthony Field: I love the love goes back to John, right? That's, that's beautiful.

[1:06:43] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, thank you, John, so much for that. And I think it's so special that you all, all you Wiggles can take care of each other, and then you're teaching us how to take care of ourselves in a fun way. I really just loved speaking with you. I think you're such a special person, and I would appreciate it if we could end our time together by you sharing a tangible kindness tip. So one specific thing you would like everybody in the world out there to do that you think if we all did it together could maybe have a big wave.

[1:07:12] Anthony Field: I, I think just be aware of people and, and uh, look out for them and engage in a conversation, even a hello, a smile, how you feeling today. I think, um, just, just be open for people, they'll, they'll surprise you.

[1:07:31] Robert Peterpaul: I love that so much. I'm sure that that's nice for you because people recognize you on the street, and I'm sure people are singing at you all day when you walk around.

[1:07:40] Anthony Field: Robert, can I ask one question? Have you ever spoken to a person who you thought didn't like their face was not a happy face, and as soon as you start talking to them, they're like, Yes.

[1:07:51] Robert Peterpaul: That, that's what I was trying to say then.

[1:07:53] Anthony Field: Yeah, sometimes people are just because they, they, people don't approach them or talk to them, but when you, when you go up, you're the one that gets the more out of it than they do because they give you so much back, you know.

[1:08:06] Robert Peterpaul: So yeah.

[1:08:07] Anthony Field: Well, not to, I, I bring her up so much because I love her, but I, my hundredth episode was with Carol Burnett, who is such an icon, and I, I blacked out, and she told this amazing story that kind of summarized what you just said, which is that she was online in this department store, and the woman checking people out was just really nasty to everybody. Didn't look up, was so mean, and Carol had sunglasses on and a scarf, and no one recognized her. And by the time she got up to this woman, she had decided to kind of kill her with kindness, and she said, Oh, your eyes are so beautiful. And this woman in a second changed. Her face lit up, she smiled, she engaged with her. So what you're saying, I think is spot on.

[1:08:47] Anthony Field: Oh, yeah.

[1:08:47] Anthony Field: Well, I mean, we can credit Carol with that story.

[1:08:50] Robert Peterpaul: That's what you're doing.

[1:08:51] Anthony Field: But I know we've all seen that in our own lives, and you know, your, your life can take a totally different path if you, if you live it that way versus sort of then letting it affect you. And I, it's not perfect. We all get angry sometimes because someone else is just being angry and going through something else. But if we can in those moments sort of lead with kindness, I think it's a bridge, you know, it's a bridge to connect to us. So I love, I love what you shared.

[1:10:02] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, good on you, I until next time. Remember, everything is gonna be a-okay.

[1:10:06] Robert Peterpaul: Back to you, Robert.

[1:10:07] Robert Peterpaul: Sit on your mic.

[1:10:09] Anthony Field: Oh, no, thank you.

[1:10:10] Robert Peterpaul: And again, I, I mean I fought the urge. I didn't sing Hot Potato, Fruit Salad or any of these things at you, which was a feat. Uh, but I, I do want to end with gratitude because I just, I admire you. I really appreciate what you're doing. I think it's, it's all from a very genuine place, and uh, yeah, I just can't wait to see what you do next. So thank you for being you.

[1:10:39] Anthony Field: Good on you, Robert.

[1:10:41] Anthony Field: And you on Instagram, I'm gonna follow you.

[1:10:43] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, find me, yes.

[1:10:44] Anthony Field: Let's be friends at Rob Peter Paul.

[1:10:46] Robert Peterpaul: At Rob Peter Paul.

[1:10:49] Anthony Field: Yeah, I'm probably already following you, but I'll re-follow you so I appear.

[1:10:56] Anthony Field: But I, I just admire you and I really appreciate your mate. This was so lovely.