As if hanging out with Princess Leia and Marcia Brady wasn’t enough, the Australian Army asked him to entertain our boys at the front. Yep, sounds like Joel Creasey! Matt Myers caught up with the Acid Tongue Prince.
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here pretty much made you a household name. Were you prepared for that rather sudden fame?
When you come off the show, still in Africa, the first person you see is a psychiatrist who explains what’s happened in terms of your profile. So you get that support, but no I wasn’t expecting that attention. When I returned to Australia there were paparazzi and people rushing up to me, and it was all very exciting. Coincidently, I launched a stand up tour off the back of it, which did very well!
What was the most difficult moment of that experience in Africa?
For me it was sharing space with fourteen others. Stand up comedy is a solo sport, and I’m used to calling the shots. But when you have to split responsibility amongst fourteen others…I didn’t enjoy that. There was also a lack of control and being there can also be really boring. If you’re not in a tucker trial, there’s nothing to do all day. I never enjoyed school camp and yet here I was in this group environment. I found that first night very overwhelming.
You made good friends with Maureen McCormick, but apparently her husband banned her from seeing you!
Oh my god! I broke her one night in LA. I took her out to a gay bar in Santa Monica called Roosterfish and sent her home at about three AM. A few weeks later, Julia Morris tried to catch up with her, but Maureen’s husband said, “You’re not hanging out with those Aussies anymore!”
So do you still have contact with her?
I do, and I send her the odd email. I really miss her sometimes, but if I go over to the US again, I’ll catch up with her for sure. She’s divine!
It’s somewhat nice to know that Marcia Brady turned out to be a fag hag eh?
A total fag hag! In fact she tweeted the other day how she hosted some big gay LA charity event.
Let’s talk some other Hollywood women. Joan Rivers really took a shine to you and you dedicated your new book to her.
She had me open for her in New York, and was so nice to me. I don’t think she realised how huge her involvement in my life was. I came back to Australia as the boy who was Joan River’s support act. She’s totally the reason my career got a huge head start, and she was so down to earth. I see so many artist and diva demands backstage for platters and puppies and all that crazy shit, but each night, Joan Rivers, at eighty-one, only wanted a prawn cocktail and glass of house red. I think that is so classy.
And then there’s Carrie Fisher who you bonded with at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. Yet like Joan, she died just as you got to know her.
I know, I’m jinxed! Maureen better be careful! My parents were in Star Wars as extras and my dad is clearly visible in the famous scene where Princess Leia is briefing the troops in The Empire Strikes Back. Apparently she was a crazy diva on set, and she was a crazy diva when I worked with her, but she was also lovely and really down to earth. When I told her about my parents she said I should make sure they aren’t related like Luke and Leia! After the show we hung out for ages and she gave me a really long hug, for like half an hour.
You also got to hang out with Neil Patrick Harris in Montreal. How was that?
I met him after I had just broken up with my boyfriend, and I thought he was hitting on me because throughout the whole interview, he kept staring at my hand. When we finished he said, “Do you know your hand’s been bleeding during the entire interview?” I think I had stigmata! It was so weird. I thought he was going to slip me his room key, but no, I was bleeding! I don’t know how a hand just randomly bleeds?
You must be a saint!
(Laughing) Maybe!
You came out at sixteen. Many older people assume it’s easier these days to come out, but is it?
I had a very good experience. I was out in high school, and it’s interesting that none of the students, except for the odd dickhead, seemed to have a problem. I didn’t get any more bullied than someone with red hair. But I actually think it was some of the teachers who had more of a problem with it. I’d imagine it would be a lot harder in regional towns, but I do think it’s easier now. I hope that every time myself, and others, appear on shows like The Project it’s helpful for people.
You’re a very confident person, and in this business you need a thick skin. How did you become so resilient?
I think it’s just blind faith, but it’s often gotten me into trouble. I don’t know how I got such a thick skin, to be honest. I think because I knew I was gay from a young age, I had to have a defense in place, but I didn’t really have to use it. It was good practice for stand up though, and I think that’s why gay men and women make such good comedians, because we have that mental strength.
Your nickname the Acid Tongue Prince comes from speaking your mind, but is there any particular subject that’s too sensitive, even for you?
No, I don’t think there’s any subject that would be off-limits, but that said, I think certain people handle certain subjects differently. I just talk about what I know. I wouldn’t, for example, go into race, but I think when you start taking topics off the table, comedy loses something. I think the right people need to handle the right topics. In fact I’m so bored seeing straight comics do material about gay marriage. It’s such a hot button and an easy way to get a round of applause. A lot of it is ultimately homophobic. I know a top Australian comic who does a joke about his two gay friends who have a jet ski, and says, “I’ll suck a little bit of dick for that lifestyle”. That’s actually not right. Enough is enough.
You’re headed to Afghanistan to entertain the troops. That’s very Marilyn Monroe of you! How did this come about?
It is so Marilyn isn’t it? It’s actually been delayed and I’m waiting to get the call up to go over. It’s been a dream of mine forever. I got asked by the army to go a few years ago and I couldn’t, but it came up again last year. I know plenty of comics who have gone, and I’ve always wanted to add it to my CV. It’d be so interesting, and hopefully I’d get material out of it.
Hosting Eurovision must have been one camped-up experience. What was the highlight for you?
Without a doubt, becoming friends with Myf Warhurst. She’s one of the most spectacular people I’ve ever met. There’s no ego and she’s really intelligent. I adore her and we’ve become best friends.
A few years back Myf Warhurst was voted the most spankable female TV personality in Australia. Who do you think would be the most spankable male?
I was working with Rob Mills last night, and he’s so charming, dapper and sexy. I’d say him!
Who’s your music diva?
Celine Dion. I love her! I love her voice and how ridiculous she is. I think she’s actually embracing that she’s a bit crazy now, with all the fashion shoots she’s doing for Vogue. She’s camp and knows how to put on a show. It’s All Coming Back To Me Now is so over the top, but my favourite is My Heart Will Go On.
Speaking of which, did you ever get comparisons to Leonardo DiCaprio when you were younger?
All the time! Not so much now, but when I was a teenager and in my early twenties, I’d get it a couple of times a week, and I was fine with that!
On a serious note, there was that homophobic experience you had in the Victorian town of Colac. But you returned to the scene of the crime with Rhys Nicholson and a film crew. Did that ultimately become a positive?
Ultimately it did. Rhys is one of my best friends, and that documentary is one of my proudest pieces of work. I don’t know if it did much for the town, but when we went back, the new Mayor Lyn Russell, was really amazing. She wasn’t there the first time when I was physically chased out, but she was there when I returned, and she was great. It was a crazy experience, but it was fun going back and turning that whole thing on its head.
How would you describe your friendship with Rhys? Is there rivalry?
We’re best frenamies. We totally have rivalry and laugh about it. He’s very private and keeps to himself. He’s got his fiancé and they bought a house, where as I’m a bit older and more a party animal. So when Rhys comes to stay with me I always take him out for a bit of a bender.
What do you think of Hannah Gadsby’s decision to retire from comedy?
I think it’s a loss and such a shame. I love Hannah and she’s my mum’s favourite comedian, which is quite odd. I hope she doesn’t disappear completely. I think she finds it all a bit overwhelming, so fair enough because at times it can be.
Are there any famous comedians who have influenced you? Even from the old school of comedy?
I love Robin Williams and Rowan Atkinson. Then there’s Kathy Griffin, Chelsea Handler, Sarah Silverman, Judith Lucy, Fiona O’Loughlin, Denise Scott…all the grand dames. I love all those girls.
When I interviewed Tommy Little, he said he’d never heard of Lucille Ball. Please tell us, as a gay man, you know who she is!
Oh Tommy! Of course I know who she is. I love Lucille Ball. She was the original, even before Joan!
If you could zap yourself into any sitcom in television history, what would it be?
You know I don’t really like sitcoms. I had a big fight with my boyfriend the other day about this. If I had to, I’d say Will & Grace. I don’t know why I don’t like them, and my other dirty confession is that I can’t stand cartoons! When my boyfriend watches Archer or The Family Guy, I’ll honestly rather stab myself in the face. I just can’t relate to them.
So tell us about your boyfriend.
His name’s Jack Stratton-Smith. He’s a model and he’s gorgeous. Another magazine ran a story that we’re engaged, but we’re actually not. It’s weird, because we’ve been getting all these congratulations messages!
You have 63K Twitter followers and 82K on Instagram. How do you deal with trolls?
Oh I love them. I just respond and I’m really frivolous, because they kind of don’t expect you to respond with a laugh. It kind of shocks them!
The gay marriage debate – what’s your view on how it’s played out so far?
It’s affected me way more than I thought it would. I thought I’d be fine, but it’s gotten so ugly and disgusting, and I don’t know why it has to drag for so long. I actually haven’t voted yet, because I lost the keys to my letterbox, and I can see the form sitting inside! I’ve just ordered a new pair of keys, so don’t worry I will!
Your autobiography Thirsty: Confessions of a Fame Whore is released this month. What can people expect?
There’s lots of celebrity stories about me and Joan, Carrie and people like that, as well as stories about my childhood. It’s just an honest book about my life. I never had any struggles growing up, so it’s not one of those Aussie battler stories. I have a gorgeous family in Perth, and I try to give a different perspective on being a young gay man in the Australian entertainment world.
You tell a great story in the book about putting a Sydney Swan’s footballer’s ego in place.
Oh yeah, I was queuing up behind this Sydney Swans player for a coffee at the airport lounge, and he turned and said “I’m not signing autographs today”. He obviously thought I was a fan, but I didn’t know who he was. Then a supporter in a Sydney Swans scarf came over, tapped me on the shoulder and said in front of the entire queue, “Excuse me, are you Joel Creasey? I saw you on TV last night. I think you’re really funny!” The shocked look on this footballer’s face was hilarious.
You actually studied drama, so what acting roles lay ahead?
Well I’ve finished working on the new show Sisters, and I’ve also just done Neighbours. I’m the new gay who comes to Ramsay Street! I don’t think you’ll see me until next year. I’m just guesting, but there’s potential to come back.
What celebrity would you turn straight for?
I’m obsessed with Jessica Chastain (The Martian). I love women with red hair, and I love her so much!
You also bonded with ex footballer Barry Hall on I’m a Celebrity. Is the bromance still going?
I haven’t seen him for a while, as he’s just had a baby. He’s with Lauren Brant (Hi-5) who’s another good friend, and they live on the Gold coast. We’re still mates and he’s such a nice guy. I think people got the wrong perception of him. He loves the gays and I had a really beautiful conversation with him about how disappointed he was in Jason Akermanis, who said some very homophobic things. Barry just gets it.
Okay, gay celebrity ‘fuck marry or kill’ – Tom Ballard, Josh Thomas and Nathan Valvo.
Well I used to date Nathan Valvo, so I’d kill him. I’d fuck Josh Thomas and I’d marry Tom Ballard. I’m very in love with Tom Ballard. He’s so intelligent and such a great representative of our community. I adore him. But I’d run Nathan Valvo over with my car!
You’re known for doing nude selfies, but you also said you’d love to do a sex tape. When is it coming out?
Who knows? Maybe when my career goes through a slump, I’ll either go back onto I’m a Celebrity Get Me Outta Here, or I’ll do a sex tape!
What can we expect you to be wearing to the beach this summer?
1960’s style Speedos. I like the high rise around the hips style. I think they are very cool.
This is our Underwear issue. Is Joel Creasey a jocks man, fitted boxer or swinging freeballer?
I like briefs, and I share them with my boyfriend. Some people think that’s weird that we share underwear, but I think it’s fine. We do wash them! We share other clothes too, but he’s a bit bigger, so he breaks them. I put on a pair of suit pants yesterday and I was like “Jack, you’ve got to stop wearing my clothes, because you’re breaking them!”
Thirsty: Confessions of a Fame Whore is out now
