Dancing at Mardi Gras, touring with Katy Perry and kissing men? I discovered The Loop’s Scott Tweedie is putting gay boys to shame!
As well as hosting The Loop you’re also Channel Ten’s roving reporter at this year’s Melbourne cup. Are you looking forward to that?
Yes, to be apart of Network Ten’s biggest event of the year, the race that stops the nation, is a dream come true. Everyone gets to dress up, have champagne and hopefully win a few bucks on a horse they’ve never heard of! At Flemington the atmosphere is electrifying and I’m fortunate enough to be a reporter right in the thick of it all. So if you’re there, watch out. I’ll be live with a microphone!
And dressed to kill?
I take pride in wearing sharp, well-fitted suits to events. I don’t mind pushing the boundaries with a bit of colour or showing some ankle, but I also feel if you wear a crisp, clean, simple suit, you can’t go wrong. It’s spring, so we have a license to have fun with our attire… just don’t ever wear white leather shoes, ever!
As host of The Loop, who is your music diva?
My diva is Katy Perry. I was lucky enough to tour around Australia with her last year and interview her at every capital city, for an hour on stage. So I got to know her very well, and she’s awesome. She’s very theatrical on stage with so much colour and pizzazz.
What about an old school diva?
It wasn’t until I started The Loop, but now I’d have to say one hundred percent Madonna! She reinvents herself so much that I wouldn’t even call her old school. But if it were to be old school I’d say Barbra Streisand. She’s my mum’s favourite artist of all time, and you always listen to what you parents have.
Scott Tweedie interviewing Katy Perry on her Australian tour
How about a favourite LGBTI artist?
Troy Sivan. He’s a smart hardworking Aussie, a great role model and still honest to himself and his fans. He’s the next Australian generation in terms of music. He’s fearless in everything he does and knows exactly what he’s doing. I was lucky enough to see him perform at a gala event at the National Gallery of Victoria and he was sensational! It’s Troy Sivan for me hands down.
Do you have a best gay mate?
Yes, one of my closest friends from school. I went to an all-boys school in Brisbane, so I suppose it was a bit of a shock if you were gay, and he didn’t actually come out until after school. When he came out, our reaction was like ‘Life goes on’, but for him it was such a big deal to come out to his friends. We were like “Mate we want and need you in our friendship circle’. He now lives in New York with the most amazing boyfriend, and it’s great.
“At Mardi Gras I wore metallic blue hotpants and a blue wig!”
Have you been to Mardi Gras?
I went in 2016 as a part of the Airbnb float and it was great fun. My friend was the marketing manager and asked if I wanted to take part. I didn’t realise what my outfit was until I rocked up on the day. The theme for the float was a house and swimming pool and I wore metallic blue hotpants and a blue wig. The rest was all glitter! It was after my first Mardi Gras that I realised how annoying glitter can be. It took at least a year to get all of the glitter out of my house and body parts!
Scott Tweedie prepares for the Airbnb float at the 2016 Sydney Mardi Gras Photo: James Horan
And in what body parts were you still finding glitter?
I’ll let the readers use their imagination! But that wasn’t the first time I’ve had glitter here, there and everywhere. I interviewed Ke$ha a few years back for The Loop and she’s a very visual artist. So I asked if she’d mind Ke$ha’ing me with a tattoo. So she pulled down my pants, drew a male body part on my butt cheek and poured glitter down my butt crack! That was the interview, done and dusted!
Did you get it permanently tattooed in? Hamish Blake told us how Pink gave him a real tattoo.
No, I don’t have a tattoo yet, and I don’t think I want my first tattoo to be a penis drawn by Ke$ha!
Yes, that may be a problem for a straight boy visiting a gay bar!
Yes! I was quite happy with the permanent marker and glitter. Actually, Angela Bishop was waiting to interview her next and she saw the whole thing go down!
Scott’s cheeky body art, courtesy of Ke$ha!
If you were gay, who would be your celebrity hall pass?
Chris Hemsworth. He’s Thor, a down to earth guy, good role model, lives in Byron Bay and his best mate is Matt Damon. He also travels with a trainer 24/7 so you’d get the perks of that, and I think he’s hilarious. And on the record…he’s hot! Every time I do interview him and put a photo on social media, it’s becomes the most liked photo, for both females and males!
“Ke$ha pulled down my pants and drew a male body part on my butt cheek!”
Early on he guest-starred on Neighbours, and so did you!
Yes, and my character’s name was Derek Meeps! Honestly, come on guys! That is the world’s worst name. Derek only had one episode where he slept with Jodi Anasta’s character. I walked into the room with my clothes on, and walked out doing up my last two buttons. I didn’t even get to kiss her!
Scott Tweedie interviewing Chris Hemsworth
Would you return to acting?
It’s not a priority right now, but if the opportunity came up and it was the right character and fit, I would. I love Neighbours and have a lot of friends on it. They’ve got Tim Robards now, and Matty Wilson is awesome too.
You filled in for Grant Denyer on Dancing With The Stars, when he hurt his back. Great career experience!
That was a fun night and definitely a highlight of my career. I’m gonna be trying to kick Grant Denyer in the back more! He’s so good. Actually he’s the only male that I’ve kissed.
Do tell!
I caught up with him at an event and he asked if I was the new Bachelor. I said it was news to me, besides I wouldn’t want my mum watching me make out with girls on television. Then he said “Well, would you make out with me now?” I didn’t think he’d do it, but I gave him a count to three. The next thing we were kissing! But it turns out that Grant Denyer’s kissed everyone, so I don’t feel that special.
I know for a fact that another man kissed you – Ed Sheeran!
Oh very good! Yes that was a weird moment at the ARIAs red carpet where I was interviewing Ed Sheeran and then Rove walked past and kissed him. I said “What about me?” So Ed Sheeran kisses me as well! But it wasn’t a Grant Denyer level of kiss. Grant was lips connecting, whereas Ed was a peck on the cheek.
You’ve interviewed quite a few people. Have there been any standouts?
I find ninety-nine percent of celebrities are so down to earth, professional and nice. I was blown away with Matt Damon. He just connects his eyes with you, and you feel like he’s talking from his soul, and not just doing a PR spiel. The other one is Tom Cruise. I know he gets a lot of stick, but when talking to him I felt a real connection. I thought “This guy really cares about this moment right now.” Whereas other guys may be there talking, but they’re just there to do it. Those two are such big profiles, that they don’t need to give an interview like that, but they did.
Scott Tweedie gets in a read of DNA Magazine
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Treat everybody the way you want to be treated. I’m very passionate about every TV set I walk onto, with everyone right down to the person who go gets the coffees, because nine times out of ten, they’re going to be my bosses in the future. You also never know when you’ll need to pull in a favour, and it’s about returning that favour as well. We’re all equal.
Ever had an on-air wardrobe malfunction?
I actually used a gag with my fly being undone to get my first gig on TV. The ABC did a presenter search where 7000 people applied and I made the top 10 in Sydney. I prerecorded myself as this other ‘Scott’ talking to me, and when I was in the audition he interrupted saying “I don’t want to embarrass you, but you’re fly’s undone!” I did half the audition with my fly undone in front of all these ABC execs and I got the job. They must have seen the funny side.
So you stood out, or rather stood up, from the rest!
(Laughing) I can’t remember what underwear I was wearing that day, but hopefully it was a good pair.
Great segue into the next question – briefs, boxers or freeballs?
Always briefs, except I go to bed naked!
The Loop celebrates its milestone 400th episode on 21 September, on 10 Peach
Matt Myers with The Loop host Scott Tweedie
