Rhys Darby - Funny As Interview

Actor and stand-up comedian Rhys Darby is arguably best known as hapless Flight of the Conchords band manager Murray. In this extended Funny As interview, the ex-soldier talks about his early comedy and more, including:

• Joining the army because of his obsession with British TV show Dad's Army, but then realising "I was actually wishing to be the actor playing a soldier, not being the actual soldier"
• First performing comedy while at Canterbury University, by doing strange dance moves during a capping revue
• Meeting his future wife Rosie Carnahan at her performance cafe The Green Room, and moving to Edinburgh with her so she could run a Edinburgh Fringe Festival venue
• Being excited to get on TV for the first time on Pulp Comedy — "it meant we were doing something special"
• Meeting Flight of the Conchords while playing at a "hideous tiny" venue at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and being asked to play the band's manager for the first time, on their BBC radio series

This interview was recorded for 2019 TV series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy. All audiovisual content is copyright to Augusto, and may not be reproduced. Publication of Funny As extended interviews made possible with funding from the NZ Lotteries Grants Board.