“She helped me completely dismantle a media personality I constructed and wasn’t happy with. It was a media personality I constructed to be a television presenter. To be sort of charming, maybe trying to be funny, trying to be a smartass here and there. But it was a struggle because it wasn’t who I really am.” 

Richard Fidler’s had more careers than most. He’s best-known as a host of the ABC’s most popular radio show and podcast Conversations.  

But he came to radio via a career as a TV presenter, a stint in the irreverent comedy trio The Doug Anthony Allstars, and now he’s an author of several best-selling history books. 

One day back in 2005 he was sitting in the ABC office when his producer came to him with an idea to turn his popular radio show into a podcast. There was a catch: No one had heard of a podcast. And the iPhone hadn’t been invented yet. But his producer insisted the podcast would one day be a juggernaut. That producer was Curveball host Kellie Riordan. 

Richard joins Kellie for a rare and wide-ranging discussion on why he once thought a nuclear holocaust would end his life, the moment he literally caught on fire, and how fatherhood changed his once snarky outlook on life. 

Richard’s new book is The Book of Roads and Kingdoms. 

+++  

Curveball is the show where extraordinary people share the twists and turns of their rise, those curveball moments that have made them. It’s a production of Deadset Studios.  

Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram.  

Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up toCurveball’s LinkedIn newsletter! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. 

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“She helped me completely dismantle a media personality I constructed and wasn’t happy with. It was a media personality I constructed to be a television presenter. To be sort of charming, maybe trying to be funny, trying to be a smartass here and there. But it was a struggle because it wasn’t who I really am.” Richard Fidler’s had more careers than most. He’s best-known as a host of the ABC’s most popular radio show and podcast Conversations.  But he came to radio via a career as a TV presenter, a stint in the irreverent comedy trio The Doug Anthony Allstars, and now he’s an author of several best-selling history books. One day back in 2005 he was sitting in the ABC office when his producer came to him with an idea to turn his popular radio show into a podcast. There was a catch: No one had heard of a podcast. And the iPhone hadn’t been invented yet. But his producer insisted the podcast would one day be a juggernaut. That producer was Curveball host Kellie Riordan. Richard joins Kellie for a rare and wide-ranging discussion on why he once thought a nuclear holocaust would end his life, the moment he literally caught on fire, and how fatherhood changed his once snarky outlook on life. Richard’s new book is <a href="http://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/9WRY45">The Book of Roads and Kingdoms</a>. +++  Curveball is the show where extraordinary people share the twists and turns of their rise, those curveball moments that have made them. It’s a production of <a href="https://www.deadsetstudios.com/">Deadset Studios</a>.  Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on <a href="https://twitter.com/_deadsetstudios">Twitter</a> and @deadsetstudios on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deadsetstudios/">instagram</a>.  Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/curveball-6745938675223425024/">Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter</a>! And suggest a Curveball guest by visiting <a href="http://www.curveballshow.com/">www.curveballshow.com</a>   This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Executive producers are Rachel Fountain and Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The human experience is all about adapting. Whether it’s a CEO trying to ride out an international travel crisis, a surfer struggling against a monster wave while his floatation vest fails, or a media star whose whole life changes in an instant, rarely do you get to glimpse what’s really going on during a someone's darkest hour.

In these revealing, personal conversations with a range of successful people, Curveball host Kellie Riordan gets the lowdown on how people grow in extraordinary times. 

Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios.com on Twitter and @deadsetsetstudios on Instagram. Find out more about the show or suggest a guest by going to www.curveballshow.com

Curveball is also now a LinkedIn newsletter! It's a weekly top-up of the best advice our guests have to help set you on the right path. Subscribing is totally free.

Curveball

Broadcaster Richard Fidler reveals how marriage changed him, the time he caught on fire (really), and why saying less is doing more as an interviewer

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