XSource Xclusive: Mike Goldman tells how he dealt with Big Brother fame

In PART 2 of this Xtra Source Xclusive interview, former Big Brother host Mike Goldman discusses with Nathan Taylor how he dealt with the fame during his eight seasons on the hit Australian reality show and his future television plans.

Before the hit Channel Ten reality show Big Brother burst into Australian households in 2001, the name Mike Goldman wouldn't have registered in anyone's minds. No one really knew what he looked like or what colour his hair was but as the narrator of Big Brother we did get to know his voice every single night for three months a year.

Then in 2003, Mike Goldman fronted Big Brother's live UpLate show for two hours a night where in most episodes we would watch the housemates either asleep or spooning their fellow 'bed partner'. Goldman would entertain audiences by giving away cash prizes in 'brain teaser' segments and would also make viewers laugh at him adlibbing his way through the show.

However being in front of a camera every night came at a cost for Goldman when more and more people started to recognise him, some nice and some not so nice experiences followed.

"Being on TV everyday, you go out in public and get strange looks from people everywhere," Goldman said. "It doesn’t happen so much anymore but it used to be pretty full on."

Most of the time Goldman could see the positive side to fame.
"You have to see it as something you appreciate," he said. "The fact that people recognise you and they are obviously watching your show and it’s popular."

Then there were times when Goldman became paranoid about what people thought of him, as he would get constant stares from people everywhere he went.
"There were times when I thought why are these people staring at me? It’s really pissing me off'," he said. "You’d have to bite your tongue because people are going to do that because it’s the career you’ve chosen.
"After all it’s your job and you should like the fact that people are recognising you."

Goldman said he knows why a lot of television stars fall into depression due to their fame.
"You get a bit paranoid and I can see how a lot people who work in TV fall into depression," he said. "You start thinking 'what are they saying? Do they hate me? Do they love me? Or are they going to come over and swear at me or are they going to come over and ask for an autograph'."

Just before Goldman and I did this interview he recalled a run in with a child fan.
"I was at this shop in Bondi and this little Spanish girl came over and said 'Can I have an autograph?', he said. "I thought 'someone has put her up to this, she doesn’t want my autograph' .
"I asked her 'Do you know my name?' and she goes 'Yes it’s Mike' and I thought that’s a bit rude of me, sorry."

Goldman said when doing comedy or fun TV shows you've got to psyche yourself up before you go on air and have a good time.
"Never take yourself too seriously, enjoy it and have fun," he said. "If you're going to brush off fans and not speak to people and be rude to them, then don't do it (TV)."

Mike Goldman is currently appearing in Channel Ten's 'The Spearman Experiment' and next year will be doing voice-over work on the new season of 'So You Think You Can Dance Australia'.

XSource Xclusive: Mike Goldman- "I'm a pioneer, I'm the Captain Cook of Digital Radio."

In PART 1 of this Xtra Source Xclusive interview, Mike Goldman of Big Brother fame discusses with Nathan Taylor the ups and downs of his new career as the breakfast host on new digital radio station Gorilla Radio.

Mike Goldman started his radio career at 16 as the office boy at Sydney radio station 2SM. Goldman would work for free both day and night and his day-to-day jobs weren't just filing away CD's.

"I had to work with a blind announcer who did the midnight to dawn shift," said Goldman. "I had to help him braille every CD in the music library and get him anything he wanted."

Even with his dad Grant Goldman being a big media personality, Goldman said it was still hard for him just like anyone else to get into the business.

"You have to increase your hit ratio,"said Goldman. "Do as many demos as you can and call as many people as you can and when starting out you’ve got to work for free and get better at it."

His dad who still hosts a morning breakfast show on 2SM really inspired Goldman to get into radio.

"I saw how much fun he was having and what a great fun job it was," said Goldman. "He bought me my first disco gear set-up and taught me how to DJ and I did mobile disco and then got into radio."

Now many years later Mike Goldman is proud to be the host of his own breakfast show on dance music digital radio station Gorilla Radio.

"I'm a pioneer, I'm the Captain Cook of digital radio," he said. "Because we are the only live digital breakfast show in Australia and we are exclusively digital."

Goldman said his show is rather unique compared to other breakfast shows competing with him. "What's different is I do whatever I want, it's my show," he said. "It's not like the Kyle & Jackie O Show, it's me with different guests everyday and we play top 40 dance hits.

"I'm aiming for a Chris Lilly style radio show rather than a TV show, with lots of characters who are actually yours truly."

With digital radio being only a few months old in Australia, Goldman admitted he probably doesn't have that many listeners.

"I must admit the first week I started was a little disheartening saying call up and I wouldn't get one call," said Goldman. "I'm writing all this comedy and doing all these skits and getting in these great guests from all over the world and I'm thinking 'Oh God is anyone listening?'."

Goldman however is confident that things are looking up in the digital radio world, with current sales figures of digital radios at over 50,000 units sold.

"I think in the next two-three years it's going to build," he said. "More people will be listening and I'd like to see it in the next three-five years on an even playing field with all the other stations."

Mike Goldman's breakfast radio show can be heard each weekday morning from 6-9am on digital radio station Gorilla Radio and can be listened to online at www.gorillasuperdigi.com.au or with your digital radio.

Please visit back this Thursday for Part 2 of the XSource Xclusive with Mike Goldman where he chats about his eight years on Big Brother and how his life changed after being on television.