Seeing Lawrence Mooney working so hard on so many jobs over the years, you get the idea he might not say “no” too much.
“Absolutely correct,” he told Mediaweek.
“I will cite my good friend Sam Pang here who is very Mandarin in his ability to say ‘no’. We are at polar extremes – he says ‘no’ to everything and I say ‘yes’ to everything. He benefits a lot more from that than I do from saying ‘yes’.
“He has coached me – I have been to the Sam Pang business school – and he said to me, ‘Larry Moon, you have got to learn to say no.’
“I have been doing that more often and the power of the word ‘no’ is incredible – especially in this business. I am a comedian and you are haunted by the idea that it is going to end. The power of the funny is going to dry up and you never take a holiday. You spook yourself and you are jumping at shadows the whole time. So I have finally started to say ‘no’ and it feels pretty good.”
See also: Part 1- Late night TV with The Moonman: Fox Footy his natural home
Mooney has worked as a troubleshooter around the Triple M network for some time now – guesting on various shows in different markets in addition to a regular breakfast gig with Triple M Brisbane last year.
So successful was Mooney that the broadcaster has let him loose with his own show in Australia’s biggest radio market.
“What an honour that is. Last year was very successful for The Big Breakfast with Marto, Robin Bailey and myself with the show going from 9% to a 14%+ share in 12 months.”
Mooney was subsequently offered the chance to take over from Matty Johns at Triple M Sydney.
“You can’t say ‘no’ to that. There was a bit of trepidation because after Sydney it is hard for them to put you somewhere else.”
Triple M even named the show after him and asked about the shape of the program.
Moonman’s Triple M team
Gus Worland: “An old warhorse who was on The Grill Team for nine years. He is our heritage.”
Jess Eva: “A breakout star on The Block last year. A reality star, but there is something very different about her – she is not contrived and is as real as it comes. She is a drinker, a punter and a mum. She has a bit of vision and is not an entitled person who has been in radio for a decade making a squillion and doesn’t know what a litre of milk costs. She is fair dinkum.”
Laura Bouchet (new breakfast executive producer): “She is an absolute gift and it was a bit of a coup by Mike Fitzpatrick to lure her away from WSFM. Mike and Grant Blackley have constructed a very strong team.”
Pagey: “He is a pivotal member of the team and knows radio very well. He is wonderful at knowing when to get in and get out and he very much shapes the show. People anchoring shows don’t get enough recognition.”
Mooney’s time on radio has taught him a few things:
“Unless you are well slept and take your nutrients you can fall at the last hurdle. It essentially is waking up in front of workmates and you can be very vulnerable at that time.”
Moonman’s Triple M team message:
“This is a struggle and it is a difficult job. Unless we have a lot of love and honesty we can’t do it for a long period of time.”
Previous breakfast gig at Mix 101.1
Mooney has done his share of breakfast radio. Apart from Triple M Sydney and Brisbane, he was one of several teams that passed through Melbourne’s Mix 101.1 many years ago. “More music that makes you feel good,” he remembered.
“The show was Loz, Michelle and Des. Des Dowling is a mate of mine I went to drama school with and who still works as a comedian and runs a booking agency too.
“Michelle van Raay is a manger at Profile Talent.”
Profile looks after Mooney these days.
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Top Photo: Triple M Sydney breakfast team: Jess, Gus, Moonman and Pagey