Trying to have a serious chat with Tim Ferguson is a bit like trying to
discuss daytime soapies with a Tibetan monk.
The lanky TV funnyman, well-known for his acerbic brand of humour, insists on
keeping the wisecracks coming.
Ask him about his wife and three young children and he responds: "Yes, I
bought a family a short time ago. It was when the price was down on the stock
exchange, so I thought I'd get in quick."
But the response also illustrates the one thing Ferguson is deadly
serious about - keeping his private life private.
"We're a bit rabid about our privacy," he says, dropping the
wisecracks for a moment. "We've had a bit of trouble with people in the
past, so we try to keep the kids out of the press. What I do is just a job and
so the less impact it has on the children's lives, the better."
Sadly, he admits, his two sons and a daughter, aged between five and 10,
don't find him as funny as his fans.
"They're always telling me to grow up and stop being so childish,"
says Ferguson, host of Ten's Unreal TV.
Ferguson first found small-screen fame as a member of The Doug Anthony All
Stars.
When the trio folded, the Melbourne-based comic went solo hosting roles on
such shows as the manic Don't Forget Your Toothbrush.
Last September he joined Ten for Unreal TV, showcasing outrageous
moments from the world of television, movies and commercials.
"It's great fun to do," he enthuses. "It's nice to know there
are enough sickos out there to enjoy it. I'm not sure if it's a glowing reference
for the show's brilliance or a tragic indictment of society. Hopefully, it's a
little bit of both.
"It's a very different way of working for me. Normally, I'm on my feet
jumping up and down like a drumming bunny, so it's nice just to be able to sit
and watch the clips and just think of cruel things to say about
them.
