Sam Moran interviewAdmit it … you have a bit of a crush on children’s entertainer Sam Moran!

And why wouldn’t you … he has a nice smile, he’s great with kids and – if you keep reading – you’ll see that he has an awesome sense of humour too! What more would you want!?

Here we chat to Sam about his family, his career and his support for children’s charities.

Q. Are you aware of the slightly cultish following that you have among mums? You’re right up there with Jimmy Giggle! Is that flattering or a bit weird?

Haha! I’m not sure I’m aware of any ‘cultish’ following, but I am certainly appreciative and flattered by all the support that I receive from families around the world. It’s funny actually, Jimmy Giggle and I actually get together every now and then for a catch-up.  We’re usually in disguise though, no bright colours LOL!

 

Q. And I’m sure those mums are very happy to see you back on the small screen! You received a lot of support from parents when you were ousted from The Wiggles. Were you surprised by the passionate response?

Extremely! The touring life can become a bit of a bubble that you’re living in. It wasn’t until a few months after that I was able to get enough perspective outside the bubble to realise what everyone else saw. The support that everyone has shown me has been nothing short of humbling and has been what has driven me to continue to do what I love.

 

Q. Skivvies make my neck itch though … you must be glad to have them out of the wardrobe?

Ha! I never found them itchy, but bright flourescent yellow wasn’t in my wardrobe before The Wiggles, during or after.

 

Q. So, what is the best part of being a children’s entertainer?

It really is the children and their response. It doesn’t matter how bad a day you’re having, when you run out onstage and see their faces light up, your cares fall away. That may be the only time they get to see you Live and in person, so you have to make sure that it’s the best experience possible for each and every one of them.

 

Q. What is the weirdest thing a child has said to you?

Nothing weird comes out of a child’s mouth. It’s always endearing because it comes from such an innocent place. They really do just ask things out of curiosity or from a point-of-view that is unique to their view of the world. They usually ask how I got out of the television, or ask “are you real?”

 

Q. I sometimes make up lame songs to sing to my kids – my latest is called Jam Face and it is to the tune of Bad Boys. I sing it when my kids have jam on their faces after lunch. Do you do this too?

That’s not lame at all. Some might say that I do this very thing for a living But funnily enough, it’s my daughter that makes up songs like the way you described. I might have another budding songwriter on my hands

 

Q. How has your career impacted on your parenting? Has working with children helped you be a better dad?

There are small things it has helped with, but I think the opposite has been more important in my life. Becoming a Dad myself has made me a better children’s entertainer. It has certainly made me even more appreciative of the parent’s that bring their children to see my shows, or buy my music. Sometimes, as a parent, it is so hard to even get out of the front door with your children. So I really appreciate what the parents are sacrificing to bring their children, so I want to make sure they have a good time too

 

Q. I told my friend that you married Dorothy the Dinosaur and she didn’t believe me. She said I shouldn’t use Wikipedia for research. Please tell her that I am right!

She’s right on one point; you shouldn’t go to Wikipedia for research – Lol However, in this case you are right. My wife, Lyn, was Dorothy the Dinosaur for many years before having a little dinosaur of our own

 

Q. Oh – Wikipedia also says you are a keen cook. Is that one a lie? If not, what is your ‘signature dish’?

I don’t cook as much as I used to, but I do make a great Roast Vegetable Lasagne.

 

Q. What is keeping you busy at the moment? Do you have any new projects on the go?

The music from Play Along With Sam came out on CD a couple of months ago, and we are looking to do some videos for those songs and release them for everyone to enjoy.  We are also planning on some more episodes of Play Along With Sam for NickJr and another television show to introduce my new friends next year. They’re the Bam Bam Binos, who sing and dance with me at all my live shows. So very busy!

 

Q. You’re performing at the 2014 Rozelle & Balmain Family Fun Day to raise funds for Children’s Cancer Institute Australia’s (CCIA) neuroblastoma research. Why is this research important to you?

Probably not surprisingly, I support a lot of children’s charities, and cancer is a terrible disease for anybody of any age. But I regularly visit children in hospital who are fighting it and it is particularly heartbreaking to see children fighting a life threatening disease before they have even had a chance to grow up and live a long life.

– interview by Rebecca Galton

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