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Randy Feltface
Randy Feltface at the 2015 Vegan Festival in Adelaide
Created byHeath McIvor
Philip Millar
Portrayed byHeath McIvor
Voiced byHeath McIvor
Born (1980-08-17) 17 August 1980 (age 44)
NationalityAustralian
MediumStand-up, television
Years active2005–present
GenresObservational comedy, Comedy music
Websitefeltface.com

Randy Feltface, mostly referred to merely as Randy or, on occasion, Randy the Purple Puppet, is an Australian puppet comedian portrayed by Heath McIvor. Randy is a fixture on the international stand-up circuit and makes regular guest appearances on Australian television. He also performs as one half of the musical comedy duo "Sammy J and Randy", who made their television sitcom debut in 2015 with Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane on ABC in Australia, for which Randy is credited as co-writer and lead actor.[1] In 2019, Randy competed in the American reality television comedy competition series Bring the Funny, making it to the second round (the "Comedy Clash").[2][3]

Fictography

Randy notes that he has an unusually elaborate life story for a puppet comedian, though his operator, Heath McIvor, has stated that it has changed over time and that Randy sometimes makes new claims about his life in an improvisational manner.[4]

Early stand-up career

Randy's first acting gig was in a presentation on workplace bullying. Having gained a taste for showbiz, he soon began to make occasional appearances on the stand-up circuit in around 2005.[5] Randy and Sammy J first met when they shared a bill; shortly after they began performing together at the Butterfly Club in South Melbourne as Sammy J & Randy. Randy's first full-length solo show was Randy's Postcards from Purgatory, which debuted at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2009 to critical acclaim.[6]

Personal life

In his first full-length show, Randy's Postcards from Purgatory, Randy revealed he was 38 years old, working children's parties on the weekend, going broke, and facing an impending divorce. He was also a heavy drinker and smoker.[5] By the time of Randy is Sober it appears that Randy has quit drinking and smoking, and is now a vegan. He has also written an unpublished novel entitled Walking to Skye, a recurring topic of interest in his 2015/2016 solo show Randy Writes a Novel.[7]

During the events depicted in the second show, Ricketts Lane, Randy is sent to jail for tax fraud, thanks to his house-mate, Sammy J, a young lawyer desperate to make a case.[6] However, McIvor noted that both Randy and Sammy J are actors on that show.[4]

In his show Purple Privilege, Randy says he was born on the "day Lindy Chamberlain's baby was eaten by a dingo" (17 August 1980).[8]

Creation

Randy Feltface is operated by Heath McIvor, who began his career in puppetry at age 13 in 1993, when he performed with the Melbourne children's theatre company Polyglot Theatre.[9] He provided puppetry work for The Hobbit; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and Walking With Dinosaurs, the Live Experience.[10] He has also worked in television on Pig's Breakfast, Li'l Horrors and as "Fiend" in Me and My Monsters.

McIvor and his friend Philip Millar were working on a puppet musical called Tyrannosaurus Sex[11] with a mutual friend Derek Rowe;[12] Rowe, who worked as a workplace consultant for companies, was eventually contracted to create a show about workplace bullying by an insurance company.[4] The show, entitled What's A Bully To You?, originally featured two puppets, but the team realised they needed a third, unisex puppet that could perform a male and a female role depending on the costume: the puppet, called "Beverly" and "Randy" depending on the role, was built by Millar, made from tools in his shed with his arm rods being hacked together from barbecue forks.[4] The show was not received well by the company and McIvor decided to use the character and puppet for an upcoming puppet comedy show organised by Millar called Pure Puppet Palaver, rebranding it as a stand-up comedy act.[4]

Style

Randy (right) with comedic partner Sammy J
Randy (left) and Sammy J post-show in the Garden of Unearthly Delights at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival

When performing with Sammy J, Randy performs the funny-man to Sammy J's straight-man in the double act with much of their material being musical comedy. In his solo performances, Randy tends towards observational comedy; in both Randy is Sober and Randy Writes a Novel, he contemplates his own progression as a person and his existential crisis as an artist. He often breaks the fourth wall, pointing out that he is a puppet and cannot actually see the audience, or noting that his movement on stage is usually limited to the desk he is behind.

Works

Live shows

  • 2009 Randy's Postcards From Purgatory[13]
  • 2010 Ricketts Lane (with Sammy J)
  • 2011 Bin Night (with Sammy J)
  • 2011–2013 Randy is Sober[13][14]
  • 2012 The Inheritance (with Sammy J)
  • 2013 Sammy J & Randy: The Arena Spectacular (with Sammy J)
  • 2013–2014 The Last Temptation of Randy[13]
  • 2015 An Evening with Sammy J & Randy (with Sammy J)[15]
  • 2015 Randy Writes a Novel[16]
  • 2016 Sammy J and Randy Land (with Sammy J)[17]
  • 2018 The Book of Randicus
  • 2020 Modus Operandy
  • 2021 Purple Privilege
  • 2022 Inhale, Exile
  • 2022 Alien of Extraordinary Ability
  • 2023 Feltopia[18]
  • 2024 First Banana

Television

Recordings

  • 2012 Randy is Sober (DVD)[21]
  • 2012 Sammy J and Randy in Bin Night (DVD)[22]
  • 2013 The Last Temptation of Randy (released as VOD in 2020)[23]
  • 2013 Sammy J & Randy's Difficult First Album (Audio)[24]
  • 2015 Sammy J and Randy LIVE (DVD)[25]
  • 2018 Randy Writes a Novel (DVD, YouTube)[26]
  • 2021 The Book Of Randicus (DVD, VOD)[27]
  • 2021 Purple Privilege (YouTube)[28]
  • 2022 Smug Druggles (YouTube)[29]
  • 2023 The Book of Randicus (YouTube)[30]
  • 2024 Feltopia (YouTube)[31]

Radio

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2013 Bin Night (with Sammy J) Best Comedy Release Nominated [33]
2015 Live (with Sammy J) Nominated

Other awards

References

  1. ^ "Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane : ABC iview". iview.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b Puppet Randy Feltface Performs in the Open Mic Round - Bring The Funny (Open Mic), 15 July 2019, retrieved 27 February 2023
  3. ^ a b Magician Jarred Fell vs. Puppet Randy Feltface - Bring The Funny (Comedy Clash), 5 August 2019, retrieved 2 March 2023
  4. ^ a b c d e Saturday Morning Media (1 November 2019). Heath McIvor (Randy Feltface, Me & My Monsters) - Under The Puppet #34. YouTube.
  5. ^ a b "No strings attached – Comedy Festival – Arts – Entertainment – theage.com.au". theage.com.au. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Stand and Deliver!". Stand and Deliver!. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Randy Is Sober | The Skinny". Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Purple Privilege". YouTube. 13 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Heath McIvor | Polyglot Theatre". Polyglotpuppets.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  10. ^ "Heath McIvor, Puppeteer, etc". Heathmcivor.com. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  11. ^ "Hey, dummy, listen up". The Age. 5 October 2007.
  12. ^ Woodhead, Cameron (5 October 2007). "Tyrannosaurus". The Age. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  13. ^ a b c "Randy • Comedian – Bio". Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Randy is Sober – Athenaeum Theatre". 28 March 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  15. ^ "Randy • Comedian". Randy • Comedian. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  16. ^ Logan, Brian (26 August 2016). "Randy Writes a Novel review – existential crisis of a puppet standup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  17. ^ Bozoky, Jessica (15 January 2016). "Sammy J and Randy Land: The Embezzlement". Scenestr. Eyeball Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  18. ^ BREAKING NEWS: Feltopia Tour Dates ADDED | Randy Feltface, 11 April 2023, retrieved 10 May 2023
  19. ^ "Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun" Housemates (TV Episode 2020) - IMDb, retrieved 5 April 2023
  20. ^ De Avondshow Correspondent Audition | Randy Feltface, 19 March 2023, retrieved 4 April 2023
  21. ^ Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Randy is Sober DVD (SIGNED)". www.laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Sammy J & Randy BIN NIGHT DVD (SIGNED)". laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "Randy on Instagram: "Available now for digital download! Link in bio! Cost minimal, satisfaction probable. #thelasttemptationofrandy . . . #straighttovhs…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021.
  24. ^ Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Sammy J & Randy's DIFFICULT FIRST ALBUM CD (SIGNED)". laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Sammy J & Randy LIVE DVD". laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Randy Feltface - Randy Writes a Novel, 25 October 2020, retrieved 15 May 2021
  27. ^ McIvor, Heath; Van den Dungen, Natalie. "Randy Feltface: The Book of Randicus". Amazon. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  28. ^ Randy Feltface - Purple Privilege Full Show, 13 November 2021, retrieved 2 December 2021
  29. ^ Randy Feltface: Smug Druggles - Full Comedy Special, 31 July 2022, retrieved 19 January 2023
  30. ^ Randy Feltface - The Book Of Randicus, 16 July 2023, retrieved 7 August 2023
  31. ^ Randy Feltface: Feltopia (Full Comedy Special), 19 February 2024, retrieved 19 February 2024
  32. ^ "Radio 4 announces first presenter made of felt". BBC Media Centre. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  33. ^ "ARIA Awards Best Comedy Release". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 17 April 2022.
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