TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW WITH JOHN STANLEY, 2GB, THURSDAY JANUARY 5
Subject: Parkes Elvis Festival
E&OE
Starts 7.36am
JOHN STANLEY
And one of the biggest advocates, one of the biggest promoters of the Elvis Festival, the local Federal MP, Michael McCormack. And, gee, I hope he doesn't mind me doing this because on the Today show a few years ago, he was the Deputy Prime Minister, and he was dressed up as Elvis. And this is a bit of what he did.
**Michael McCormack singing
JOHN STANLEY
I loved that. I hope he doesn't mind. Because he’s on the line with us now, the local MP, Michael McCormack, good morning to you.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Good morning, John. And yes, the theme is Blue Hawaii. And of course, the soundtrack album was on the Billboard pop charts for 79 weeks, including 20 at number one. So the movie might not have done that well, but I tell you what the soundtrack album did and it had such great hits, hits such as Can't Help Falling in Love and many others and I'll tell you what, it's going to be a great weekend.
JOHN STANLEY
Now, you were dressed up when you did that on the Today show, so is there a Blue Hawaii outfit that you get into?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Oh, indeed, there will be. But during the street parade on Saturday, I will be putting on my blue powdered sequined Elvis suit as will the Mayor, Ken Keith. We both wear the same suit and you really can't tell us apart, quite frankly, only our mothers could. But there are so many people dressed up, it’s such a good, such a good festival. And, as you say, well, there’s going to be 24,000 people descending on the population of 12,000. That makes it 36 and many of them are dressed up and they're all getting into the Elvis spirit.
JOHN STANLEY
It's such a great thing that's developed around Parkes. So you're the local MP, you are a newspaper editor in the area. So did Elvis find you via the festival or is this something that's been a lifetime thing for you?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
No, my late mother, Eileen, had Elvis pumping out our cassette player for many years before I cottoned on to the fact that there was a festival at Parkes. But the festival is in its 30th year and Bob and Anne Steele are both OAMs. They were the owners of Graceland Motel. They held the first festival 30 years ago and they sent an invite out via an ad in the local paper, The Champion Post, and invited people: 195 people turned up and they thought, gee, this might catch on, this might be a good thing. And it did catch on. And now there's thousands of people and everybody gets into it. It is, of course, celebrating the 8th of January 1935 birth of Elvis and his legacy and his music live on. And so many people come from all right throughout, right throughout the world, in fact, for this. And the Elvis tribute artist who is judged the best then goes on to Graceland and performs there. So, you know, there's quite a bit, quite a bit around it. And there are more than 300 events, there’s people (who) renew their wedding vows, they've got Ross Wilson, the founder and front man of Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock is going to be inducted into the Wall of Fame, they've got Normie Rowe there, there's lots of things to see and do. They have even a poet’s corner. They've got, wait for it, Climb Me A Mountain rock climbing.
JOHN STANLEY
How good is that? And look, you'd be aware, we've spoken, some of the, some of the little towns, around Parkes in that general area. They've done it very tough, a succession of things, mouse plagues going all the way back to the drought and then of course, the floods. So if you're going to Parkes, you can go satellite yourself off and go to some of the other places, as well.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, they're all booked out. And, you know, this contributes more than $15 million to the local visitor economy. All the towns within a hundred-kilometre radius of Parkes are booked out. But as you said at the top of the promo, please drive to the conditions. The Newell Highway, it does have some potholes in it. Appreciate the State Government's announced a half a billion-dollar pothole program and that'll kick in soon, so that's good. But the roads have a lot of potholes in them, so please, if you're driving to Parkes, please take care. We want you to get there, enjoy yourself and get home in one piece.
JOHN STANLEY
Can you do a little Elvis for us? Just one little bit for us?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
(Singing) Take my hand, take my whole life, too, for I can’t help falling in love with Parkes.
JOHN STANLEY
Ah, very good and a great advocate for the area. Michael McCormack, it's great to speak to you. Now, of course, you've been on the scene, and I have to ask you, I have been told, about the Kava, because you have had some Kava. You did the right thing.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I won’t be drinking any this weekend. It was Sakau, not Kava, but Kava is ok. I can knock it down by the shellful. But Sakau is potent stuff. If you’re going to Micronesia this weekend, not Parkes, take care, don't drink it all at once.
JOHN STANLEY
I have to ask you, because you say the Elvis impersonator that does the best gets to go to Graceland. Now, I went to Graceland a few years ago. I’ve always talk, I hope I haven’t bored people talking about it, because I went there with no expectations and I was gobsmacked. It's got to be on everyone's bucket list, apart from Parkes, to actually go to Graceland.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Indeed, I have not been there, but intend to.
JOHN STANLEY
You haven’t been?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
No, I haven't been.
JOHN STANLEY
Oh, you got to go.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
No, but Parkes will be good enough. Parkes will have as much Elvis memorabilia and hysteria as anybody would like to see and do and sing. And so all roads lead to Parkes this weekend in New South Wales.
JOHN STANLEY
Good on you. Well if you win, if you win the competition, you might be off there to sing.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I won't with that effort I did a little while ago.
JOHN STANLEY
Good on you, Michael. Look, I think that the Federal Member for Riverina, who's a great advocate for what is an amazing event and it's kicking off over five days.
Ends 8.44am