Menswear Icons You Should Own: R.M.Williams Craftsman Boot
Welcome back to Menswear Icons You Should Own. This is the second instalment in Man of Many's new series celebrating rare pieces of menswear that have proved timeless, shaping the way we dress over the course of decades. Each instalment dives into the story behind a sartorial staple before exploring the details that make it special and discussing those who've worn it best, from actors and musicians to athletes and public figures.
Nothing fits this bill with more precision than the Craftsman boot from R.M.Williams. In a world full of Chelsea boots—essentially what the Craftsman is—R.M.Williams' take on this style stands entirely apart. It does so in two key ways: through its signature aesthetic and the philosophy that underpins it.
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The Age
6 hours ago
- The Age
‘People think I'm a way better bloke than I am': Why this comedian is trashing his do-good image
It was the night of the US election, and Luke Kidgell was working at a venue in Los Angeles. An Aussie abroad, watching history unfold. The residents of the predominantly blue Californian state were anxiously awaiting the results, though many of those Kidgell had spoken to before had resigned themselves to an incoming Republican president. At the venue, the emcee hopped on the mic every 30 minutes, updating the audience with the latest vote count, slowly but surely confirming their worst fears. Tough gig for the guy on stage trying to make everyone laugh. As we sit down to lunch, Kidgell tells me that some crowds are inevitably better than others, though a bunch of progressives staring down four more years of Donald Trump wasn't his toughest audience. That, he says, was when he opened for Steve-O, a prankster from the dangerously disgusting 2000s-era show Jackass. Steve-O became famous for stunts such as sticking a hook through his cheek and throwing himself into the ocean as 'shark bait'. It was safe to say his audience came to the gig expecting some hardcore content. 'They didn't want the jokes,' Kidgell says with a laugh. 'It was just a bunch of neckbeards in heavy metal T-shirts waiting for Steve-O. Like, 'Why is this little boy on stage?'' Difficult shows are bound to happen when you relentlessly tour the world for four years – the trick is to dwell for no more than 24 hours before getting over it, Kidgell says. He is one of a handful of Australian comedians who can regularly sell out shows from Europe to America, at famed venues such as LA's Laugh Factory and Indigo at London's O2 Arena. If you haven't heard of him, you're probably not on TikTok, where he has amassed millions of followers and posts clips of improvised interactions with crowds. Those international gigs are a long way from Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs, where Kidgell grew up. He still lives nearby, and he chose this, his local pub, for our lunch because in his mind 'it would be funny' but also 'extremely convenient'. We arrive at the Diamond Creek Hotel, affectionately known as the Diamo pub, and take in the atmosphere. 'I've never been here at this hour,' Kidgell says, appraising the grandparents shuffling between the bistro and pokie machines. 'I've never made a better choice in my life. It's awesome.' The meal he orders reveals as much about his simple tastes as the location, despite his globetrotting lifestyle. Kidgell ignores my efforts to elevate our dining experience by pointing out there are oysters on the menu, and states he wants a parma. He says it with such conviction that I hurry to the counter – there's no table service, and drinks are ordered separately at the bar – forgetting we are also supposed to get sides. On the spot, I order my Dorito-crumbed chicken burger, glance over the menu again and pick the popcorn cauliflower for a side. Wrong choice. When it arrives at the table, Kidgell looks at the dish as if it has just told a very bad joke, calls it a bold order and doesn't touch it throughout the meal. (The parma, smothered in stretchy, wet cheese, and a side of chips are meticulously devoured.) My Dorito burger has certainly got its namesake crunch, but I forgot to ask for no jalapenos, so I put it down and return to our conversation. Doing stand-up comedy might be many people's worst nightmare but Kidgell relishes it. He recalls his first-ever gig at the Imperial Hotel near Melbourne's Parliament Station: 'I think I got, like, three laughs, but it was enough to get me to come back.' The 29-year-old has been chasing those laughs since he was a teen in high school, which is where we first met, though we haven't caught up for more than a decade. I remember him as someone who was more interested in joking around than studying, dedicating endless hours of his lunchtime filming skits with his friends. The videos would be posted to the early iterations of Facebook in a group that quickly developed a mass following among his classmates. I ask Kidgell to describe what he was like when he was younger, and whether it was natural that he went on to make people laugh for a living. 'Can you [describe me]?' he asks instead. 'I would classify you as a class clown-type,' I say. 'You can use the term attention-seeker,' he says. 'That's probably more accurate.' He reveals to me over lunch that it was in our high school history class he was told for the first time he should be a stand-up comic – by a likely disgruntled teacher tired of his interruptions, but still. '[She said] you should do stand-up comedy, laughed, and then walked away,' he recalls. 'I have a distinct memory of her saying that ... It was the first time anyone's ever suggested it, even if it was a joke. She was probably like, 'That would be the worst'. And I was like, 'She's onto something'.' Kidgell admits he was never particularly studious, and he has certainly maintained his laid-back demeanour, lounging in his chair on the Diamo pub's balcony in his plain white tee and jeans. 'I was capable, but didn't apply myself – the correct terminology is underachiever,' he says. I try to tease out what goes into building such an impressive brand, having seen the shift from that kid goofing off in class, but he's reluctant to talk about his success. Kidgell brushes off the size of his social media following, cringes when I use the word 'fans', and claims comedians leech more off society than they contribute. ('Oh, such a service that we do,' he quips. 'Getting up there and having people pay to hear our thoughts!') But a serious drive lurks beneath that unassuming surface. Kidgell co-owns a business with his brother and manager, Jack, and they have 10 employees working on a plethora of projects: they have a new, self-produced comedy special; they've built an almost 3 million-strong social media following; Kidgell is in the midst of a three-year-long tour schedule; he's just written a new show; he performs up to four times a week when he's in Melbourne; and he has a podcast. And his attention to detail extends beyond being able to mop up every inch of a pub parma. Kidgell colour codes his writing so he can tell how funny his script is at a glance, and he keeps track of how many gigs he's done – 1304 at the time of interview. Oh, and he's training for a marathon. 'I only really do the [social media] videos as a means to make it a career,' he eventually elaborates. 'I just knew it would sell me tickets, and it worked. I think it worked better than I thought it would. I kind of was just like, 'Oh, man, if I could just do this full-time, that'd be great'. And now we've started a whole business, and it's a whole thing.' Kidgell rode the wave of social media as Instagram and then TikTok exploded, and says being online is increasingly becoming a requirement for entertainers to get exposure. 'I think every comedian now has realised that you need to be on social media. And it works,' he says. 'It's where most people under 30 consume media. I don't know why you wouldn't be on it at this point. It would be a disservice to your career if you weren't where everyone's eyes are.' He says his willingness to take a punt and improvise with crowds plays well online, but it was an interaction with a woman with Tourette's in regional New South Wales that first propelled his content into virality. 'She started ticking,' he says. 'She said eff off, which is not uncommon in Tamworth, so I just thought it was a regular heckle.' She explained and they had a laugh, and the interaction went viral. She came up after the gig and thanked him; she didn't normally feel comfortable going to shows. 'Then a bunch of other people with Tourette's started coming to my shows, and I ended up doing a fundraiser for them last year,' Kidgell says. 'That's the thing, people get so uncomfortable joking about it. [But people with Tourette's are] Like, as long as you're not being mean, and you're including us in it, it's great. So I think that has been maybe a bit of a point that has differentiated me in the sense that I don't go in on people – unless they deserve it.' But he wants people to know he's no angel. In fact, it's the theme of his show Good Intentions, which he's touring Australia on the back of another stint in the US. 'People think I'm a way better bloke than I am,' he says. 'That's what my new show is about. It's about me telling people, like, I'm not actually that nice.' Kidgell looks around and says he doesn't go to the Diamo pub that frequently any more. His friends refuse to come with him at weekends because he gets recognised too often, though he glances towards the pokies-playing pensioners this Tuesday lunchtime and reckons we're safe for now. 'We have the pub at home now,' he says. '[My partner] Meg got me a kegerator for Christmas. It's like a beer tap in a fridge, so now we just do it up the road. 'But the parmas aren't as good.'
Sky News AU
7 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Legendary Aussie musician John Farnham 'so proud' after becoming first-time grandpa
Australian music legend John Farnham has welcomed the arrival of his first grandchild. Farnham will be a grandfather for the first time to a baby boy Jett John Farnham. His son James and James' partner Dr Tessa Effendi welcomed their newborn into the world at 5.26pm on Wednesday June 18. Baby Jett arrived ahead of his expected date of birth and was born at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Melbourne, weighing 3.176Kgs. His parents made the announcement on Tuesday evening. "We thought we were excited to meet him—but turns out he was even more excited to meet us, arriving a little ahead of schedule," they said. "Jett is our whole world in one tiny, noisy, perfect package. We're smitten, we're sleep-deprived, and we wouldn't have it any other way." John and Jill Farnham said they are over the moon for the arrival of their first grandchild. "We are over the moon about the arrival of this perfectly beautiful little boy. He's already filled our hearts with so much love and we're so proud and happy for James and Tessa. Welcome to the world, Jett!" the couple said. The welcome news comes after Farnham underwent jaw reconstruction surgery. It lasted 12 hours and required 26 doctors, following his oral cancer diagnosis in 2022. The 76-year-old has since been cleared of cancer following weeks of radiation therapy. Farnham was a legendary singer best known for his Australian household hit 'You're the Voice', released in 1986.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Clare joins 320k cohort of AC/DC ticket holders, as band sets new record
Clare Jenkinson is stoked to join an exclusive cohort of 320,000 Aussies who managed to score tickets to one of the biggest tours since the COVID pandemic. The 54-year-old from Brisbane nabbed a single ticket to see AC/DC, during a frenzy which saw a "record-breaking" demand which set an all-time high for daily sales on the Ticketek platform. The record surpassed the previous record set during The Ashes on-sale earlier this month - the home-town rockers selling an average of 1,200 tickets per minute. Read more from The Senior "[With great bands] maybe the first time they came around, you were too young," she said. "Maybe you've got nappies around you, and kids and all that sort of stuff. You're not thinking about concerts. "Now, I'm YOLO [you only live once]. I'm just doing everything now." Clare, a fan of Acca Dacca for around 30 years, snared a single ticket for the second Brisbane concert, after two hours of waiting and 32,000 people in front of her in the online queue. "I'll always have it on really loud in the car before I get to wherever I've got to go so I'm all pumped up," she said. "I think it's good, energizing music. Good for the gym, good for getting you in a good head space." The former Brisbane City councillor is also quick to belt out their tunes. "If there's ever karaoke or something, their songs are probably ones I would bust out to," she said. The band's Power Up tour, named after their 2020 album, is the first time they'll be performing on our shores since 2015. But amongst the excitement, there was also disappointment - with online forums and social media peppered with comments from devastated, hard-core fans. "Disappointed waiting for ticket[s] for AC/DC only to get to the end of the queue and be stuffed around with," Anthony John Shephard posted on Facebook. "Had my tickets twice, ready to pay twice then kicked out!" Cassandra Kirwin shared on Facebook. Nadina Light also posted on Facebook: "Nope, three of us trying with no luck". "Tickets were in the basket, went to pay and got booted to the back of the queue," Jessica Pickering wrote on Facebook. And now there are social media posts of a different kind - AC/DC tickets for re-sale. The flood of ticket sales on Facebook are for every Australian city the band is playing, with posts also from desperate fans who missed out, begging to buy any available and unwanted tickets. AC/DC will be back home in Australia from November, with official tickets sold through Ticketek: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Clare Jenkinson is stoked to join an exclusive cohort of 320,000 Aussies who managed to score tickets to one of the biggest tours since the COVID pandemic. The 54-year-old from Brisbane nabbed a single ticket to see AC/DC, during a frenzy which saw a "record-breaking" demand which set an all-time high for daily sales on the Ticketek platform. The record surpassed the previous record set during The Ashes on-sale earlier this month - the home-town rockers selling an average of 1,200 tickets per minute. Read more from The Senior "[With great bands] maybe the first time they came around, you were too young," she said. "Maybe you've got nappies around you, and kids and all that sort of stuff. You're not thinking about concerts. "Now, I'm YOLO [you only live once]. I'm just doing everything now." Clare, a fan of Acca Dacca for around 30 years, snared a single ticket for the second Brisbane concert, after two hours of waiting and 32,000 people in front of her in the online queue. "I'll always have it on really loud in the car before I get to wherever I've got to go so I'm all pumped up," she said. "I think it's good, energizing music. Good for the gym, good for getting you in a good head space." The former Brisbane City councillor is also quick to belt out their tunes. "If there's ever karaoke or something, their songs are probably ones I would bust out to," she said. The band's Power Up tour, named after their 2020 album, is the first time they'll be performing on our shores since 2015. But amongst the excitement, there was also disappointment - with online forums and social media peppered with comments from devastated, hard-core fans. "Disappointed waiting for ticket[s] for AC/DC only to get to the end of the queue and be stuffed around with," Anthony John Shephard posted on Facebook. "Had my tickets twice, ready to pay twice then kicked out!" Cassandra Kirwin shared on Facebook. Nadina Light also posted on Facebook: "Nope, three of us trying with no luck". "Tickets were in the basket, went to pay and got booted to the back of the queue," Jessica Pickering wrote on Facebook. And now there are social media posts of a different kind - AC/DC tickets for re-sale. The flood of ticket sales on Facebook are for every Australian city the band is playing, with posts also from desperate fans who missed out, begging to buy any available and unwanted tickets. AC/DC will be back home in Australia from November, with official tickets sold through Ticketek: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Clare Jenkinson is stoked to join an exclusive cohort of 320,000 Aussies who managed to score tickets to one of the biggest tours since the COVID pandemic. The 54-year-old from Brisbane nabbed a single ticket to see AC/DC, during a frenzy which saw a "record-breaking" demand which set an all-time high for daily sales on the Ticketek platform. The record surpassed the previous record set during The Ashes on-sale earlier this month - the home-town rockers selling an average of 1,200 tickets per minute. Read more from The Senior "[With great bands] maybe the first time they came around, you were too young," she said. "Maybe you've got nappies around you, and kids and all that sort of stuff. You're not thinking about concerts. "Now, I'm YOLO [you only live once]. I'm just doing everything now." Clare, a fan of Acca Dacca for around 30 years, snared a single ticket for the second Brisbane concert, after two hours of waiting and 32,000 people in front of her in the online queue. "I'll always have it on really loud in the car before I get to wherever I've got to go so I'm all pumped up," she said. "I think it's good, energizing music. Good for the gym, good for getting you in a good head space." The former Brisbane City councillor is also quick to belt out their tunes. "If there's ever karaoke or something, their songs are probably ones I would bust out to," she said. The band's Power Up tour, named after their 2020 album, is the first time they'll be performing on our shores since 2015. But amongst the excitement, there was also disappointment - with online forums and social media peppered with comments from devastated, hard-core fans. "Disappointed waiting for ticket[s] for AC/DC only to get to the end of the queue and be stuffed around with," Anthony John Shephard posted on Facebook. "Had my tickets twice, ready to pay twice then kicked out!" Cassandra Kirwin shared on Facebook. Nadina Light also posted on Facebook: "Nope, three of us trying with no luck". "Tickets were in the basket, went to pay and got booted to the back of the queue," Jessica Pickering wrote on Facebook. And now there are social media posts of a different kind - AC/DC tickets for re-sale. The flood of ticket sales on Facebook are for every Australian city the band is playing, with posts also from desperate fans who missed out, begging to buy any available and unwanted tickets. AC/DC will be back home in Australia from November, with official tickets sold through Ticketek: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
