Who is Jeff Wortman?
In 1995 I thought I was the next great Dutch striker. I was wrong. Luckily I had a fall back – singer, writer, actor, comedian.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
Again… if the opportunity arose to play even a friendly game for the Dutch national soccer team I would be extremely interested.
Who inspires you and why?
Freddie Mercury. There are so many reasons why a short, queer man with buck teeth should never have been the world’s greatest rock singer, but none of them were ever going to stand in his way. You have to admire his conviction if nothing else.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Convince the producers of My Kitchen Rules to reduce the season to three weeks instead of three months.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
I try to go somewhere different every time I travel. My favourite so far has been the fashion, architecture and tapas in Barcelona.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
I take them directly to my favourite cafe for coffee and cake. I can’t tell you where it is and unless you read The Broadsheet, you’ll never find it.
What are you currently reading?
I love a good newspaper columnist. Sadly there are too few at the moment. Thank god for Tegan Higginbotham in The Age. Great mix of topical and funny.
What are you currently listening to?
As I write this, I’m listening to the Corpse Bride Soundtrack created by Danny Elfman – Imagining how good a symphony orchestra would sound on the next Robot Child album.
Happiness is?
Not sure… Oh look, my cat has fallen asleep in the washing basket.
What does the future hold for you?
I’d like to bring more Rock into the Theatre. The jigs up Musical Theatre singers it’s ‘We will rock you’ not ‘We will rock yerrrrooouuuuuu’.
Jeff is currently appearing in Changes: A Theatrical Tribute to the Music of David Bowie at Gasworks Arts Park until 6 August 2016. For more information, visit: www.gasworks.org.au for details.
Image: Jeff Wortman