Travel 250 years in a brisk 37 minutes with BAFTA winning filmmaker Rupert Harris and host Michael Ogden in another entertaining and provocative installment of the 2269 podcast.
Listen in as life stories are shared, cocktails are mixed and the greatest books and films get selected as Rupert and Mike road trip to the Greatest Party of All Time.
For more on the 2269 Project and to get your own invitation to the greatest party of all time, visit 2269.co
For more on Rupert Harris, please visit animalvegetablemineral.tv
More episodes are coming up! Subscribe to the 2269 podcast on any of your favourite podcast platforms.
Travel 250 years in a brisk 37 minutes with BAFTA winning filmmaker Rupert Harris and host Michael Ogden in another entertaining and provocative installment of the 2269 podcast.
Listen in as life stories are shared, cocktails are mixed and the greatest books and films get selected as Rupert and Mike road trip to the Greatest Party of All Time.
For more on the 2269 Project and to get your own invitation to the greatest party of all time, visit 2269.co
For more on Rupert Harris, please visit animalvegetablemineral.tv
More episodes are coming up! Subscribe to the 2269 podcast on any of your favourite podcast platforms.
2269 Podcast
Ep 10: LIVING IN THE MOMENT – with guest Rupert Harris
“I find myself craving those kind of big crowd carpet kind of experiences. See, because obviously during a lockdown, we were kind of denied a lot of that. And sometimes you get into that space, you feel like collectively everyone's together. Yeah. , , , that can be kind of, you know, there's a euphoria that comes with that, which is quite nice, a sense of being part of something bigger.”
Hey, I'm Michael Ogden and this is 2269. We're about to go on a road trip to the distant future, to the greatest party of all time. Each episode, we meet another guest who has an invitation to the big day that party is scheduled for June 6th, 2269, a worldwide multi-cultural celebration in which everyone is invited.
It starts at noon and only happens by passing a very special invitation on from one generation to the next. If you'd like an invitation for yourself or your friends and family, just go to 2260 nine.co for all the details.
I'm here with Rupert Harris today. Rupert's a BAFTA award winning producer, creative director, founder of the virtual reality company, animal vegetable and mineral or AVM. He and his team have a track record of developing high quality, innovative and interactive content for the likes of IOA Wei, BBC Sotheby's adventure, bear grills and others
Rupert, good to have you here.
Thank you for coming. Great beer. We'll need production. Isn't it funny? You know, you kind of like, you know, choose those signposts of these are the things anyone's life, you know, he's a professional credentials.
Yeah, it's true. I guess I could introduce in lots of other ways, which isn't one I've known you for a while.
That's a, that's part of your CV. Um, you've got kids, , you are a keen surfer. You are a traveler, a photographer, a filmmaker, like, so there are you're right. Immediately, as soon as you kind of distill it into a paragraph it's a bit
reductive. Yeah. Yeah. How would you introduce yourself?
Um, I w when she's myself, so, uh, my name's Rupert, , and, uh, you know, you make your own judgements on that. Um, and I think the name, yeah, the name names, so charged aren't they, you know, they come with baggage, they do, and that's why we have them, right.
People name me because, they, they imagine you , in some way related to all the people that they've loved. Yes. You had that name or in my to them. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And they're both aspirational and kind of, uh, but you're,
but you're concerned that already the audience is like, okay, I know his name for sure.
Before I knew
half of what he's about. Yeah. I know you can't meet that name and not feel like you already have a, however, I have an idea
and they're like, he sounds amazing. Is that what you're thinking?
I forgot I'm working with, I made a film in, uh, in the jungles of Belize, like years ago with these guys.
And there was an all SAS kind of, , guy there called Charlie. And Charlie was a, kind of a hard bitten old soul. But when, when I introduced myself to him and I told him my name was Ruby, he just cracked up. It's like, you're kidding me.
You don't think you're going to be
in the army. Rupert's, it's what they call the officers if you're an officer.
And it's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so you've already kind of like, it's like a right. Okay. Yeah. So if you had
to live up or live down to
that name, Well, I, I, I, yeah, it's interesting question. I'm not, I've, I've always, I've never really felt that it was kind of like, it was that, , you know, , that it was that kind of appropriate, but the same time I've always felt really strongly that it's important with a name that you kind of own it, you know, like taking it and go, no, actually, you know, I'm more of a, I'm more of a Jack or Jim or whatever, you'd call me this, or take on a nickname and kind of like, yeah.
Um, so I sort of felt some sort of an obligation to kind of like own that and, you know, shape it in my own kind of way, you know, maybe you'll transform
it. Maybe people are like, oh, that Rupert, right. It's about, maybe you're kind of battling your legacy maybe. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So what, w is there a name that would better suit you?
Oh God. Yeah. Yeah. Plenty of people will give you an answer to that one. Most of them rude.
Yeah.
Nice.
DESTINATION CHOICE
Uh, we'll look,
Rupert. We've got a party that starts at noon. So there's some urgency here.
So let's get in you grab that seat there on the left on K buckling up, buckle up, make yourself comfortable. Um, I'm going to get in, uh, squeeze in, um, uh, and let's get this going.
LIFT OFF
Pull that lever and let's take off.
Wow.
How's that feel?
This is I'm thinking of H G Wells is time machine and remembering that, that thing never actually took off. It just sat in the same
place fives, maybe how's it. Does it, does it, is it less or more than you expected the forest?
Um, my cheeks ago, I feel like Moonraker. Remember Roger Moore still the greatest bond.
They going back.
Well, look, it takes a second and then it just evens out and we begin to hit kind of a rhythm and a flow. Okay. Do you feel that I can feel that you're right. Yeah. Okay. Phenotal nauseas here.
Let me give you a cup, little, little glass of, uh, you got any Tramadol? Yeah. Good catch your breath.
Do you like a party?
Yeah, I'll have a party. I want to be dancing.
dancing is the greatest, it's the greatest thing that you have to do in the moment. I think that might be right. Only thing that when you, when you're doing it and feeling it and loving it, it just like you can't think about anything else.
Well, what makes a great party for you?
Great party for me is great people and great music. ,
do you like a party where it's like a thousands of people or do you like, you know, five or 10 people?
Yeah. Good question. I mean, I I've find myself craving those kind of big crowd carpet kind of experiences. See, because obviously during a lockdown, we were kind of denied a lot of that. And sometimes you get into that space, you feel like collectively everyone's together. Yeah. Um, that, that, that can be kind of, you know, there's a euphoria that comes with that, which is quite nice, a sense of being part of something bigger.
Yeah. Um, but you know, within that space, you know, it's only the five or 10 people that you're connecting with that really make it kind of like come alive, you know? Yeah.
Yeah.
Do you have a song you would add to the
party playlist songs, a party playlist? Um, okay. Yes. So, um, you know, it could be, you know, help the agent, um, was, uh, a great blur Pope track.
Um, it's funny. Yeah. , so, so maybe that, or maybe, or something a little bit more upbeat, you know, I love that track by the tramp disco Inferno. It's always now my list of favorite kind of, uh, hit the dance floor, you know, reach out, celebrate, um, yeah, that's going to get you dancing.
That's going to get that song. It's going to get to everyone on the dance floor. Um, well you need,
so, yeah, so we're, we're, we're filling out the party playlist. Um, so online, if you go to Spotify, apple, whatever, there is the 2269 party playlist, it's now like nine or 10 hours long, the people are contributing to it.
So we're going to add tramp disco Inferno.
PARTY GIFTS
As we head there now, I'm thinking you brought a few party gifts along with you.
Yes. Party gifts. I did bring some party guests. Um, of course now what I think about now, I haven't bought many party gifts. Um, but what have I bought? I had bought a, I bought a copy of Anna Karenina. Okay. Which I think is the greatest, most profound novel, uh, also investigation into the institution of marriage love and the meaning of life that I've ever read.
Um, and if you haven't already read it, go out and pick up a copy.
Um, is there a line that resonates for you?
Uh, I mean, the opening is, you know, is often quoted, right. You know, um, which is, I will not do justice justice, but it's something along the lines of like, you know, all happy families are happy in the same, uh, liking their habits, but unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique way.
Um, that does sound a bit depressing. It's better than that. Tolstoy was around about 45 when he wrote it. And I think, you know, he was kind of wrestling with all the kind of stuff, you know, the sort of, meaning of life questions that kind of become more pertinent to you around about that age. And, um, yeah, I read it, um, at a point in time it was sort of uniquely alive to what it was talking about.
It sounds like you read it the right time. Yeah, I think that helps. Um, it is the most contemporary book I've ever read in the, it feels so modern. Uh, and when I say modern, I mean, I mean, contemporary, not, you know, 1950s American modern know what's written about, what's spoken about, I mean, Yeah.
You think that human nature, that the world changes and then you read that book and you go, God, human nature hasn't changed at all. I mean, and the things that he's describing talking about, uh, just the insights that are there are extraordinary. Um, so yeah, I don't, I brought a copy of that. , I've also as an antidote to that, um, a, a copy of true romance, which isn't my favorite movie, which is like a comic book, character chore, kind of, uh, , you know, fantasy of what a romantic life might be.
, if you haven't already seen that, then get out and watch it. That's uh, Tony Scott Tarantino, Tara Tina's first script, you know, um, directed by Tony Scott, some say kind of like, you know, you can read reviews and, uh, people will criticize Tony Scott stretcher. I personally think it was, it was beat by beat.
Perfect. I wouldn't change a single thing of what made that perfect. Cause it's just, it's, it's so embracing of life and love and it, you know, it's a fantasy of like, what could, you know, if everything could kind of, uh, just go perfectly. Yeah. You could roll the dice and it will work that well. Yeah.
Yeah.
And what do you think your descendants will take from it? What do you hope
they'll take from it? I think that what they're going to take from it is that, um, I like you clowns. I always
have always with,
so you've got Anik rented out. You've got true romance.
What else have we got here? , I have, um, there's another book in there which is. A book by a writer called James Baldwin, who is a kind of black American writer, a gay black American writer writing in the 19 sort of, uh, fifties. , and I think that book is, um, I mean, he seems to me to understand the contradictions of kind of, of human emotion in a way which no one else I've, I've read, , can, can put it least the kind of savagery, uh, kind of the erotic that kind of, butts of fear, loading, you know, love and hate those things in a way in a poetic way.
I mean, it's very different to correcting that, which is sort of, you know, you standing back from it. I mean, you know, he, , he's a right in it, so embroiled in all of it, you know?
So tell me the title, of the deuce
Baldwin book it's called another country.
Yeah. You know, it's really kind of three novellas kind of cobbled together in a way he often wrote these sort of short ones and it's a story of, , a group of characters, friends. In the kind of, you know, early post-war era in New York, uh, in the U S and the kind of interracial relationships and how race and kind of ambition and,, sexual desire, envy kind of hatred, you know, things kind of blend together to form this kind of potent kind of mix.
And, um, it's an incredible piece of writing and
still be relevant to
2 22 69. I think it, I think, I think it'll be really interesting to look back on that period of time and to wonder kind of where race relations are, you know, in 250 years, I hope I feel like we're already moving to a place where we're well, beyond that, you know, I mean, certainly feels like a long time since that novel was written.
, but in terms of the way that the world is describing the kind of longing, , and that kind of, uh, you know, the desperation of it and he will see as he has, he has an uncanny kind of knack of kind of like capturing kind of the erotic charge of a kind of other moment, you know? So, yeah, I think, um, I think those bits of it will be.
Was won't feel dated even if let's hope , the inter racial social dimension, it has improved yeah. As is it washed, been washed away. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
So let me ask you this. So you have an invitation to the greatest part about. Who are you going to pass your invitation to?
Because the way it works is for this party to be realized, you're passing it from one generation to the next, over 10 generations and it comes each invitation comes with a record of owners. Have you filled out your record
of owners? I
have date time location. Yeah. And then who are you gonna pass your
invitation to?
Oh, this is a summer, you know, I can answer this question two ways. Cause I've already, I have actually bought additional copies of the additional invitations for three of my godchildren. So they're all going to be there. Um, and uh, I only have three grandchildren, so they're all free and I've got one, I've got a copy
so in sense, I've already passed one on. Okay. But, um, but you know, within the realms of my own family and I've got one invitation, I've got three daughters. That's a tricky question. You know, which one is Cordelia? Woo hoo. Which one is which one's are Reagan and gone. And the answer that question, it's it changes on a daily
basis.
So
TBD. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It depends. Who's nicest to me.
What do you
do? Do you look forward to passing.
Well, you know, implicit in that is, is the, is the sense that, uh, that I'm not going to be there, you know, here I am going, getting to go to it. So I kind of get to have both, but, you know, um, yeah. Um, well, I'm I looking forward to passing it on? Am I looking forward to passing on?
Yeah. That's what it is.
Implicit is. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, no, Mike, I'm not looking for all the, that ready to go yet. I'm not ready to go justice more today. Yeah. Yeah. There's definitely there's more to do. Yeah. Yeah.
Awesome. Okay. We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be right back.
Well, look, we're a couple minutes away from landing in Cornwall and 2069. We're going to have an opportunity to meet some of your descendants, any questions you got for them?
Yeah. Interesting question God. I mean, I have to think about like, you know, grandchildren, great grandchildren. Wow,
great grandchildren. Times eight. Yeah.
Yeah. That's, that's an interesting thought. Um, I want to how connected will feel, you know? Yeah. I wonder what all they know about you. Yeah. Yeah. Good question.
I mean, the nice thought about that is it, it was brings up that thought about like, you know, what is it that you leaving behind? You know, what's the legacy, you know? So yeah. I'll do some thinking about that. Yeah. But yes, I'm looking forward to hearing what they thought of my novel, the movie I directed still to come.
It's still a com and my time as president,
Um, Do you think, thinking about what you leave behind changes, what you want to pursue?
Yeah. That's a good question. Um, I think it focuses your mind on it. Um, but like a lot of those things, you know, I mean, everyone's got a novel, right? I mean, it's a cliche, everyone's got a kind of light, you know, a thing that they want to do, but I mean, what the difference between, between the people that do it and the people that don't is, is, is that you do it right.
That sounds really trite, but, everything comes down to just committing, you know? Yeah. Making time for it, making time for it. But also it's easy to say that it's like a thing in a conversation that sound interesting. Right. But actually, you know, it's hard, those things I've been doing, those things are really hard.
Um, and I have begun part of this process where you're sitting down and go, okay. And then you ask the question, well, what is it you want to say? And is it, you know, is it just that I'd love some of some fame and adulation and want to be, you know, to be, uh, loved and admired. Yes, definitely.
, is that a driving motivation? Hell yeah. Um, uh, all of the above,
or when you say fame, adult appellation, adulation, and love, love and admiration. Are those all the same things?
Yeah, no, no. I mean, actually the FameBit, I'm less bothered by, of course it's it's validation, isn't it? You know, we are looking for validation.
I think whenever you're looking for validation, you're on a hiding to nothing. Well, given that you know that you can let that. Yeah, sure. It doesn't mean you can let it go in the same way. I mean, it's, you know, it's, it's great. Right? Someone thinks you're, you know, someone tells you or you're great. You know, even if you don't believe them, you still like to hear it.
Are you good though? Like, , making something and if no one tells you it's great, you still know it's good.
Uh, am I good at that? Is anyone good at that? Yeah, I think, I mean, all the things, anything that I've done in my life, you look back, you think, yeah, that was good. You know, you know, it, you, in your heart, I was there's, there's a, there's a profound sense that something that had value and there are other things that other people might've liked more that you kind of get yeah.
You care less about. So yeah. I mean, I, I've got my own idea.
THOUGHTS ON 2269
Rupert. One of the, one of the joys for me is meeting people. Who've gotten an invitation to this party, this greatest party of all time. And that's what this podcast is about is meeting all the guests and the people that are going to be passing it onto the invitation.
So this project started 2019, so a few years ago. , what's your take or do you have any thoughts on, what it means or as it started any conversations that are useful for you?
Yeah. I mean, I love the idea of, I love the idea. I love the whole concept of it. I loved, um, in particular that thought of something that goes on beyond your death, you know, and I think that something profound about that, I think, um, which is the reason why Alexa, I bought, you know, the posters for my godchildren, giving them to them because, you know, and I have heard anecdotally kind of, uh, back from, from their parents, friends, who've gone, he looked into how cool, like, you know, 2016, I've got this a him, and then they go, oh, hold on a sec, twenty two, two hundred and fifty years old.
I'm not gonna be there. Uh, and so I think it's one of those things that people look at and then it makes people think, and it's a co it starts a conversation and it'll be something that remains relevant for another 250 years. It'll always be a date that's there. I remember when the Pompidou center in Paris, I lived in Paris in the 18 nine.
And, um, he had this, um, it had this countdown clock on the outside of it, counting down to the millennium, you know, and, I didn't know when they started, but let's say at least 15 years before the millennium, it was, there was some sort of installation, it was ticking, ticking constantly. And I think, I think at 22 to 69 in that kind of a way, instead of it remains relevant, it's always kind of in the future coming towards you.
And I liked that, the thought of people seeing those things on the wall and then think thinking about the future. And I think it does that beautifully. There was something that had, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
DECADES
And now I'm gonna tell you a little secret about the time machine, the way this works is it ends up in 22, 69 on June 6th, but it slingshots back to where it all began your first decade. And so you look out the window. What decade do you see
well, Mike, you know, I'm only 23. So I was born in 1999.
Good quick, man.
I'm so pleased to see 1999 just in time for the millennium. Oh, Y2K.
Yeah. I'm thinking maybe I'm closer to the eighties and seventies.
Okay. So, so yeah, we'll take, we're looking at, we're looking out the window. We're looking at the decade. That is, that was 1970s.
And what for you is you look out there, little impressions and photos and pictures in your mind. What do you see? What was Rupert Harris?
Yeah, I see us in a, uh, a little fellow running around in kind of a, running, running gray corduroy shorts and, uh, a little brown shirt, you know, hair brush over his ears, kind of chip style.
I'm being chased around the playground by, by girls. Yeah. Nice kiss chase. Oh yeah. Yes, yes. That was the defining moment of the 1970s. If you weren't there for it. Let me tell you CEDIA Bottomley oh, one of the great, kind of a good name, the great names.
One of the great girl characters from my past, she chased me around and she. Uh, back bank knows, as we used to collect these Superman cards, it was, you know, there's crazies at school. We collected these Superman cars and Celia had the greatest collection of Sigma and cards bar, none incredible. And Celia, you know, she, she took a shine to me CDN that time.
And, um, and so she took me into the change room at one point in time. She said, look, if I give you my collection of Superman cards, you will you be my, when you'd be my boyfriend, you know, when he kissed me, um, and I looked at her collection in Superman cars, it was that thick. You know what I'm telling you?
That was it. That was a collection that have the little had snaked out. And I took those moments. You have it open and then she actually pocket up for the kiss. I turned tail and ran with the cards with the cards. Yeah, I think that must be the defining moment in the 1970s. That was the beginning of my chasing after the Superman cards, Cecilia.
And Celia outraged coming off of me. I think that was good. Trying to have your cake and not kiss you. You've always been quick.
Okay. 1980s.
The eighties was, it was a great decade or more quite school. I mean, this is the deck, each of my, it feels like that decade divides up in the life at school, in a boarding school.
I was at boarding schools. So it was, is this boarding school though, of like summer camp or boarding school of, uh, being beaten by sticks, you know, I've never been to boarding school. Yeah,
yeah, yeah. Good question. Um, yeah, for those of you who haven't been, they're all different and everyone's memories are different from them and I've seen the unsure, there's a certain amount of, kind of, uh, euphoric recall that goes on when you look back.
But, um, definitely I had a great time. I love this little school. It was a tremendous school I went to in, uh, Dan and Dan in Sussex. And, um, it was mixed all the way through. It was about 120 kids. Half of them were girls and, you know, they, they were smart and sophisticated and kind of, uh, you know, completely intoxicated.
Yeah. And I just wanted to be a part of it. I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait to start boarding. I remember begging my parents to let me go. You know, I was a day boy to start with. And so by the time I got there and, and, you know, we were hanging out, there was adventures. We had, like, we had a zoo, a little zoo where we'd all keep our animals.
We had a little pets, Guinea, pigs, rabbits. I had a, I had a rabbit, uh, imaginatively named Peter and Anna. Yeah. And yeah, I remember, I remember that. Well, it was a good, it was a good time. And you still have friends from that time. Yeah. I mean, the amazing thing about the school is that we all we'll still see each other.
And, um, my best friend at school remains one of my closest friends, you know? I mean, I guess not everyone experienced it in the same way I did, but you know, for me, that period of childhood was completely joyous, carefree, abandoned, you know?
Um, and, uh, you know, I, I loved that
1990s, uh, 19, I traveled the world. I think I went to every place I ever wanted to go see, give or take, you know, I had some interesting jobs which enabled me to kind of get on planes and fly places, doing filming, you know, making documentaries around various different subjects.
Lots of things on sport. Um, you know, I was a university, I met a woman that I married, you know, fell in love. Um, met some of the friends who were still with me, you know, kind of greatest friends in my life.
Um, something I remember well was, did you make a qualifying for the world cup? Right. And so I got to know the Jamaican football team. I'd been over there a few times. And in sort of 1997, they played Mexico, uh, in the final game of their world cup qualifiers in Kingston, Jamaica, the office, which is what they call that the home stadium and, uh, Mexico with the toughest team in the group.
And they got a draw and they qualify for the world cup and Jamaica would never qualify before. And the island went crazy. The whole place went crazy and I'll never forget being in that stadium. And then being afterwards, being in the dressing room of the team and like, you know, paying and over and the whole, oh, you were right there.
Oh yeah. Right there. Because you're shooting a documentary, shooting a film with these guys because I'd been over and I'd film them. But two previous games, no one else in the world was interested in Jamaica, but you know, I'd been there already and I got to know them. So when it came to this final and the world media descended.
Yeah. It was like, those guys they're in, they were here first. So we were the only team we were out in the dressing room. Wow. Um, and, uh, yeah, it was amazing. You must've felt like you were at
the center of something.
Yeah, definitely.
Two thousands, two thousands. Wow. The two thousands of two thousands, that's getting married, having children, the thrill of like, of, of a young family of responsibility of like being needed, because I mean, I've led a grotesquely selfish, like, you know, pleasing myself doing the things that I felt that I wanted to do.
You know what I mean? And, , you know, right up until that point in time, you know, there were no, there was no responsibility and suddenly kids come along and it's like, there are these a little people who need you, they need you to be at a, not just in a kind of like a, you know, it'd be nice to be around, but if you're not, don't worry, like, no, you know, they're looking to you, the things that you do shape the way that they, they think they feel that, you know, the way that they're going to respond to people, the people that they, to the notions of love.
Yeah.
When you look out the window, uh, and the 2000, what picture do you see?
I see, I see like, you know, playing Sam pits, I see running around with like a child, you know, on my shoulders.
And I see. Uh, you know, little barbecues in the backbone of the house that we had. And I like when those little paddling pools full with those multi-colored balls and tiles looking up at me. Um, yeah, yeah, that was the, that was the images of that decade,
2010s, 2010s. Wow. What's by the time it's 2010, can we throw off responsibility again?
Kids will be fine. Yeah. But then they got to whatever they were five years old. It's okay. They can fend for themselves by now. I said the chimney they're out to work. Um, I think it was, uh, yeah, it was searching again. Right. You know, like, setting up a business, um, you know, climbing trips, climbing matter horns.
And I, and you know, um, I remember, I, I remember an occasion w when we were halfway up and the half weapon mountain, you got a big thunderstorm came in, this is me and my colony partner, Phil, Phil Taylor, who's out there. I'm hoping he's getting get an invitation to the party. Yes. Must make sure I, I send him one.
Good. Um, yeah, we, we were caught out on a mountain side called the egg. We knew arches on the, on the, on the Italian side of the month of Montblanc. And, um, it was. You know, nice day thunderstorm came suddenly from the other side of the mountain, we didn't see it coming. It was like something rain's coming down, lightening striking.
And this thing is like one giant lightning conductor, you know? And so you're quickly thinking, okay, shit, shit. I got to get rid of all the metallic stuff I've got. Loads of metal stuff get rid of that. You try and get it as far away from you as possible.
I'm thinking anything, that's going to attract learning. We want to be doing that. But of course at the same time, you're on the side of a, kind of like 80 degree slope. So it's as near as damn it is vertical, you think like, wow. So we found a little ledge there and we kind of hold up on that Manville for, for what we thought was gonna be a few hours, turn out to be the night.
Um, and at some point in time, he said, I think we've got a ring in like, just explain, you know, what's going on. And he said, I said, dad, probably better not to call Kate and the girls because you know, there's nothing they can do about it. And it's put out with, we'll get down in the morning. So he rang his dad and told his dad said, just to let you know, we're up here.
Don't need to call in the mountain rescue. Um, but, but, uh, yeah, it's going to be a long cold night and then. So sat on a ledge with Phil Taylor, spooning, spooning, Phil Taylor, lying on the ropes, you know, wearing not nearly enough clothes.
The, can I ask you then? So if you continue to do these things, do your, does your confidence increase knowing that you're you've survived ?
Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's the thrill of rock climbing is a hundred percent of that feeling of like, when you're, you know, you're, you're going up the edge of a wall or, you know, and there's a thousand foot drop beneath you and you are literally terrified, but you know that you are six meters above the last clip you put in, or the last peg.
And you're thinking like, I don't want to fall because the whole body is screaming out. Like this is, you know, don't, don't fall down, test it. The ropes that protect you in the event that you forward the idea isn't, you know, I mean, the ropes it's like having a seatbelt on you don't want to drive the car into the wall.
Right. And the idea was to avoid the collision. So that point, and there's always a point where you think like, you've got to make a move from wherever you are like to the next town hall, which is somewhere you can't quite see, and you're not confident you're going to make it. And you, and you'd like, but you have to commit yourself to it.
When you commit yourself, the hand goes up and the fun thing you think, okay, here it goes. And you go. When you go beyond that and you get through any, make it a feeling of relief that you forward that comes with that. But also that sense that you've kind of like somehow you've kind of transcended your own expectations and you're, you're, you know, you've got to a point where you go, I, I didn't want to do that.
And the only reason I did that was because I had no choice because I committed myself to the point and like having done that, I now know that I can go be holding that place where I thought I can get to and I can get to that next place. And so that is empowering. Definitely. Yeah.
2020s, 2020s. Wow. And that's the decade that we're in right now. Yeah.
Do you have a picture of past couple of years?
I do. Yeah. That's a leading question, Mike. Um, what's the picture have in my head. Um, Hm. .
I think, this is a decade about, embracing uncertainty, embracing chaos, giving up that control and just kind of like, you know, living in the moment, you know, because I think that's definitely the point comes in your life where, you know, thinking about like, you know, when am I going to become the person that I wanted to be, um, stops being kind of a relevant, a dream.
And it's just like, you are that purse. Yeah. So just embrace that, be that, live that, and, uh, stop thinking about the future and just live in the moment.
I think it's like embrace the notion that, you know, just to stop hoping for something, you know, the idea that there's some guiding hands can reach out and kind of like show you the way. Accepting that, that the uncertainty, the chaos, is the natural order of things.
There's an Albert Camus quote, somewhere on there. I don't know where it comes on, which is that, you know, without despair, you know, there's no love of life, you know, um, without embracing despair.
And I think, um, to some degree, uh, you know, that's the. Hmm, that's where we are right now, 2020.
I'm here with Rupert Harris.
We're gonna take a quick break.
Hey, we're making good time. I'm back here with Rupert Harris, Rupert. We have whizzed through the past few decades, we're on target for arriving at the party at noon.
LANDING
So this time machine goes to one date only June 6th, 2269, but where it goes on that day is up to you. Any thoughts, a favorite place that you hope survives?
So you've thrown me with this, cause I assumed that the party was happening in a particular location. We be queuing up the Trocadero or was it this party crazy? Larry's crazy.
Larry's, I'm sure Larry's having a party to, this is happening everywhere across the world, every city, all over the world and everyone's celebrating
in different ways.
Okay. That's interesting. So, um, where would I be? I would be, uh, I think the place that I would like to be is down. Down in Cornwall this place on the coast where my farm is house for a long time yeah. And so describe that for a second.
What does that look like?
So that, so the house is on a cliff and it looks out over the season national trust land. It's it's just then, and there's a river rescue that runs up the right hand side of the, of the house. And then right in front of you, you've got the beach. Um, and, yeah, the sun sets right in front of the house.
So when the sun goes down, that golden ball drops into the ocean right in front of me every night, I was spectacular. And, um, and of course with climate change and, , I mean the cliff distance to the edge of the garden is kind of, you know, 30 yards. Uh, so yeah, we'll see,
well look, perfect timing because we're coming in for landing. Cornwall and 2069.
Feel that, hold on, buckle up.
Ooh. Did you get that shit? I can't. That's the drinks trolley in the back.
Oh,
okay. Another cappuccino
LANDED / TOAST
Now, Rupert now, before we say goodbye, you had said earlier that you maybe figured it out, right? You had something going on. , can you give me a glimpse into what you have landed on? Like what you figured out?
Yeah. I don't know. , I mean, yeah, I mean, certainly, I mean, you know, what we're getting at , the essence of this, which is sort of like, you know, acceptance, you know, learning to kind of live with, uh, learning, to live with uncertainty, learning, to live with a broken heart learning, to live with, you know, kind of, uh, hunger learning to live with chaos, you know, all of that stuff.
That's kind of like at the heart of, of a lot of it. Yeah. And, and I think. Yeah. I mean, some, some kind of a radical acceptance where you just understand the controls. I mean, just going to give up the illusion of, you know, that it doesn't exist anyway, but you imagine that your life is there somehow to be shaped and formed.
And in fact, there's none of that. And the minute you can own that, you know, and you just say like, you know, the courage to kind of accept that, you know, complete uncertainty is, um, yeah, that that's a place to get to,
Yeah. Yeah. And if you're always there and you're never thinking about the future, you're never thinking about what I want to be, where do we know if only I'd done that, then I would be wherever I want it to be or where I somewhat, I'm not right now, then yeah. You can give up that kind of stuff. And I think that's freeing and that's liberating and that's definitely something to be embraced and cherished.
TOAST
now look, Rupert. We've landed dead on time and we've just got a couple of minutes before we opened those doors. Um, let's have a drink, you and me, um, and a little toast to, uh, your descendants. Um, did you bring, uh, uh, you got a little drink in that party gift bag? What'd you bring?
What did I bring in that party gift bag? I have got a, uh, I've got a Negroni in there. It's waiting to be drunk. Shall we break
out a couple glasses? Let's do that. Okay. Yeah. You go, let me pull that out and yeah. So that,
So we're going to pour a little into gravity. Ready?
Woo.
Oh, that's a nice color. Thank
you, Rupert. It's the campari is really making the difference.
That's nice. Okay.
Um, Rupert, thank you very much for being with me. I love chatting with you and I'm looking forward to the rest of today, , as we had our way to the greatest part of all time, want to leave us with, uh, a toast.
Here's the present is to, is to 250 years of incredible music and incredible art and incredible drama.
Yeah. Yeah. Fantastic.
Cheers Rupert. Yes.