Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Friday 26 October
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
We all know Jonathan Franzen is a twitcher. But did you know Tom Hanks likes to collect 1940s typewriters? Or that Johnny Depp likes to play with dolls?
Sadly, Tom and the two Johnnies couldn’t join us, but Sam Pang has persuaded some almost as familiar faces to reveal their unlikely obsessions.
In this month’s edition, musician Jen Cloher shares her love of Danish television drama and writer/broadcaster John Harms chews the fat about The Lutheran Hymnal.
Series highlights so far include Kate Langbroek on her obsession with op shops, Adam Zwar purring about his predilection for cats, former Better Homes and Gardens host Noni Hazlehurst on her (let’s face it) entirely expected adoration of gardening – and Dave O’Neil waxing lyrical about his love of 80s music.
Always diverse, occasionally devilish, the one thing you can expect from Unexpected Passions is an evening of laid-back laughs, with wizard of wit Sam Pang at the helm.
Featuring
John Harms
John Harms is a Melbourne-based writer. His recent books include Life as I know it (Michelle Payne’s story), The Doggies Almanac and a second edition of his sporting memoir Play On. He is the energy behind www.footyalmanac.com.au and the annual collection of writing The Footy Almanac which is in its tenth year.
In 2016 he contributed to books, journals, newspapers and magazines including Man and Beast (MUP), The Griffith Review, The Cricket Monthly, Inside Football and The Age. One of his favourite annual projects is to help produce The Rockford Rag, the newsletter of Rockford Wines in the Barossa Valley. He has three sensational kids Theo 9, Anna 7 and Evie 6. He is originally from Queensland.
Jen Cloher
Jen Cloher (Ngāpuhi & Ngāti Kahu) is a songwriter and performer living on unceded Wurundjeri land in Naarm (Melbourne) Australia. Cloher’s taut, terse brand of rock is charged with the static tension that comes with being an eternal misfit; they have spoken truth to power with the shrewd eye that only an outsider can possess. Admirers have naturally gravitated towards Cloher’s incisive, generous songwriting. Over the course of five albums, they have won a J Award and an AIR Award and been nominated for an ARIA and the Australian Music Prize.
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Sam Pang
Sam Pang is a writer, presenter and broadcaster. His television credits include the hugely popular Santo, Sam and Ed’s Cup Fever and SBS’s coverage of The Eurovision Song Contest.
2012 sees Sam co-hosting Santo, Sam and Ed’s Sports Fever on Channel 7 and will also be seen in Agony Uncles on ABC1.
Previously, he hosted the history based comedy quiz show, ADbc, and for the past 3 years he has been the co-host of SBS’s coverage of The Eurovision Song Contest. In 2011 he was a creative consultant and writer for the The Marngrook Footy Show on ABC2.
Sam’s work in radio has seen him work for a variety of stations including Triple R, 3AW, ABC and Radio National.
In 2010 he was named in The Age Magazine as one of Melbourne’s Top 100 most influential, inspirational and creative people for the year.