Randy Feltface

Randy Feltface, mostly referred to merely as Randy, or, on occasion, Randy the Purple Puppet, is an Australian puppet comedian voiced and operated by Heath McIvor. Randy is a permanent fixture on the international stand-up circuit, and makes regular guest appearances on Australian television. He also performs as one half of the musical comedy duo "Sammy J and Randy", who made their television sitcom debut in 2015 with Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane on ABC in Australia, for which Randy is credited as co-writer and lead actor.[1] In 2019, Randy competed in the American reality television comedy competition series Bring the Funny, making it to the second round (the "Comedy Clash").

Randy Feltface
Randy Feltface at the 2015 Vegan Festival in Adelaide.
Bornc. 1981
NationalityAustralian
MediumStand-up, television
Years active2005–present
GenresObservational comedy, Comedy music
Websitehttp://www.feltface.com/
Randy (right) with comedic partner Sammy J.
Randy (left) and Sammy J post-show in the Garden of Unearthly Delights at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Fictography

Randy has been noted to have an unusually elaborate life story for a puppet comedian; however, McIvor claims that it has changed over time and that Randy sometimes makes stuff up on the spot.[2]

Early stand-up career

Randy's first acting gig was in a presentation on workplace bullying. Having gained a taste for showbiz, he soon began to make occasional appearances on the stand-up circuit.[3] Randy and Sammy J first met when they shared a bill; shortly after they began performing together at the Butterfly Club in South Melbourne as Sammy J & Randy. Randy's first full length solo show was Randy's Postcards from Purgatory, which debuted at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2009 to critical acclaim.[4]

Personal life

In his first full length show, Randy's Postcards from Purgatory, Randy revealed he was 38 years old, working children's parties on the weekend, going broke, and facing an impending divorce. He was also a heavy drinker and smoker.[3] By the time of Randy is Sober it appears that Randy has quit drinking and smoking, and is now a vegan. He has also written an unpublished novel entitled "Walking to Skye", a recurring topic of interest in his 2015/2016 solo show Randy Writes a Novel.[5]

During the events depicted in the second show, Ricketts Lane, Randy is sent to jail for tax fraud, thanks to his house-mate, Sammy J, a young lawyer desperate to make a case.[4] However, McIvor noted that both Randy and Sammy J are actors on that show.[2]

Creation

McIvor and his friend Philip Millar were working on a puppet musical called Tyrannosaurus Sex[6] with a mutual friend Derek Rowe;[7] Rowe, who worked as a workplace consultant for companies, was eventually contracted to create a show about workplace bullying by an insurance company.[2] The show, entitled What's A Bully To You?, originally featured two puppets, but the team realized they needed a third, unisex puppet that could perform a male and a female role depending on the costume: the puppet, called "Beverly" and "Randy" depending on the role, was built by Millar, made from remaining tools in his shed, his arm rods being hacked together from barbecue forks.[2] The show was not received well by the company, and McIvor decided to use the character and puppet for an upcoming puppet comedy show organized by Millar called Pure Puppet Palaver, rebranding it as a stand-up comedy act.[2]

Style

When performing with Sammy J, Randy performs the funny-man to Sammy J's straight-man in the double act, and much of their material is musical comedy. In his solo performances, Randy tends towards observational comedy; in both Randy is Sober and Randy Writes a Novel, he contemplates his own progression as a person and his existential crisis as an artist. He often breaks the fourth wall, pointing out that he's a puppet and can't actually see the audience, or noting that his movement on stage is usually limited to the desk he's behind.

Works

Live shows
  • 2009 Randy's Postcards From Purgatory[8]
  • 2010 Ricketts Lane (with Sammy J)
  • 2011 Bin Night (with Sammy J)
  • 2011–2013 Randy is Sober [8][9]
  • 2012 The Inheritance (with Sammy J)
  • 2013 Sammy J & Randy: The Arena Spectacular (with Sammy J)
  • 2013–2014 The Last Temptation of Randy[8]
  • 2015 An Evening with Sammy J & Randy (with Sammy J)[10]
  • 2015 Randy Writes a Novel
  • 2016 Sammy J and Randy Land (with Sammy J)[11]
  • 2020 Modus Operandy

Television

Recordings
  • 2012 Randy is Sober (DVD)[12]
  • 2012 Sammy J and Randy in Bin Night (DVD)[13]
  • 2013 The Last Temptation of Randy (released as VOD in 2020)[14]
  • 2013 Sammy J & Randy's Difficult First Album (Audio)[15]
  • 2015 Sammy J and Randy LIVE (DVD)[16]
  • 2018 Randy Writes a Novel (DVD)
  • 2020 The Book Of Randicus (DVD)

Awards
  • Winner: Best Comedy, Perth Fringeworld 2014
  • Winner: Barry Award, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2010 (with Sammy J)
  • Winner: Groggy Squirrel Readers Award, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2010 (with Sammy J)
  • Nominee: Best Comedy, Adelaide Fringe 2012 (With Sammy J)
  • Nominee: Golden Gibbo Award: Melbourne Comedy Festival 2009

References
  1. "Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane : ABC iview". iview.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  2. Saturday Morning Media (1 November 2019). Heath McIvor (Randy Feltface, Me & My Monsters) - Under The Puppet #34. YouTube.
  3. "No strings attached – Comedy Festival – Arts – Entertainment – theage.com.au". www.theage.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  4. "Stand and Deliver!". Stand and Deliver!. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  5. "Randy Is Sober | The Skinny". Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  6. "Hey, dummy, listen up". The Age. 5 October 2007.
  7. Woodhead, Cameron (5 October 2007). "Tyrannosaurus". The Age. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  8. "Randy • Comedian – Bio". Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  9. "Randy is Sober – Athenaeum Theatre". Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  10. "Randy • Comedian". Randy • Comedian. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  11. Bozoky, Jessica (15 January 2016). "Sammy J and Randy Land: The Embezzlement". Scenestr. Eyeball Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  12. Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Randy is Sober DVD (SIGNED)". www.laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  13. Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Sammy J & Randy BIN NIGHT DVD (SIGNED)". laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  14. "Randy on Instagram: "Available now for digital download! Link in bio! Cost minimal, satisfaction probable. #thelasttemptationofrandy . . . #straighttovhs…"". Instagram.
  15. Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Sammy J & Randy's DIFFICULT FIRST ALBUM CD (SIGNED)". laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  16. Design, AphShop Online Store v0.951 by Aphotic. "Laughing Stock Store: Sammy J & Randy LIVE DVD". laughingstock.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
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