Between Two Beers podcast: Mike Minogue’s impressive second act

Mike Minogue and Jason Hoyte in Talkback.

At the age of 32, Mike Minogue was working as a dishwasher - struggling for direction in life.

Today, 14 years later, he’s put together a pretty impressive second act.

Minogue is a creator, writer, producer, actor, host of The Big Show on Radio Hauraki, a member of The Alternative Commentary Collective, and the head of development at Frank Management - a talent agency designed to protect and help those in the arts.

After growing up in Levin and working as a salesman, furniture remover and self-described ‘party boy’ in Australia, Minogue returned to New Zealand to start a career as a runner on some of the major movie projects in New Zealand through the 2000s.

What followed was a career that took him from behind the scenes to in-front of the camera, including a brief cameo as Officer Minogue in the Taika Waititi mockumentary ‘What We Do in the Shadows’, which eventually earned a reprised role in the hit spin-off TV show ‘Wellington Paranormal’.

His all-around talents have also seen him write, direct, and produce several projects for the small screen and he recently produced the critically acclaimed film, ‘Coming Home in the Dark’.

In this episode of the Between Two Beers podcast, Minogue opens up on his late start in the arts, his emergency circumcision, his relationship with alcohol, the loss of his father, what it’s like working with Jermaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Leigh Hart and Jason Hoyte, the most pivotal moment in his career and all the best stories in between.

This episode reveals the depth of character behind the comedy routines. Minogue talks about some areas of his journey that he hasn’t aired before, and the thoughtfulness of his answers and the vulnerability he showed was inspiring.

Show notes | Mike Minogue

2:39: Paul Henry should scale down and a special Between Two Beers announcement

7:21: An emergency circumcision

11:57: Reflections on growing up in Levin

16:03: Mike Minogue’s relationship with alcohol

21:48: A career as a salesman and partying in Sydney

28:10: Roadie, runner, dishwasher, actor

34:40: Losing his father

39:03: How getting fired changed the course of Mike’s career

46:10: A Karen O’Leary interlude

50:22: Making an effort with Te Ao Maori

55:40: Wellington Paranormal, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement

58:52: Working with Leigh Hart on The Late Night Big Breakfast

1:00:46: Improvisation and the experience of working on What We Do In The Shadows

1:06:20: Unknowingly impressing The Alternative Commentary Collective

1:12:41: Hauraki Big Show

1:20:59: Coming Home in the Dark and the role of the Producer

1:26:37: Helping guide others: setting up Frank Management

1:34:41: Last words from Steve, Seamus and Mike

Between Two Beers is a partner of the Alternative Commentary Collective - NZ’s Home for Sports Entertainment. Check out more podcasts, events, details on live commentaries and sports watch alongs here.