This is Duncan.
He is a regular Aussie boy living in LA painting his house and playing ball on weekends, then for work, hanging out in war zones and on the red carpet as a cameraman for Ch7.
OK who is kewler – Karl or Pete Stefanovic?
Pete is one of my best friends and has been for years. Which doesn’t technically make him kewler but.. it does.
When was the last time you nearly died?
Not wearing a seatbelt on a Hercules 300 as I was flying into Afghanistan. I didn’t know how to put it on, and the pilots were dodging rockets coming at us so I couldn’t ask for help. Then I realised I was behind the guy with the throttle – if I bumped him on landing I would crash the plane. I’ve never been so scared. I ended up bracing myself like someone trying to keep still in a bath. We touched down fine. I pretended it didn’t nearly kill everyone, put on a flack jacket and walked into a war zone.
You dill SAFETY FIRST. Have you ever been threatened?
In Tripoli, Libya we were put under house arrest from Gadaffi’s military for a month – two weeks before he was assassinated. Every few days his cousins would take us on a propaganda tour where we saw people waving flags of “support” with guns held at their backs.
You’re hanging out with actual real bad-asses.
I accidentally crossed the US-Mexican border with the Mexican cartel once. We hiked up Killing Canyon (where they dump all the bodies). They were very cool with me tho, I think they liked the red hair.
Who doesn’t, it’s phenom. Terrorists?
I followed the French SWAT team through the outskirts of Paris where they were tracking terrorists after the bombings. We went for five blocks and I was the only media – everyone else was in full kit. I asked the commander after “Why did you let me come?” and he said “You had fast feet, and were too far in to go back’. I won an award for that.
You seem kewl.
No. When I play pick-up ball at the Y I don’t know what to do at the end of a game. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to high-five or fist pump or hug. So I wave from far away and leave real quick.
What was it like covering the US election?
Surreal. I was outside Liberty Bell with Obama and Michelle as Bruce Springsteen was belting out tunes, the night before Hilary lost – there wasn’t even a thought that Trump would win. Then the next day I was at her ‘celebration party’ waiting for Lady Gaga to come out and sing. Then the polls started dropping. The vibe went from party to funeral.
On the flip side of hard core news, you get to go back stage and red carpeting – favourite person you’ve met?
LeBron James. I was in the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room with him before the finals, and he was rapping to himself psyching himself up for the game. And Rick Ross aka The Bo$$.
Dat kewl. Anything kewl happen to you IRL?
I was hanging at Venice Beach one day and Jack Black picked me outta tha crowd and we played off against actor Kevin Hart and NBA player Chris Paul.
How did you meet your main squeeze?
On Bumble, then we arranged to meet at a concert. She held my hand within 5min – I couldn’t even speak, my heart was on fire. She hugged me and I died. After I dropped her home, I called my best mate who had just married an American and said ‘I got one. I’m done.’ So I am here forever. She is the bees knees.