How “Anh’s Brush with Fame” became one of the best shows on TV
We’ve seen dozens – perhaps even hundreds – of talk shows and interview programs before, but none quite like Anh’s Brush with Fame. If you haven’t seen it before, the concept is pretty straightforward – presenter, comedian and author Anh Do interviews Aussie legends the likes of Magda Szubanski, Dr Charlie Teo, Jimmy Barnes, Ian Thorpe and more – all the while painting a portrait of them.
Now, two seasons and two Logie nominations later, it’s safe to say the show is a certifiable hit. Here are three things you might not have known about the show, and how it became so popular.
1. How it started
You might be surprised to learn Do only began seriously exploring his artistic talents four years ago. “Painting was always something I thought I’d do once I retired,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “But then, about five or six years ago, a good mate passed away suddenly at the age of 50 and it made me realise that if I put off doing stuff until I retire, I might not ever get there. So, I took six months off and I went to TAFE to study painting in 2013.”
Just one year later, his portrait of his father, Tam (which can be seen in the background of most episodes) was a finalist in the prestigious Archibald Prize.
2. Where his style came from
That same distinctive painting style used for his dad’s portrait has stuck with Do throughout his art career, but you might be surprised to learn where it came from.
“When I was at TAFE the teacher told us you can use a variety of tools – brushes, spray cans, knives,” he recalled. “When I was 18 and studying law, I had worked at the Cheesecake Shop decorating cakes so I went, ‘I might go the knife because I know how to use them’. I went to the art store and said, ‘Give me the biggest art palette knife,’ but it was sort of the size of your hand.
“So I went to the kitchenware shop and said, ‘Give me your biggest cake decorating knife,’ and they are the massive ones that you see me use on the show.”
3. The people and the portraits
Each of his interview/painting sessions takes around two to four hours to complete, and after each portrait reveal, you get the sense that Do really understands his subject. It’s something he puts down to the raw, real setting of the program in his Sydney studio.
“It's incredibly intimate,” he tells The Herald. “Because there's no studio audience, the guest doesn't feel like they need to perform. They can let their guard down and just be really authentic.”
Head over to ABC iview to watch every episode for free, and tell us in the comments below, what’s your favourite portrait from Anh?