Have you noticed any changes in yourself or your perspective since starting this work?
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Yes, I’ve always been a bit of an idiot, IS THERE SUCH A THING AS an outgoing IntroverT? yes, I can be both.
Think Deadpool, but then hides in a corner afterwards hoping I said the right thing. I’ve always tried making people smile, even the ones that hate me because I’m weird and weird scares some people and some people when they’re scared, can be super cruel.
I’ve had people walk past me as Spider-Man and whisper or yell “idiot” or “Spider-Man sucks” or even just completely turn off and ignore me.
It’s super weird, before I wore the mask and started doing this gig, I would never have acted well around that. Now I smile underneath say something funny and walk away and continue making others smile.
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I grew up being bullied because I’m a nerd, I was super skinny, have bad teeth and one bad eye. I’m trying to work on the teeth issue, now I have a slow income by the way and I came into Australia from England in 1989 straight into An Aussie Public school. So, Skinny, Wearing an Eye Patch over my good eye and a pommy cockney accent. Apparently, I was born to be teased.
I use that fuel now, I remember how that felt, I use it to approach others that look like they need a smile, whether it be a disability, a sick kid, a depressed looking Mum or Dad having a bad day, a teacher that needs a chat, I’ll be here and what’s even funnier and sometimes to my detriment, is I’ve started doing it without my mask on.
I say hello to families that walk by and smile at the baby in the stroller and I don’t give a shit what people say or think about that. It makes me happy seeing them happy and healthy.
This work really makes you see life through a different lens and its funny how others may react to that. But you just keep going. In the end if they don’t like me with or without a mask on, or what I’m doing I just have to keep going with the guidance of my wife Glenda, my kids Logan and Aiden and my friends and business partners. I definitely couldn’t do this on my own. But it’s changed my life for the better and I’ll try doing it as long as I can. I’m 40 now so not sure how much longer ha-ha.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in similar volunteer work?
Start it for the right reasons, have a goal you are aiming for and remember you have to look after yourself and your family 1st and foremost. If you do your best to work around your existing schedule and commitments and do this in your own time and not lose out on paying your mortgage or rent, you’re doing it right.
You have to look after your own mental health and families first, if they’re happy, you can do your very best work for others. Try to find your place, find a business or company that could use your help and use their advice to grow and do bigger and better things with your experience moving in forward.
What is one thing you wish more people understood about cosplaying for a cause?
Cosplaying for anything, whether it be for yourself, to join with your friends or community, to gain popularity on Instagram or Tik Tok, people need to realise it’s not just putting on a suit, we aren’t children, we are grown adults mostly, with a skill set and on most cases a career or four.
While some make a living out of it such as the amazing Chris Stanley (Cosplay Chris) Andrew Lutomski (Thor of Oz), Teri (Toonibug) all looking amazing with an amazing cosplay skill set or Just looking amazing in.
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Or one of my biggest influences for my ideas, such as my other hero The Batman of Springhill in the U.S. Look him up, he does amazing work in a Batsuit and outside of it and I do it for myself of course.
Others just do it for the love and on their downtime and can be looked down upon as if it’s just a fad or wondering why we won’t grow up.
Well, it’s 2024 folks and this is our reality. Cosplayers are life and it’s a very well-paid gig too if you get into the right area or have the right connections and the time and effort to put into it.
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