...WELCOME TO THE LOVE YOUR SISTER VILLAGE...
$2,400,000 RAISED TOWARDS CANCER VANQUISHMENT
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RETIRED
RETIRED
After his critically acclaimed performance as Ian Meldrum in Seven’s biopic ‘Molly’, Samuel Johnson took a curious turn and retired from acting. Here’s how he explained it and yes, there was a bevvy or two in the bloodstream when he punched this out...
To our amazing LYS Village,
I think this is the best place for me to announce my retirement from acting, after nearly 25 years! And what better time to hang up my hat, so to speak! I can't act anymore. Not if I'm to serve you properly. This village means everything to me and I'm tired of other things dragging me away from you. It all started with a promise to my crook sister. I unicycled for her. But not for long. As I squiggled my way slowly through this brilliant f**king country of ours, I met many of you in person, in the same boat as me, and soon enough I was riding for all of us, for every family in this country being terrorised by cancer. I cannot play pretend on telly while our families are falling. Cancer is the last true riddle of our time (not of our doing) and I wanna be part of the push to solve it once and for all - part of the new 'moonshot'. To be honest, something's gotta kill us. I don't really have such a problem with cancer if it attacks someone after they've enjoyed a full life - fair price. But when it cuts down mums before they can see their kids grow, when it takes out innocent children...well, then I get majorly f**king offended.
I won't play pretend on television while science is being muzzled. Not while federal funding for research remains static for ten years. Not while the CSIRO is being bulldozed. Not while climate science is still being denied contrary to every shred of credible evidence. Not until I fulfill my promise to you. After I finished that unicycling absurdity I made you a promise. I promised that I would help raise $10M towards cancer vanquishment. Like I showed with my one-wheeled promise to my poor terminal sister, I'm good for it. But I can't keep my promise as it stands. We raised $1.4M in our first year, $800K in our second year, and last year, down to $200K. We're not going to get there if I'm off gallivanting. So I won't. Not until we get to that $10M and show those faceless f**kers at the top end of town just how serious we are about research here at ground level. Not while people still believe that positive thinking and apricot kernels and hugs will cure it. Not while conspiracy theorists are stupidly assuming that our scientists would dare allow big pharma to hide their most significant discoveries.
I love acting, it's the best job in the world. But the thing is, being a 'vollie' for healthy families kinda wins hands down. No contest. If it weren't for Molly, I'd have done it sooner.
So call me Molly if you like. Call me Research Australia's Advocate of the Year. Call me that annoying voice over guy. Call me a fundraiser, an advocate, an activist. Call me a brother who tries hard. Just don't call me an actor. Not until we as a nation are as threatened by cancer as we are by terrorism. Not until the $10M is raised. Until then, I'm all yours, around the clock.
