GP: The inspiration came when I stumbled upon the stunning picture of young Jarrod Rebecchi that is displayed on my Gumtree ad. I connected with the picture immediately because it reminded me of the bumbling teenager that stole the hearts of every Neighbours fan in the ’90s, not the suave and astute lawyer-type we associate with contemporary Toadfish.
PTV: What would you say is key to a good Toadie impression?
GP: Well that’s an interesting question, considering that I don’t really class this as a good impression. I certainly think a ‘likeness’ in appearance is necessary; a ponytail doesn’t hurt, nor does a Hawaiian shirt. A jovial attitude is also a given. I am also interested to know if there are any other Jarrod Rebecchi impersonators out there imitating the man at different times of his life. I definitely think there is a market for that.
PTV: Have you had many Toadie gigs thus far?
GP: The ‘Toadie’ ad has been up for about 3 months now and while I have received a handful of phone calls and messages, I haven’t managed to book any gigs. The same goes for my others ads, which offer my services as a fortune teller and card reader, matchmaker, choreographer and private investigator. In fact I have had to take down my original ad for private investigations (first posted 2013) due to a lack of interest. I guess people are looking for professional assistance in their Gumtree ‘services for hire’ searches, which is a real shame because I truly believe that a well-trained ‘jack of all trades’ is capable of performing the same services for a lesser fee.
PTV: How much for the full Toadfish experience?
GP: Well my rates are open to negotiation depending on the time, location and duration of the function. I’m a pretty diplomatic fella, so I would be happy to do a function for a call out fee of around $50, I would also encourage the client to make a small donation to charity, but I guess that’s at their own discretion.
PTV: What’s your all-time favourite all-time Toadfish moment?
GP: It’s hard to just pick one. The Toadfish has been such a lively character. I guess what stands out to me are what I consider Toadie’s two worst moments; the death of his long-time love Dee and the jumping castle incident that has left him paralysed. Seeing him plot about in a wheelchair is just heartbreaking. It was such a cruel plot twist by the Neighbours writers and I still haven’t forgiven them for it.
PTV: Do you do any other Aussie icons apart from Toadfish?
GP: Nah, I don’t impersonate any other Aussie or international icons. I have been working on a John Lennon imitation but I cant manage to perfect the Liverpudlian drawl.
