127. Pete Bennett; Big Brother, Peckham Transvestites, Hollywood Agents, Mexican Chicken-Sacrifices and Celebrating Tourette’s

Growing up on a Peckham council estate with his musician mother and a 'Lizzie-Anne the transvestite' childcarer led to Pete Bennett’s own love of quirk and music  Now an actor, director, voice over artist and of course musician (with his band Lovedogz), he first came to public attention in 2006’s Big Brother and really opened up the conversation about Tourette’s Syndrome. Pete tells hilarious stories about the crazy acid trip at a psychedelic rave which gave him a vision that he would win Big Brother, being suckered in by a stoned agent with nefarious intentions in Hollywood, surviving a forest fire on a weed farm in Santa Cruz, witnessing a chicken sacrifice in a Mexican church, narrowly avoiding eating a Golden Retriever in Vietnam and much more. A real treat of an episode with lots and lots of laughter. And LOTS of swearing! You have been warned. On this episode we talk:  Growing up on a council estate in Peckham  His musician mum touring with the Cure, Communards and Marc Almond Being brought up by a transvestite called Lizzie-Anne  Being threatened by ‘Fred the stick’ Not many serial killers called Bob Enjoying his Tourette’s  Swearing makes him happy  Dressing up in drag from a young age Martinique being like ‘Peckham on Sea’ Downtrodden and burnt out cars A natural progression for him to become a musician The crazy acid trip on which he predicted he would go on and win Big Brother (hold on for this one, it’s quite a ride!) How his friend's tragic death changed him Running around naked in a psychedelic trance rave  His beautiful experience spiralling to a vision of heaven Seeing Jim Carrey and Billy Idol in heaven  Hitting rock bottom after the trip Getting a vision of the Big Brother house and realising what he needed to do  The recent tragic loss of his former girlfriend and friend Nikki Grahame  Being invited to Hollywood by an agent  Who turned out to be a stoner with no contacts Finding Hollywood a dump  His job cutting weed on a farm in Santa Cruz Suddenly being engulfed by the snoke of a forest fire Thinking he was going to die in the fire Escaping in a truck over the top of the mountain  Mexico being the most beautiful place he has ever been  ‘Bright colours, midgets and everyone off their nut on tequila’   Dancing in the parades on the Mexican Day of the Dead  Watching a rather unusual chicken sacrifice in a church  Lisa’s brother doing gigs in cock-fighting rings in Mexico  Lisa and Pete not really knowing what a cock is (!) Golden Retrievers in cages in Vietnam  Eating a chilli burger and ending up in hospital  Being born because of an Indian curry  Wanting to go to India and eat all the chilli  Munching on cockroaches, duck’s head and jellified chicken feet  Singing us out to the Vietnamese ding dang dong song Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices