Rhys Darby

So tell us about your DVD?

It’s called Imagine That. It’s a compilation of the best of my stand-up from the last 10 years. It tells the story from me being a child in New Zealand, growing up and then beyond.

Your stand-up may surprise people who just know you from Flight Of The Conchords – it’s very physical and you do all these sound effects and beatboxing…

Yeah… I really throw myself out there. When I tell stories I like to act it out. I’ve always done it ever since I was a kid. I’d always tell a story and start playing all the characters, then go further and become the objects and do all their sound effects.

When did you first come over to the UK?

I came over to do the Edinburgh Festival in 2001. I went back for five years in a row, and in the second year The Conchords came as well. We were all broke and we helped each other. Bret from The Conchords did the lighting and sound for my show, and handed out biscuits at half time.

Did you have many bad gigs here?

No, because sound effects and beatboxing are crowd favourites. A lot of comics go out there and be political and clever, but if people are pissed or not in the mood it won’t happen. But the minute I start doing a helicopter sound, no matter how drunk people are, they start going, ‘Oh my God, a fucking helicopter! The guy’s a genius!’

What’s your favourite routine?

One about the worst gig I’ve ever done. I got booked for a gig on a 747 jumbo jet about two months before 9/11. I was very excited, but then 9/11 happened and I thought, ‘There’s no way I’ll be doing it now.’ But –typical New Zealand – it didn’t really affect them and they said, ‘We’re still going to go for it.’ But it was an international flight. I was sitting in standard class and I had to get up and do my routine, but no one on the plane had been told there was going to be a comedian. So as soon as I got up, everyone thought I was a terrorist. I grabbed the mike they use to address the passengers and started talking and everyone panicked and thought I was going to fucking kill them.

Do you get recognised as Murray much?

Back in New Zealand, The Conchords are very famous. I get stopped regularly there, but here I just get stared at. The show is very big in the States, though. We’re going back to New York in a few weeks to film series two. I think it’s that popular now that they’re going to have to cordon off the streets when we film on location. [Flight Of The Conchords] is a big blogging thing and there’s so many fansites, so there’s going to be a lot of people on the street trying to get a piece of Bret and Jermaine. And Murray has become a family favourite, so it’ll be interesting. Ask me that question in six months and I’ll be wrapped up in a towel like Michael Jackson.

Why do people love Murray?

I wanted Murray to be like a father figure to the others and to be awkward but loveable. I get compared to David Brent and Stephen Merchant’s character in Extras, but the difference is that those two characters are essentially pricks and mine isn’t. That’s why people love him. He’s not just after himself. He genuinely wants to be with these two guys and hang out in their cool gang, but he has no idea what he’s doing.

He was a success at the end of the first series, though.

Yeah… he’s this manager who people think is amazing, and he has lunch with Tori Amos. But in series two, who knows? I think he’ll fall back down.

Rhys Darby Live – Imagine That! is out on DVD 20 October, £17.99