‘I pushed someone into a rubbish bin’: Phil Brown’s top meltdowns

Phil Brown is partial to a tantrum and but he hasn’t had one in a while, has he mellowed?

I haven’t had a meltdown for ages and I’m a bit concerned. That’s not like me at all. I put it down to the fact that I’ve been a bit off colour lately. Since 1975 actually. In recent months it has been my sensitive tummy, which may be genetic. My Uncle Bob had one too. He was a Chinese food aficionado (a “mud guts” according to my father) and it was long postulated that his tummy troubles were due to a barbecued pork bun lodged in his intestines.

It didn’t stop him eating or living into his 80s, so that’s the good news.

As for the other matter, well, maybe I’m mellowing? I haven’t flown into a Hitlerian rage within the past six months. Nor have I, Basil Fawlty-like, lost it and beaten my motor vehicle with a tree branch or hopped around on the floor froglike with my sports jacket pulled over my head.

Phil Brown discusses his top meltdowns. Picture: iStock.

I did fly into something of a tizz when I couldn’t find my car keys recently and the F-bombs flew, but pretty soon I realised they were in my pocket. Silly me.

I have always found doing my nut quite cathartic, although perhaps my colleagues don’t see it that way. Back in the 1980s when I was – what’s the term? – highly strung, I threw some spectacular tantrums when I was working in Fortitude Valley at the Daily Sun, but there was so much dummy spitting back then that it was barely noticeable. When I pushed someone into a rubbish bin one day though it was suggested I get a grip.

The thing is that when I blow a fuse it’s just like a valve that releases pressure and it feels pretty good. It’s like primal therapy, you know, when people scream and shout and let it all hang out. John Lennon was into it and you only have to listen to his song Mother to hear that. Of course I’m not John Lennon even though we share the same birthday. But I get what he was on about. He might have mellowed too had he been given the chance.

I think about John every year on October 9 and lots of other days too. John Lennon wasn’t about hiding his feelings but I think I probably should learn to.

I’m getting better. As for mellowing, well, it’s a sliding scale.