Yesterday I was talking about The Oscars.  Today, I’m doing an interview.  Am I slowly morphing into Barbara Walters?  Yes, I think so.

I left you with a hint yesterday about who I would be interviewing today – “this person is opposite to just about everything that I am.”  No one took any guesses.  You either just don’t care or I give really hard hints.

Since I’m a married mother who lives in the Northern hemisphere with a blog name that ends in “Girl”, I am in fact the exact opposite of my guest today.

He’s a single childless guy from Down Under.  Please put your hands together and give a warm bloggy welcome to none other than . . . ScoMan!

As you can see, he’s an enigma – a mystery wrapped in a riddle.  For those of you who don’t know him, you’re about to.  He been one of my most avid commentators for awhile now and I always look forward to reading the little gems he leaves me.

I asked Scoman last week if he would be interested in being interviewed.  His response?

Whenever someone asks me to do something, I ask myself one question . . . Am I able to do this in my pajamas?”  In this case, yes, I am.  So I would love to be interviewed some time.

Ha!  Doesn’t that make you dig him already?  So I emailed him my list of questions (my editorial comments are in blue).

But first, imagine if you will, the setting . . . pair of comfy cream coloured leather chairs, a lovely flower arrangement that includes orange Gerber daisies (because I love them) positioned “casually” in the background and soft but illuminating lighting.  The set is reminiscent of a very up-scale hotel penthouse suite that’s been converted to a TV studio for our purposes today.  Me in my power suit and ScoMan in his pajamas.

TOG:  We know you’re Australian, but that’s really where it ends.  I feel you’re purposely being vague.  What else should we know about you?

ScoMan:  I’m kind of a celebrity over here.  It’s hard for me to walk down the street without a bunch of screaming kids following me around.  It’s because of my Friday night television show where I host kangaroo racing.

No, that’s not true.  (too bad.  I would have watched that) You’ll learn more about me through the rest of these questions I’m sure.

TOG: When did you start blogging and why?

ScoMan:  My first blog post was written on the 21st of May 2005 (the blog is still hidden on the Internet, I just headed there and checked it).  (I have mad internet skillz and WILL find it) That was on MSN Spaces and that blog ran for maybe 18 months.

I forget why I started. I think it was because I had moved away from my family and friends and didn’t have anyone to share the strange things that happen to me with any more, so I started sharing them with the world.

Then I went to myspace and that one lasted not so long.

I got onto blogger because D* (apparently the name of a bloggy friend that’s even more vague) started blogging and after reading her posts I realized how much I missed writing, so I got on board too.

TOG:  What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened to you as a result of your blog?

ScoMan:  One of them was my mum printed off one of my first blogs and started showing her friends. I felt like a child again and my mum was hanging my work on the fridge.  I told her I had written more stuff, but she just loved that one piece.  I didn’t even know she was reading it.

But that was way back in the days of “msnspaces” and with my grandfather and my brothers on my MSN messenger list (props to your grandfather – cool guy), I guess word of my awesomeness was bound to get back to her.

Also, back on the MSN Spaces blog, I started reading the blog of someone who lived in Sydney and we became pretty good friends out of it.  About 3 months after we started chatting on MSN Messenger, her whole family (except her) moved about half an hour down the road.  I’ve never met any of them, but it’s just one of those “small world” moments.

TOG:  You leave great comments.  What’s the secret to your snark?

ScoMan:  I can’t take all the credit for that. Or maybe I can’t take any of it.

I think credit for that has to go to the writers of the blogs. They give me the opening to create the comment from what they’ve written.

Good commenting is easy if the blogging is good. (got that everyone?  If you get crappy comments it’s cause you give crappy blog)

TOG:  Surely your real name isn’t “ScoMan”.  Is that just a nickname?  Do people call you that in real life, or is it purely a blogging moniker?

ScoMan:  I’m the only one who calls me ScoMan in real life.  Nobody else has caught on yet unfortunately. (that is unfortunately.  It’s a great handle)

It’s like that song “Dr Worm”… (?huh?)

“Some day somebody else besides me will call me by my stage name”

That’s what I’m hoping anyway. (just so you know – you’re warmly referred to as ScoMan in The Only Girl’s house.  Even by my kids.  They think it’s cool.)

TOG:  We know from your blog that you’re a big fan of Xbox and watching TV.  Besides blogging, what else do you like to do in your spare time?

ScoMan:  I’m very introverted (shocking, I know) so basically anything I can do by myself.  Reading, walking around town with the iPod blaring… I even go to movies by myself, but if I see anyone else doing the same thing I look at them and think “You’re pathetic”.

I’m also a numbers person so things with numbers I enjoy.  (I’ve got some income tax that needs calculating if you’ve got time) I spend a bit of time watching the share market and seeing how the numbers react to certain things.

As for group type activities, I go to comedy gigs with friends, and football with family. (but never comedy gigs with family or football with friends?  you might be short changing yourself there)

TOG:  We’re very curious about what you look like.  Will The Scoman’s face ever be revealed? (we’re also very curious to hear your accent and request either a Vlog or a sound byte please.)

ScoMan:  I did show my face once… a long long time ago… because in that post I felt it was necessary to be a part of the post. (are you gonna make me search for it or can you just save me some time and throw me the link?)

I guess if I think it will improve the post then I will show my face again, but I guess for me blogging is about the written word and telling the tale more than the pictures side of it, mostly  because I enjoy writing but do not enjoy having my picture taken.

I also tried a Vlog recently but my software / webcam did not think that was a good idea, so I gave up. (keep trying – I’m in need of some Skype contacts)

TOG:  We love your “Facebook Fail” feature!  Where do you get your material from?

ScoMan:  They’re all over the Internet. There’s websites dedicated to them, they circulate in emails, people post them on their blogs… It’s just a matter of doing a bit of browsing and picking out some of the better ones. (and here’s me thinking that you had TONS of strange Facebook friends)

TOG:  “The Drunken Accountant” sea shanty was a huge success, as was it’s follow up “The Drunken Blogger”.  Who’s getting drunk next?

ScoMan:  I’m not sure. We’ll see if and when inspiration strikes. But I’ve got a few other ideas for posts I’m working on, so that might sit on hold for a little bit.

TOG:  Any trips to North America in the works?  We’d love to hold a ScoMan Convention but it would be far too pricey for all us N.A. girls to go down under.  Perhaps you can come to us.

ScoMan:  Nothing in the short term but as I said I love a stand up comedy gig, I go to Melbourne’s International Comedy Festival every year and I would like to do the big three one year (Melbourne, Edinburgh and of course, Montreal). (ok Bloggers, Montreal’s only about 5 hours from me.  Start saving up and we’ll meet him there.  You can all stay at my place to help with the costs – oh the fun!)

While I’m in those other countries I should take the opportunity to take in more than the comedy shows I guess.

TOG:  Would you ever consider wearing a pink feather boa?

ScoMan:  What makes you so sure I haven’t already? (LOVE this answer!  Everybody looks better in a boa!)

Well folks, there you have it.

My thanks to ScoMan for playing along and being such a great guest and a good sport!  Now head on over to his place.  He put up a mad hand drawn cartoon yesterday that makes me  a) sorry I forgot to ask him how old he is and  b) concerned about the state of his penmanship.

Got a comment about The ScoMan or my wicked interviewing skills?  Or who would you like me to interview next?  I’m currently accepting suggestions, nominations and applications for consideration. (would you look at that – 4 “tions” in one sentence!  Does that qualify me as a Wordsmith?)