While filming season two of Paddy Gower Has Issues, co-host Karen O’Leary is having some issues of her own. Four weeks ago, while playing football, she broke her humerus. The long bone in the upper arm that extends from the shoulder to elbow. Even though it’s rather painful, as a comedian, she finds it to be hilarious.
“It’s ironic that I broke my humerus – it’s so funny,” Karen, 47, chortles.
“I used to play football, now I coach, but our goalie was away for one week and I thought, ‘I’ve still got it’. “My mother said, ‘Karen, you’re an idiot. You’re too old for that. You’d better not be ringing me up from A&E’, and that’s exactly what I had to do. I did this amazing save, landed on my shoulder and it didn’t like it.”
Her left arm is currently in a sling, but she can still make hand gestures and it’s getting better every day. Karen is also loving working with Paddy again.
“I’m very lucky to be along for the ride, basically on his coattails, until I overtake him and then I’ll get my own show,” she jokes.
Since the demise of Fair Go, the team has made a conscious decision to focus on consumer issues and, like Paddy, Karen admits she has a knack of being able to get people to talk to her and tell her things that they don’t necessarily want to.
“I don’t know where I got that skill from, but it’s quite a good one, especially with politicians.”
It’s also useful for teaching high school students. Late last year, Karen surprised her old alma mater, Wellington High School, by approaching them to see if they’d take her on as a relief teacher. The college had just put her on its wall of fame, and was amazed that the star of film and TV hits such as Wellington Paranormal. In which she plays Officer O’Leary, wanted to return to teaching.
But Karen still loves the profession and is happiest being busy.
“I didn’t leave teaching because I’d had enough – I left because I had this crazy acting opportunity. I taught early childhood for 21 years, so I thought maybe I’d go back to my old high school.”
Karen is finding working with teenagers an exciting new challenge, though she’s not sure her son Melvyn, 14, loves having his “Ma” there. She’s also a big believer in the positive power of saying yes.
“If you say no, then your learning stops right there,” she explains.
“Every day is a school day and the more you can learn, the better.”
This passion for problem- solving is helpful in her co-host role on Paddy’s show. Which has so far seen her travel to Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington. For her first quest, Karen interviewed Minister of Finance Nicola Willis.
“We had a good chat about the price of butter and she had some cheese scones for me, which was very nice,” she says.
“I’m going to try to solve this butter problem, which is a big ask, but if anyone can do it, I reckon I can.”
Saying yes has opened other doors for Karen too. She feels lucky to have been offered opportunities such as Celebrity Treasure Island, even though she’s not a big fan of reality TV.
“I thought if I can go on there and be my rainbow gay self, then I’ve got an obligation to do that,” she tells.
It’s also why she agreed to bare all in Kiwi comedy film Nude Tuesday.
“Some people are really good naked people – they’re happy and comfortable,” she reflects.
“I’m so not. I’m someone who wears shoes and socks to the beach. But it was another time where I felt an obligation because as someone who presents as butch, under these clothes. I’ve got what you’d call a very feminine body and I’ve always felt a bit at odds with who I am. “I thought, ‘Well, if I can go on this film and some young lesbian watches it and feels better about their body, then I should do it’. It was a very scary but empowering experience.”
Never one to sit still, Karen’s band Fun & Funner – which is how she met her partner, saxophonist Eilish Wilson. Is about to record a new album and she’s not ruling out another season of her podcast Full Disclosure, where she chats to well-known Kiwis about their coming- out journeys.
But for now, she’s got her hands full touring the country for Paddy Gower Has Issues.
She says, “It’s an important and fun job, and I can’t wait to get to the bottom of the issues that matter to New Zealanders.”
Paddy Gower Has Issues screens 7.30pm Tuesdays on Three and streams on ThreeNow.
