Callea's One Night Stand

Partners, off and on stage

Callea’s one night stand
Nick Bond Posted: Wednesday,
19 November 2008

Anthony Callea will be taking a night off from performing (as a munchkin, no less) in the mammoth musical Wicked next month to put on a one-night-only show at The Palms At Crown.

To the delight of many, Callea’s support act for the show will be his partner, Tim Campbell.

It’s the most public showing yet for a relationship that began almost a year ago. Do the pair have a master plan to become Australia’s own Sonny and Cher?

“Definitely not — we’re not that cheesy,” Callea told Southern Star.

“Tim’s a great performer, and I thought, he’s going to be there anyway — why not have him get up and do a set as well?”“

Now I’m actually a bit nervous. He’s been in rehearsals, but he won’t let me see what he’s working on. I know he’s got a full band and four dancers, and I’m a little bit scared that his show is going to be better than mine. He’s one of those triple threats — he can sing, dance and act,” said Callea, with a healthy mix of admiration and jealousy.

Fans might even be treated to a duet.

“Possibly. We’re bashing out a few songs on the piano at home, but at this stage that’s as far as it’s gotten. We just want the night to have a great vibe about it — sometimes when you over-rehearse, it doesn’t come off as natural as you want it to.”

While the couple’s steps into the spotlight were at first tentative — they walked the red carpet separately at this year’s Logies — they are now regularly seen together at events and openings. Callea doesn’t see their relationship as an issue.

“I don’t see us as being any different to any other couple. Of course we’re going to go to events together — we are together. We’re comfortable with who we are, and it sometimes takes a while to get to that point. I’m not going to worry about what people think about my relationship, because it’s really nobody else’s business.”

Perhaps not, but as one of Australia’s only high-profile gay couples, Callea and Campbell are in a position to be role models for young Australians coming to terms with their own sexuality.

“Yeah, hopefully we are. We get letters from teenagers and even adults who are going through that emotional rollercoaster of realising their sexuality, saying ‘thanks so much for doing what you’re doing.’ It’s nice to know that some good is coming out of us being open about ourselves.”

With all this talk about Callea’s main squeeze, and as a card-carrying member of the Ginger Appreciation Society, I had to ask: how does it feel to be shacked up with one of Australia’s spunkiest rangas?

“I’d never even heard the word — somebody said it to me, and I was like ‘what’s a ranga’?” he laughed. “The funny thing is, my mum is fair-skinned with freckles and red hair. When my mum and Tim stand together, they actually look like brother and sister.“

But ranga appreciation? He doesn’t really have full-on red hair, it’s actually light brown, so I don’t think he’s a true ranga.”

Anthony, you’ve got yourself one fine piece o’ ginge. Own it.“OK … go the redheads! Nothin’ wrong with it…”

source - Sydney Star Observer