“Yesterday I cried half naked in the hotel corridor!”

When a snotty-nosed Darren from Savage Garden gets the big honour to open up FRIDA’s famous cookie jar, we discuss questions about one-night-stands, what makes him blush and what the biggest lie he’s ever been told is. Truly, madly, deeply. Read on…

Darren Hayes is sick. He has an inflammation of the ears, his throat aches and he is also feverish. The record company warned me before the interview “If he looks a little shabby, it’s because he’s sick”. There’s no Daniel around as usual, he doesn’t want to do interviews, while Darren thinks it’s fun.

- I don’t need you really, do I? I’ll be fine with the cookie jar and the tape recorder, Darren says Darren jokingly while I’m trying to get the lid off the jar. It doesn’t work out too well, so he helps me like the gentleman he is. Polite and friendly, but pretty nonchalant. He’s sick, I know that! I feel sorry for him and I’ve heard mumbles about visits to the doctor and that “when he got this sick last time, he couldn’t even get on a plane”.

FRIDA’s cookie jar gets to do its job, when Darren starts searching through the questions.

Do you find it easier to get girls now that you’re famous?

- I have to say yes. My face is on TV, in magazines and you hear me all the time so I’m easier to notice. From being a completely normal guy for 21 years to being recognised all the time is a big step. But it’s good that girls make contacts more often now. Of course, a lot of it is fake too, I’m aware of that.

What do you think when you see yourself in the mirror?

- You need more sleep! I don’t get many hours sleep per night.

Who would you least like to get stuck in en elevator with?

- Vengaboys! They drive me crazy! He says without hesitating one second. He hums one of their popular songs with a fake voice while he pulls the next question.

Are you a party animal?
-No, I’m a square. I’ve never been a party animal either. Sorry.

Where do you want to live when you get older?

- I’ve just bought myself a new house in San Fransisco, as you might know. I want to live there, it’s so unbelievably beautiful. I also have a house in Brisbane, Australia. It’s very hot there, so I’d rather live in San Fransisco.

- It feels like eating cookies, Darren giggles while he carefully picks the next question. He’s starting to relax a little and I find it nice sitting in front of him.

What are you like after a couple of drinks?

-Hmmm… I get very tender and loving. I say “You have to kiss me” all the time, so you better watch it!

What would you like to promote so that you get things for free?

No, why did he pick that question? I pray to God and hope that Darren will understand the question and now kill me like Eminem did, when he got the same question at the MTV Music Awards. But Darren doesn’t kill me, I don’t think Darren would ever be rude on purpose.

- I’d like to promote Gucci-clothes. They look very good, but they’re extremely expensive so it wouldn’t hurt getting them for free!

In the middle of the interview a couple of guys come to pick up Darren. He’s about to do a soundcheck before the recording of Söndagsöppet and has to leave me. He promises that he will come back and I wait patiently while he sings “I Knew I Loved You” somewhere far away. When he comes back he’s in a much better mood and NOW it’s fun talking to him.

- There you are, cookiegirl! he says when comes back, looking for the room we started. His sister Leonie (Liberty's note: Leonie's NOT his sister) who travels with Savage Garden comes in and says that there’s only enough time for three more questions.

Darren closes the door and whispers: - Of course there’s time for more than three questions!

Then he starts searching through the cookiejar to find some real goo questions. He doesn’t want to answer the question“What’s the wors thing someone has ever done to yet?” He thinks it’s too depressing.

What makes you blush?

- When I get attention I didn’t expect. As an artist I often look for attention and then it’s different, but if I get a compliment or a kiss on the cheek completely unexpected, I blush.

When was the last time you cried?

- Yesterday actually!

Darren laughs a little embarrassed before he continues:

- We’ve travelled around for 8 weeks now and sometimes we’ve visited 2 to 3 countries in one day. It’s tiring, and at the moment I have the flu and an ear-inflammation so I get extra dainty. Yesterday, when we got here late Leonie was about to make a hot bath for me. I was going to drink some tea, rest and call my family. So I went away to Leonie’s room in my boxers and when I knocked the door I realised I’d locked myself out! When Leonie opened the door I started crying. “I can’t take anymore!”

He twists his face in some weird look to show how he looked and trust me, no one can cry with grace!

What should your date do to impress you?

- Smell good and have clean teeth, that’s important!

The whole room is covered by his after shave, so I understand if he wants the girls the wear an expensive perfume.

Would the world be a safer place if the women got to rule it?

- Yes, absolutely! Women are more logical and intelligent than men and they don’t use violence over anything.

What do you think of one-night-stands?

- I’ve had them, I’m not going to deny it, but I don’t know what I think of them really… I find it hard to separate sex from love, so I definetely prefer having sex with the ones that I love.
What is the biggest lie someone has ever told you?

- That Santa Clause didn’t exist! I was pretty old when I understood that it was a lie, 9 years old, haha! It was horrible. I’d written long wish lists to him and then I found out he didn’t even exist… I was devastated.

Tell me about a perfect day.

- Hmmm… A perfect day would involve sleep, kisses – lots of kisses actually, and a big fat breakfast in a world without calories!

There’s no time left for any more questions. Time’s up, which was a pity because it started to get very cosy in the small room of Sveriges Television (Sweden’s Television). Darren thanks me for taking the time (You’re welcome, you’re welcome!) and runs away to the toilet. To sneeze maybe? It can’t be that much fun to sit and be friendly and gorgeous, when all you want to do is to close out the world until you can be with people again.

Darren doesn’t seem to suffer though, or like he answered the question “When are you really happy?”

- Right now. When I listen to my heart and head and do what they say. I love what I’m doing at the moment!

Exactly.