/ 7 October 2016

Extraordinary Life: Archbishop Desmond Tutu in conversation with satirist Deep Fried Man

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

In honour of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s 85th birthday today, here’s a podcast, published in 2015, celebrating his extraordinary life and service to South Africa and the world.

Musical comedian and satirist Deep Fried Man – aka Daniel Friedman – and Tutu’s former press secretary John Allen champion The Arch in this podcast.

Tutu rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an outspoken opponent of apartheid. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and has since received numerous awards for his humanitarian work around the world. He had the tough role of heading up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission following the fall of apartheid.

He is a fearless moral compass and continues to openly challenge the current government when they fall short, including airing his anger over the denial of visas for his friend and fellow world peacemaker the Dalai Lama. He is a member of The Elders, a group of world leaders who contribute their wisdom, kindness, leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems.

Nelson Mandela and Tutu were close friends and Mandela celebrated his friend, saying: “Sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid and seldom without humour, Desmond Tutu’s voice will always be the voice of the voiceless.”

Deep Fried Man’s quirky and witty blend of musical comedy has seen him become one of the country’s most sought after comics. In this podcast, he sings an impromptu song for his hero.

Allen was Desmond Tutu’s press secretary from 1986 to 2000 and is the author of a biography on Tutu called “Rabble Rouser for Peace”. Allen gives listeners a glimpse of the Tutu the world doesn’t always get to see.

Extraordinary Lives is a biographical podcast series that celebrates the contribution that remarkable people have made to South Africa and the world. A well-known guest discusses the life of an extraordinary person who has inspired them. Extraordinary Lives is inspired by the BBC’s “Great Lives” and is presented by Jonathan Ancer. It is produced by Triple World Score Media.