By Christine de Kock
THE man behind the magic of Australia’s high-grossing film Kenny is Maidstone port-a-loo operator Glenn Preusker.
Kenny is a comedy, shot as a documentary, about a charming port-a-loo operator who is despised for his job and has to deal with family tensions.
Mr Preusker was surprised when brothers Clayton and Shane Jacobson approached him about making a film about the business.
But, he allowed the creators of the film free rein of his business, Splashdown, and eventually fully funded the venture.
He said the film had done wonders to boost the profile of the industry.
“There was a stage when I would just call myself a plumber, because port-a-loos are just one of those things no one wants to talk about,” he said.
But the tide has turned with Kenny in the country’s top 40 of the highest grossing films of the year.
“Now, we get people tooting at us when we are driving down the street and waving, saying I love the movie.”
Splashdown workers and trucks are featured in the film, and the vehicles now carry a Kenny promotional sticker with the line from the movie: “There’s a smell in here that will outlast religion”.
Mr Preusker is often recognised by people these days, which can sometimes result in unusual interactions.
“I took one of my trucks in to get a wheel alignment,” he said.
“And the fellow there asked if I was that fellow involved in the film Kenny.
“I said yeah, I play myself in the family, and he raved about how much he loved it.
“There happened to be a picture of me in the paper that day and he brought it and asked me to sign it and I thought ‘this is interesting’.
“As I was hopping into the truck he said, you’re a plumber aren’t you?
“He said his toilet was playing up, so I had to fix his toilet before I could leave. I thought it was so funny.”
Mr Preusker is amazed at the film’s success.
“I never expected this sort of response. It was massive. You know, the other day it was on Sale of the Century as a question.
“They asked: What’s the name of the latest smash hit movie about a port-a-loo plumber? And the answer is Kenny.
“And John Howard was asked about it on the Neil Mitchell show.”
Mr Preusker said there was a lot of scope for humour in the port-a-loo business.
“A number of years ago now, at the Melbourne Cup, a chap came out to see us who had been in the Bird Cage.
“He had a bit too much ink in him and he said he’d just been to the loo and brought everything up.
“And we said, that’s no good but it’s ok and he said it wasn’t because he had some false teeth and had brought them up too.
“We sent someone down and they found the false teeth in the loo.
“We put it under a tap, washed it down and gave it to him – he put it straight into his mouth and kept on drinking,” Mr Preusker said with a laugh.
“That’s a true story.”
And if anyone should doubt that Nashville port-a-loo convention was a bit of fiction, think again.
“Yeah, that really happens. I go all the time,” he said.
“It’s 10 acres of dunnies. I tell you what, when you have sat on every dunny – you get to make sure they feel all right and there is enough room inside for everyone.
“I spend the whole three days of the convention sitting on dunnies.”
Mr Preusker has owned Splashdown for 20 years, and offers top of the range port-a-loos.
Some come with LCD screens and granite bench tops.
He has a strong connection with the West, and his grandfather established Brudenell Plumbing in Maidstone more than 60 years ago.
