TV Week: “State of Shock!” E Street 29th February 1992

TV Week
29th February 1992

E Street cop finds the going tough in Texas.

UNLIKE most 21-year-old Australian actors, E Street’s Bruce Samazan is not breaking his neck to work in the U.S.

In fact, if he doesn’t ever return there, it will be too soon!

Bruce, who visited America for the first time, before returning back to work on E Street this year, cut his trip short and hightailed it back to Sydney. He avoided the usual tourist haunts and stayed with friends in Texas… but he admits the place “freaked” him out.

“There’s gang warfare over there that I can’t grab a hold… it’s chaotic,” Bruce says.

“It’s totally unnatural for an Australian to go over there and adjust to the fact that if you wear the wrong colored baseball cap or T-shirt, you might be shot at.”

The second day into his trip Bruce went to put on a Los Angeles Raiders cap — a mistake.

“My mate came into the room I was staying in and said, ‘Bruce I wouldn’t wear that. You could get yourself into trouble — you might get shot at’.

“Then, two days later in the Beaumont Express (the local newspaper) — ‘Two Youths Shot Dead Outside Nightclub’ … for wearing LA Raiders outfits!

“That was pretty scary stuff.”

Bruce was supposed to stay for two weeks, but left after 10 days.

“I thought, “Get home. Time to get your bum home, Bruce,” he says.

Story: David Brown

Cover and picture: Tony Merrick

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