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THE CHARACTER OF Mattress Mick is big, brash and bold – a bit quirky, a bit odd, and always guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
But behind the character are two men: the real Mick, Michael Flynn:
And Paul Kelly, the guy who has helped create Mattress Mick and turn him into an online phenomenon.
The relationship between the two men and their journey to nationwide fame is explored in a new documentary, Mattress Men, which doesn’t shy away from showing viewers the tough times the pair have had.
When TheJournal.ie goes to catch up with Flynn and Kelly in Mattress Mick’s Pearse St store, the back room of which has been turned into a studio for the occasion, the first thing we do is plop ourselves down on a nearby mattress.
It’s certainly the most comfortable wait we’ve had for an interview, while the shop, like Mattress Mick, is bright, flashy, but also familiar.
It does what it says on the tin – it’s not promising you anything more than you need. Indeed, Flynn (who comes from a family with a retail background) owned general furniture shops prior to the recession, but changed his focus to just the one product: mattresses.
Both Flynn and Kelly are all about focus. And they’re two men who know about surviving the rough times. Their work together has helped them both grow.
The documentary was meant to be a 10-minute film, but “it took its own legs, basically”, says Flynn. That’s in part because they became better known, with Flynn being invited to turn up in character at a range of events, his fluffy white hair and large glasses – as well as that toothy grin – becoming his trademark.
“I was going to be completely honest”
Flynn says he didn’t find the process intrusive – but it’s a documentary that shows some of the rougher moments for himself and Kelly.
“Now, there were some situations filmed that I would have liked to have been a little bit more private but they were there and [director] Colm [Quinn] did a good job in portraying them,” says Flynn.
“Well, I found it strange to be in front of the camera rather than behind the camera,” says Kelly, for whom the process was a life-changing experience. When Quinn approached him to make the film, he was in debt, unemployed, and not living with his children. “My life was completely downhill,” he says now. The documentary follows as he attempts to turn Mick Flynn into a star, and tries to turn his own life around in the process.
When he agreed to star in Mattress Men, he was going to be frank about what he was going through.
I was going to be completely honest and open because there are a lot of people in the same situation as I am… I could easily give up, claim the social welfare and not do anything with my life, but I felt I was better than that and my story should be told, so it had to be completely 100% open in every circumstances and every situation within this film because that’s life, and this story really shows them hard times.
Being Mattress Mick
Because Mattress Mick is such a character, it’s tempting to think the man behind him is too.
But Flynn is, above all, and as the documentary shows, a businessman. He’s been through hard times – he’s felt the impact of the recession on his life and pocket. He’s had to make difficult decisions and reinvent himself.
Though he and Kelly’s situations were different in some ways, at the heart they tell the same story of overcoming the odds.
“I don’t think people would realise that I had the problems that I had, the financial problems and so forth,” says Flynn.
“We’ll all find we had problems somewhere along the line and I opened up my problems to the world by saying I had problems and I think… they’ll see me just as a normal guy trying to sell mattresses, and more mattresses, and more mattresses.”
I would consider myself a serious businessman. I got into bother when the recession hit, things went wrong but I had to get going again, I had to survive and I had to prove myself to myself as well as to the people who would have known me.
His hope is that the film shows the darkness. “I hope that it encourages other people who may have been in the same situation as we were not to give up, to move on and to fight and to believe in yourself, that is the most important that to believe – that you are capable of getting back up there, getting on top of your troubles and problems, do not let anyone interfere with you, just be totally focused on your own goals.
“And that’s what I did, and Paul is also doing the same,” assures Flynn, that grin replaced with a look of steely determination.
Thinking positively
For Kelly, the whole process has been a spiritual journey, he tells me. “And I know some people may think it’s crazy,” he smiles. “But I had absolutely nothing and I was nowhere and I started reading positive books about visualising and setting yourself goals, the laws of the universe. And once I started believing in that, things started happening.”
He believes the pair were fated to work together, telling me that he used to pass Michael Flynn outside his Pearse St shop when he worked nearby 20 years ago.
“I used to remember thinking to myself ‘one day I’d like to be my own businessman and be that happy in my business’,” he recalls.
And in time, Kelly was able to set up his own company, Shoot Audition – which provides an online platform for actors’ auditions – and Flynn was able to help him with office space and a way of making money.
It’s paying off – Flynn says their business is getting stronger and they’re “very pleased” with how the film turned out.
“It’s different, it’s quirky and it’s fun, but we couldn’t have done it, I couldn’t have done it on my own, Paul couldn’t have done it on his own, he needed a Mattress Mick and I needed a Paul, and it worked together.”
Any bad times, they “overcame them because we both believe in our own destinies and we both believe we can get back on top again”.
“He gives me something back”
The pair’s relationship began in the most Irish of ways – in a pub. They met in Flynn’s regular drinking hole, The Yacht.
“He was at a bad place in his business so we were meant to meet and do what we did together,” says Kelly now.
“I would have had nothing: no business, no nothing if it wasn’t for Mick giving me the room space to grow and learn.”
He learned how to make the zany, effects-crammed Mattress Mick videos through YouTube tutorials.
In turn, Flynn has learned from him. “I couldn’t have done it without Paul because I knew nothing about social media and I was used to advertising, for example, in newspapers. Like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter were all names that I knew but didn’t understand and Paul brought that into my life, and that’s how I think we work well together,” says Flynn, looking at his friend.
“I can give him something, and he gives me something back.”
What’s their life philosophy?
Paul:
My one would be: The greatest souls are awakened out of suffering – the most impressive personalities endure many scars.
Mick:
I can’t beat that one.
My words would be: Set a goal, believe in yourself and go for it and don’t give up. No distractions. That’s all I can say.
Absolutely Comical i love this country
It would be comical if it wasn’t so tragic and indicative of the country we live in. 100 grand of licence payers money wasted.
Comedy Central. WTF planet are these clown living on?
They could save a lot more by scraping the rte guide it’s crap.
Not a bad saving, how much would the state save if it was to get rid of the 20% discount the esb gives to all its staff on their own domestic electricity bill..
Plenty of laughs here to enjoy. First off – a magazine to tell you what’s on the telly. In 2014? Second, posting that magazine to the folks who work/were working in the telly station. And finally the coup de grace – this distrubution generates overhead of €100,000!
@pete foley.
Stupid narrow mined simplistic comment.
People far afield from RTE have jobs that depend on titles like the rte guide, like printers couriers etc.
It’s the highly paid presenters like tubridy finnucane et al that costs the taxpayer not this title.
A free copy of the RTE guide, this on top of one of the most generous pensions allocated in this country. Ireland has gone to the dogs.
If its a commercially viable venture let it stand on its own earnings and pay the printers and couriers etc all they want. If not, then cut costs or shut it down. Since when should taxpayers/tv license money be supporting a magazine that encourages people to sit on their ass and read fictional stories about fictional characters in soaps in the uk.
Not much as youd think that would just prompt ESB staff to change to cheaper providers, probably would lose a huge chunk of their clientele, plus the ESB makes a huge profit, what’s the problem with looking after the rank and file which it would affect the most if scrapped.
Plenty of companies give the staff a discount I’m sick of hearing the ESB one held up as some sort of oddity, it’s quite normal even corner shops give their staff a discount.
No what would save the most money would be to get rid of RTE, it would not be missed. At all. Generation Y are all about multimedia players, netflix, Sky+ etc you’ll never be able to sell them on the idea of a tv licence and it’s going to become, as they go into politics and become voters, a key demand of theirs to get rid of it, this new broadcasting charge is being pushed by out of touched dinosaurs it’s not going to stand and it’s not going to work.
Face it, times have changed, trends have changed, public service broadcasting was always a flawed concept and it needs to go to the place we sent homophobia, sexism, censorship and other stupid policies like prescription condoms and just die.
ESB makes a profit and contributes to the exchequer. So the point is moot. Anyway there has to be some perks to a job.
Yep, have heard it all now!
Sorry, rte is a semi state. The people contributed to their own pension.
A discount is not an unreasonable job perk, we just have a nation of people who unlike their collegues in Europe don’t put any effort into solidarity with their fellow middle earners and workers and so mostly outside the public sector there is no unionization and as a result of THAT there are poor benefits there.
So they begrudge anyone who does have good benefits and security. There are issues of the PS living in a bubble, definitly, but theres also serious begrudgery among those too lazy to join and union and collectivly bargan for a better contract.
Terrible news altogether , some of those retirees are only on €2000 a week and now the RTE guide is being cruelly snatched …….I feel their pain !!
Surely they can put their hands in their pockets Andrew ,and buy the guide, thereby looking after the printer etc , who lets face it wouldn’t be on a fraction of the public service gravy
Rte guide circulation falls by 85%
15% of total print allocated for internal circulation.
Does Pat Kenny still get a copy.
They got it free? While we pay huge rates for TV licences. Why am I not surprised, what a country
The question has to be asked, are they paying TV licences?
How in gods name are they only breaking even? The quality of their programs is dire. There’s no way they can be spending much money on them. It’s time they were disbanded. We can’t afford to subsidise an imitation broadcaster that’s paying way over the odds to distinctly average staff.
It is beyond time that RTE was made subscription only. Or at the very least end the dual (if not triple) funding.
All pensioners normally have their T.V. licence paid by the state.
I say privatise RTE. Scrap TV licences. Keep coverage of the dail public, free and impartial.
Hilarious thing is investors would probably have zero interest in a station with no real quality programming that has such insanely overpaid personalities.
We might be better winding it up
Make rte a subscription channel. Let us choose if we want it
whats poor gaybo going to use for bog roll now,
Its always the pensionors to get hit with these savage cuts:-):-):-)
Good to see that the licence fee of 600 odd people will now be better spent (hopefully)!
Choo Choo
Rte are far from break even, 50% of their income comes directly from tv licence. Patethic!
Which means they should only be 50% bias towards the Government of the day & not the 100% that they always have and continue to be.
Dual funding is the norm in most European countries and Ireland still has one of the cheapest TV licences. In the few countries where the licence has been scrapped, PS television is paid for out of central taxation so the public pays in any event.
Cant wait for the TV licence inspector to back around……This is farcical typical Ireland…How hasn’t this come up before who is regulating RTE’S finances…..That 100,000 could be put to good use like getting another muck savage incapable of any other form of punditry other than that laced in cliches and eeeerrrraaaaa’s on the sunday game.
The salaries these people are on and they still get a free magazine. Sure we’ll increase the license fee and have the poor man pay for that… Hahaha….. Lovely stuff…!
If only rte could produce this level of comedy on their programmes, I wouldn’t mind paying the license !
My Father worked in RTE for most of his working life and always received the RTE guide free. Since he died my Mother has continued to get it by post. The pensioners will still get it at a reduced rate. Details will be sent out next week with the last free edition
Why the hell are current employees getting free copies…..if they wanna know whats on telly,let them feckin find out in work……..or God forbid…..BUY ONE!!!
You have to wonder how many other stupid perks are in place in all state and semi state orgs. Probably thousands of perks that would save hundreds of millions.
Like someone being paid 600k for less than 15 hours a week? And you people whinge about ESB salaries…
Theyll have to buy firelighters now!
Scandalous! There’s going to be people on the streets!
What’s the RTÉGuide?
Maybe they could go one better and end the high salary for a lot of the staff
I don’t pay tax. I work getting good into hand money. I also collect the dole. Have done since 2008. I also don’t pay t.v licence. Just don’t open your door when people knock. Anybody I care for will ring me if they want me. People of this country are cowards/sheep. Always moan about no money, well I have too much money
Troll much?
Care to give some of your excess money back to the working poor, Sammy?
Self-confessed criminal, Sammy.
I’d say they’d save more by sacking the muppet Hector. He’s worse than some regional DJs on local Rural stations.
Just the look of Hector you want to change the channel or switch off cannot stand the sight or sound of him.
Arrruuuu, arruuuu, arruuuuu, arruuuuu, let yourself goooooooooo
Revenue Commissioners take note.
Mmmmmm …..money needed to top up Finucane’s gross salary ?!?!?!?
You’ve got to love how they twisted this to ‘saving’ money to the fact staff were costing them money for years- so in reality 900,000 if it went on for 9 years etc., I’d imagine they got wind someone was going to spill the beans in PR dept and the spinners got spinning.
As basically a promo rag with listings they should just put it online and leave it at that.
Compared to the Radio Times which has a feedback page to vent, RTE guide is rubbish in comparison.
Anyone know how much we are paying for thw shows that come from America? Id say way more than other tv stations in europe.
Fret
Must be more low hanging fruit so
Good heavens : what are they going to wipe their asses with now ???
Given that many of the people that are broadcasting on RTE, think Gay Byrne, Jimmy McGee etc are already pensioners and still employed, will the still get their free RTE Guide?
Oh my god
jesus fcuking christ is there no end to the BS in this country !!!!!!!
Just paid my tv license last week , feel justified my licence fee is being well spent , ffs . This country is being screwed from the core
Whats a tv license??
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