Celeste Barber — the girl whose photos took the world by storm

Fierce Girls

ABC listen

Kids & Family, Stories For Kids

4.4 • 930 Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2021

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Even as a young girl, Celeste Barber always had a funny story that would make everyone laugh out loud.

Celeste dreamed of starring in a TV comedy like Friends, but she went on to play a paramedic in a popular medical drama. And when that series flatlined, she used Instagram to take the world by storm, one funny photo at a time.

During the devastating bushfires of 2019-20, Celeste knew she couldn't grab a hose and put out the fires herself. So, she launched a fundraising appeal and raised $50 million dollars for the New South Wales RFS Brigades Donation Fund.

Celeste Barber was way more than an Instagram star, she was a hero. And she had the last laugh. Narrated by heart surgeon, writer and TV presenter, Dr Nikki Stamp.

Extra narration by Peggy Webber.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is a story of the girl who took the word by storm one funny photo at a time.
0:06.5	Yes girl cow. This is a story of the girl who took the word by storm one funny photo at a time
0:14.4	Celeste Barber read by heart surgeon writer and TV presenter Dr Nicky Stamp
0:27.0	Can you look at the sun without blinking for five minutes? Celess Barber's religion teacher waited for an answer.
0:31.0	Um, Celess scrunched up her nose and narrowed her eyes into teeny tiny slits.
0:37.4	Blink, blink.
0:39.4	No, I can't do that miss.
0:43.0	Celeste was only eight, but she was pretty sure it was dangerous to stare directly at
0:48.7	a searing ball of gas for any length of time, whether you blinked or not. Her teacher replied,
0:55.8	well if you can't look at the sun for five minutes without blinking you don't love
1:00.8	Jesus. It was possibly the most ridiculous and random thing anyone had ever said to Celeste.
1:08.0	And maybe, it was the moment she realized you couldn't believe everything people told you, even very important people.
1:18.0	But it was also a funny story that made everyone laugh and making everyone laugh was what
1:25.6	Celeste Elizabeth Dominica Barber did best.
1:29.4	Hey guys did you see friends last night?
1:33.0	Could Chandler be any more hilarious?
1:36.0	Celeste's favorite television show was Friends.
1:39.0	She memorized every laugh-out-loud line
1:42.0	so she could recite them back to her mates at school.
1:45.0	Oh, oh, how about when Phoebe sang Smelly Cat?
1:49.0	Smelly Cat, what are they feeding you?
1:55.0	Celeste cracked up, but her friends weren't laughing.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from ABC listen, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of ABC listen and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.