MARVEL TO THE RESCUE
Tobacco tycoon Travers Beynon polarises people with his scantily clad women and parties. Today, he talks about idols Hugh Hefner and Gianni Versace and wanting more children with his wife and girlfriends
THE creators of Spider-Man and Thor are in negotiations to buy 150 hectares from Village Roadshow.
Movies insiders say Marvel has agreed to purchase the land that is home to Movie World, Wet’n’Wild, Australian Outback Spectacular and Paradise Country.
Village Roadshow hopes to close a deal for the sale in the next three months and raise at least $100 million to cut debt. It would then lease back the land for 30 years, paying $6.2 million in annual rent.
Confidence starts as a kid and it’s very hard to get it when you are older if you don’t know how
GOLD Coast playboy tycoon Travers “Candyman” Beynon might at first blush seem the last person you’d take parenting advice off.
The tobacconist franchise mogul is well known for his decadent inviteonly annual house party and R18 social media posts with scantily clad women.
But in a candid chat he has opened up on wanting more kids, his parenting tips and why the late Hugh Hefner and Gianni Versace are idols. Mr Beynon was happy to chat while at Moo Moo Broadbeach recently where he did a good turn, paying $7500 for a special bike so seven-year-old paraplegic Brydi Saul can do triathlons.
The charity I Can I Will arranged the good deed and Mr Beynon said the group name summed up a strong lesson in life for him: “If you build confidence in a kid who believes they can, then they usually will. “Confidence starts as a kid and it’s very hard to get it when you are older if you don’t know how.
“Teach kids two things — manners and self-confidence ... and you have done a good job.”
Asked if he wanted more offspring, the father of four said: “Why not? My wife and girlfriends are young.” It’s unclear exactly how many girlfriends he has along with second wife Taesha but he admits: “I never set out to be a playboy it is just the way my life has evolved. “Two icons in my world and my life were Hugh Hefner and Gianni Versace. “They were just two individuals I responded to best as idols in what they both stood for, Gianni Versace was all about beauty in everything and Hugh Hefner was all about freedom in everything — free speech, gay rights.” Freedom will be one of the defining themes of his upcoming third big house party on December 9, entitled “Freaks Unleashed”.
It is all laid on for those invited — he picks all guests who must apply by outlining their social media and most “freaky trait”.
A relaxed Mr Beynon also didn’t mind a question about what he hoped would be the outcome to a court case where he’s aiming to enforce payment from an ex-staffer. “(The person) has basically refused an order by the court numerous times so it’s just a process I have to go through.”
When one of his media minders broke in to ask “Did we move off topic?”
Mr Beynon said: “I wouldn’t have answered if I didn’t want to”.