His perception is that young people don't or wouldn't like his act anymore, that he cannot compete with the observational or dark humor that now dominates. Oh, sure, he still gets the older folk cackling - no worries there. His wife and friends don't like Ugly Dave feeling that way. They tell him to stop worrying about relevance, to just go out and be funny. But to look at the man explaining his crisis of confidence, it's a little like seeing a baffled dog who's been smacked across the nose, but doesn't know why it's in trouble.
Old friends are good friends.
Dave has a standing invitation to appear with Bert Newton on Good Morning Australia whenever he's in Melbourne. He likes these people. He's comfortable in their company. But hang on, it looks as though the modern world hasn't entirely shunned him. And he had an affirming experience when he worked on a cruise ship recently.