13 schoolyards, Author at Australian Tumbleweeds - Page 45 of 112

Why is Australian Comedy So Shit – An Official Investigation

For years now we’ve argued that we need more Australian comedy in general if we’re ever going to get more of the good stuff. Guess what? We were wrong. Our theory was that Australian television needed to make a lot of bad television before anything good would come along as the bottom 90% of anything... Read More »

It’s the Movies that Got Small

There’s only one question when it comes to Rove’s new comedy panel game show Show Me The Movie: is it as shithouse as Cram!? Unlike Cram!, this one is actually about a topic that isn’t just “you know, stuff” – people generally like movies, most people know some dumb facts about movies, and as this... Read More »

Vale Squinters

One of the many things that makes television reviewing such a disreputable profession is that television reviewers rarely have to stand by their judgements. Usually they review an upcoming show with some variation of the phrase “check it out, it’s worth a look” and then move on – some might say flee the scene –... Read More »

Who Let the Dogs Out

If you’ve heard anything about That’s Not My Dog! – and why would you, it’s an Australian film – it’s probably that it features a bunch of professional joksters and no script. Australian film is made without a script: now there’s a news flash. Fortunately it features both a barbeque and a literal truck full... Read More »

It’s a Numbers Game

Press release time! Screen Australia has announced a slate of production funding investments including directorial debuts from acclaimed actors Rachel Griffiths and Guy Pearce, as well as new TV series for SBS, Foxtel, Channel Seven and one for Network Ten led by The Project co-host Peter Helliar. In total $7.4 million in funding has been... Read More »

Hacking Through the Jungle

You have to feel sorry for the ABC. On the one hand, they obviously want to put to air the best possible Australian comedy. Obviously. On the other hand, the best possible Australian comedy is heading overseas as quickly as possible because that’s where all the money, opportunities and fame are. Sure, there are still... Read More »

Squinters are Grinners

Well, Sam Simmons finally got to do a long riff about an animal, so clearly Squinters has run out of material with an episode and a half to go. Then again, this is a show that serves up pearlers like “Aah fuck, ya roses have punctured one of me sex dolls”, so Simmons delivering one... Read More »

Negative Stereotypes

Well, this sounds hilarious: A Netflix comedy series written by Chris Lilley will be filmed on the Gold Coast, in what the state government says is a $6 million win for the local economy. Ten episodes will be filmed between March and June this year. Unfortunately no-one seems to know what the show is going... Read More »

Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush

So this happened: TV STAR Tim Ferguson carried out a vile and obscene campaign of bullying when at the height of his fame. Ferguson, along with Richard Fidler and Paul McDermott, were the original members of comedy group the Doug Anthony Allstars (DAAS) at the time the offensive letters were sent. The letters were signed... Read More »

A Triumph of Towering Unambition

Remember when we used to slag off other critics for lazily praising clearly substandard Australian comedy? Yeah, it’s been a while. But thanks to the local newsagent mistakenly throwing a copy of Saturday’s Fairfax rag over one of the team’s front fence, it’s back! Among the many truisms of television is that the best results... Read More »