Over the last decade or so, Australia has failed to develop an international – or even local – reputation for quality cinematic comedy. Could Down Under be the film to change that? Has Australian comedy finally moved beyond ethnic stereotypes and bogans doing stupid shit? Oh well, there’s always cutting edge comedy on the small... Read More »
Obvious statement: Sometimes the media don’t pick up on the right angle when they report a story. That was almost certainly the case when OUTRAGE occurred at this year’s MICF about a “rape joke” told by stand-up Ray... Read More »
Umbrella recently released the DVD Studio 9 – The Home of Australian Television, featuring golden moments from Channel 9’s glorious... Read More »
We were going to talk a little about the surprise revelation that Fairafx’s chief TV writer thinks Australia is crap at comedy – What shows like Black Comedy and Mad as Hell do, however, is demonstrate that despite the persistent belief that Australia cannot “do” comedy, our funny bone is actually in pretty good shape,... Read More »
With the second series of Please Like Me coming up in August this isn’t an entirely bad time to dig out our DVD of Roy Höllsdotter Live, an early-ish short film by Please Like Me director Matthew... Read More »
Remember Life Support, SBS’s spoof lifestyle program from about a decade ago? It was never a ratings blockbuster, more a cult hit, but it’s currently getting a repeat run on Monday nights on... Read More »
Here’s our take home from Shock Horror Aunty: most things that people say are shocking aren’t. Especially when you see out-of-context clips of them 30 or so years on. This is particularly true of... Read More »
Hey, a guest post! We think it’s an interesting look at a dark-ish corner of the Australian comedy business. As you’ll probably figure out, there’s a reason why it’s anonymous. Many years ago, in 1999, I had a short conversation with a well-known lawyer-turned-comedian. He was in an office in one of the ABC buildings,... Read More »
Flops on Australian television work one of two ways: they get to air and stink so badly they’re axed, or you read about someone desperately trying to talk up a project that’s clearly never going to happen. What we almost never see is the show that progresses a long way down the track before getting... Read More »
If you were born after the last episode of The Graham Kennedy Show went to air (1975) it’s sometimes hard to understand Graham Kennedy’s legendary status in Australian television. Even now little of the tonight show work on which his legend is built is easily... Read More »