Australian Tumbleweeds
The Head of Comedy and the Chef
Rick Kalowski, the recently-departed Head of Comedy at the ABC, gave an interesting vale interview to if.com.au recently. “The ABC does an incredible job as the driver of Australian scripted comedy but I truly see no reason why, with the right projects, the love can’t be spread,” he tells IF. Rosehaven would have been a... Read More »
Vote in the Australian Tumbleweed Awards 2019
Here we go again…it’s time to cast your vote in the Australian Tumbleweed Awards 2019. Sketch comedies, dramedies, sitcoms, satire, panel shows, films and pilots – we want to know what you thought were the worst Australian comedies of 2019. We know that 2019 wasn’t a great year for democracy, in this (or any other)... Read More »
It’s Another God Damn Clip Show
Nobody expects much from end of year comedy specials in Australia. Wait, we mean “nobody expects much from comedy in Australia” because oooh, sick burn. But end of year comedy is especially lacklustre, what with ratings being over and half the country being on fire and sport being the only thing actually on television for... Read More »
Alexander Wept, For He Had No More Lands to Conquer
It’s the end of an era: The ABC’s highly respected head of comedy Rick Kalowski today announced his resignation after more than six years in the post. After commissioning and overseeing the production of 80 titles, spanning pilots, series, digital content and podcasts, the executive tells IF he is exhausted and needs a break. The... Read More »
It’s a Riot (Act)!
Right-wing shock jocks have long been a target for ridicule, but the new Audible comedy Riot Act is so much more than a satire. It’s a funny, well-plotted sitcom full of believable and interesting characters. Basically, it’s the sort of sitcom we should see – or hear – more of in Australia. Co-written by Mark... Read More »
The future is now
Wherever the exciting future of Australian comedy is, it may not be at the ABC. For a certain type of comedy at least. Appearing on a panel recently at Screen Forever, “Australia’s premier event for screen industry professionals”, Rick Kalowski, Head of Comedy at the ABC, is reported to have said: “It’s your responsibility as... Read More »
Beware of Wog
Remember this classic sketch from The Late Show? As Tony Martin pointed out over the weekend, Lou Interligi isn’t quite as far-fetched as he once seemed: Joke theory floated on #TEAMeffort turns out to be true: https://t.co/pG1n9rqnw7 — Tony Martin (@mrtonymartin) November 23, 2019 Yep, according to The Herald-Sun: Wog boy Nick Giannopoulos has put... Read More »
Vale Frayed
Frayed, which ended last night, has been a lesson to dramedy makers in this country: that it’s possible to mix drama and comedy in the one show and for that show to be good. And after years of programs like Rosehaven and – gulp – Channel 9’s reboot of SeaChange, who knew it was even... Read More »