Mick live on stage... with others...

[13 schoolyards]

http://www.mytickets.com.au/jason-alexanders-comedy-spectacular/1-145539/view.aspx

The only reason I can think of why he's doing this is to hang out with Russell Gilbert, and the only thing about this that doesn't fill me with despair is the fact that it'll be on after the Melbourne Comedy festival so maybe - though I can find no evidence for this - he'll be doing some solo shows there? Damn, but I'd pay to see that.

Though after some further snooping around it looks like this Jason Alexander deal is a touring show, so people in other states will be able to check out the comedy cavalcade of comedy. And asking questions about George Costanza.

*edit* By the way, how cool would it have been to have been at this (taken from the AFI newsletter)?

In 2007 Big Screen continued to take Australian cinema around the country to regional, rural and remote Australian communities. Some of the highlights included: comedian Mick Molloy presented and discussed his films Boytown and Crackerjack with school students, the community and young local comedians in Mildura

[Bean Is A Carrot]

It's nice to know that Mick's gradually getting back to work that doesn't involve blocking Boytown Confidential. I've seen him do stand-up several times and he was great. The ticket price is rather steep, but I suppose it's quite a big name line-up.

And isn't it great that today's schoolkiddies get to have him turn up and warp their minds? He's continuning the fine work of The Goodies in that respect.

[13 schoolyards]

The times I've interviewed Mick about his films, he's been very articulate about both them and film-making in general - really got his head screwed on about how to go about making comedies. At this stage I'd probably be just as interested - if not more so - to go hear him lecture about his film work as I would to hear him crack some gags.

The last time I saw Mick do stand-up was after the axing of TMMS, and he was pretty up-front about it, so presumably any solo acts would have to tackle (even with just a joke or two) the Boytown Confidential deal. And it'd be good to hear his side of the story.

And geez, we never got anyone as good as Mick at my school talking to us - the best we could manage was Peter "Gidday" Russell "Gidday" Clarke. See you later is bloody right.

[menagers]

My husband saw Mick walking along St. Kilda Rd today near Ch 7. [yes, that is near the STOP sign that has the graffitti 'Hammer Time' underneath it - my all time favourite, although it's a close run thing with that U TURNS ACCEPTED sign in Brunswick that has 'Except for you Fatty' amusingly added.] He could have been doing 1200 different things there, but I'm going to stab at maybe he was on Glenn's show? Whatdaya reckon?

[kat-rant]

The one time I saw Mick do stand up was at the 1994 Comedy Festival when Mick did a gig at the National Theatre in St Kilda with Tony, Judith and Darren Casey. In fact one of the funniest things that night I remember was Tony telling the story that had not long happened before then when they were touring, and Darren was driving out in the country and all of a sudden a kangaroo appeared in front of them - they all shat themselves, but Tony couldn't help but notice Darren's defence mechanism - turn on the windscreen wipers!

yeh, that's gonna stop a 150 km kangaroo causing damage!!

[menagers]

I was there too! But by far my clearest memory of that show was waiting in line for the lav for three hundred years. Fiona Scott-Norman was just ahead of us and started loudly bemoaning the lack of ladies' toots in venues all over Melbourne. "I've written an article about it!". I snubbed my 18 year old nose at her, I particularily despised her for writing a bad review on DAAS in Beat Magazine. I'm probably over that now. Anyway it was a great show, pity they didn't do a vid of it. Darren Casey falling off the comedy map, was a sad loss.

What do you think peoples? My husband slyly booked himself a spot on the end-of-season cricket trip to Airlie Beach for 5 days, that left me gobsmacked and unable to protest. It was done. So in return I am making him pay through the nose for a (and I quote myself) "top rate fancy hotel, none of that crap Eden on the Park shitness with its brick wall view, and exxy tickets to a show". At first I thought Spamalot, but the air rushes from his lungs at the prospect of sitting through that (which is weird, because he sat through Mamma Mia ??). So I thought this Jason Alexander thing.

What would you choose?

[baudrillard]

I think those Eric Idle things sound awful. I must admit I was in a fast food joint the other day and noticed the Jason Alexander - we were in shows that were good - show with Mick is coming to town, I'm tempted... but not that much. I'd love to give Jason Alexander hell for being in two failed sitcoms while Julia Louis-Dreyfus' average thing keeps going. His last sitcom was so family orientated I thought of becoming a serial killer. Meanwhile we could get him and Mick on stage and ask them how it feels to be has-beens who only have their former glory to cling to...? Pity some of the others on the bill don't have axed shows too, it could be the Jason Alexander tour of complete tv losers! If it was just him and Mick, well it would be.

[ShitScared]

I saw Spamalot at the best place you can see it - the West End in London last year. Pure brilliance. 11 out of 10

Been wanting to see it in Melbourne and take a few friends down there with me.. but wallet says otherwise.

[13 schoolyards]

I was there too! But by far my clearest memory of that show was waiting in line for the lav for three hundred years. Fiona Scott-Norman was just ahead of us and started loudly bemoaning the lack of ladies' toots in venues all over Melbourne. "I've written an article about it!". I snubbed my 18 year old nose at her, I particularily despised her for writing a bad review on DAAS in Beat Magazine. I'm probably over that now.

Don't get over it! Don't!

And I'd go to Mick's Komedy Korpse thing. Spamalot'll be around for decades (and you can just watch the movie anyway - less singing, but better performances), but who knows when Mick'll be on stage again? Not to mention you can report back here with all the goss...

[kat-rant]

Oh, God, I remember those toilets, the whole comedic thing of them being three cubicle doors, except one was a dummy door hiding an extra long cubicle that that TWO frigging dunny doors!!!

So in effect, there were only two toilets, when it looked like there were actually three. Grrrrrr

[menagers]

Yes that's right! Far Out, flashback. Because, there weren't many women there was there :rolleyes:

Alright, I'll go to the Mick thingo. I wonder what his gear would be? I haven't seen him do stand-up for 8 years, and that was pretty personal stuff, well sort of. I bet you $50 he wears a suit!

And yeah, I've heard a few rumours about FS-N. Interesting..

[Bean Is A Carrot]

I spotted a poster for this show in Adelaide today. I didn't know it was going to Adelaide.

[baudrillard]

That's why I commented on it above Bean, saying I was in a fast food joint and saw a poster for it. I guess you don't even read my posts! :(

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Baudy, while I'm in this country I have to rely on internet cafes and time is an issue.

[menagers]

Arrraggh! This is how hung over I am, I just did a massive post and lost it all. Probably a blessing, as I do carp on.

In point form then:

Jason Alexander - quite brilliant actually, I was pleasantly surprised. His long, good value and hilarious opening set was absolutely A1. And he must have written it himself as it is very personal and peppered with excellent local references, like the kind that Ben Elton does. A real treat for Seinfeld fans, as he is not one of those ungracious celebrities who resent the thing that masses of people worldwide love them for. The musical medley he does is a bit of an eyebrow raiser, but he's entitled, he makes no bones about being primarily song n' dance.
Mick Molloy - (sigh) not great, not terrible by any means, his delivery is still so very good, it's just, well, it's just the gags are weak. There was a funny story about wrangling a snake on holiday in Vanuatu. Upon picking it up, he discovered he had grabbed the wrong end and the snake turned to bite him 27 times on the dick. I laughed at that one. Now here's a weird moment; Mick was listing poor decisions made when drunk, like glassing your girlfriend in Miami etc. Then he said, and I'm going to struggle to get this right, "like getting back with your ex-girlfriend, who it turns out has been stalking you for 8 months and now tells you she's expecting your child." :shock: What the? Is this a celebrity story I missed, unlike the Wayne Carey ref which I did not? Is it about Mick? How could you come up with something like that if, in fact, it wasn't true? The other awkward moment (and yes, the above was greeted with awkward silence, there was every insinuation that that little nugget of info was indeed a personal one) was that there was a poorly conceived TGYH 'all-in' type deal at the end of the night. Two (the only two to volunteer: Australia) women were picked out of the audience, given hand-mics and had to do all of the heavy lifting with the impro suggestions when pointed to (which, I cringe, was far too frequently). One woman, clearly a nutter, had to come up with some sort of zany noun for Mick Molloy, ie. "He is a...", she said "Has-been". CLANG. We all stopped dead still for a moment to see what Mick would do (sadly, but understandably, he did nothing) then the crowd made that "Wooooaaaw!" noise that gets made when two people arch up at each other, prior to the chants of FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT. Cop that, eh? Not v. nice. I am happy to report however, that his applause was considerably warmer after that moment.


The others were really very good. Rus is a bogan but a lovable one, his undies gags make my eyes well with tears of laughter. Peter Helliar, and I'm only going to say this once - don't freak out; is very good at the married with children gear. Like Fiona O'Loughlin I laugh with warm familiarity at their stuff "because it's just so true!" (don't start, I'm already feeling the first waves of your cynicism). But Kitty Flanagan was the best. She is hilarious. End of story. Not only does she make me laugh like a drain, she makes me ponder on the whole sexism in comedy thingo. Very interesting.

I see I had no problem carping on at length (tautology) for a second time.

[13 schoolyards]

Thanks Menagers! I was very keen to hear what you had to say about the show - today's Age gives it a short but glowing review (I think Mick's short set is described as "surly but funny"), with Ms Flanagan also called the night's highlight.

Sadly, it's not that surprising to hear that Mick's a bit wobbly - his doing this show really seemed like an odd move, but I guess the glory days of movies and hosting his own shows really are behind him and if he's going to get back into stand-up a show surrounded by mates is a good place to start. Bit harsh calling him a "has been" though, as I reckon his appearances on Before the Game are probably winning him a new bunch of fans and a steady future as one of those types who turn up on panel shows and not much else. It really is all over for Mick now, isn't it? He'll be lucky to be co-hosting a show with Lehmo in five years time.

What else has Flanagan done? I know the name, but that's about it...

[baudrillard]

She hasn't been around in a while. Ah that's why, she did the smart thing and got the hell out of Australia so she could actually be appreciated.

"A successful stand-up up comedian and TV writer/performer in her home country of Australia, Kitty Flanagan moved to the UK in 2001 to further her comedy career.

Now based in London and a regular on the top UK comedy circuit including the prestigious London Comedy Store, she also manages to travel the world performing in festivals and comedy clubs everywhere from Paris to Berlin, Dubai to Tokyo, Albury Wodonga to Blacktown.

Well known for sketch comedy as well as stand-up, Kitty has appeared in several successful TV shows both in Australia and the UK, most notably Full Frontal (AUS) The Micallef Show (AUS) and The Sketch Show (UK). There have also been numerous TV stand-up appearances, including The World Stands Up on Comedy Central (US)"

[menagers]

Yes, I think some of her best work was on The Sketch Show, which was oddly shown on Ch10 here for a while. Great that it was, just an odd move for them, like when they ran The Goodies back in school - took a while to get used to. Years ago (cue squiggly flashback TV effect) when I went to the Star and Garter every week (which I was shocked recently to discover has been converted to posh apartments but still has 'Star and Garter' on the building) she debuted there one golden night, after weeks of shit nights, and blew everyone away. She, along with Lucy, is the best female stand-up I have ever seen. She has material about female comics which is fantastic, aligning them with 'special needs' type comics: One, well one's great, everyone laughs and loves them. Two, well that's just pushing it. She was also a guest on Get This in '06, but (and feel free to debate me hotly) I thought that episode was a tad awkward, she was very quiet.

And yes, it must have been in my first post, which I spectacularily deleted, but Mick was only on for about 15 minutes. Did I say the ticks were $109 bucks? I wouldn't have said he was surly, nervy maybe. He did do the Restaurant Tram gag, remember that? I think some awkwardness crept in when he opened by talking about "being sacked from 9". It was like the hundreds of people in that room just silently vibed "yeah, but The Nation was shit". He then followed that with a "I make movies" gag, about a very faithful remake of The Man from Snowy River using an entire cast of dwarves (?!), did I hear that right do you think? But again, the moment he said "movies", it was like everyone silently vibed "Movies maybe, but clearly not brilliant DVD extras compiled by once best friends". Hmmm. I think this was the perfect way for Mick to wet his toes again, anything smaller with people paying less, and the heckling and hate vibes would be well out of control.

[13 schoolyards]

Full Frontal! That's where I know her from. Cheers for the info, I'll have to have a sniff around for her work.

And yeah, the big problem Mick has now is that he can't make those "I've been hard done by" jokes about his career he could back in 2001 when - despite the general view that TMMS wasn't crash hot - there was a bit of a feeling that Nine had hung him out to dry. Boytown and The Nation were 100% Mick products, and he's got to accept (for his comedy's sake) that the public response was a public response to him. He's made some missteps, and he's the only one who can get him back on track - which, to be fair, he seems to be trying to do by getting out there. If he was out of sight "working on new projects" I'd be a lot more worried... because I don't think there's a market for new projects from Mick just yet.

[skel]

Crackerjack made a heap of money and that will still have him brownie points for at least another couple of movies. But dont get me wrong, one more Boytown and its see you later Mick... First thing he should do is not involve his brothers in the creative stuff.

[baudrillard]

Dear Mick,
We are writing to you as concerned fans. We really think it is in your best interests to sack your pathetic brothers who have no sense of how to even begin writing for comedy and hire some fresh blood, or why not make friends with that nice Tony Martin fellow you used to work with on the Late Show. I thought your bits with him at the start of the show were marvelous and can see you two have a real chemistry together and it would be a shame for something like that to go to waste. But it's your career, fuck it up if you want to but it would be a shame to see you become a total has-been and your brothers really aren't doing you any favours.

Cheers Mick!
(I loved you in that "Shitscared" segment you used to do.)

[13 schoolyards]

Crackerjack made a heap of money and that will still have him brownie points for at least another couple of movies. But dont get me wrong, one more Boytown and its see you later Mick... First thing he should do is not involve his brothers in the creative stuff.

Actually, no. Trust me on this, that's not how it works in Aussie film: the first time you make a stinker, that's it, especially if you're making 'commercial' films like Mick was. Over the last decade the number of Australians who've made a second film even after a big hit is close to zero (off the top of my head, the directors of both Chopper and Somersault haven't made a second film here), and Boytown wasn't even close to a hit. Mick's movie career is over, unless he wants to totally finance it himself (and I'm not sure he's got that much spare change behind the couch), and then getting a distributor would be very, very difficult with his track record.

Not to mention that the very idea of the Aussie comedy film is completely finished, at least for now - Boytown was the last big deal comedy film we've seen (and that was a year and a half ago), there's nothing really in the pipeline (even Shaun Micallef's film seems to have gone quiet), and there's been so much hate directed towards the very idea of Aussie comedy films over the last few years that... well, trust me, there's not going to be another one along for a while, no matter how well Kenny did. And when it does turn up it'll be a surprise effort from people no-one's really heard of.

As for Mick and his brothers... well, that's already over now, isn't it? Back when Mick was trying to set himself up as a production comedy house doing radio and TV and movies they were around, but with those dreams dead what is there for them to do? Mick's working as a solo act on other people's shows - I can't imagine any of them are going to give Mick's brothers work. Their gravy train seems to have come to a crashing halt - it's just a shame they didn't get off a couple of years earlier.

[kat-rant]

I can't imagine any of them are going to give Mick's brothers work. Their gravy train seems to have come to a crashing halt - it's just a shame they didn't get off a couple of years earlier.

Also a shame they dragged Mick down with them....

[menagers]

Oooh, I have to say this attack of Mick's family members feels very wrong. Unless we were flies on the wall in the Writing Comedy Room how can any of us have any idea what their input was? It's just that it seems cruel and disrespectful to attack them like that. I mean come on, they are his brothers people. Try to understand how that criticism would make Mick feel. Off hand words do hurt, I saw that with my own eyes on Friday night. (Not that I'm really under the illusion that these words would get back to him, but, well, they might).

As for what you were saying about the film industry schoolyards, I'm intrigued. Does this mean that because Tony funded Bad Eggs himself, he might still have a chance to recieve film finance for another project? The idea that a previously successful production company (even if it is one, two, skip a few - and by few I mean one) wouldn't have even the smallest of toes in the door already, just smacks of bad business. I remember Matt Damon saying that Hollywood gave you 'three strikes and you're out' on Enough Rope. Is it that cuthroat here, really?

Well, I'm off to watch "East of Sea Change" and pray that my reaction to R. Roxburgh's manboobs isn't so severe this time. I told my husband that Tony called East of Everything the above, and his response was "It really is a lot more complex than Sea Change, Tony really should do more research before he flies off at the handle like that". :shock: Oh dear, it seems that Tony has finally fallen into the Rob Sitch category with my husband, there is no return from there.. Abandon all hope!

[13 schoolyards]

Yeah, it's amazingly cutthroat in the Australian film industry at the moment. Tony doesn't really have much chance of getting another film up unless we all chip in. There's just zero tolerance for failure - investors are more willing to put money into an unknown because there's a tiny chance that they'll make the next Crocodile Dundee. Once you're proven, even if you're proven to be OK, the finance gets a lot harder to scrape up because investors want big results, not OK ones (which is usually barely break-even). And audiences just aren't going to Australian films at the moment, so distributors don't want to bring them out (and distribution / promotion costs a lot). It's grim all around.

Don't get me wrong, if Mick really, really really really wanted to make another film he could. But it'd be much, much much harder.

As for attacking Mick's brothers, it's hard to argue against the way that Mick's quality of work decreased parallel with the increased appearance of his family members. Perhaps Mick was on a downwards slide creatively and they just happened to be there when it happened, but it's not a good look either way. Family members relying on you for their income are hardly likely to tell you when you're making a mistake or coming up with sub-par work. And if Mick's brothers wanted to make their names in comedy, wouldn't they would have tried to distance themselves from Mick and gone solo?

[baudrillard]

Is it that cuthroat here, really?

Menagers, it's much much worse here. In the US if you can get producers behind you and you do well, you're going to get to make another film. In Australia, this just isn't the case, and Tony didn't fund the film entirely himself he put up more money so that they'd let him direct it. Do you see how even that was a restriction on him? His script, his concept, his casting and still he needed to put in a fair degree of his own money to fund the film in order to get to direct it.

Australia is MUCH MUCH more conservative than America's three strikes and your out policy, and much more difficult to work with because you are dealing with petty bureaucrats that do not have any idea what they are doing. The day this was absolutely confirmed for me was when the Australia Film Corp came to town and had a meeting here and basically said "yeah we made all these films in the last couple of years and every single one of them flopped, but there's no accountability because it's tax payer's dollars that fund these things and we really don't know what we're doing wrong." That's what THEY said. That's not me putting words into their mouths. They showed us a show-reel of the films they'd "released" and because everyone in the audience was asked to raise their hands if they'd seen or heard of the film, we were asked "Do you people watch Australian films at all?"

As for Mick's brothers, if you listen to Tough Love enough you'd know that he was always giving Roo hell for not really being good enough, mind you he did that to what's her name as well. Mick's brothers are the reason why Mick's in such an awful mess now, I'm sorry but I have no qualms about point out the facts. And the facts are the Molloy brothers did not make a coherent or cohesive writing team. Thank god it's in the past and lets hope if Mick has learnt anything from these experiences it's nepotism might be nice, but it doesn't make sense unless they are actually talented.

[menagers]

Those are both good arguments. It's just that I feel for him, that's all. I just want the world to be nice, damn it! It's upsetting to see the boot being put in. '07 was such a revolting year for both Mick and Tony and we don't even know the half of it. There were absolutely no winners, it affected them, and it just makes me sad. We need a bit of sunshine.

[baudrillard]

I agree Menagers, it is indeed a shame, and it's also a shame to have to be quite so blunt about it too. :(

[Mason Hell-Cat]

Well, I'm off to watch "East of Sea Change" and pray that my reaction to R. Roxburgh's manboobs isn't so severe this time. I told my husband that Tony called East of Everything the above, and his response was "It really is a lot more complex than Sea Change, Tony really should do more research before he flies off at the handle like that". :shock: Oh dear, it seems that Tony has finally fallen into the Rob Sitch category with my husband, there is no return from there.. Abandon all hope!

When did Tony refer to it as that??
I am really loving the series.

[menagers]

On Triple J last Thursday. And it is written by Deb Cox so it is a bit of a no brainer! But he's right, the two big mini-series they spent a full 20 minutes promoting some 6 weeks ago (did anyone see that? It was quite extraordinary in it's length) are very Sea Change. Lucky for me, I liked Sea Change, like every woman ever really. And East of Everything is wonderful too; deeper, older. I cried like an absolute baby last night.

[baudrillard]

I guess Mason missed our rush to make sure someone was digitising Tony on the radio last week! How do you miss these things all the time Mason :)

[RomperStomper]

I was in the Melbourne show on Sunday. Menagers has gone through it all pretty well. The Scared Weird Little Guys were in for Pete Helliar so I missed out on him. Mick was good in my ranking for the night he was last. Russell was very funny and his clever Australiana routine brought the house down, but Menagers is spot on - Kitty Flanagan is really really good. Jason Alexander was great too - I had seen him on tv in those Comedy Festival shows and never thought they were funny. He has fine tuned his act and its very good too.

For all those Mick Molloy fans (I am one), his act got better later but he does need one T Martin standing next to him.

[menagers]

That is good news to hear that he got better. I thought it was very hard on him coming out after Jason Alexander. I'm glad they moved him back.

[Mason Hell-Cat]

I guess Mason missed our rush to make sure someone was digitising Tony on the radio last week! How do you miss these things all the time Mason :)

It was probably mentioned in a thread in the 'members only' forum that is currently up to 350 pages or something? haha....

[baudrillard]

Yeah that's where you missed the Ricky Gervais one too! :)

[RomperStomper]

That is good news to hear that he got better. I thought it was very hard on him coming out after Jason Alexander. I'm glad they moved him back.

Actually he was still after Jason Alexander and I agree it is a bit of a tough ask to come on after that. I just meant his act further in got better.