Nov 03 2014
More gold from the archives! The ageless Jane Kennedy featured as a contestant on Sale of the Century with other funny people from the 1990s including Marg Downey and Andrew Denton, and here’s an article all about it from one of the Sunday TV listing guides.
Oct 25 2014
Donuts…
As soon as you see this donut-loving, beer-drinking face, we recognise him as Detective Sergeant Bargearse.
Or in other cases, the police officer known as Bluey, played by the late Lucky Grills in the 1970s.
For the ones who weren’t born in the 70s and had never seen the Crawfords Production that originally screened, we only know the re-dubbed by The Late Show cast, mainly with Tony Martin voicing Bargey-Wargeyarse. While there is currently no DVD release by Crawfords themselves, and rare clips of Bluey on YouTube, we will only find random snippets in anniversary specials.
Such as these two scenes used in a “40 Years Of Australian Television” special by Channel 9 from 1995. Skip to 25:58 if unsure.
While Bargearse itself was a blended mix of various scenes chopped together to make the joke, the most noticeable parts used in the video above were:
1) “Where Are Me Bloody Chips?” (1:21s)
2) The Opening Titles (0:37s)
http://youtu.be/_u9bWQoQVIQ
Blink and you’ll miss it.
Oh, and as an added extra – the original opening titles to Bluey, using the same theme music as Channel 9’s World Series Cricket.
The original theme is New Horizons by Brian Bennett.
While the music used for Bargearse is Wild Waters by Keith Mansfield, Alessandro Rizzo, and Elliot Ireland.
Both tracks are from the KPM Production Library, available through EMI Music.
Now, Crawfords – where are me bloody DVD releases?
Oct 11 2014
Rob Sitch briefly returns as Mike Moore for “Mental As”. // ABC | Working Dog
To raise awareness of Mental Health, ABC TV broadcasted Friday Night Crack-Up – a live variety show on Friday 10 October 2014 at 8:30pm for “Mental Health Week” 5 – 12 October.
With various guests and stars from across entertainment and TV, a pre-recorded segment included Rob Sitch as his iconic mock Current Affairs character – Frontline‘s Mike Moore.
Coincidentally, it’s been 20 years since Frontline hit our screens it was originally shown on the ABC.
Where has he been? Moore explains less… err.. moore..
Even Working Dog staffer Ed Kavalee played a role as commentator for the show. Just as he was wrapping up his part of the show, there was a nice throwback in regards to a certain green blazer he was wearing.
Ed Kavalee as commentator on the mini-games during “Friday Night Crack-Up”. | ABC
If you missed the show, you can view it on iView until November 9.
http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/friday-night-crack-up
Or you can watch the replay Saturday October 11 on ABC2 from 8:30pm.
For more info on Mental Health Week: visit http://www.abc.net.au/mentalas/
To donate: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/mental-as-2014
Sep 07 2014
Behold! Another clipping!
Back in 1993, Santo Cilauro posed with his beloved 1987 Alfa Romeo 33 Boxer for The Australian Magazine (here’s the PDF).
“This car’s always full of junk,” he apologises, “because we film so many things ourselves on The Late Show. There’s an old street directory, for instance, that’s lost its middle pages. “That section between Maps 189 and 222 – I always just hope I don’t have to go there.”
“Alfas are notorious for having their badges stolen. Whenever I have to buy a replacement, I’m sure it’s the one that’s been stolen. At school they teach you about the cycles of the seasons. They should have a diagram for Alfa badges – this is the man who steals it, this is the man he gives it to, this is the man who sells it back to you … “
Aug 23 2014
I have rediscovered a treasure-trove of clippings from The Late Show days, kept in a folder for 21 whole years – because that’s what 16 and 17 year olds did back then, as we didn’t have the ability to scan them and put them on the internet. (We also photocopied them at the school library, in black and white, for distribution.) Old clippings, I release you from your stagnant dwelling! May future generations enjoy your revelations!
I’ll be uploading the gold to the site on a regular basis! Today’s installment is called “Well Suited” and stars Rob Sitch and Santo Cilauro. Is it any wonder most of my friends had a crush on members of The Late Show cast back then?
Well-Suited: Rob Sitch and Santo Cilauro
Rob Sitch and Santo Cilauro in The Australian Good Weekend magazine, August 28 1993
WELL-SUITED
SANTO CILAURO (left) AND ROB SITCH, OF THE D GENERATION,ARE SEEN ON ABC-TV’s ‘THE LATE SHOW’, LIVE ON SATURDAY NIGHTS AND REPEATED ON SUNDAYS.
They met 12 years ago at the time of the 1981 Melbourne Law Revue when Rob was in the cast and Santo was making filmed segments for the show.
“I was trying to get things in focus,” says Santo, “while Rob was trying to crack on to my girlfriend. He didn’t succeed; she’s now my wife.”
During the years they’ve been friends, Rob and Santo have worked together constantly. “Looking back, we have been through some really tough times, but that has only strengthened our
friendship,” says Rob. They spend a lot of time together, even when they’re not at work.
What’s the best thing about your best friend? Santo: “The best thing about Rob? His ingenuity in
the most difficult situations.” Rob: “Most brilliant people develop a cynical streak. Santo doesn’t have that.” What’s worst about him? Santo: “His taste in music.”
Rob: “Santa can’t gossip accurately. The decimal point is never in the right place.”
How does he look in a suit? Santo: “Most of our working life is spent in a suit, and at the ABC the suits always seem to be beige. I prefer him in beige.”
Rob: “Italians have a big margin of error available to them. They look good in anything stylish. He looks better in a more classic cut.”
Santo is wearing a Hugo Boss navy pinstripe suit ($845), Hugo Boss cotton shirt ($139), belt by Boss ($119) and a Grieves and Hawkes silk tie ($99.95). Rob wears a Boss navy singlebreasted
suit ($695), a Hugo Boss cotton shirt ($99.50) and a Zegna silk tie ($109.50).
GOOD WEEKEND AUGUST 28,1993
Aug 08 2014
While doing his regular hosting duties on Triple M Melbourne’s Hot Breakfast radio show with Eddie McGuire, Mick Molloy has a regular chat to Triple M Brisbane’s The Grill Team at after 8am weekdays. The conversations are usually having a chin-wag with Greg “Marto” Martin, Michelle Anderson and Ed Kavalee about the odd stories in the world and sport.
On Friday August 8 show, Kavalee touched on a bit of The Late Show history – probing the stories he’s been told from some of the cast. Molloy responded, with amusing results. It also could explain why there were a few episodes where Tony would actually look a bit miffed to explain where Mick was…
You can catch his regular segments as well as Kavalee and the crew on The Grill Team Brisbane on 104.5FM Triple M weekdays. Stream online or download the podcast.
You can also catch Mick on The Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire on 105.1FM Triple M Melbourne. Stream online or download the podcast.
Jul 23 2014
Time flies quickly..
As mentioned September last year, a new 8 part dramedy series from Working Dog is about to touch down on ABC.
Beginning Wednesday August 13 8:30pm on ABC, the teasers for Utopia are popping up. Headed by Rob Sitch, it appears the talent pool has been expanded with Celia Pacquola, Luke MacGregor and Kitty Flanagan added to the cast.
Mark it in your diary now.
Jul 17 2014
YouTubing their way on the information super-highway.
In a near-echoing statement to our previous report here, our favourite hard-hitting journalists Mike Moore, Brooke Vandenberg and Martin Di Stasio are now embracing YouTube – in full.
The multi Logie award winning satire show Frontline which Working Dog took an amusing look behind the scenes of current affairs TV in 3 x 13 episode seasons have been given the YouTube treatment, thanks to digital distributor Valleyarm.
That’s right – all 13 episodes, all legal.
Subscribe: Frontline YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nQ-VbPDNeEflv_pUGXr1A/featured
While you can still purchase the full 3 seasons on DVD, there may potentially be added extras coming to the YouTube channel.
Just like everything on the internet, just add “sex” and stir.
Jul 07 2014
The Late Show on YouTube now?
Yas-sir!
For years, you (and us) – the dedicated fan, have dealt with wearing out your VHS tapes of the Best Bits of The Late Show.
In 2001, the release of the Best Bits as Champagne Edition DVDs with added extras.
Then in 2007 Bargearse and The Olden Days received a release on DVD with even more extras and easter eggs.
But you’ve never had the opportunity to carry around your DVDs to show to your friends when you start randomly quoting a scene. Or you drive past Captain Cook’s Cabin, only to giggle because all you think of is Moorabbin, resulting in trying to explain to the uneducated what the connection was. Or you lent out your DVDs to friends, only to not get them back. Or you’re at a friend’s dinner party, trying to explain why you keep talking about Mount Everest.
DVD players aren’t the most accessible thing, but guess what?
You can now turn to the official YouTube channel of The Late Show for your Champagne sketch comedy needs!
No longer do you need to rely on poor quality video-dubbed transfers. The good people at Working Dog have joined forces with Valleyarm and MCN Melbourne to get our favourite moments onto the interwebs in high quality – enough for you to enjoy without blowing your bandwidth budget. If you look hard enough, you’ll see the full length and uncut Bargearse, The Olden Days and episodes of Charlie the Wonderdog.
Subscribe: The Late Show YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCieI9ZtptY8ncJFWXEukecA/featured
Rumours are too that there may be other videos surfacing from the vault, so make sure you click the link above to subscribe for updates.
But wait – there’s more!!
The radio serial-turn-6 episode series starring Cassie, Grant, Stix and Poncho – aka the 1995 ABC show Funky Squad has made the way to the internets too!
Subscribe: Funky Squad YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/
With all 6 full episodes at your own viewing peril, watch the crime-fighting team breaking down barriers and kick butt!
Make sure you still get the DVD – as there’s a bonus Funky Squad comic embedded within, viewable by PC/Mac.
May 22 2014
If you haven’t already heard, Santo, Tom and Rob have written a new satire called The Speechmaker which is making its debut on 31 May at Arts Centre, Melbourne. Do pop along if you are there! It runs until 5 July. And we’d love to hear what you thought of it by posting a review on the forum!
The plot, as described on the Melbourne Theatre Company website:
Air Force One is London-bound for a surprise Christmas meeting between the US President and the British PM. It will be a diplomatic coup, not to mention one hell of a media opportunity – a no-risk vote-winner for the price of a little jet fuel, and the chance for the Leader of the Free World to give the speech of a lifetime.
Yet with the seatbelt signs barely switched off, what appears to be a major international crisis begins to unfold. As the stakes rise and the clock ticks, the President and his advisors are forced to make some uncomfortable decisions. Boasting a stellar ensemble cast featuring Erik Thomson (Packed to the Rafters) as the President, as well as Offspring’s Lachy Hulme and Kat Stewart, The Speechmaker promises to be an exhilarating stage debut from one of this country’s most successful creative groups.
Here’s a video of Rob discussing great political speeches of our time on Melbourne’s 3AW talk radio.
