Jul 14

New Show: The Cheap Seats

While Working Dog have your attention on Monday nights with the news quiz show Have You Been Paying Attention?, they request your ongoing attention with a new show.

Starting Tuesday July 20 at 9pm, The Cheap Seats will be a companion piece for your entertainment.

Melanie Blackwell and Tim McDonald

Hosted by Have You Been Paying Attention? regulars Melanie Bracewell (ex-New Zealand) and Tim McDonald (ex-Jobseeker), The Cheap Seats takes a comic look back at the week that was.

Major news stories, not-so-major news stories, stories involving cats, entertainment, sport and viral videos, it’s a Reader’s Digest of world events for a generation who simply don’t want to read.

If it was broadcast, released, published, viewed, shared, clicked on, or simply trending for 30-seconds, then it’s likely to be a part of The Cheap Seats.

So get set to experience a new view of the world… from The Cheap Seats.

 

The Cheap Seats – Premiering 9pm Tuesday July 20, 2021.

The Cheap Seats on Twitter.

Jul 11

Anderson: “It’s a Badge – you’ve got to have that sort of thing”

Saturday June 5, 1993 marked the return of The Late Show on ABC TV. The D-Generation were fresh from nearly an entire year of rest, along a makeover of the show. A new cast member Judith Lucy, a new brighter set, and new sketches.

One of these new sketches was Charlie The Wonderdog, starring four children known collectively as “The Pissweak Kids”.  Starring Tom Gleisner’s dog Charlie, veteran actor Charles (Bud) Tingwell, the concept was so pissweakery – think the hallmarks of Skippy but on a budget and with intentional bad acting. The Pissweak Kids would get into or discover debacles, with Charlie coming to save the day.

The oldest Pissweak Kid, Justin Anderson, spoke with the Champagne Comedy podcast team to talk about being part of the show and what was involved in filming the popular series. Here’s a tiny snippet from Episode 21 of the podcast where Season 2 Episode 1 of The Late Show was discussed:

To hear the full interview, as well as a chat with TV Historian Andrew Mercado about the synopsis of the Paradise Beach sketch, listen to Episode 21 of the Champagne Comedy Podcast – a fan podcast made by fans, for the fans.

Full podcast episode:


Spotify | iTunes | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | TuneIn

This podcast has no direct association with the Working Dog team, the ABC, and Co.

If you want to read the 2012 interview with Justin and brother Nic, read here.

Champagne Comedy Podcast

Jun 07

Hart: “I do remember my heart sinking by the time I did see it”

On Saturday 12th December 1992, Australia watched a lampoon of what would be an iconic music video from a popular Australian pop-folk band Frente and their hit song “Accidently Kelly Street“.

While we all laughed at Tony Martin, Mick Molloy and Santo Cilauro dress up as the band members and mimic the music video and Jane Kennedy doing her best rendition of lead singer Angie Hart, not many people knew how the actual band thought about it.

It is on record (on the Champagne Edition Best Bits of The Late Show DVD) with Mick Molloy explaining on the commentary track that the girlfriend of a band member had ‘dumped him’ after the parody, we spoke directly to Hart about her thoughts on the satirical sketch, nearly 30 years later after the original broadcast.

To hear the full interview, listen to Episode 20 of the Champagne Comedy Podcast – a fan podcast made by fans, for the fans.

Spotify | iTunes | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | TuneIn

This podcast has no direct association with the Working Dog team, the ABC, and Co.

A big thank you to Angie Hart for the chat.

Socials: Twitter | Facebook | Bandcamp

May 03

When ‘Radio Wars’ were ‘MAD’

Back in the days of ’90s radioland, where a bunch of comedians were vying for your attention for your breakfast, morning tea and your drive home… nothing much has changed really.

In 1997, MAD Magazine Australia published a 4 page illustration by artists Chris Wahl and Jason Davis covering the perils of commercial radio – mainly Sydney and Melbourne based.

Imagery of Triple M’s Andrew Denton, Amanda Keller, Dave Gibson, Doug Mulray, Triple J’s Paul McDermott, Mikey Robins, The Sandman, Helen Razor, Judith Lucy, Dr Karl, Michael Tunn, 2UE’s John Laws, 2DAY’s Mick Molloy, Tony Martin, Pete Smith, and Ugly Phil O’Neil are all lampooned in high quality MAD humour.

Take a step back in time and don’t crease the fold-in.

Dovetail: It’s not the first time Martin/Molloy were turned into cartoons. Example here.

Apr 20

HYBPA Returning May 3, 2021

Park your bott-bott on the couch as Australia’s favourite news quiz show hosted by Tom Gleisner returns for Season Nine on Monday May 3, 2021 on Channel 10.

Along with regular panel players Ed Kavalee and Sam Pang, the Logie Award winning comedy show will entertain Australian audiences with news and punchlines galore with rotating guests and special quizmasters.

Have You Been Paying Attention? – returns Monday May 3rd, 2021 on Channel 10.

While you wait, feel free to listen to our interview with Tommy G from 2014, when HYBPA? was only a couple of seasons young. Skip to 2 minutes in if you wish.

Have You Been Paying Attention?  – Official Facebook page.

Apr 04

Turns out – Judith Lucy is Fine

A new item for your electronic device or bookshelf – depending on which one you prefer.

The Late Show Season 2, Crackerjack and Bad Eggs star Judith Lucy had a new book arriving April 7, 2021.

”Turns Out, I’m Fine – How Not To Fall Apart” is a new entry into Lucy’s life, based on love, hope and lack of family.

Judith Lucy was just Great!

Sure, the last remaining member of her immediate family had died, she was menopausal, she suspected her career was in the shitter and it seemed like the world was going to hell in a handbasket – but she was about to move in with the love of her life! Everything would work out because SHE HAD A MAN.

Then, in the space of twenty-four hours, her relationship came apart and so did she. A broken heart became the catalyst for a complete existential melt down. She was nearly fifty, suddenly alone and unsure about every aspect of her life.

How had this happened? Should she blame one of her four parents? What part had the comedy world played and was her disastrous history with men about more than just bad taste?

In her most candid and insightful book yet, Judith figures out what went wrong and then turns her attention to finding out what her life might look like if it went right. She tries everything from dating a tree to getting a portrait of her vulva done to swimming with a whale shark. Thanks to a series of revelations and a slight drowning experience, Judith slowly starts to realise that her life is still full of possibilities and despite death, heartache and a dry vagina it turns out … she’s fine.

Available in Paper, eBook and Audio through Booktopia and other retailers.

Mar 18

Now on Your Streaming Service

Too lazy to put your DVD into the player to watch a movie? Let a streaming service do it for you.

Some of your favourite films are now available to stream on Netflix and Stan (and earn the creators a few coffees in royalty cheques).

Some of these links are Netflix below because Stan won’t allow linkage if you’re not signed up, so just search for them if you’re a subscriber.

Crackerjack (2002)

Bad Eggs (2003)

Boy Town (2006)

Also on OzFlix – which is an individual rental service:

But as always – buy the DVDs. The streaming services don’t store these things forever.

Feb 05

Martin and Molloy Sizzle

If you were tuning in to Mick Molloy‘s radio show Molloy on the Triple M Network, you may have noticed a familiar voice pop-up.

Molloy’s ol’ sparring partner Tony Martin.

It’s finally happened… in a way.

As part of a standard promotional thingy that Martin’s SIZZLETOWN podcast has returned with new episodes (and a new sponsor), Molloy listeners copped a taste of the sizzle, that is.

If you want to hear it, click this link and skip to 56 minutes and 20 seconds in.

Do yourself a favour too, sign up to the SIZZLETOWN newsletter and grab yourself some coffee beans.

A friendly reminder:

 

Jan 15

Kennedy/Molloy now minus Kennedy

Jane Kennedy – one half of the named Triple M drive show Kennedy/Molloy with Mick Molloy, has stepped away from the microphone, in lead up to the return of the show in 2021.

According to radio industry news site RadioInfo, Kennedy is stepping away from her drive-time duties to concentrate on her family, with her teenage children growing up ever so quickly in front of her eyes, while juggling a national drive show.

To partially quote Kennedy:

“This year marks my third VCE/HSC student in a row and I think most parents will understand what that means, particularly during a COVID lockdown bubble. I tried to make both work but it’s just become too hard to keep that balance in check so I’m waving the white flag.”

Which means Molloy is now flying “solo” (alongside show anchor ‘Dangerous’ Dave Williams,  and the ideas-shower / blue-sky session has now come up with the new drive title: Molloy.

Molloy will be on Triple M drive from 4pm weekdays – depending on which Triple M station you listen to nationwide.

Jan 01

National Anthem comes full circle

First of all, Happy New Year! May 2021 be a great one for you.

Second of all, January 1st, 2021 also marks a milestone, where the Australian National Anthem has been altered. You can read the full story here.

Third of all, it’s given us an excuse to dust off a 1992 segment of The Late Show street interview with Mick and Tony asking the general public if they knew the lyrics to the national anthem.

One day the flag of a bum with a fist coming out of it will become a reality… as well as wearing tight Lee jeans.