Jun 11 2022

Interview: Skivvies Are Back for The Sharp’s Piet Collins

If you see someone wearing a piece of figure-hugging clothing that covers the neck, arms, torso and looking just a little bit daggy, you’re probably looking at a skivvy.

What makes it more entertaining for you, is that you now have this song in your head:

The lampooning of Australian rockabilly group The Sharp‘s 1993 hit single Scratch My Back done on The Late Show became so iconic, it borderline beats the original hit song.

With Rob Sitch, Jason Stephens and Santo Cilauro parodying band members Charlie Rooke, Allan Catlin and Piet Collins with their choice of uniform and body movements, it was more than necessary for the Champagne Comedy Podcast to reach out to one of the original band members to get their thoughts on the homage, nearly 30 years since the original broadcast (Season 2 Episode 15).

Original Sharp drummer Collins reveals his thoughts in the video below.

Make sure you check out our over-analysis of everything The Late Show on the Champagne Comedy Podcast here:

Champagne Comedy Podcast

May 15 2022

HYBPA and The Cheap Seats up for Logie nominations

Pang, Gleisner, Logie, Kavalee.

Congratulations to the Working Dog team for their tireless efforts to make Australia laugh, and earn some nominations for the 2022 TV Week Logie Awards.

Most Popular Comedy Program:

  • Have You Been Paying Attention?
  • The Cheap Seats

Melanie Blackwell and Tim McDonald

Graham Kennedy Award For Most Popular New Talent:

  • Melanie Bracewell – The Cheap Seats

 

May the odds be in their favour on the Gold Coast Sunday June 19, 2022, broadcast on Channel 9.

Apr 18 2022

HYBPA and The Cheap Seats return for 2022

This is the news you’ve come here for, so we’ll get straight to it. Working Dog are busy…

Melanie Blackwell and Tim McDonald

The Cheap Seats, which was a surprise hit after making its debut in 2021 (with hosts Melanie Blackwell and Tim McDonald) taking apart the news with a humourous twist, returns for a second season on Tuesday April 26, 2022 on Channel 10.

A new season of Have You Been Paying Attention? which enters its 10th season (with Quizmaster Tom Gleisner and regular panellists Ed Kavalee and Sam Pang) returns real soon on Channel 10.


No date has been set as yet, but going by previous release dates, it’s around May. (Will update when the date is 100% confirmed).

Update: HYBPA returns Monday May 16, 2022 at the regular time slot of 8:30-ish.

Mar 15 2022

Interview: Michael Warren the Pot Luck legend

In Season 2 Episode 13 of The Late Show, the golden tonsils of Michael Warren were broadcast to Australia’s ears during the Pot Luck toilet break segment, where amusing acts from the 1987 talent TV series are shown to much of our amusement – especially Bernard King’s harsh but fair remarks.

in this episode, Warren performed the Elvis Presley tune Don’t Cry Daddy. It was until after the performance ended, King put him on notice when he quizzed Warren on his talents, in which Warren infamously responded saying he’ll “be a Legend” and “be a millionaire by the time he’s 30”.

That was in 1987. Fast forward to 2022, and the Champagne Comedy Podcast caught up with Warren – or his stage name Lucky Jackson –  to reflect on performing on Pot Luck, as well as appearing on The Late Show, and if he’s a millionaire 30 years later.

Check out Warren / Jackson’s music library at mai-songsmusic.com.

Jan 25 2022

Interview: Schutz attempts Pot Luck

In Season 2 Episode 10 of The Late Show, the magical talents of Darren Schutz were on display during the Pot Luck toilet break segment, where amusing acts from the 1987 talent TV series are shown to much of our amusement – especially Bernard King’s harsh but fair remarks.

in this episode, the then 15 year old contestant performed two magic tricks: one with silks, and another one with a die disappearing visibly and invisibly. The fun part was the not-so-subtle ‘click’ noise when the die slid to the other side of the compartment.

The Champagne Comedy Podcast caught up with Darren to reflect on performing on Pot Luck, as well as magically appearing on The Late Show, and what he’s been up to nearly 30 years later.

He’s come a long way since, and you can book Darren for business or private functions. Visit Darren Schutz Magic for more.

Jan 01 2022

The Banal of The Panel

From the Champagne Comedy archives:

Step back to the year 2000. We’re on the borderline of our tax system switching over to the GST.  The Working Dog team are riding high on the decade of achievements they’ve produced, such as The Late Show, Frontline, Funky Squad, A River Somewhere, The Castle and the upcoming The Dish and All Aussie Adventures. Their current project – a late night chat show The Panel is a ratings winner.

Only satire magazine MAD knows how to pull punches. In issue 377, which came out at the change-over of June 30 / July 1 2000 where the financial year triggered the GST Australia-wide, Artist Warren Taylor and Writer D.J. Williams lampoon Tom Gleisner, Glenn Robbins, Rob Sitch, Kate Langbroek and Santo Cilauro on a two-page spread.

and here’s a screen grab of a random episode (really!!), which scarily is close to their clothing design…

Dec 04 2021

When Kenny L met Tommy G

Regular reader and The Late Show fan Kenny Lu has shared a recent meeting with Working Dog cast Tom Gleisner at Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), in which Gleisner himself is co-founder of Learning For Life – a centre which helps children with autism reach their full potential.

Dear The Late Show team,

Yes Tom Gleisner came to the talk and it was quite good and it was a good experience I have ever had and it was good there was a talk at Aspect about his life and I do like The Late Show so much.

I experienced the talk very well and Tom Gleisner did do a talk at Aspect and I really like it then.

The photos was posted on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for you to see.

I enjoyed the talk the talk was good and I experienced it it was great.

Tom Gleisner poses with fan Kenny Lu

Thank you for sharing, Kenny!

Nov 19 2021

Jason Stephens joins the Champagne Comedy Podcast!

Actual Late Show cast member Jason Stephens joined the Champagne Comedy podcast and gave us the lowdown on:

  • His early days writing sketch comedy
  • How each episode was conceived
  • Jason’s favourite sketches

Check out the video version below, or subscribe to the podcast!

Sep 06 2021

Gabriel Gâté: “I’ve got very fond memories – it was fun to do”

By the time Saturday July 3, 1993  came around for Australian television audiences, The Late Show had finally found its feet with their second season.

Already four episodes in, the ‘Champagne sketch Comedy’ routine was about to be cemented as an iconic moment in TV comedy history, Piffy The Bellringer gained traction and was invited into the studio for for Episode 5 after his appearance in the Pot Luck toilet break, and the Musical Closings were getting more clever and a ‘must watch’ as Mick Molloy was constantly misunderstanding Tony Martin‘s requests to get certain musicians in to perform their signature tunes.

in Season 2 Episode 5, Frente’s hit tune Accidently Kelly Street was still running fresh in the minds of Australians, and after a hilarious parody in Season 1 Episode 20 in 1992. So, Tony puts in a request for Mick to get Frente on board, but Mick ‘accidently’ gets What’s Cooking? TV chef and personality Gabriel Gâté instead – with his natural French accent.

Speaking on Episode 25 on the Champagne Comedy Podcast, Gâté chats about his connection with the D-Generation / Working Dog team, as well as his preparation for the routine, which he absolutely loved doing. Here’s an excerpt of the 6 minute chat:

To hear the full interview, listen to Episode 25 of the Champagne Comedy Podcast – a fan podcast made by fans, for the fans.

This episode also features Remi Broadway – aka Piffy The Bellringer – as special guest reviewer.

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

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

A big thank you to Gabriel Gâté for the chat. You can follow him on instagram here.

Aug 22 2021

Arnold: “I think we did get their ‘best joke’ in their series of parodies”

On Saturday 26th June 1993, a week after their appearance on Hey Hey It’s Saturday (coincidentally), the Australian folk-rock band Things Of Stone And Wood were about to be lampooned for their ARIA Top 10 hit Happy Birthday Helen, where lead singer Greg Arnold and band members strutted around Melbourne.

The nearly accurate portrayal by Rob Sitch and fellow D-Generation members based the parody of the song and music clip by highlighting landmarks of the original video clip, and mocking the fact that every spot was a ‘Melbourne Cliche’.

On episode 24 of the Champagne Comedy Podcast, Arnold himself sat down for a chat from Geneva (far from Melbourne) to talk in depth about the history of Happy Birthday Helen, as well as his thoughts of the parody that is on par to be their second biggest single they ever made… an extract of the chat is below:

To hear the full interview, listen to Episode 24 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 Greg Arnold for the chat.

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