Apr 14 2019
We all need a good laugh, but how often do the people who give us that ‘laugh’, end up laughing themselves?
While bloopers were common on The Late Show, their earlier sketch series The D-Generation in 1986 – 1987 were … quality… produced sketches which had little to none errors in them before they went to air.
While we survive off the compilations that were released on VHS / DVD / iTunes, we never really saw any behind-the-scenes of the series. But thanks to the internet and YouTuber ‘A Wells’, they uploaded a goof reel compilation from the ABC. These goof reels were common back in the day and are usually shown internally, way before anything like the internet was around. So whenever you stumble across these tapes, they may be very politically incorrect in hindsight.
One of the videos ‘A Wells’ uploaded was a 1 hour length goof reel which contained just over 1 minute worth of footage of The D-Generation. In the blooper, Magda Szubanski is meant to be interviewing Marg Downey and continuously fluffing her lines. In the other blooper, there is a bucks party that’s in place with Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Michael Veitch and John Harrison. They get so far in to it, only for Harrison to fluff it, annoying Sitch in the process.
For the full goof tape (with the D-Generation snippet at 9m 06s), just click here.
Mar 13 2019
In the early 1980s and before he was a member of The D-Generation, Tony Martin moved all the way from New Zealand and settled in Queensland to work in radio as a copywriter for FM104, now known as Triple M Brisbane.
The internet didn’t exist, and there were limited ways on promoting the station, especially when it came to recruitment and clients. So there was this fancy little booklet that was printed to illustrate the ins and outs of FM104. From within, in lies Martin doing his actual job as a copywriter.
To accompany said booklet, a ‘state-of-the-art’ video was produced, just to illustrate the personalities and the internal structure. Within said video, a very young Martin, playing the piece-to-camera and copywriter.
Be aware, the contents of this time capsule is quite dated and there’s a language warning if you’re at work.
And for the ladies, here’s a pin-up just for you.
Mar 04 2019
It’s that time of the year again – the 61st Annual Logie Awards public vote is now open!
Up for consideration (aka your vote) is:
TV Week have released the online voting form here: https://survey.confirmit.com.au/wix/8/p2975148.aspx
Yes, you will need to register at the end of the form to make your vote count. As much as I know you don’t want to hand over your details, here is a compelling reason why…
If you confirm your nomination for Tom Gleisner for Most Popular Presenter, it will help give him a potential run for the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian TV. You can choose from the previous selection or a drop-down menu, like so:
Reward the team through Gleisner and earn him that nomination for Gold! They deserve it after decades of making you laugh.
REMEMBER: You can choose Tom via the bluish button from the previous selection from where you nominated him for Most Popular Presenter, or choose him from the drop-down menu and select him that way, if you ended up choosing *someone else*…
Join us for #GleisnerGold – he has enough Burmagui Bronzes in the poolroom to last a lifetime.
Feb 19 2019
Were you obsessed with The Late Show in the 90s? Depending on how old you were, you either stayed up and watched it, or watched it before you went out on a Saturday night. I was old enough for its M rating, but still in high school. So, when I wasn’t re-watching the tapes throughout the week I spent most of the time adorning my folder, ruler and pencil tins with photos of The Late Show crew (and Keanu Reeves), and collecting TV Week and TV Hits articles about the D-Gen — right until I finished my HSC.
It was about a year ago when I got the chance to finally meet Mick Molloy and Jane Kennedy at their Triple M Long Lunch – where we brought along some of this memorabilia, which I think they found amusing!
Now if only I can find out where my Late Show shirt is… most likely moth-eaten and scrunched up underneath some negatives from the 1993 trip to the Warrumbungles.
Jan 20 2019
Birds are dumb.
Or so The Pikelet Man believes.
The highly popular late night call in podcast Tony Martin’s SIZZLETOWN is returning to our earbuds February 7, 2019.
Hosted by Tony Martin and under the button-pushing of Matt “Pots N Pans” Dower, SIZZLETOWN takes phone calls from various forms of life, with Martin trying to decipher each call, while Dower supplies the vast library of sound effects (three) and dealing with the dolphin black market.
The thinly veiled satire of Tony’s background in radio will guarantee to give you a decent laugh – whether it is the mysterious bees that appear out of nowhere when a certain word is mentioned, or the mis-adventures of Dion who is an ‘ideas man’, or what sexist stand-up is happening at The Busted Nut comedy store, and random celebrity guests, SIZZLETOWN will definitely have you entertained for 30 minutes of your life every fortnight.
Subscribe to SIZZLETOWN now through the following:
So… what’s it gonna beeeee?
Other links:
PS: If you like what you hear from Season One, do yourself a favour and show the love by voting for them in the Australian Podcast Awards.
Jan 08 2019
We are sad to hear the passing of Australian TV personality Jimmy Hannan, who has passed away at the age of 84.
A prominent face of Australian Variety TV in the 60s and 70s, Hannan also appeared in Season Two of The Late Show as a musical act that was held at the end of each episode.
The musical finale sign-off was for Mick Molloy to organise the musical guest for the episode to perform with their signature tune – as instructed by Tony Martin. However, Molloy always happened to misunderstand the instructions, and often get a personality that was polar-opposite to requested artist.
In this case, Martin asked Molloy to organise Jimmy Barnes to perform “Working Class Man”, but thought Martin said ‘Jimmy Hannan’…
This scene is also available as an Easter Egg on Olden Days / Bargearse DVD.
Champagne comedy…
Dec 18 2018
Who doesn’t love a supplement in the middle of your daily newspaper?
Step back to the bicentennial year that is 1988. After jumping ship to Christopher Skase‘s Channel 7 from a successful two season run at the ABC, The D-Generation troupe whipped up four specials for the network: The D-Generation Goes Commercial, D-Genocide, and The D-Generation’s Tribute To Roy Smeck (The D-Generation Country Homestead was done in 1989).
From our archives, we look at the second special created – D-Genocide. A precursor to The Olden Days and Bargearse shown on The Late Show, the team redubbed clips of the Crawford Production police drama series Homicide from the 1960s, and used some of the bits as segues or breaks between sketches.
Not to forget, if you have worn out your VHS or DVD copy, you can get the ‘Best Of’ compilation of all four specials mentioned above in The Best And The Second Best of The Original D-Generation on iTunes for the low price of $9.99AU here.
Dec 06 2018
Today marks ten years since the death of radio personality Richard Marsland, aged just 32. Richard was an instrumental part of the Get This show.
Tributes and memories are flooding in today as people remember Richard and the impact he had on their lives using the hashtag #ImRichard. Here are just a small selection of tweets:
Much love to everyone using the #ImRichard hashtag today.
— Tony Martin (@mrtonymartin) December 5, 2018
It’s Richard Marsland day today. Free travel for anyone busting a wide stance, while sitting on a hay bale, drinking a Cherry-Anne Kennerley, and doing a tight ten. #ImRichard #GetThis #YarraTrams
— Fake Yarra Trams (@fakeyarratrams) December 5, 2018
I sat in on the Billy West ’07 ep, I secretly filmed bits of #GetThis, recording Richard Marsland recording a Howard sketch etc. I sent this to Rich a week later & he said “If I had known you were filming, I would’ve done a piece to camera for you!”
Total regret.#ImRichard pic.twitter.com/n9pU9HBASu— Matt Fulton (@MattFultonComAu) December 6, 2018
#imrichard I miss you.
He raced down from the breakfast show (after 9) to see me and the two other people who came to protest. It had been a year since #getthis had wrapped. He was so generous. pic.twitter.com/BzjGkUc3qu
— Jessica Hutchinson 🌈 (@rarelyupdated) December 5, 2018
It’s been ten years since we lost Richard Marsland, a selfless kind hearted and hilarious human – we still miss you, but the laughs you gave us live on.
Here’s my favourite Marsland moment: Rich, @mrtonymartin & @mredkavalee talking avocados#ImRichard https://t.co/6pBpYbdPOb
— Nims Azoor (@docnims) December 5, 2018
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/t7BMBKnanM
— Adam Hennessy (@MrAdamHenno) December 6, 2018
We all miss you Richard!
Nov 23 2018
A misguided production in association with half baked ideas and ill-conceived concepts proprietary limited.
On this day 20 years ago – November 23, 1998 – our favourite bunch of radio nutbags Tony Martin and Mick Molloy made the announcement that after four years of the highly successful drive show Martin/Molloy, they were pulling up stumps.
Broadcasting across this big, brown, flat, mysterious, crazy country through the 2DAY Radio Network, Molloy and Martin, alongside the support team of various producers and talent, delivered laughs and toilet humour to millions of listeners, winning ratings points, and ARIA awards for their comedy albums.
The Age – Nov 24, 1998
While their final show was December 4, 1998 (more to come in a future article), here is the November 23rd episode with the announcement that we’ve dug out of the ChampagneComedy.com fan archives, with guests Russell Gilbert and Paul Hester for your enjoyment.
The final episode is available to listen to here.
