If you think âAll Aussie Adventuresâ is good, thatâs only half funny compared to the great shows 'Russell's' comedy buddies used to have. Thereâs such a web of good Oz comedy performers, many of whom still work together after over 15 years, that to explain it is almost like going through a family tree - mais jâessayerai pour expliquer.
1986, some great Aussie comedy began which would make history, when a team of friends joined together and called themselves the D Generation.
Until this point, I donât think any of them were well known or famous.
The radio breakfast programme was a huge hit - they released music and comedy CDâs of it which were also very funny and successful.
Next , Rob, Tom, Santo, (now on The Panel,) Tony, Mick, Jane and Stephen moved into a house together, where for 2 years they wrote and produced âThe Late Showâ (most popular comedy on the ABC tv ever) They won TV logies and other awards.
When that show ended, they went on to produce âFrontlineâ - a comedy spoof show mocking current affairs, but set up to look like a real news show with real reporters. It too won awards and was very successful.
After that some members split into other things, - Rob and Santo went on to doâA River somewhereâ - a bit like âAll Aussie Adventuresâ but a travel TV series about fly fishing (1999 or 2000). Itâs not really meant to be a comedy, but because they are comedians, it was always very entertaining.
Mick Molloy & Tony Martin went back and had their own radio drive programme again for years, which was hugely successful.
Then came other projects like The Panel, and some members of the D-Gen starring in each otherâs films, which they produced themselves.
Hereâs a summary to have an idea of how they all connect:
Of course there are many other famous comedians in Australia (like Jimeoin, but heâs Irish) but these guys are really amongst the very very best.
The D-Gen are:
Rob Sitch - The Panel, A river somewhere, Frontline, The Late show,
Tom Gleisner, The Panel, Frontline, A river somewhere, The Late Show.
Santo Cilauro - The Panel, Frontline, The Late Show
Tony Martin, new movie âBad Eggsâ Martin & Molloy (radio), The Late Show, breakfast radio, comedy
Mick Molloy, Guest on the panel, recent movie âCrackerjackâ Mick Molloy tv show, Martin Molloy radio, The Late show, breakfast radio, comedy.
Jane Kennedy -Kath & Kim, Fast Forward, Full Frontal The Late Show,
Jason Stephens (??) not around in current tv comedy.
Judith Lucy - Now Stand up Comedienne, formerly of The Late Show
All Aussie Adventures star
âRussell Coigtâ was outside this group, until he also became part of the âwebâ when he joined âThe Panelâ (tv chat show). So I include his other comdey details too.
Glenn Robbins - The Panel, Kath & Kim, All Aussie Adventures, the Comedy Company, Fast Forward, Jimeoin, stand up comedy.
So, in summary, for the best Oz comedy, The Late Show was one of the very best (along with Fast Forward & Full Frontal, same style of show, mixture of skits, jokes & impersonations and insults on famous characters, but they were a different âcomedy familyâ)
Malheureusement, this programme is not on TV any more (and hasnât been since about 1996) but at video stores I highly recommend âThe Best of the Late Showâ Volume 1 & 2. It doesnât matter if your English isnât perfect and fast...a lot of the jokes are 'visual jokesâ so itâs funny anyway.
Instead of âAll Aussie Adventuresâ, the D Gen used to have a similar skit in their show, called âWallaby Jackâ - but much funnier. Incl, things not to do while camping, like not using jumper leads from your car with petrol to start a camp fire (!!), beware of electric fences...how to boil Billy tea, swing the can outback style around your head (and get very burned!) and stuff like that. Tres amusante.
For those interested: The D Generation website
http://www.nw.com.au/~rodrigue/tlsframe/tlsdgenf.htm
History & awards of the D-Gen Breakfast radio team, etc
http://www.workingdog.com/frontline/ser ... eprod.html
Current Oz series, ABC Thurs: Kath & Kim
(also with Russell from âAll Aussie Adventuresâ)
http://www.abc.net.au/kathandkim/series1/glossary.htm
Kate