The bad news: Brit adland comedy has a cliché Aussie. The really bad news: He’s played by a Kiwi
The inevitable arrival in a few months time on Australian TV of UK-made adland sitcom The Persuasionists is going to be an interesting one.
Not least because whichever lucky network gets to show it (and being BBC-made that makes the ABC the likely candidate) is going to face a tricky one in how they promote the central Aussie character.
As Dr Mumbo reported a few days ago, the Australian agency boss is something of a cliche.
It probably doesn’t help that he’s played by Kiwi comedian Jarred Christmas. Somewhat unapologetically, he tells TNT magazine:
“I quite enjoyed it because they take the piss out of the Australian a bit and I keep my Kiwi accent, so I get the best of both worlds. It’s my little fuck-you to the Aussies, y’know, playing an Aussie but keeping the same accent. Maybe Aussies will kick up a fuss cos that’s what they do.”
However, he may have slightly more to apologise for in the writing. A sample:
“Australia is not ordinary. It’s God’s own country. It’s the Yorkshire of the Pacific Ocean.
“Have you ever worn shorts to a funeral? Have you ever seen a spider that could use a cash machine? Because that is Australia.
“Have you got a mate called Kangaroo Dick? On your fifth birthday did your dad give you a car door? Becasue that is Australia.
“You first summer job – did it involve punching a horse? Have you ever got so drunk you raped a crocodile? Does anyone in your family have a fencepost embedded in their skull? Have you ever been hit by a drunk driver while still asleep in bed? Because all of that is Australia.”
“I quite enjoyed it because they take the piss out of the Australian a bit and I keep my Kiwi accent, so I get the best of both worlds.” – A for Awesome….
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The lines as written I actually found kind of amusing, but after watching the clip – ooooh, painful. Badly overacted and could they slip in a little more canned laughter? I think there was a stretch of maybe 6 seconds that didn’t have any.
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IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE IT’S TRUE
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er, gee, i just can’t wait to live through an episode of that
atrocious dialogue and acting
but interesting to note that sex with animals is always funny to kiwis
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I highly doubt whether ‘The Persuasionists’ will ever see the light of day over there. It’s not even certain to make the end of it’s run here. Genuinely the worst thing I’ve seen on British TV in years.
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It’s already been shifted to a late night time slot after tanking badly. Very rare in the U.K for that to happen on a 6 episode run. I have seen Jarred Christmas do stand-up in front of a very boozed Scottish crowd and he was very good.
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“Is ‘e ‘avin’ a laff?”
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