The Wil Anderson guide on how to wind up a publicist
Dr Mumbo imagines there are times that being a publicist can be a tad thankless.
And listening to Gruen host Wil Anderson’s podcast, Dr Mumbo suspects that this may just include the life of Gruen’s publicist.
Anderson revealed to his podcast listeners that just because the ABC gets him an opportunity to talk about the show on the radio, that doesn’t mean he’ll do anything so unseemly as chase the ratings. Not when he can promote Ten’s rival dating show The Bachelor instead.
“The best way to get me to do something is to tell me my only option is to do the complete opposite,” said Anderson.
“Every week when I go on Perth radio to plug Gruen on a Monday morning I end up talking about The Bachelor instead. It’s become a bit of a running joke that I always talk about the show that’s against my show.
“So today they told me off air that they had got word from ABC publicity that could they please talk about Gruen in the spot and not just about other things.
“The thing is: ABC publicity – don’t fucking fight my battles for me. And secondly, it’s not a battle. They want to talk about Gruen, they’re very nice about the show. I now have a running joke that I think is hilarious that I never mention the show.
“So I went on and every time they asked me a question about what was on the show I read out the description from the newspaper of the thing on each channel up against us.”
For those left wondering about what will in fact be on Gruen, allow Dr Mumbo to help.
In this week’s show, Russel Howcroft will sing the praises of capitalism, Todd Sampson will crowbar in a pre-researched fact, and there will be a one-second-too-long crane shot of the audience laughing just a bit too much at a joke because they’re awkwardly conscious of the camera.
Still, given that last week’s Gruen was the ABC’s second-best rating TV show, the prank is probably one that the publicity team are going to have to live with.
For the record, in Perth, Gruen outrated The Bachelor by 136,000 to 70,000.
I’m new to Australia and Gruen is hands down one of the best original shows I have come across.
User ID not verified.