I didn’t like the first episode of Newstopia on SBS last year. I thought Shaun Micaleff was trying too hard to sound like he was being satirical. “I. Am. Telling. A. Joke. Now. And. I. Am. Clever.” But last night I changed my mind. I watched the latest episode online: he’s relaxed into the role, and much lolz. Maybe I’m finally over the fact that I found Mr Micaleff to be a painful arsehole back when he was at the Uni of Adelaide with me. (Weren’t we all, though.) Maybe it’s because I was, as Christian Kerr alleges, the first person to play him Supernaut’s I Like It Both Ways.
A Night of Politics: grubby, grubby…
The entire evening was filled with politics yesterday and the chafing this morning is quite painful and I learned a lot.
Christian Kerr, the national affairs editor for Crikey, was promoting his book “in conversation with” Antony Green, the thinking woman’s crumpet — a combination too good to miss! We went for dinner afterwards.
I didn’t realise I’ve actually met Christian before, until he saw me. “I know you,” he said. “You were the first person to play me I Like It Both Ways with Shaun Micaleff at 5UV.” I have no recollection of this event, Your Honour. However Christian recalled sufficient details for me to be convinced the event probably did happen. Somewhere. He knew certain obscure hand gestures. Stop asking questions.
In a preview of the federal election and subsequent conversation I learned:
- Christian thinks that the election won’t be fought over industrial relations, as many pundits are saying, but over the economy. It’ll be about the Howard government’s “sound economic management” (as they describe it) versus the It’s Time factor.
- Unless something changes, it will be a Labor victory. For all the talk of “the polls are all over the place,” Antony Green says this is the most consistent series of polls he’s ever seen.
- There is a Big Yabby in Alexander Downer‘s electorate, at Goolwa, which is symbolic somehow.
- Malcolm Turnbull could still win the federal seat of Wentworth thanks to his Fabulousness Factor.
- No-one seems to understand why John Howard won’t support gay-related issues. And I’ve just finished reading his biography — nothing there gives a clue either.
- Mattresses.
- Iguanadons.
Now where’s that moisturiser…?
Weekly Poll: Bono is…?
I’m chuffed! Inspired by the work of the Bonological Semiotics team, I coined my own Bonophone.
Bonorrhoea: A chronic disease which causes meaningless words to dribble from the mouth and, more usually, other orifices. Also known as “talking out one’s arse.”
As a result, Arch Bonologer Sabian Wilde has promoted me to the rank of Clayton Private. To celebrate, this week’s poll can only be… “Bono is…?” Go to the website to vote.
[poll id=”6″]
Bonus link: Netscape founder Marc Andreessen has a whole blog category about Bono.
Last week’s results: Clearly I’m the only one who’s getting moist over the return of Supernaut. Screw the lot of you.
Weekly Poll: How do you feel about Supernaut re-forming?
Three polls in a row about Australian politics is enough. There are more important issues than defending the constitution or the PM blaming an interest rate rise on state debt when there is no state debt — and then spending taxpayer’s money to advertise the lie.
No, what concerns us this week is the news that Supernaut has reformed for the Countdown Spectacular 2…
I’ve written about Supernaut before. But for readers younger than… well, for younger readers, here’s a quick refresher.
Supernaut was one of the finest musical acts of the 1970s. Watch the video of their number 1 hit I Like It Both Ways and you’ll agree. You’ll naturally want to see She’s Too Hot to Touch and Kids Art Out Tonight as well.
Tonight on the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Debate, the sublime Paul McDermott recalled that I Like It Both Ways was his favourite song as a child.
“I like it both ways.” I was 7 years old at the time. I didn’t know what it was about…! It was 3 years before I found out what it meant. And even then I would have preferred it was from someone my own age, rather than a 45-year-old postal worker with tight, tight shorts who went by the name of Saddle Face.
As I say, Supernaut has reformed. Please, go to the website, vote, and tell me how you feel about that. And do add your comments…
[poll id=”5″]
Take my hand…
It’s totally safe. Our journey involves YouTube, a cleanskin Cabernet Merlot and that blurry hour before the sleeping pill kicks in. There is no need for alarm. Let us begin…
- All systems are go!. And once you learn the lyrics, sing along!
- Play the Countdown version and/or the Bandstand version, and explain which you prefer.
- Discuss whether the follow-up single release was a mistake or not.
- Should I admit to owning an autographed copy of that band’s album, or explain how it came to be in my possession?
- Does the knowledge that the album was produced by Ian “Molly” Meldrum change your answer to the previous question?
- Are cover versions ever acceptable?
- Does Adam Richard speak the truth?
- Come to Daddy.
- Grand Finale.
You may now each ask one question related to the above. I shall answer truthfully.