Reaction To Clarke and Dawe - The Use of the English Language in Australia

[@phillargus2757]

Losing John was a tragedy. The two of them put so many two faced people right in their correct category with so much humour for so long.

[@shanegooding4839]

John Clarke is another one of those legendary Kiwis that we Aussies claim is one of us just to be annoying.😊

[@Spinsaweb]

The human pavlova 😂

[@mssuziquzi]

@@Spinsaweb 😂😂😂

[@barrykennard1888]

OK for Aussies to claim John Clarke, but never Fred Dagg....he's a KIWI!

[@morrisanderson818]

Good on ya,the list just keeps growing, Kiwi's don't mind.😊

[@sgtrock59]

​@@barrykennard1888"Aaah yeah g'day..."

[@petercampbell9899]

There's nothing like Clarke and Dawe. There are satirists but none can compare to the wit of those two. Have a look at the doco on John Clarke by his daughter and you'll appreciate just how revered he was.

[@GRAHAMAUS]

Well.... there was Bird and Fortune, who basically had the same act.

[@Seaby41]

Righto. I'll try and find that

[@ivydickson7596]

Australian, Clarke was definitely a New Zealander. The Aussies claim all our best people.

[@petercampbell9899]

@@ivydickson7596 fortunately he adopted Australia!! His gift for language was a delight.

[@murrumbidgeekid]

Better point out Clarke was born in New Zealand before some pouty NZelader pipes up.. He did, like many of these whiney NZelandes actually live in Australia and earn their money (an actual good wage) in Australia while bellowing about being from over the ditch.

[@KAJAMAJA122]

Clarke and Dawe , two of the best ever . The entire household would come to halt each Friday night they came on after the news . Brilliant pair . Nothing since that time has come anywhere near their talent since that time . They took the p… out of government , agencies and society with clarity , no swearing and outright hilarious cynicism . Miss them still .

[@MaryBywaters]

Yep nothing else like them before or after. They were brilliant. Took the mickey out of all those who need it. So sad to lose them. Miss them still too.

[@runforrestrun1965]

Clarke was the funniest New Zealand comedian we’ve ever had. Smart, clever and could sum up the situation with such wit. Sorely missed.

[@MaryBywaters]

He was the funniest and most intelligent and brilliant comedian ever I think. Yes a wit. Sorely missed indeed.

[@Heath_Fisher]

He was second best but bloody good

[@SamO-ik2cm]

Australian*

[@Heath_Fisher]

@@SamO-ik2cm being born in nz makes him a kiwi

[@daniellarge9784]

The Fred Dagg tapes were genius.

[@paulsandford3345]

These guys did a show on the Sydney Olympics, in 2000 from the prospective of the organising committee. All I can say it was bloody funny in the best tradition of, Yes Minister!

[@lukebrennan5780]

The Games

[@maureenackerley8024]

That was very funny! 😂

[@littlefang]

And it holds up brilliantly - over 20 years later, it's still a highly relevant work of hilarious genius (and they deployed that office mockumentary format *before* Gervais (also brilliantly) did with The Office..)

[@michaelrowell7798]

A brilliant show indeed.

[@lesliedavis2185]

I grew up listening to John Clarke, who hailed from New Zealand. A very clever man.

[@ivydickson7596]

Fred Dagg was a classic.

[@triarb5790]

Hailed from New Zealand by wholly Australian 😃

[@bluecedar7914]

Nothing like Clarke and Dawe today. The occasional new season of "Utopia" probably comes closest. A legendary comedy show well worth watching that recently ceased production was "Mad as Hell".

[@scentials]

Love Utopia. Sometimes watching politicians I feeling like I’m watching Utopia live

[@trueaussie9230]

​@@scentials I think the pollies use 'Utopia' as training material for the 'up and coming' new members of the party.

[@scentials]

@@trueaussie9230 😂

[@damfadd]

Yes mad as hell was mental Shaun Micallef is an insane wit

[@MaryBywaters]

Nothing like these two ever.

[@robanderson473]

There's a film called A Death In Brunswick, with Sam Neill and John Clarke and I highly recommend it.

[@triarb5790]

Sam Neill like noone has seen before or since! The grave digging scene was just diabolically, painfully funny. Death in Brunswick, Malcolm, Cosi, Road to Nhill, Bran Nu Dae, Crackerjack. Australian cinema at its pathos driven finest.

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

@@triarb5790 Yep. There are really only very few movies that can be watched over and over again without getting bored with them. Death in Brunswick, Crackerjack, Hercules Returns and Life of Brian get regular reruns around here - and regularly quoted! 😜🤣🤣

[@gregsmith4102]

Death in Brunswick is a fabulous film. Very simple, not high budget, but tells a great story.

[@larrybarnes3920]

Such funny blokes. R.I.P John.

[@EdwardJWhiting]

John Clarke (1948-2017) was brilliant and we miss his weekly skewering of our politicians.

[@scotsaussie184]

RIP John. 7 years ago already

[@JanetSayers-vl6gz]

For always. Was a treasure ❤

[@salathe-el]

For Australian political satire the most recent is "Utopia", but previously there was "The Hollowmen". These are half hour programs aired on ABC, which is the Australian equivalent of the BBC. Clarke and Dawe were usually commenting on a political news story that had happened that week, so although they are funny just as they are, their sketches usually had a hidden knife edge which added extra spice.

[@cweatherfella547]

Bird & Fortune were the english equivalent but earlier The iraqi war sketch the funniest I suspect Clarke & Dawe got inspiration from those 2

[@glenni249]

​@@cweatherfella547Clarke and Dawe started in 89, whereas wiki tells me Bird and Fortune started in 93, though I don't know if they were doing something similar earlier.

[@darrellsharrock3859]

Incendiary Repair... match fixing ....that is priceless😂

[@MelodyMan69]

I found 'the book' of John Clarke & Dawe in the local street library. So nice to read when necessary for sanity.

[@kendunn2218]

Clarke & Dawe and Roy & HG are so uniquely Australian. Can't think of anyone that comes near them these days.

[@jimpapenfuss9102]

Working Dog would be close as it gets

[@kendunn2218]

@@group-music Regardless, he was a great talent. I can see why you Kiwis love him too.🇳🇿🇦🇺

[@ivydickson7596]

Uniquely Australian, Clarke is more uniquely New Zealand. Fred Dagg was a Kiwi classic.

[@fionamcwilliam8703]

Clarke and Dawe's satire was recorded every week and broadcast on TV and was a comment on the news of that week. This is why they cover so many different subjects cos they put a mix of politics, the lying and circumlocution that all politicians do, and stuff that was happening in big business. It's always in the form of Dawe asking the questions and Clarke replying. Clarke was so clever that there will never be another like him. They will remain in Australian history forever because of that brilliance. Sammy J replaced them but even he is no longer producing content.

[@shhhhhhh9328]

In Australia, our national broadcaster, the ABC (like UK's BBC) shows a political/current affairs program each evening after the news called "The 7.30 Report" and these segments by Clarke and Dawe were given at the end of the Friday program each week. They were short pieces of comedy that gave commentary on a news issue of the week. They were very cleverly constructed so that they were still very funny even if you didn't know or remember the particular issue they were referring to. Sadly, John Clarke passed away and these segments are now only available on KZbin. I'm so glad they haven't disappeared. If you want a full taste of Clarke and Dawe humor, watch "The Games" which was a full TV series about the organizing of the Sydney Olympics in 2000. So good.

[@simongross3122]

I'm delighted to find that words have actual meanings :)

[@anserbauer309]

I'm glad you're reacting to all things Australian; especially some of the clever comedy we've produced over the years. While there are a number of 'foreigners' all reacting to the same sort of stuff (I'm guessing you all have a significantly shared audience), I like yours best because you offer your observations concisely and succinctly, ask some questions and wrap it up; rather than wittering endlessly about the ins and out of a duck's arse as though you're obsessed with the sound of your own voice. And you don't have an annoying accent. That's my roundabout way of saying I like you. Nothing funny, you understand.......

[@eternal33313]

They had a 3 minute a week spot on the ABC every friday, and it was my favourite thing on tv.. Hit me hard the day he died 😔 RIP John 🙏sorely missed

[@FionaEm]

Clarke and Dawe only had a short segment once a week on a national current affairs show, so it had to be fast-paced and clever. John Clarke was a master satirist, and Bryan Dawe was great as the straight-laced sidekick.

[@drdos6718]

What about Frontline where they did a p1ss take of that at the end?

[@geegee2064]

Try Pauline Hanson: Please Explain! Animated series.

[@goldcoastlady5377]

Yes! They are great, should be shown in schools.

[@henrylawson430]

The irony that a politician is responsible for biting social commentary (or rather the clever team she employs).

[@awatson8832]

At the end of the news once a week looked forward to hear what Clarke and Dawe were up to next. So funny. Nothing else comes close

[@TalebIbrahim]

John Clarke was brilliant. Played the same character on Clarke and Dawe every week. Such a funny man and a real loss. So many of us looked forward to their Friday evening bit.

[@davidmouser596]

Clarke is sadly missed, they where both in the mocumentary The Games, well worth a watch. Just about anything from Working Dog Productions is great: Frontline, The Hollowmen and Utopia are all great political comedies.

[@Tascountrygirl]

Comedy moves on. Yes, they were wonderful. Another totally brilliant Australian comedian and impersonator who I viewed in person in Sydney in the 80's was Max Gillies.

[@malcolmrayner3480]

Have a look At Norman Gunston and his interviews

[@Tascountrygirl]

Norman Gunston never appealed to me. I preferred brilliant Max Gillies, brilliant comic impersonations of politicians and other personalities.

[@jonda2282]

Yes! Norman Gunston was in a class of his own. Many the evening spent laughing (hysterically) at Norman Gunston interviews with unprepared foreign celebrities. Interviewees would sometimes crack up before he had said a word. Just looking at how he presented himself, was enough.

[@gregsmith4102]

Particularly recommend Gunston's interview of Hugh Hefner and Barbie Benton. The whole interview strung them along, right to the last moment, then he dropped them in it.

[@maxhugen]

Clarke and Daw had a weekly spot on TV - I'd drop whatever I was doing to watch their gems. I miss them heaps. 😟🇦🇺

[@oakfat5178]

I'm so glad you found these two. The context might be specific to Australian politics, but some of the targets of their satire are universal. I don't know of anyone like them just now. I think they were unique.

[@pauljames3667]

Fisk is hilariously dry. With Kitty Flannagan

[@PNJWILLIS]

Clarke and Dawe have been household favorites in Oz for a long time -- glad to share them with friends outside Australia!

[@andrewkraz7868]

Roy & HG are pretty clever. Similar old school Aussie wit and style. 😂

[@ericwolff6059]

The best of New Zealand and Australia working together to bring you great comedy.

[@janined5784]

Before Clarke became this character, he was "Fred Dagg" in New Zealand, a sheep farmer with his dog. It was such dry humour and very funny. There were thick comic books of Fred Dagg. He was a legend. Then.....the Aussies stole him. 😢 Ah well, you can't have everything and we had him first! Na nah na nah na! He's was a kiwi. 🇳🇿

[@glenchapman3899]

I am Australian and thought the Fred Dagg stuff was brilliant!!!!!!!

[@gregsmith4102]

I don't think anyone ever saw the dog. It's existence was only indicated by his cry to it - 'Git in behind!'

[@JamesTrigg]

Their show " The Games" with Gina Riley was brilliant . in the final episode they looked more like The Seekers than The Seeker's did Rest in Peace John Clarke , and thanks for coming to Australia

[@zybch]

Brilliant work by amazing guys.

[@wesleygalvin9983]

Clever, witty and intelligent. So funny, but unlike many comedians, they didn't even swear once....

[@julianskinner3697]

Many great comics do swear though. Billy Connelly comes to mind.

[@jeffreyblackwell9662]

John clarke wrote and appeared in a series about the politics involved when Australia held the olympic games, you watch this. this series was very funny.

[@karennewberry4694]

@ MSTV watch Pauline Hanson's Please explain cartoons. Makes you laugh, but despair at the same time because her points are so true..

[@LuLu-in-a-MuuMuu]

Brilliant guys as always. The front fell off will forever be my favourite though 😂

[@lindylufromoz5111]

If you love Clarke and Dawe as much as I do, you'll love these 3 separate series: Fisk. Utopia & Rosehaven. Start with those! x Linda

[@brendanbayer5002]

One of NZ's great comedian exports to head across the ditch....

[@lesflynn4455]

These guys were unmatchable. So clever, so witty and goddamn I miss them.

[@martinbynion1589]

John Clarke isn't actually an Australian - he's a Kiwi (New Zealander). We speak differently to Aussies 🙂

[@troywallace322]

No shit 😂

[@godfreysanter1565]

Yus, way doo. Wee spuk mech butter then they doo un Ostraya on tha etherr soide uf tha dutch.

[@robanderson473]

Yeah righto, we claimed him but!

[@barnowl.]

@@godfreysanter1565 boom ! boom !

[@catherinekilgour2563]

True, but he did live and work there long enough to be able to portray their special traits well on TV. He was very skilled at what he did.

[@jadehobson751]

You might enjoy Carl Baron. He's an Australian comedian. Not actually on telly, but nails Australia everytime!

[@mort8143]

John Clarke, from his Fred Dagg days onwards, was a brilliant wit. Outrageously funny, yet so pertinent. Sadly missed. 🇦🇺

[@marcusb4995]

Usually they're quite specific with what they're satirising so I don't think it was just a general dig at politicians. I think that one was about John Howard (former Australian PM) introducing the Goods and Services Tax after promising on an election platform that it would "never ever" be introduced

[@cristop5]

Check out clips from The Hollowmen and Utopia for Australian political satire. They're all good.

[@lawrencevaughan4546]

The closest we have at the moment is ‘Tim Minchin’ he is a pianist/comedian and very intelligent his songs amazes me and whoever hears him, and it’s mostly done to music, sadly John Clark has passed away and still chatting with heavens gate keeper

[@ianking-jv4hg]

There's a wealth of classic material from these two, one a week ? you'll be busy for years. Enjoy

[@lizmonard]

“The Games” is brilliant.

[@DRC4547]

You have to watch Clarke & Dawe Australian 2000 Olympics skits !!😂😂😂

[@basilbrush7878]

Clarke is in the 2002 comedy Crackerjack with Mick Molloy. Mick is bloody hilarious, too!

[@semperfidelis6943]

Rest in Peace John Clark … he was a fantastically funny man …

[@bridgetgardner1207]

RIP John Clark 😢. No, they were peerless ❤

[@vegecook]

John Clarke was a Kiwi who 'crossed the ditch' to grow his career, and found a great comedic partnership and tons of material. Must admit there were quite a lot of sheep-type skits in his early years but still worth checking out Fred Dragg... will bring tears to your eyes you'll be laughing so hard! Extremely funny guy

[@jeffmcmahon3278]

Might I suggest you review Clarke's brilliant series on the build-up to the Sydney Olympic games called 'The Games". especially the 100 meter track debacle.

[@frogmouth]

Noone on the same level. They were outstanding

[@rossalynsmith5253]

If only they were around in this day and age I can imagine what they would do. It would be so hilarious

[@andrewh.8403]

Unfortunately my most favourite episode was then P.M.'s return after his prostate operation only appears on YT as audio only. Still works, but watching John's face was always icing on the cake. Yeah, Bob Hawke's prostate operation was the one that had me spray my drink on that night.

[@drtimturner]

Clarke and Dawe were/are unique. The series you've dipped into was usually shown just before the Thursday night ABC news (ABC ~ BBC 1) and satirised the then current news. They also paired up to do two short series called The Games leading up to the Sydney Olympics satirising SOCOG (Sydney Organising Committee for Olympic Games). John Clarke first showed up in Australia (he was a New Zealander as pointed out a lot below) as a character called Fred Dagg who presented a satirical radio show (like a podcast) that was also solid gold. Similar satirical work is produced by Working Dog productions. Check out Utopia (several series now) and before that Hollowmen (a few series) and Frontline (several series). Utopia and Hollowmen are satirical in the same vein as Yes, Minister and are frequently viewed as documentaries of Australian Federal Government. Frontline satirised our commercial current affairs programs. Sammy J has done some excellent short-form political satire - his yoga sessions are very clever and his Parliamentary Playschool is devilish. Sean Miccallef has done some excellent satirical 'news style' shows. Several series of Mad as Hell and a couple of series of Newstopia. He also starred in a sitcom about a Former PM, but that was not so much satirical as parody. You might also like to get in touch with the work of "Roy and HG" - very much sporting commentary satire but outrageously good material usually produced spontaneously while watching live rugby (league) matches. Also have done several Olympics.

[@anzac08]

John Clarke is a NEW ZEALANDER.

[@LycraJedi]

These guys were the best

[@applewoodandearth]

Also going to recommend Utopia. And if you're curious about doing a deep dive into John Clarke's work, check out his Fred Dagg character from his NZ days

[@nathgreen81]

I would recommend watching the Australian TV show series 'Utopia'. It has this type of Political satire comedy through the lense of a government infrastructure design company, similar to 'Yes Minister' and 'The Office'.

[@berenicebarnes7822]

If you haven’t seen it, you should watch both series of The Games. Based on Sydney 2000 Olympics, it is still hilarious.

[@Munrubenmuz]

If you think they're good, they are, just listen to HG and Roy. They are national treasures.

[@giganticbang]

No one has replaced him yet - but Charlie Pickering and his team (especially when Kitty Flanagan was in it) were pretty good. And a quick caveat - Australians often claim NZer’s as their own. Clarke was a Kiwi.

[@lizmonard]

Clarke is a kiwi, but he is an honorary Aussie. He was a genius. 😂

[@TheNakedWombat]

Nothing compares, mate. All intelligent political satire has gradually been pushed off the air by politicians.

[@hannahroberts6295]

Every week they would have two scripts ready and chose just the one. And they managed to make wee programs that were very topical. And no, there's a nobody like them. They had a unique partnership. And Dawe was TV producer who kinda by accident became part of the duo that was to become Clarke and Dawe.

[@sophitsa79]

Not specifically today. Until recently we had Mad As Hell on the ABC

[@mrcurlywhirly1671]

John Clarke was brilliant RIP, his Sydney Olympic satirical series 'the games' was excellent. For more political satire at its best, Shaun Micallefs Mad as Hell was excellent, as was Utopia or the Hollowmen from working dog. Political contributions to comedy are the gift that keeps on giving.

[@MartinD.-yr9jh]

For our non-Antipodean friends, linguistic mischief right from the start.... Lars Torders = Last Orders, at the pub...😂

[@TheCaptainbeefylog]

Check out The Hollowmen or Utopia, both from Working Dog Productions and the ABC. They do a lot of wordplay on how politicians talk versus what they actually mean.

[@PhantomFilmAustralia]

Absolutely! Tune in to a show called "UTOPIA." It's a political satire of the Australian government at a local level. Just think of "Parks and Recreation" but with far smarter writing and far less exposure. It's hilarious because it's played straight and not for cheap laughs, and is brutally honest in the truths it reveals peeling back the curtain.

[@keithwhitehead4897]

You want to look for "The front fell off"....hillarious

[@raemac44]

Watch the series of The Games. So funny. Plus some old ones with John Clark in his pre Ozzie days as a character called Fred Dagg.

[@garryrichardson4572]

Hello from Australia. You have laughed with those who have made fun of Australia, try Andrew Shultz in Melbourne I think. Everywhere he goes he gets it right 😂

[@GaryAskwith1in5]

They were unique nothing like them today!

[@peterkernke]

The sale of Telstra was brilliant have a look at the one. It might be the Qantas sale. Telstra was used as the example in it.

[@wont.stop.travel]

they are great 😆

[@darkisss9621]

Long live John Clarke

[@erroleabrown4317]

There was a well know man in Australia who was very forward in his honesty of the place!! And one night on national news there he was being dragged off by the police, he said the most ubrupt things lv ever heard and i am pretty sure he wasn't heard from again and that was the start of the end of good honest humour and we really dont have anyone that's a comedy act anymore like these two or that fellow, I can't remember his name maybe barry something, Australia's been pretty dead since the 90s. There really was some amazing people before that tho.

[@susie9893]

Yeah, these 2 are classic 😂 but watching them frequently is just too depressing (cos it really is like that)

[@NovaAndtheSteve]

Lol well the head police office in Melbourne has un upside down star still. Lol Aussie love confusing anyone that can🤣👍 got have some fun🎉

[@silverknight4886]

Lars Torders. Classic😁😁

[@marlymarlmarl]

there's an australian show called Utopia which is good satire

[@quaver1239]

Ah, yes. Those two were wonderful together. Right now we have nothing to equal them. Our comedy has quietly deteriorated to the point where we are so “woke” that all genuinely clever talk is considered “offensive” to someone or other, and is therefore “verboten.” I hope you can find all of what John Clarke did, by contacting our ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

[@mikedawe692]

You asked if there was anyone like Clarke and Dawe on Aussie TV today? Sadly, no. The best satire we have now is a series called “Utopia”.

[@TheOrigamiPeople]

So glad you found Ozzie’s humour.

[@RainerNSR7]

...which was tragic 🤣🤣🤣

[@AndrewCarthy]

FM, this is Labor and Albo now. Years before their time.

[@philcleaver2703]

pure gold

[@heatherjoy4620]

Try finding the Gruen or Gruen Transfer with Wil Anderson from ABC

[@maureenackerley8024]

The Weekly with Charlie Pickering on ABC. He is very good.

[@SteveJones9]

I agree that 'Utopia' would be to your taste

[@rossdavidson7005]

Here's is a tribute to John Clarke who helped to shape Australian comedy and this will help everyone get a better understanding of his impact here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2Sck56oq5yaaM0

[@dougwalkabout]

Nearest thing recently was Utopia

[@edharvey4957]

You know the old mate died about ten years ago