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Chaser stunt misfires with timing

Julian Morrow stages a stunt at Kevin Rudd's local church just before the PM emerges to comment on the death of an Australian soldier.

chaserThe team from The Chaser’s War on Everything seems determined to go out with a bang, attracting more media criticism before their final show airs next week.

Yesterday in an attempt to scale Kevin Rudd’s local church Executive Producer Julian Morrow was stopped by Australian Federal Police.

Wearing full mountaineering garb he was attempting to reference to a recent draft management plan that calls for a ban on people climbing Uluru.

But the ABC had been advised by the PM’s minders that Rudd was to emerge from the service and comment on Australian casualties in the Jakarta bombings, and news of the death of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan.

“Today is a really sad time for all Australians,” said the PM.

“I think I speak on behalf of all Australians when I say our thoughts and our prayers and our hearts go out to so many grieving families across Australia today.”

The Chaser is reported to have proceeded with filming the stunt. Well, Rudd did previously say he was prepared to be mocked anywhere anytime…

But seriously, isn’t timing supposed to be the first rule of comedy?

Source: ABC, news.com.au

26 Responses

  1. Good point David.

    It’s hard to stay fresh or maintain that sense of spontaneity in the entertainment industry.

    Just look at the last 10-12 years of The Simpsons….

  2. David : Totally agree with your points about the audience wising up so it aint so shocking. It’s like preaching to the converted.

    And also agree with your Big Brother point. But one begs to ask if that was the case, why the hell didn’t they mix it up and not cast carbon copies every bloody season?!

  3. I suspect the audience is now in on the gag and that we no longer buy what once looked like spontaneous gags we can see as set ups. We identify the deconstruction which make the comedy much harder for the team to accomplish. When the show was on Friday nights in its first season we couldn’t believe what they were getting up to. Now we know it’s not so renegade, the audience has wised up.

    A producer of Big Brother once said to me, after 2 or 3 years everyone who was auditioning knew what was going on, so they were no longer making the same show…

  4. Who else remembers the early D-gen shows on the ABC circa 1986-87 maybe?
    They featured skits on domestic violence and Nazi Christmas carols, just to name a few. I thought the show was pushing the limits and I liked that.

    I was too young to gauge media response at the time. Also the internet blog was still years away, but I don’t remember a great deal of animosity towards the show.

    Re Chaser: are we growing up or just getting too sensitive?
    Has the internet changed the way we judge, try and execute shows we dislike?

  5. You can tell Julian Morrow is an athiest. Fair enough if you don’t believe in God but why push your agenda on everyone esle – isn’t that your complaint about religion in the first place. The Chaser are one trick ponies – take away the APEC types stunts and you aren’t really left with much else. Their vocal comedy on the couch is strained, skits are missing the mark, and now the ‘controversies’ are just getting embarrassing. I’m glad someone had the heart to tell them its time to give it away.

  6. The timing is unfortunate given what Rudd was going to say but that is a clash that they could not have expected.

    But the gag is classic Chaser. If they hadn’t blotted their copybook so badly with the Make a Wish thing and been generally un-funny this season, this would have been thought satirical gold.

    But it is over for the Chaser. We are bored by them. Move on. Masterchef is funnier.

  7. As I have said before.
    They have passed their use by date.
    I am glad I have not wasted my evenings this year watching them.

    Trouble is, they most likely will not learn from this and will not use any of these comments in a constructive way.

    RIP Chasers.

  8. They may not have the kept the same segments but the show still is still in the same calibre… buy the DVDs and see for yourselves.

    This country has gone soft really… remember the recent Ramsey/Grimshaw hysteria for example?

  9. First season was passable, but since then – major try-hards. And they won’t go out with a bang, they will go out un-remembered only to be mentioned once or twice in the next 10 years

  10. They have only 2 episodes left so they need to get in quick if they want to hassle the PM (who has given them his blessings, “I actually don’t mind The Chaser taking the mickey out of me or any other politician at any time or any place, that’s fine, that’s fair game,”)

  11. Is it true they were paid a million dollars for each episode? If this is indeed true how could the ABC justify or the boys demand this figure? I am sure there was no bidding war with other commercial stations? Do tax payers fund this stuff?

    Sorry for my ignorance David :O)

    Thanks

  12. But this is the point of the sketch – idiots.

    White Australia can’t understand why it’s offensive for tourists to climb Uluru – so the Chasers are demonstrating why – by climbing a White equivalent – the PM’s church.

    If you think this is outrageous and that the Chasers “have gone too far” – then I am sure you’ll join in the moves to close Uluru to “climbers”.

    The elders of Uluru don’t get AFP (or even NT Police) assistance when drunk pommy backpackers desecrate Uluru… yet the AFP pounce if it’s a church… this is the double standard the Chasers have demonstrated.

  13. If Mr Rudd only goes to Church once a week, then this would be the only opportunity for the Chaser to get in for this weeks episode. Their point is apt, its not about attacking religion, but rather that if Mr Rudd thinks its OK for people to climb all over an Aboriginal sacred place (Uluru) – then why not climbing on the roof of his Church?

  14. I have a strong dislike for religion and most things PC. A true Chaser fan I guess.
    Although, I would never bother anybody in their place of worship. You just don’t do that.

    C’mon boys, time to come up with another vehicle for your bourgeois humor.

    I look forward to some fresh ideas….

  15. Uptight? Sorry, but you’re completely off-point. I’m guessing myself, like others, actually liked Chasers at one point, but all this stuff just reeks of desperation. In my opinion, success wreaked these guys, as the show, and the concept as a whole, worked best when they were still relative unknowns.

    I know that having a strong sense of self is what propels these guys into being able to go through with the gags, but at this point it seems like they are just way too cocky, and not in a way that is the least bit appealing.

  16. Lol, good to see the Chaser are still taking risks and making great comedy. It’s too bad that some people are too up-tight to appreciate their work, but on the bright side it’s the reactions of such individuals which make the show so funny! Without fools, who would the Chaser mock?

    I don’t necessarily agree with the point they were trying to make regarding Ayers Rock, but given the subject of their gag the timing was actually spot on when you think about it.

  17. there style is not comedy in the true sense, if you think that mocking public figure for their faults and opinions comedy. I like the chaser boys, i really do, they have timed there exit beautifully, as the top position they hold…is just starting on the downward slide

  18. the chasers where told what the pm will be talking about and apparently still when ahead with there stunt anyway, what they don’t seem to realises is that you can be a comedian without giving up on common decency and respect. there is a time and a place and this is not one of them.

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