The Late Show

Frighteningly funny stuff. The did heaps of jokes that were ripped off or at least they ripped heaps of jokes off of other people.

I'm only 17, so I wouldn't have remembered the Late Show when it was shown on the ABC in 1992. However I have always had a tape with one episode recorded on it (the one with Oriental Shitscared) and I watched it for the first time in 4 years about a week ago. A few days ago my brother bought me the Best bits of The Late Show for my birthday, and my god I have never laughed so hard!

The regular segments like Tommy G's news desk, Shitscared, Graham and the Colonel and the hilarious piss-takes of various people (most of which I have never even heard of, but it's still hilarious) particularly John Hewson trying to criticize Paul Keating, but clearly has no idea what he's talking about.

Hewson: Well I'm more concerned about the people of Australia, and I challenge the Prime Minister, I challenge Paul Keating to respond.

Tommy G: ... To respond to what?

Hewson: (stares at the camera with a clueless look on his face) ............... My...... My challenge.

Tommy G: ... Which is?

Hewson: (stares again) ...............I......... I dunno. It's just a.... just a general challenge.

Another hilarious segment is where Mick Malloy explodes in a rage about certain issues, and Tommy has to call a bunch of dudes with fire extinguishers to cool him off.

If you are a fan of any of Martin, Malloy, Rob Stitch, Tommy G, Santo or the other cast members, sketch comedy, or Aussie TV, then get your hands on The Best Bits of the Late show. Truly champagne comedy!

Gosh where do I possibly start with a review of The Late Show?

This is I think without question the finest hour from any of the team of comedians who started as the original D-Generation and split and regrouped into various other shows and guises.. (including the arch rival Fast Forward combination - which does rank v.highly nonetheless)

The show is legendary because as stated here each cast member is a comedic genius in their own right. eg. Tony Martin/Mick Molloy went off and did a hysterical radio show that also strangely lasted only a couple of years. Rob Sitch - who I agree with the comment is the funniest man alive! - Tommy G, Santo & Jane did the amazing Frontline & Castle/Dish movies.. and now the Panel.

But here they were all together with contributions from other friends so how could the results not be legendary. The list of funny sketches and segments is waaaay too long to list here.

Watching tapes of the best of Saturday Night Live even those guys at their combined peaks are not as consistently funny as the Late Show was over 40 episodes.

Late-Show fans simply must go out and get the recently released 'Champagne Edition' on DVD. It has SIX HOURS !! combining the 'Best Bits of.. ' Volumes 1-3 as well as a new 'Some more bits..', it also has still photos and Easter egg extras..

AND..

Most special, it features a commentary track for the entire SIX hours with *all* of the original crew reunited in 2001!! As well as special guests like old D-Gener John Harrison and Joan Kirner reliving her infamous Joan Jett performance! It's nirvana for Late Show junkies!

The commentary track is almost as funny as watching the show itself! Listening to the guys crack up at old bits they'd forgotten, laughing at how shonky and cheap (but still hysterical to us) most of the ideas were and how bad the clothes were! And lots of witty banter particulary from Tony Martin who put together the DVD.

Even after all that - 6 hours doesnt feel like enough! When will the ABC just bite the bullet and re-release the entire 40 episodes on tape? The DVD is of course missing other classics like Bargearese, Commerical Crimestoppers, lots of general couch banter etc.. Tony Martin makes a comment that really the DVD only contains about half the actual material on the show! Shame!

Thank goodness we are still seeing regular output from the various guys - Working Dog has the Panel & their movies. Mick Molloy has got a couple of movies out - Crackerjack (which I've just reviewed and is very funny, particularly with Judith Lucy and Tony Martin appearances!) and Kath and Kim is holding up the Fast Forward side of things with 'crossovers' in the form of Glenn Robbins & Tony Martin appearances on the show..

We'll probably never see another show quite like it - but as I said at least we have the best of's and the guys are still working!

The D-Generation's unique mix of Satire and Slapstick created a new style of comedy- Undergraduate humor. A pre-runner to "The Chaser's War On Everything", "The Late Show" did everything and anything for laughs, from breaking the 4th wall, to street interviews and pranks, to impersonations galore and heaps of other smart and stupid crap- by the way it's on sale for under $20 until, I think sometime in December-so grab it while you can!!! The masterpiece of The D-Generation troupe (Yes I even consider it superior to "Frontline" even tough that's very good as well), they broke all the rules and with the guys/girls going on to other spectacular things. My only complaint is that the show didn't last all that long- (2 years, 2 seasons), Oh well, at least the DVD keeps me entertained.

Oh and by the by, my other two favorite TV shows are "The Paul Hogan Show" and "The Chaser's War On Everything"- also highly recommended!!!

The Late Show would have to be the best Aussie sketch comedy show yet. Its cast was experienced, and each had memorable individual qualities: Tommy G was the quintessential straight man; Rob specialised in absurdly pompous characters and brilliant impersonations (the Desmond Tutu interview has to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen on TV); Mick was shouty and puerile; Judith sarcastic; Santo warm and enthusiastic; Jason said "Let's run over Todd from Neighbours!"; Jane played a wide range of characters, and, last but not least, Tony Martin showed total control of writing and performing.

The best aspects of the show were its accurate observation of Australian life - most of the show was filmed in overcast Melbourne - and the real sense that all the performers were really having a good time. It brought a party atmosphere to many people too young or geeky to go out on Saturday nights.

A review can't sum such a varied show up. Watch the videos if you haven't; if you have, watch them again. (Note that the compilation videos miss out on some cool sketches like the stalking of Ken James, and have a crappy version of the theme music.)