november-2012

interview: EliSABEtH KnoWlES
julian
morrow:
tv host
The Chaser guys are back
on television, this
time with a
comedy game
show The
Unbelievable
Truth
I like humour
that’s edgy or
uncomfortable,
and makes you
think
Tell us
abouT your
new show.
The Unbelievable
Truth is a comedy
game show where you try to
spot weird facts hidden in totally
made-up stuff. For example, if I told
you Queen Elizabeth was given
a pair of washing-up gloves by
Margaret Thatcher and a pair of
boxing gloves by Muhammad Ali,
which would you guess is true? It’s
the washing-up gloves. Apparently
the Queen does her own washing
up, so the Iron Lady gave her rubber
gloves. The heavyweight champion
offered Her Majesty boxing gloves,
but she said, “We already have a
pair for our kickboxing class.” On
the show, four comedians try to spot
unbelievable truths hidden amid
funny lies. I used to be a lawyer,
so hiding the truth comes very
naturally to me.
Describe your sense
of humour.
I like to think I have a broad sense
of humour, but then again I also like
to flatter myself. I’ve always liked
comedy that makes a good point,
which is why I like programs like
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
and Stephen Colbert’s The Colbert
Report. Coming from The Chaser,
it’s probably no surprise that I also
like humour that’s a bit edgy or
uncomfortable, and makes you think.
who is ausTralia’s all-Time
funniesT comeDian?
Barry Humphries. He’s a superb
writer and an amazing performer
who makes smart comedy that is
also popular and riotously funny.
The Unbelievable Truth airs on Channel Seven
from late October. http://au.tv.yahoo.com
the gossip » takeoff
why Do you chaser Guys
KeeP worKinG ToGeTher?
We keep working together because
when you combine the abilities
of the six of us, it adds up to one
mediocre comedian. We’ve been
working together since 1999, and
one of the things about working in
a group is that we’re very tough on
each others’ work. And while that
means that we all hate each other,
and these days only communicate
through lawyers, it does tend to
improve the standard of what we do.
if you’D chosen a DifferenT
career PaTh, whaT woulD iT
have been?
I would have stayed on as a lawyer.
I used to work in employment law,
helping to make sure workers were
treated fairly. The best help I ever
gave workers with employment law
problems was getting out of the law
so they could get a proper lawyer.
15
Photo: Ali Mitton