Thank God It's Live - New Radio Show

[i.love.my.duck]

I just chanced upon this article, so I thought I'd post it up:

Thank God it's live
Sue Javes
March 3, 2008

Richard Glover

His performers won't be crowding around a single microphone dressed in dinner suits and evening gowns but in many other ways Richard Glover is helping to bring back the grand old days of live variety radio. From March 14, his popular drive time segment Thank God It's Friday will become a permanent one-hour live comedy and music show performed in front of an audience at the ABC studios each week.

What began a decade ago as a relatively short segment on Friday afternoons, featuring a little-known Gretel Killeen and James O'Loghlin, has become something of an institution on Sydney radio. A rotating trio of comics, including Jean Kitson, Wendy Harmer, Tommy Dean, Anthony Ackroyd, Lex Marinos and Noeline Brown, match their wits and have a laugh at the expense of the week's news.

In recent years, TGIF has had regular public outings, not just in the ABC studios but also at the Riverside Theatres in Parramatta and the Bowral of Laughs Comedy Festival. To make the audience a permanent feature is a natural progression.

"There's nothing quite like a live audience," Glover says. "You can see the fear in the whites of the eyes of the comedians." He is adding a Garrison Keillor-style monologue to the show called News From Nowhere (not that Glover sees himself quite in Keillor's league). Musical performances by John Williamson, Tim Freedman, Extended Family and Rory McLeod also have been booked.

The comics didn't anticipate how TGIF would grow. "If I'd known, I would have negotiated some sort of contract," Kitson notes dryly. They receive no financial reward but Kitson says there are other benefits.

"It's not only a great show to be associated with but also a chance to meet up with other comedians. I mostly work on my own now in the corporate sector and so any chance to work with other comedians, have a bit of fun and free associate, I jump at."

She says a live audience changes the dynamic enormously. "It sharpens our timing and gives us encouragement, probably more than we need. If we get one laugh, well go for another and then it's very hard to shut us up."

Ackroyd says TGIF provides him the chance to do intelligent comedy. "Glover is a great foil for comics. He knows how to be part of the situation without dominating it. He creates the environment where we can flourish."

Mosman architect and TGIF tragic Michael Blakeney has attended most of the live shows. His wife says she can hear his laughter through the radio. "There's the excitement of being live and in the studio," he says. "Some days you go home and your ribs hurt, you've laughed so much."

Glover considers himself a failed actor, so his return to the stage 25 years later, by a very circuitous route, has a kind of symmetry. "My wife [playwright Debra Oswald] saw me act back then and she would tell you that what broke me was my complete and utter lack of talent," he says. "That's fairly accurate ... but I'm back."

Richard Glover airs on weekdays on ABC 702, 3-6pm.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio...227046819.html

[Mythor]

I split this article out from the Sideshow thread. Not too sure why you posted it there.

Sounds interesting. Does anyone know if ABC podcasts stuff on the AM dial?

[i.love.my.duck]

yeh...i tried to quote and reply to a post in the thread....i think this is one of the new comedy shows for 2008, that the abc mentioned in their generic response to people who emailed about the axing of the sideshow

[Alisso]

Originally Posted by Mythor

I split this article out from the Sideshow thread. Not too sure why you posted it there.

Sounds interesting. Does anyone know if ABC podcasts stuff on the AM dial?

Yes they do. Thank God It's Friday is already routinely pocasted, and they often include bits that didn't make it to air. I'm sure the extended version will be offered as well.

Half the time they run out of time doing this show, so it'll be interesting to see what happens when they extend it to an hour. Unfortunately, it'll probably be on too early for me to go along to any recordings. Damn working out in the middle of nowhere...

[Nattogc]

does anyone have a direct link for the podcast of this new show?

[Mythor]

Here's the podcast link. Took a hell of a lot of finding on the ABC Radio site.
Though on the upside I just found out that Richard Fidler's got a podcast on there too. (Link to Richard's podcast - "The Conversation Hour")

Will go add Thank God It's Friday to the Podcasts forum.

[awaywithfairies]

Originally Posted by Mythor

Though on the upside I just found out that Richard Fidler's got a podcast on there too. (Link to Richard's podcast - "The Conversation Hour")

Richard Fidler's podcast's been there for quite a while. I used to download it but stopped because I didn't have time to listen to it. It's not a comedy podcast in the slightest - very serious interviews. Reminds me of Andrew Denton/ Enough Rope.

[Mythor]

I figured it was probably a serious show, yes.
I have such a huge backlog of podcasts I've not even tried "Thank God It's Friday" yet.