The Sideshow hosted by Paul McDermott - 2007

[susanjacobs]

I enjoyed the show. Husband and I agreed that we had been entertained. I will be watching again. My son loved the Umbilical Brothers bit. He saw them and said, "Upside Down Show" and proceeded to giggle through the entire thing. So basically, it was family friendly.

Flacco shits me. I have never, ever gotten why he is supposed to be funny. The chicks asking for a drink shat me. It was "okay, the point is..." I loved Ed Byrne, and even though I have seen it before, I do like the Tripod song. I am unsure of the whole "Sideshow" song... or is it a theme? Or was there any other lyrics than "sideshow"?

How many fucking times did Paul mention the time of the show? "7:30? 7:30... 7:30... blah, blah, blah... 7:30." I know what time the show started. I don't need to be reminded every fucking time Paul is on screen. Is he afraid that some of his core audience might have memory problems (either due to age or drug use) that he feels a need to help them out?

[SammySatine]

I think the repetition of the timeslot may have meant he was a little over excited about his new timeslot.

He seemed soo enthusiastic and the spark was there!

It left abit during Strictly Dancing...nice to see him back.

I missed the singing. i did. i know i've seen GUD but that wasn't quite the same.


GO PAUL!

sorry I know I already commented but I'm just soo happy. I think some of Paul's enthusiasm has rubbed off on me.

Amities,

SS

[unfrufru]

did anyone else watch and go, it's like the sets of gnw and gh had a deformed baby.

elements were good. ed byrne was cool. although i agree with myth on tripod it was good to show the bf 'the pretty' as hails and i call it and it was a strong song for abc type people to watch of theirs if for the first time.

i distracted myself during claire hooper and the fondue set so can't really comment. i liked having the live bands in it.

paul's suits are definately better than SD but not as good as GNW. his monologue although funny was relying on classic material and he seemed a bit nervous, like he was rusty at doing this kid of hosting role, maybe he's gotten used to being the bland SD type host. might take a couple of weeks for him to slide back into the midget we know and love. and the 7.30 time slot restricts things somewhat.

i found it more viva cabaret than big gig though both have their good and bad points. it just needs to establish itself in its own right as i spent most of the evening making comparisons between every ted robinson show ever made.

AND YAY FOR THE RETURN OF FLACCO!!

[SammySatine]

Interesting facts:

Paul's the creative consultant and his art is the backdrop for the show.

He clearly has more input in this one than previous shows.

Amities,

SS

[susanjacobs]

Originally Posted by Gutter Monkey

Two guys I went to uni with just happen to be writers for this show.
<SNIP>
You can find their blog at http://media-empire.net/blog/ .

Their input on The Sideshow is up. It is interesting to see how the jokes from the writers ended up as the monologue on the show.

[junglegirl_1976]

I thought it was good! It was great to see Paul back on tv, and I agree, he did seem a little nervous. Was I taking too much interest in the backdrops behind him, or did anyone else notice that one of the backdrops (the one with the green monster thing - The Scree maybe??) had the letters GNW in it's mouth? His tribute to the show maybe?? I need help I know, I don't need anyone telling me that!!

I'm agreeing a lot here - but what was the point of those girls at the bar??? They weren't even in time! Anyway....

Tripod - my favourite Tripod song, with new words, but I still loved it!

Flacco - needs to get new material! Don't get me wrong - I love Flacco and he took me back to GNW, but it would be good to hear some new stuff from him.

Eddie Perfect - I dunno what to make from his song. He's usually good, but I wasn't sure if he was being racist or not. Also, (from my wandering eye), did anyone else notice while Eddie was singing, there was a guy standing behind him, who didn't look at all impressed. I really take everything in don't I??

Claire Hooper was ok, is she going to be a regular?

How come we didn't even get Cameron introduced? Is Paul scared Cameron will take away his 'eye candy' tag?? I really think too much don't I??

Overall, I think we should give Paul and the show a few weeks to settle in and get the show up and running!

[unfrufru]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio...180456259.html

A switch to vaudeville
Freaky ... The Sideshow host Paul McDermott.



Emily Dunn
April 23, 2007


Paul McDermott bristles when asked how his role as host of the ABC's new variety show The Sideshow compares with Grant Denyer's role on Seven's Australia's Got Talent. "Australia's Got Talent has a question mark attached, doesn't it?" McDermott splutters. "Grant is wonderful but this show is more about performers who have proved themselves here and around the world; they have performed for more than just family and friends at Easter ... It is like comparing Strictly Dancing with Dancing with the Stars - one relies on celebrities and one relies on talented dancers."
McDermott, last seen as the host of the ABC's Strictly Dancing, has gone back to the future on The Sideshow. Billed as a vaudevillian "freak show", The Sideshow fills the gap left by the ABC's current affairs-based comedy The Glass House, controversially axed last November.
While The Glass House was modelled on another McDermott-hosted ABC show, Good News Week, The Sideshow is a remake of the network's late 1980s stand-up comedy program The Big Gig, on which McDermott's comedy trio the Doug Anthony All Stars were regular guests. Adding to the sense of deja vu, the new program is produced by Ted Robinson, who also created The Glass House, Good News Week and The Big Gig.
"There hasn't been a show like this since The Big Gig, a show that will see performers perform like they would on stage," McDermott says.
The new show is filmed in a studio set up to look like a live venue and features such comedy acts as Eddie Perfect, Claire Hooper, the Umbilical Brothers and Tripod. For the multi-talented McDermott - he is also a singer, writer, artist and filmmaker - it is another chance to apply his acerbic wit to current affairs.
"I would find it reprehensible as a performer not to comment on current affairs. When [Salman Rushdie's 1988 novel] The Satanic Verses was released the day before the show, [DAAS] wrote a song about it. Hopefully, this show will be doing the same thing and discuss something of a deeper political nature in an insightful way."
Is McDermott concerned the show will go the way of The Glass House if he pushes the boundaries? "If you have good people, you can push the boundaries; you enjoy the freedoms and safety of the team, and Ted really has the performers' best interest at heart."
For Robinson, the show was several years in the planning and was never intended as a replacement for The Glass House. "In an election year, it was sad to see The Glass House go," he says. "I felt it was still evolving and had not achieved what it could achieve."
The variety format, he says, will allow The Sideshow to tap into a new generation of entertainers who have been polishing their craft on stages but are yet to be captured by television. "The great thing about reasonably punchy, fast-moving variety on television is that if you don't like something, you know something new will be on soon."
There was little question for Robinson about who would front the new show. "[McDermott] is part of that tradition of frontmen who are born, not bred," he says. "Paul is that guy; he is the ringmaster. He can galvanise the audience but he can also be naughty and polarise. There are many sides to Paul ... For television, he has to be nice Paul. Even then there will always be a sting in the tail."
The Sideshow airs on the ABC on Saturdays at 7.30pm.

[junglegirl_1976]

That's the green monster thing I mentioned with 'GNW' in it's mouth. It's good to see I didn't imagine it - although - it does still mean I have too much time on my hands!!

[dermo]

I think it's VERY much like Viva Cabaret with the way it looks and feels. I like it. :-)

[Thin Lizzy]

I was there when they filmed the first pilot of The Sideshow back earlier this year, and I must admit, I left thinking that it wouldn't get on the tele (they were unsure then). It was basically the same format as what appeared on the first aired episode, but new material. I did chuckle a bit at the pilot, but felt that the whole show was sooooooo dated.

Anyway, here's my gripes with what I saw the other night:
1 - Claire Hooper. She was dreadful at the shooting of the pilot, and just doesn't have the knack for tv - she's just too slow between jokes. And if it's just going to be her talking about her tits every week, god help us. I find her extremely unfunny.

2 - The theme song. Sure, this might not seem important to some, or maybe you didn't even notice it. But god, it sucked. They had a completely different theme at the pilot (a fast, crazy instrumental, which was fine). But jeez - who wrote that piece of crap that was on the tele? That was so embarrassing when they sung it at the end.

3 - Paul McDermott. Don't get me wrong, I think Paul's a very funny guy, but he's just not fresh enough for tv these days. I think he's had his day on tv, and he certainly was great, but I found his jokes on The Sideshow like crap ones that someone emails you or that your drunk uncle tells at Xmas. They didn't make me laugh, I just groaned.

4 - Tripod, Flacco etc - Same as point 3. They've all had their day.

To sum it up, I'm suprised that the ABC is bothering, and I find their attitude so disappointing. The last few years have been good for ABC comedy - (Glasshouse, Chaser, Kath & Kim, We Can Be Heroes), but this is such a huge boring step backwards. Surely out in Oz there must be someone writing some great new comedy that should be given a chance (and no - I am not some frustrated writer having a whinge).

I'll be suprised if The Sideshow lasts more than 8 episodes. But please no more Claire Hooper by episode 2.

Cheers

Me

ps: By the way, did I read on here that Hamish and Andy are getting YET ANOTHER chance on tv?????? Excuse my language, but for fucks sake, these guys are the pits. My friends and I are curious to find out just who they know in the tv industry to get soooooooo many chances on Australian tv. Seriously - are they sleeping with someone???? Unbelievable. Have you ever seen anyone get so many chances after failing so many times???? I am not a comedian, but I assume there must be some very bitter comedians out there (and deservedly so) who must be shaking their heads at these two talentless dimwits.

That's enough from me. I'm tired.

[Mythor]

Originally Posted by Thin Lizzy

The theme song. Sure, this might not seem important to some, or maybe you didn't even notice it. But god, it sucked.

I did notice but forgot to mention it here. Oops.
Agreed, the intro theme was so bland I had to check I was on the right channel. Very snoozeworthy.

Hamish and Andy are currently doing bits for Rove and I'm assuming they're doing another series of "Real Stories" at some point?
I don't think it's a case of them knowing people in the industry (and I can't imagine Andy cheating on his incredibly hot girlfriend, Megan Gale, for the sake of a TV job when they have their radio gig) I think they've just managed to come up with interesting ideas that the public don't tune into in big enough numbers to satisfy the asshats that run the industry.
In case you haven't noticed, Australian TV chews up and spits out a heck of a lot of comedy TV shows before getting to the "best" of the bunch.

The Sideshow should last out however many episodes GNWTV was contracted to produce... but I wouldn't put money on it not moving timeslots if it sheds huge numbers of viewers in the next 2-3 weeks.

[Spoofy]

I take my website down and I am still getting "i love you Paul" messages

Can we all send her stupid letters signed from Paul

Dear Paul

I have a confession to make. I am in love with you. Now I do not know if you are a hetrosexual if you are could please email me back if you are? Thanks. I do not mean to be rude but it is a question that I needed to ask you. I am single paul and I swear to you that I am not seeing anyone else at the moment. I only want you paul. You are the love my life and I know that you are the only man for me. I just cannot seem to stop myself from thinking about you. I know you are a shy sort of guy but that is okay with me because I am a very shy sort of girl myself too. Please email me back my email address is AngelaBrooke2001@hotmail.com or you can write me letters if you want to. My postal address is [removed by Mythor]. I love you honey.

love always

Miss Angela Dawson xxxx

[hails]

ohhhhh mannnnnn, if i didn't need all the karma points i can get, i'd so be emailing this chick *twitch*

dear angela, thanks for your email, i thought it was beautiful. you questioning my sexuality is completely unobtrusive and understandable, given that i've publicly kissed many men in the past. i believe i was confused, and that i just hadn't met the right girl yet. however, things seem to be changing in my luck! i can tell you're shy; noone's ever called me 'honey' after blurting out their love for me in an email before. i like that in a shrinking violet. email me back and i'll reply after i put the baby to bed and stop trying to cpr my career. love (honey!), paul.

NO, BAD HAILS. EYE CONTACT, HAND! *SLAP* *HEADDESK*

[SammySatine]

Oh God!!!! This is hysterical!!!!

Abit sad....but still if you didn't laugh you'd cry.

Don't forget to mention if you do send her a letter that Paul has a girlfriend and supposedly a baby.

(I say supposedly because I don't know for certain if it is true or not and don't want to be accused of saying anything untrue.)

Oh and Spoofy- don't worry, it's this girl and others who allegedly have problems not you. Besides you can always delete the blasted emails.

Amities,

SS

[Spoofy]

Originally Posted by hails

ohhhhh mannnnnn, if i didn't need all the karma points i can get, i'd so be emailing this chick *twitch*

dear angela, thanks for your email, i thought it was beautiful. you questioning my sexuality is completely unobtrusive and understandable, given that i've publicly kissed many men in the past. i believe i was confused, and that i just hadn't met the right girl yet. however, things seem to be changing in my luck! i can tell you're shy; noone's ever called me 'honey' after blurting out their love for me in an email before. i like that in a shrinking violet. email me back and i'll reply after i put the baby to bed and stop trying to cpr my career. love (honey!), paul.

NO, BAD HAILS. EYE CONTACT, HAND! *SLAP* *HEADDESK*

Oh that is perfect hails....if we posted it to her home address it would be even more special for her...we could rub male cologne on it too anyone know what he wears??