Chaser Articles/Reviews

[unfrufru]

The SMH, visitors to the Big Brother website and the most accurate record of Australian public opinion, Centrebet, all had leftie journalist Tim as favourite to win Big Brother last night.

So the final result - 55%-45% to the Logans - was a huge surprise, especially as the count had been close all day. (Not that they’d lie about that to encourage more people to vote or anything.)

So why did the Australian public bar Timmy even more harshly than Kate did? I’ve come up with ten reasons.

1) Tim had the full support of the union movement

2) Logan David SMSed to evict Tim 100,000 times, calculating he’d still win $391,000

3) Tim’s flatmates tried the same thing, but their SMSes haven’t gotten through yet because they’re all with Optus

4) Australia wanted to reward his amusing personality, but decided it couldn’t reward his amusing hairstyle

5) He spoke out against John Howard, and it worked as well for him as it did for Peter Costello.

6) Everyone in Wagga got behind their local boys, because the alternative was another night of lappies down the high street

7) Tim’s fascination with who had replaced Bob Carr made the audience realise he was a loser after all

8) Viewers suddenly realised that Tim looks like Billy Bowden

9) The Logans’ need was greater, given the high cost of steroids

10) Anyone who wastes their money voting on Big Brother is a moron

Does anyone have any further insights into the BB-voting mind?

Dominic Knight (The Chaser)

[Renee_Turner]

Originally Posted by unfrufru

Does anyone have any further insights into the BB-voting mind?

I think 'mind' is an overstatement.




(I don't care if that's not a word. It should be one.)

[Cherryish]

Chaser kickback probe stunt backfires

A comedy team's stunt outside the inquiry into wheat exporter AWB has fallen flat, with the commission referring the incident to police and a witness asking for protection.

A crew from the ABC's satirical news program, The Chaser, confronted AWB executive Charles Stott outside the building around 1pm (AEDT) today, presenting him with cheque made out to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and asking him to sign it.

Unaware that the crew were from the Chaser, Mr Stott's lawyer Paul Lacava SC complained to Commissioner Terence Cole when the hearing resumed after lunch.

"My client was completely shaken by it," Mr Lacava said.

"In 33 years of going to court I thought I'd seen everything."

Mr Lacava suggested that "some measure of protection" be given to his client.

"No witness coming before this inquiry should feel intimidated," he told the hearing.

He said the man who confronted Mr Stott was "best described as a person with a cause, probably more accurately described as a complete lunatic."

Mr Lacava said the incident could be in contempt of the commission, but Mr Cole said he would not express an opinion on that suggestion.

Mr Cole said he would arrange for instructing solicitors to provides statements on the incident and refer it to police.

"I will have steps taken ... to retain that film or audio tape so that the matter can be referred to the federal police for investigation," he said.

A short time later, Mr Cole told the inquiry he had learned the crew was from the Chaser and that other television crews present during the incident were aware of the fact.

However, the commissioner, who is investigating hundreds of millions of dollars in kickbacks paid by AWB to Saddam's regime, did not appreciate the joke.

"That does not reduce the seriousness of the matter and I intend to have it further investigated," Mr Cole said.

The inquiry continues.

[Edward]

Originally Posted by Cherryish

Chaser kickback probe stunt backfires

Backfires? Sounds like it went pretty well - nice overreaction from a defence lawyer, a little bit of police involvement - what more could you want?

[Mythor]

Commissioner Cole is reporting them to the police though. I'd say the possibility of going to jail for a very long time was not high on the Chaser team's wishlist for the stunt.

[Edward]

Originally Posted by Mythor

Commissioner Cole is reporting them to the police though.

True, but I doubt anything will come of it. His "That does not reduce the seriousness of the matter and I intend to have it further investigated," just sounds a little hollow, though I could be completely wrong.

[Cherryish]

Chaser writer involved in Leunig stunt

A member of The Chaser comedy team has confirmed a writer working for their website was behind a stunt to send a Leunig cartoon to an Iranian newspaper.

Editor of the Chaser website Dominic Knight admitted a writer "acting alone" one night sent in the cartoon to Iran's biggest-selling newspaper Hamshahri which is holding a contest asking for people to send in cartoons of the Holocaust.

"We are very keen to say it was not a publicity stunt for our website or TV show.

"It is not something we would have done.

"We are not averse to publicity, but we wouldn't endorse that," Mr Knight said.

He said he felt the action crossed the line because the person submitting the cartoon had falsely used Leunig's name.

"That is the area where we are particularly apologetic," he said.

"He (the website writer) has spoken to Mr Leunig and I understand Mr Leunig accepted his apology," Mr Knight said.

He said the writer who acted independently would not be sacked.

The competition in the Iranian newspaper was reportedly in retaliation for the publication of cartoons depicting Mohammed that have enraged Muslims worldwide.

The cartoons sent to the newspaper were rejected for publication in The Age in 2002 by then editor Michael Gawenda.

The first of two cartoons show a poor man with a Star of David on his back walking towards the Auschwitz death camp in 1945 with the words "Work Brings Freedom" over the entrance.

The second shows the same scene but depicting "Israel 2002" with the slogan "War Brings Peace" over the entrance and the same man walking towards it bearing a rifle.

Mr Leunig said he was shocked that the website also carried words claiming to be from him.

Senior deputy editor at The Age Paul Ramadge said his newspaper had spoken to the individual involved and had decided not to pursue legal action.

[Cherryish]

Bulldogs prank not funny: police

From the SMH

A comedian with ABC TV's The Chaser's War on Everything has been charged with offensive conduct after what senior police describe as an "act of mindless stupidity" outside a rugby league clash.

Chas Licciardello was filming a prank at last night's NRL clash in Sydney between the Bulldogs and St George-Illawarra.

Crowd violence when the two teams met earlier this year sparked a crack down on anti-social behaviour at Bulldogs games, with NSW police deploying its riot squad to all their games since.

Licciardello admits to being dressed in a Bulldogs' jersey and beanie outside the ground prior to the match at OKI Jubilee Stadium in Sydney's south.

"I was filming for our show, hawking off a Bulldogs supporters kit, it was a silly thing, it had fake knuckle dusters, balaclavas, that sort of stuff," Licciardello told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"Most of the people took it pretty light heartedly but a couple of the supporters got a bit angry and then the police stepped in."

Licciardello said the Bulldogs supporters started taking his props and "were getting a little bit rough".

He said police were trying to diffuse the situation and move people on.

"I think they thought we might incite things, which we wouldn't have, we were just about to go anyway," Licciardello said.

The joke failed to register with Acting Deputy Commissioner Denis Clifford who said the comedian was disgraceful.

"This was clearly an act of mindless stupidity that had the potential to stir up the large crowd and cause serious problems," Mr Clifford said in a statement.

Mr Clifford told ABC radio: "This fellow will be appearing in Sutherland Court at a later date charged with offensive conduct."

"We'll see how funny he thinks all this is then.

"This sort of stuff does nothing but undermine the good work that police, the fans, club officials and the NRL have been doing in the past months and years to try to and provide a safe environment for people to go along and watch rugby league."

A police spokeswoman said Licciardello, 29, from Croydon Park would be issued with a notice to attend Sutherland Local Court at a later date charged with offensive conduct.

He was allegedly in possession of balaclavas, an imitation knife, fake knuckle-dusters and flares, which were blue and white in colour (Bulldogs colours).

Police acted after several Bulldogs fans complained about the man's behaviour.

Four people were ejected from the stadium for alcohol-related offences, while one man will be issued a future court attendance notice for using offensive language.

The record crowd of 18,223 left the ground at the conclusion of the match without incident, police said.

The Bulldogs beat St George Illawarra 22-16.


---

I also just saw a mention of this on a Channel 10 news update... they showed the clip of chas covered in post in notes from Lame Ass.

[Mythor]

Same article was posted in the Smacktard of the day thread.

I was wondering how long it would take them to get arrested again.

[unfrufru]

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001021,00.html

guess who got themselves arrested!


A TEAM of comedians have managed to cause the first embarrassing APEC security blunder with The Chaser with a man dressed as Osama bin Laden managing to ride a fake motorcade through two police cordons into the red zone.
Up to 11 people connected to the ABC Chaser group have been arrested by police after they drove their fake motorcade down Macquarie Street into the fenced off area not far from the Intercontinental Hotel where President George W Bush is staying.
It appears Chas Licciardello was dressed as Osama bin Laden and was only arrested after he emerged from one of the vehicles, much to the embarrassment of security forces in the area.
Somehow, the team managed to avoid the massive security contingent to get as far as they did. .
They had crossed Bent St and stopped at Bridge St when they were arrested.
Despite their arrest, The Chaser managed to get their footage back the studio.
A team of ABC staffers have been arguing with detectives as to the legality oft hem being in the area.

[Mythor]

The SMH has more info on what happened:

Originally Posted by SMH

The Chaser convoy had been dressed up to look like an official Canadian motorcade, with Canadian flags attached to the cars and "Canada'' signs visible in the front windscreen.

"No particular reason we chose Canada," said Taylor. "We just thought they'd be a country who the cops wouldn't scrutinise too closely, and who feasibly would only have three cars in their motorcade - as opposed to the 20 or so gas guzzlers that Bush has brought with him."

Utterly pathetic when you think about it - the Chaser boys did it for a laugh and got through at least one police checkpoint. You can bet "armed terrists" would've had, like, guns and stuff to help get past further lines if necessary. And to, you know, kill people.

And they shut half the city down to do this!!!

[SammySatine]

heehee....GO the Chasers!

I love these guys and as soon as I heard that APEC was coming to town I thought I bet they will do something, as it turns out they did more than one thing. Good on them!

Amities,

SS

[Mythor]

There's a poll related to this on the SMH site:
Rate the stunt: Funny or Not Funny
Clicky for linky

Funny is well in the lead at the moment.

[hails]

first three sentences. there aren't enough words to describe how winsome those sentences are

[Alisso]

I love the police and the politicians trying to claim this isn't embarrassing. This is hideously embarrassing. They turned Sydney into an imitation war zone, put up a miniature Berlin Wall lined with cops and security, and spent an absolute fortune on protecting the APEC leaders, and so far all their efforts have been breached by two random guys from Newcastle (who had dinner at the Intercontinental and were hanging around the lobby when Bush arrived, and only THEN were asked, hey, what are you doing here?) and a bunch of ABC comedians.

If it had been comedians from commercial tv, that might not have been so bad, those stations have money, but this is the ABC. They've got practically nothing to work with but their native wit, and they still pulled it off.

This incident was a big test for the security forces, and they failed dismally. If that's not embarrassing, I don't know what is.

Actually, they should be thanking the Chaser guys for pointing out the flaws in their security. If some ABC comedians can do that, imagine what a well funded terrorist cell, or a bunch of well prepared protesters could manage.

I also find it interesting that the only people who have tried to get in so far are comedians...