Adam Spencer Articles/Reviews

[Alisso]

In one of the Sydney Sunday papers there was a very small picture of Adam Spencer and a tiny bit of info...in the real estate section of all places *g*.

Apparently he's looking for his own place, and the journo makes some snarky remarks about the reported state of Adam's room (in a "youth magazine") and how that might be why he's been asked to move. But then, we saw on Burke's Backyard the state of the rest of the flat, so it's not just Adam *G*.

I'd type up the few lines, but I can't be arsed going and finding it again *G*

[Kara]

Yes I saw that pic and "article"...I think Adam looks cute in it! Mmmmm

There's also a small pic and "article" of Wil in the SunHerald.(dunno if someones mentioned that yet) it'a just talking about Theatresports.

[op shop girl]

crap!
I'd forgotten about that article, now I'm going to have to go through the recycling bin to find it.

[unfrufru]

in today's SMH
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...137161539.html

Counting the days
By Sue Javes
September 28, 2004





Numbers man: Adam Spencer. Photo: Marco Del Grande




Triple J mathematician and broadcaster Adam Spencer is signing off.

It's 7.40am and Adam Spencer is explaining Einstein's theory of relativity to his Triple J listeners.

"You know how you have to sometimes go see a chick flick with your girlfriend. Well, Einstein went to the theatre one night to see whatever their version of Love Actually was back then and, at the end of the show, he complained about how slowly the time had passed. This stunned his girlfriend, who thought the two hours had just flown by. That, my friend, is relativity."

It's a pretty good bet that no other FM breakfast radio team in Australia was discussing Einstein last week or, for that matter, double dissolutions, preferential voting and the difference between taxes and levies. At least, not all at once and in a way that managed to be both funny and informative.

If you haven't heard Spencer and Wil Anderson on Triple J, you are almost too late. There are just 44 shows left before they hang up their headsets for good on November 26.

For Spencer, 35, it will mark the end of an unexpected but satisfying eight-year relationship with the ABC youth station. He was heavily into pure mathematics at Sydney University in 1996 when he landed a spot on the breakfast show by chance. Helen Razer and Mikey Robins were doing an outside broadcast at the university and Spencer offered himself up from the crowd to read the weather. The producer was so impressed by his quick wit - "Sydney 22, the square root of 484, Melbourne, 22, the cube root of 10,648" - that he was offered further work. Three years later, he found himself in the breakfast hot seat competing with seasoned performers such as Wendy Harmer and Andrew Denton. Anderson joined the show full-time the following year.

Spencer has no plans for the future other than to spend more time with his off-air partner, Mel. "For the first time in a long time I'm in a relationship that's working and fun," he says. He and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki have proposed a new science show on ABC TV and he'd like to make a feature film "about a great mathematician who led a bizarre and amazing life".
Spencer says his only regret on leaving the show is the lack of recognition Triple J gets for providing a genuine alternative in both its music and talk content for the under-35 audience.

"This place does a really important job and it doesn't always do it as well as it could but the appalling lack of objectivity with which the media analyses radio is unbelievable," he says. "When the Nova network burst onto the scene there were all these gush pieces being written by people saying, 'This is awesome, sounds different, a rock'n'roll tune and then dance music, Nova's great.' Well Triple J's been doing that for 25 f---ing years a lot better than they do, and Nova didn't sound different at all - kind of late '80s Triple M stuff." Obviously a job at Nova is not high on Spencer's list.

[unfrufru]

http://entertainment.news.com.au/sto...-10229,00.html

Jokers in the pack
From:
By Catriona Mathewson and Marcus Casey

September 28, 2005


Not-so poker faced ... Adam Spencer




WHEN Ten went looking for a comedian with a mind for maths and a head for poker, the short list was remarkably ... well, short.

In fact it probably only had one name on it - Adam Spencer, former Triple J breakfast host.

"I don't know if I was the best person for the job. I was the only one," jokes Spencer, who will co-host Australia's first free-to-air foray into TV poker.

The craze is spreading across the world from the US and UK (which has two dedicated pay poker channels) and is gaining momentum here.

The 12 one-hour episodes of Joker Poker were filmed at Star City two weeks ago and air at about 10.30pm Saturday nights - depending on the movie beforehand.

It pits 40 Australian comedians against each other in a battle of wits wrapped in gags to find a poker champ and give away $100,000 to charity.

Spencer provides the commentary throughout, alongside Australasia's top-ranked poker player Lee Nelson.


"I was worried we had to film so many episodes in such a short time because they took two-and-a-half hours," Spencer says.

"It was a big ask for the comedians to be funny while playing so many hands in such a short space of time, but it came out really well."

Spencer was a natural choice - he has a first class honours degree in pure mathematics and a passion for poker which has grown since the birth of daughter Ellie six months ago.

"I've always had a tremendous respect for the game because it fuses mathematics with a bit of luck and a massive dose of human psychology," Spencer says. "When I was up at three in the morning (with Ellie), putting her to sleep or feeding her, I'd just sit there with the laptop open playing against guys from the States."

Of course, being a mathematician, Spencer understands the odds involved in gambling and rarely plays for cash. His online adventures involve nothing but "play money".

Describing poker as the "fondue" of the 2000s, he is confident the show will find a strong following.

Joker Poker started with a basic lesson last Saturday night, explaining hands and terms such as "the flop" and "the river".

There will be more tidbits this Saturday night.

Co-host Nelson will show off an uncanny knack for spotting "tells" - subconscious behaviour patterns which indicate a player has a good hand.

"He'll say, 'Every time that guy's got a good hand he sighs and every time that guy's got a good hand he cracks a few jokes'," Spencer says. "And he was remarkably accurate."

Nelson has apparently studied meditation techniques to ensure he maintains a "poker face" when playing.

Comedians taking part in the series - ranging from rank amateurs to veterans - include Russell Gilbert, Hamish and Andy (who go head to head in the first show), Greg Fleet, Micky Meredith and Gabby Milgate.

* Joker Poker, Ten, Saturday, 11.20pm

What's on the cards

Poker TV shows are a phenomenon spreading across schedules like a virus, mainly on pay networks. Fox8 has begun production on a 10-part Crown Australian Celebrity Poker Challenge with a $100,000 prize for charity and is due to air later this year. A gritty drama series called Tilt recently ended on ESPN, which took the genre to another level. Other programs on Foxtel/Optus include:
* World Poker Tour, Fox8, Friday, 10.30pm
* World Series Of Poker, ESPN, Tuesday, 7pm
* Celebrity Poker Showdown featuring Matthew Perry, Jennie Garth, Dave Navarro and others, Fox8, Thursday, 9.30pm
Fox Sports airs six other poker shows. In all more than 130 hours air each week on pay-TV.

[Puppy]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio...26454564.html#

Back to breakfast for Spencer

November 29, 2005 - 3:52PM
New gig ... for .Adam Spencer on 702's breakfast shift.

Adam Spencer will take over from Julie McCrossin as presenter of Sydney ABC local radio's breakfast shift.

McCrossin quit the post in October, just one month after taking over the position from Angela Catterns, citing the early starts were making her ill.

The early mornings will come as no shock to Spencer, who hosted Triple J's breakfast show with Wil Anderson until taking a break to help raise his new baby.

"Adam is well known to 702 listeners and audiences across Australia and I know they'll appreciate and enjoy his sharp wit, creative intelligence and warm energy as they start their day with him," ABC local radio manager Roger Summerill said.

Spencer will host the breakfast shift from February 27 at 5.30am to 7.45am. News and current affairs program AM runs from 8.00am and Trioli takes over from 8.30am.

ABC 702 has had a number of fill-in presenters since McCrossin left.

[unfrufru]

Adam has get up and go for radio


November 30, 2005

SURPRISE new ABC 702 breakfast host Adam Spencer will brave the early-morning wake-ups that Julie McCrossin turned her nose up at just last month.



The former Triple J breakfast host was yesterday named to fill the chair that's been spinning since Angela Catterns defected to Vega in July.

The demanding shift involves being up well before the crack of dawn and it was for that reason that initial replacement McCrossin quit the gig after just four weeks in October.

But Spencer is used to rising early.

"I don't underestimate the physical enormity of it," he told media writer Michael Bodey yesterday.

"I'm certainly not doing this because I miss getting up at 3.30 in the morning."

Current host and former Triple J star Sarah MacDonald was expected to be confirmed in the role for 2006, particularly after the positive response to her stint on the contentious ABC Guestbook.

And Spencer said he didn't put his hand up for the job.

"It was weird, when they first made the suggestion to me a few weeks ago, I read it in the spirit that it's quite flattering, but something I might look at doing in a few years," he said.

After discussing it with his fiancee Mel, Spencer realised he couldn't assume the role would be offered again.

The new breakfast shift will conclude at 7.45am, with the morning shift starting at 8.30, after the high-rating current affairs show AM.

Both shifts dropped two ratings points in the last survey after McCrossin abruptly resigned and Sally Loane was axed. Spencer will begin on February 27 after getting married on January 28.

[unfrufru]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio...151849206.html

Older, wiser and happier, Adam Spencer embraces his new gig on 702 breakfast, Sue Javes reports.
Up and away ... the new host of 702 breakfast, Adam Spencer.
Photo: Steve Baccon


It's official. Adam Spencer has always been a smart-arse. In primary school, he annoyed a teacher by deliberately asking her questions she couldn't answer. He was the one who wanted to know why the times tables stopped at 12 and why the spelling words couldn't be harder. At eight, he was reading the newspaper cover to cover and amusing his friends writing limericks.

Childhood friend Scott Hayes says Spencer's mother broke a few wooden spoons on her eldest child. "It was only ever for backchat but it was always high-quality backchat."

This is the Spencer we know. A fast-talking, competitive 37-year-old, confident his intellect will always get him out of trouble. Typically, he cracked onto the girl who was to become the love of his life by muscling in as a complete stranger on her pub trivia night. "First thing I ever said to Mel was, 'The actor is George Clooney and the film is Solaris.' We're going to get those words engraved on our wedding rings."

But the 702 breakfast audience won't be a pushover. They'll be waiting to pounce if they think he's above himself.

"For someone whose schtick is partly pomposity, that intellectual arrogance, he also has a gift for taking the piss out of himself," says Wil Anderson, his Triple J breakfast partner for five years. "He comes from an amazing family and has some excellent stories about his childhood. He'll be perfect for 702 breakfast as long as he trusts himself to open up to the audience and is willing to share those experiences."

If Anderson's right, what Spencer had to say about himself to The Guide was not a bad start.

Spencer has built a successful public persona around his over-sized brain and oral dexterity. From maths scholar and international debating champion to presenter of ABC TV's science program Quantum, hired gun on numerous television comedy shows and Triple J breakfast presenter.Yet for the first four years of Spencer's life his parents feared he might be intellectually impaired, the result of a traumatic forceps delivery. A few hours after birth he suffered a seizure and was whisked away by doctors who found blood between his brain and scalp.

Twice in the first two days, a priest was called to give the last rites. It turned out the only permanent damage was to his right eyelid. Pressure from the forceps deadened the eyelid muscle so it wouldn't open. It took many operations over 12 years to correct, leaving Spencer with what he calls his "wonky eye". Perfect vision, but a slightly closed lid.


"Fred Hollows was the dude who operated on it, which is one of the reasons I'm so connected to the Fred Hollows Foundation," he explains over coffee in Newtown. "Fred took red gristle from a guy who had died in a motorbike accident, which is why I'm massive on organ donations."

Spencer says he was hassled a bit at school. "Being good at maths didn't help. It wasn't much of a comeback - 'Yeah, sure I've got a wonky eye but I know what 13 times 12 is.' That only made them punch harder."

Hayes says to take that with a grain of salt. He insists his mate was never socially ostracised because his passion for sport softened the arrogant nerd image. "Mind you, his enthusiasm for sport always outweighed his capabilities," Hayes says. "He was and still is very, very competitive. Whenever Adam's stumps were skittled, I had to throw myself to the ground before the bat came flying in my direction."

He grew up in Gladesville/Hunters Hill but Spencer sees his origins as working class. His father, Larry, who died from cancer two years ago, drove a delivery truck for Fairfax newspapers for 40 years. His mother ran the canteen at Hunters Hill High School. He was the first member of the family to go to university.

There's no sign of the smart-arse when he talks about his close-knit family. The father who was a great storyteller, the mother tough but passionate, who between them kept him centred. The brother, David, who "has lived a rich and varied life", including three years studying for the priesthood. "We got him to say our wedding service, which was great because he finally got to do one 15 years after enrolling at St Pat's seminary. And he nailed it. They were mostly my jokes he was reading out but he was just totally deadpan."

There's clearly enormous admiration for young sister Leisha, struck down by chronic fatigue syndrome in year nine at school. "A giant slab of her life from age 15 to 27 is missing. And it's just horrible. She's just started driving Mission Beat buses providing welfare for alcoholics and the homeless. She's got an incredible feel for helping people."

It's interesting to hear his friends open up. You get a sense that the cool, brash dude who shoots from the lip has added an extra human dimension, and they all say they've never seen him so happy.

"Three years ago, Adam was partying with rock bands, having spa baths with Courtney Taylor-Taylor from the Dandy Warhols and doing all sorts of wild things," says Triple J programmer Linda Bracken. "But now he's bought a house and he's married to Mel and they've got a gorgeous baby and he's had to deal with the death of his father. It's a bit of a cliche but he's grown up in the last two years. He's now living the life of a 702 listener."


Spencer describes himself as "the most relaxed laissez-faire control freak". On the one hand, he rarely arrived at Triple J with any prepared notes, but on the other, planned his wedding and booked the venue before he even thought to ask his wife to be.

"He's not the most organised bloke in the world," Anderson says. "I would come in to Triple J with 40 things to talk about and I would just throw them at him unprepared, and he'd run with them as though he'd been thinking about them for two days."

So how will that translate to a somewhat older, more conservative audience at 702? Spencer will be flying solo in a far more structured environment than at Triple J, with an agenda driven by news rather than music. He's not planning any radical changes. "The role of 702 breakfast will always be getting people up out of bed to work, keeping them in touch with Sydney and giving them a sound knowledge of the news of the day."

Of the popular Angela Catterns, who must be flattered it has taken so long to fill her shoes, Spencer says: "People say to me, 'It's going to be quite different to Ange because she was, like, really nice.' What am I?"

Spencer says he's even prepared to take up knitting for 702's annual Knit-a-thon. "I'll do a fractal motif. They're those beautiful mathematical patterns, with not just one or two dimensions but one-and-a-half dimensions. I'll take those ladies on a journey ... as I'm sure they'll take me."

Adam Spencer hosts the 702 breakfast shift.