Shaun  Micallef's Online World Around Him                                                                                 Back               Home
		August 25, 2003 saw the launch of the first incarnation of Shaun Micallef’s Online World Around Him. Since then, we have grown in size, scope and visitor numbers, and have become the central rest stop for Micallef fans on the Internet superhighway. We’re kinda like that quaint (aka run-down) place that sells petrol, fruit, and barbeque chicken (in that order) but hey, the toilets are exceptionally clean. To celebrate our first anniversary (or is it our birthday?), we asked you to ask Shaun anything you wanted to ask, and we asked Shaun to answer the questions you asked. We are happy to report this exchange took place without violence or grapefruit having to be involved. So here now is SMOWAH’s EXCLUSIVE Fan Q & A with Shaun Micallef. 2004 Copyright- Shaun Micallef’s Online World Around Him. Please email smowah@shaunmicallef.com to seek permission if you wish to reproduce this material in whole or in part elsewhere. Copyright 2004 smowah Questions about upcoming projects - Copyright 2004 smowah 1. From Andy, Ben, Luke, Peter, and pretty much everyone who visits the website - What are your plans for a TV comeback? Will we see you performing in a weekly TV format or sketch comedy show again soon? Copyright 2004 smowah Well, I have a couple of shows being considered at the ABC at the moment. One is a sort of sketch/stand-up show called (for want of a better title) 'Shaun Micallef's Un-named Project' and the other is a longer running topical/news reactive show which would sort of resemble the first third of Micallef Tonight except on a smaller budget. This is called (also tentatively and really only to annoy the production company) 'Mouse Patrol'. I should hear about these shortly. Copyright 2004 smowah 2. From Peter – Is there a future for Welcher and Welcher? Copyright 2004 smowah I don't think the ABC liked this show. There will be no further episodes. Personally, I quite liked the show. I think four of the eight episodes are very good (two are as good as anything we ever did in The Micallef P(r)ogram(me)). Two are not bad. And the other two stink. Copyright 2004 smowah 3. From Melissa A. and Callum - A few months ago, there was news about a Micallef Live Comedy Tour. Could you tell me if indeed, the tour is still going to happen and what the show would consist of? Copyright 2004 smowah This was something I talked about with Glynn Nicholas' production company. I've known Glynn for many years and wrote for him when he was on The Big Gig and for a couple of his live shows (oh yes, and his TV sitcom). The idea was for me to write a one man retrospective show (to be performed with Francis Greenslade) called either 'An Audience in front of Shaun Micallef' or 'Look Back in Embarrassment'. Unfortunately Micallef Tonight came up and I never got to write it. I would like to get back on stage. I just have to find the right vehicle. Copyright 2004 smowah Questions about influences- Copyright 2004 smowah 4. From Alex - Do you believe that your early career in law and experience in court assisted you, in beginning  your career in comedy & acting? Copyright 2004 smowah Probably more my experience doing revue at Uni while doing my course, Alex. We used to do three shows a year.  Each show would run for two weeks or so. Access to a real audience is the best way to work on your skills as a performer. And there is no better way to edit your material than running it past a crowd and see if it works. Any timing I have now is as a result of these live shows. Copyright 2004 smowah My court work probably helped establish the comic persona I adopt - that of the authority figure who deep down knows he's not very good. It's the basis to most, if not all, the comic characters I play. Copyright 2004 smowah 5. From Melissa M. – What sort of music do you listen to? Are you a fan of the bands you parodied in the Micallef Tonight closing credits? Copyright 2004 smowah Well, Melissa, when I went to work for Channel 9 they gave me one of their fleet cars to drive. It didn't have a radio or CD player, but it did have a cassette player. I therefore dug out all my old cassettes and listened to them as I drove to and from work. Most of these were compilations I had done in or about 1985. Hence the credit roll songs on MT. Copyright 2004 smowah My own taste runs through REM, Count Basie, PIL, Garbage, Harry James, Midnight Oil and John Lennon. Copyright 2004 smowah 6. From Stu – What do you feel currently influences your style of comedy most? Copyright 2004 smowah Big fan of Jerry Lewis when I was younger. Also the Marx Brothers, Morecambe and Wise, Python and Peter Sellers. I believe I can see these influences from time to time when I look back at my stuff. As to who currently influences me, I'm not sure. Probably everybody to a certain extent. You've got to learn from the good and the bad. I don't know how much they influence me but I do laugh a lot at Jim Carrey and Mike Myers. Copyright 2004 smowah 7. From Amy - How has fatherhood influenced your comedy? Copyright 2004 smowah I was worried it would make me all cutesy, but I'm pleased to report my sense of humour has remained as it always was, mostly cruel. Copyright 2004 smowah 8.  From Cyn - What drew you to comedy writing? Had you been writing other genres for a while until you found your niche or was it incidental to performing in university to just write your own material and then others (i.e.:  Glynn and Full Frontal later on down the track). Copyright 2004 smowah Cyn, I've always written comedy. As a kid I used to watch a comedy on TV and then recreate it as a comic strip after. (We're all plagiarists when we start.) Yes, it was part of performing at Uni. I learnt how to do it from McCaffrie. He also taught me how to cut it down for TV. The writing is easy - the editing is hard. Copyright 2004 smowah Only recently have I had a crack at drama. Copyright 2004 smowah Questions about past work- Copyright 2004 smowah 9. From RD - How did you get the idea for Roger Explosion?  What inspired you to lampoon Fabio and David  Copperfield? Copyright 2004 smowah There was always a need for regular characters on Full Frontal. I did Fabio and Copperfield at first as sort of baroque impressions, and later they turned into regular or semi-regular characters appearing in alternate weeks. The keener eyed among you will have noted that all the Fabios are pretty much the same sketch each time with a few words changed. Ditto Copperfield. Copyright 2004 smowah Roger Explosion was something I tried out when I'd gotten sick of doing Dave McGhan's World. Again, it was pretty much the same sketch week after week. Fun to do though as I got to work with my favorite people on FF. Copyright 2004 smowah 10. From Howser – Have you ever met any of the people you have impersonated? I impersonated Tim Ferguson once or twice on FF and met him later. I don't think he'd seen it, or if he had he was too gracious to let on. Also Jim Waley. He claimed to have been flattered which seems unlikely but was nice of him to say so. Copyright 2004 smowah 11. From Happy Bob - -That confounded theme to "The Astounding Light Ballet" you kept using on Micallef Tonight has  haunted  my dreams for far too long.  For the love of God, WHERE did you get that insane music? Copyright 2004 smowah We just found the clip in the Nine archives. I think it was originally in the Ernie Sigley Show. I agree with you Happy Bob, it's infectious and confounding. Copyright 2004 smowah 12. From Tim - Shaun, what does the irrepressible Meatboy  really represent? Is he symbolic of the real you or perhaps how you would like to be perceived by Australian society? Or am I completely on the wrong track? Please divulge. Copyright 2004 smowah I wish I could tell you something more interesting than we just thought it would be funny. The take that went to air was pretty funny, but the first take (which used a salami) made me literally fall over laughing. The dog belonged to our props lady and she had kindly starved it for a day for us. Copyright 2004 smowah 13. From Suzanne - Why on earth do you think Milo was and is still such a wildly popular character? What was it about him that connected with people? Do you regret ever having created him? Copyright 2004 smowah Well, Suzanne, Gary and I thought him up so we wouldn't have to write any jokes for the News segment on FF. He was fun to do, but eventually we'd done all we could with him. You can only smash up so many sets and say "Bonzomafeeb!" so many times when it starts to get a little samey. In his last few appearances he only had to come on to get cheers and applause, and then go off. Same with Fabio. No, I don't regret doing him because he was fun. But I didn't want to keep doing him. Why do people like him? I think it's the abandon and orgy of meaningless destruction. Who can resist that? Copyright 2004 smowah 14.  From John - In the opening credits of each of the Micallef Program/programme/pograms, it looks like clips from sketches are being shown, yet I have never been able to match which sketch each clip comes from. Are these clips something you deliberately filmed for the credits or are they outtakes? Please tell me so I can stop ruining my tapes through continuous rewinding and pausing. Copyright 2004 smowah Most are from sketches we shot but did not use. A couple we shot specifically. For the second series we especially shot Roz and I in each others clothes, Francis and I watching a vase get demolished by a falling lamp, and there was probably another one with Wayne but I can't recall it. In the third series we especially shot me doing Chaplin's Dance of the Oceana Rolls, me falling over a couch, and me threatening the audience with an axe. Copyright 2004 smowah Questions on current topics- Copyright 2004 smowah 15.  From Stuart Mac - This is a pretty obvious one, but  I'd really like to know what you think of the current comedy programs that are on Australian TV at the moment like Skithouse, Comedy Inc, Rove, etc.  Any shows that you like? Copyright 2004 smowah Skithouse has some good performers in it. Roz, obviously - but also Scott Brennan. So too in Comedy Inc you have Paul McCarthy. I think Peter Helliar is pretty funny on Rove. Truth be told, I don't watch a lot of TV and rarely get to see these shows regularly. I have a lot of time for CNNNN. I think their stuff is very good. Copyright 2004 smowah 16.  From Stephanie - What are your thoughts on Eric Bana's Hollywood success? Did anyone see it coming? Have you spoken to him since Full Frontal? Copyright 2004 smowah Eric was one of the better actors on FF. The other was Kim Gyngell. I don't think anyone, not even Eric himself, would have anticipated the level of success he's achieved so far (with more to come I have no doubt). He's a nice guy as well as being talented. And yes, I am envious as hell. Last time I saw him was at the AFI's a couple of years ago. Copyright 2004 smowah 17.  From Happy Bob - -Which of the following guest appearances by the  Harlem Globetrotters is your favourite: "Scooby-Doo Meets the Harlem Globetrotters" (1971), Futurama  episode #S03E14: "Time Keeps on Slipping" (2001) or,  of course, 1981's "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island"? Copyright 2004 smowah I'm old enough to have seen the original Harlem Globetrotters play. I was plucked from the audience as a 13 year-old and cajoled into making a shot. Curly got the rebound in for me. Yes, I've done it all. Copyright 2004 smowah And in closing- Copyright 2004 smowah 18. From Marcus -  Which actors/directors/writers would you like to work with? Copyright 2004 smowah Most of the ones I'd like to work with are dead, which makes things a little difficult. Directors: Leo McCarey and Norman Z McLeod. Actors: Chaplin, Orson Welles. Writers: Ernest Lehman. Copyright 2004 smowah 19. From Ewan - What is your advice to up and coming comedians trying to break into the business? Copyright 2004 smowah Get in front of a live audience as often as possible. Do it for free if you have to. No better way to find out if you're funny or not. Copyright 2004 smowah The crew at SMOWAH would like to thank Shaun for participating in this Q&A and his continued enthusiam for the site, and  all the fans who visit and contribute to the site. It has been a great year, with hopefully many more to come! -Suzanne, Larns, Cyn & Ewan 2004 Copyright- Shaun Micallef’s Online World Around Him. Please email smowah@shaunmicallef.com to seek permission if you wish to reproduce this material in whole or in part elsewhere