Stand-Up Guy

Zeitgeisters,

You know we love breakfast television. And you know we love Channel 9. So the tribulations of the Australian TODAY SHOW over the last few years hath sorely troubled us, here at The Tract.

Back in 2005 when TODAY tumbled from the top spot after a challenge from Channel 7s SUNRISE program (hosted by the inimitable Kochie and Mel), the Channel 9’s TODAY went through a number of changes. Long-time male co-anchor Steve ‘Liebo’ Liebmann was given the bullet and female co-anchor Tracy Grimshaw was teamed with Karl Stefanovic.

Mr Stefanovic is a man who clearly has a strong following among the powers-that-be at Nine because in all subsequent tinkering with the TODAY format, he has remained firmly in his co-host’s chair.

Grimshaw was replaced at great expense with the controversial Jessica Rowe. Her stint was short lived and controversial. Apparently Australia didn’t like her (but clearly loved Karl). Rowe went on maternity leave and amongst the tryouts for her seat were Sarah Murdoch and Kellie Connolly. Eventually Lisa Wilkinson was poached from Network 7 and has had the female co-host job since the middle of 2007.

And Karl has remained through this time of tumult. He is above the fray. Despite the efforts of some – like Tony Martin from the former GET THIS radio program - who wish to bring him down by comparing him with a robot, an android or cyborg – Karl is with us as steadfastly as death or taxes.

I woke this morning to be greeted by some vintage Stefanovic. He had put together a piece which poked cheeky fun at a piece of vision showing our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd speaking in Mandarin. This is well-known here in Oz as one of his talents. The mock translation at the bottom of the screen had some cool, right-on satirical gags about Nine Network personalities and similar edgy material.

Just as I was thinking - Didn’t the Chaser guys do something like this last year? - we cut back to the studio where I and the rest of Australia was witness to the following disturbing exchange between the TODAY Hosts.

LISA:
You’ve done a bit of a Chaser there. I think you’ve become their 7th member.

CARL:
I don’t like those guys. They’re lame and not funny.

LISA
Well, I do.

CARL:
It doesn’t matter, they’ll still have a go (at you).

LISA
I think you’ve just given them a reason.

Okay, I wasn’t long awake and so I can’t claim the above as a verbatim transcript. I believe I have the gist, though. As you can see, Wikinson, in an unprovoked attack, more or less accuses Stefanovic of plagiarism (albeit ‘lightheartedly'). Steffa – or Karlo or whatever his footy name is, defends himself in style by pointing out that the Chaser guys are ‘lame” and “not funny” .

Okay, if one views the event in an uncharitable light, he took an idea that had already been used by the satirists at The Chaser, did an imitation of it and then dissed the originators of that gag. But I think in a court of law it is clear that a successful presenter on a commercial free-to-air television news program has greater credibility than a bunch of aging ex-uni types on the Communist ABC. Even when he is poaching on their territory.

Well played Mr Stefanovic. Keep it real Network Nine.

Elevate the Insignificant

Mr Trivia