Post by p1cklepepperpiper on Dec 21, 2010 9:36:27 GMT 10
It's a pretty general thread, so I've put it in the general section. But basically the point of the thread is to share anecdotes of close encounters, reminisce the days when we were unenlightened as to his presence, and just gush over his general "hits the right spots"-ness.
I'll go, because I reckon I'll be the youngest one here? (17 going on 18 in two months)
How long ago was Pogram on television? Because as a youngster, I distinctly remember flicking to the ABC by hapchance, and watching an *awful* game show, a particular wheel segment, where the lady who was participating had the side of her head ripped off by the wheel prongs. I was bemused as to why people were laughing hysterically, and was so traumatised by the ordeal that I cried and had to spend the night in the parents' room - especially after witnessing a shot of the flake of skin stuck to the wheel prong.
Now I'm educated and realise that this terrifying memory is indeed my first encounter with Shaun Micallef, although it would take me years before I found this out.
Flashback to series 1 of Thank God You're Here, and I remember, again as [slightly older] youngster, watching unfunny contestant after unfunny contestant, and wondering why everyone at my school thought this show was good. It was, frankly, pretty shit. Untill one person went on the show and for the first time watching, I genuinely laughed. I believe it was the episode where he was the Foreign Minister and had to apologise for an oil spill. I didn't recognise the guy, as I had watched only every so often, but I think they mentioned he had been on the show before, so I borrowed my friend's DVD (when it came out months later) and realised that this guy was probably the only funny man in Australian entertainment.
Another couple of years passed, where I managed to catch him on TGYH as the camper who survived inside a bear, and the posh English picnicker, all the while thinking he was just a radio presenter or something.
But then in early 2008, I saw an ad for The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) Series Trois DVD in the ABC Limelight magazine. Curious as to the strange grammar used, I did a google search and found that this guy had done sketch comedy show!
Next stop was Youtube, where I ran into not only Pogram but Full Frontal, Tonisht and by that stage Newstopia as well. I wondered why this guy wasn't that popular - he was clearly one of the best comedians in the country - and his online world seemed sadly deserted. As with everything, I felt like I had missed the boat, and that this guy would never be as popular as what I presumed he once was.
I decided to sink my teeth in, and bought the Micallef in a Box off ebay for a measly $18.85 with $9.50 postage. After ripping off the shrink wrap and happily reading the Papal endorsement for Series Trois, I knew I had found the man of my dreams. So I spent the next three days watching the entire thing, being extremely confused by David McGhan's drama series, entirely shocked that an unpleasant memory from childhood was in fact the work of Micallef, and affirming my love for the man through the utterly bizarre turns the show would take (Six fucks for Valerie!).
Then I found the Micallef thread on the Champcom forums and I finally met people who recognised his genius. I realised he was still an active entertainer, and the news reached my ears that he was to be quiz master on Channel Ten's "YourGen" (it was called that at the time). My joy was inexpressible, because my TV didn't pick up SBS and I had entirely missed out on Newstopia.
TAYG arrived, and it was decidedly crappier than any show Micallef had done previously, but it was still glaringly Micallef and I loved his spot on mainstream television. His popularity even reached my circle of friends (through no effort on my part, I assure you), and then he began work on Good Evening.
Fast forward a year, and I've purchased the Tonisht DVD and Preincarnate both for Christmas, have bought His Generation and will next be buying Incompleat and Smithereens. Then in February, to celebrate my birthday and if Granada is filming then, I will go with some friends to a filming of TAYG. I've made a Micallef T-shirt and my friends say that I will never marry because I'll never find someone like Micallef.
So that's my long-winded history of why I'm the Shaun-loving fan I am today. I luckily managed to meet the guy when he was in Brissie for Good Evening - the 20th of November. We arrived extremely early, almost 3 hours early, and my friends excused themselves to the bathroom. I paced around the foyer, bored, but then Shaun and Stephen walked through the door, and I went apeshit. I bolted back to the bathroom, barely managed to squeal "Fucking hell guys, he's in the fucking foyer", ran back out and yelled "Shaun! Stephen" who had started to walk away. I fished out my copy of Micallef in a Box and Preincarnate, and somehow managed to communicate that I would very much like Shaun to sign them. He did so very graciously, and Stephen commented on the quality of Pogram, saying it was the best show he had ever seen.
I shook hands with Shaun and Stephen, asked if they were happy with how the show was going (they weren't, they said they hated it, cheeky buggers) and they feigned worriedness at the prospect of having to now remember their lines because they met an audience member.
"Unless you're just leaving" said Shaun, "and that's fine by me. The show's crap."
I assured them I was staying and they both sighed. I also assured Shaun that I didn't carry his work with me at all times, but I had slightest chance of bumping into him today so I brought them along. They both agreed to a photo so we got the ticket lady to take the photo and here it is! (I'm the one next to Shaun. If you squint, it looks like my friend's hand is actually Shaun's - and that he's wearing nail polish):
The show was awesome, it was absolutely stunning. I wanted to go the day after, last show in Brisbane, but didn't have the Latin-erm, money.
So that's me done! Anyone else want to share their Micallef education? Has anyone met the guy?
-PPP
I'll go, because I reckon I'll be the youngest one here? (17 going on 18 in two months)
How long ago was Pogram on television? Because as a youngster, I distinctly remember flicking to the ABC by hapchance, and watching an *awful* game show, a particular wheel segment, where the lady who was participating had the side of her head ripped off by the wheel prongs. I was bemused as to why people were laughing hysterically, and was so traumatised by the ordeal that I cried and had to spend the night in the parents' room - especially after witnessing a shot of the flake of skin stuck to the wheel prong.
Now I'm educated and realise that this terrifying memory is indeed my first encounter with Shaun Micallef, although it would take me years before I found this out.
Flashback to series 1 of Thank God You're Here, and I remember, again as [slightly older] youngster, watching unfunny contestant after unfunny contestant, and wondering why everyone at my school thought this show was good. It was, frankly, pretty shit. Untill one person went on the show and for the first time watching, I genuinely laughed. I believe it was the episode where he was the Foreign Minister and had to apologise for an oil spill. I didn't recognise the guy, as I had watched only every so often, but I think they mentioned he had been on the show before, so I borrowed my friend's DVD (when it came out months later) and realised that this guy was probably the only funny man in Australian entertainment.
Another couple of years passed, where I managed to catch him on TGYH as the camper who survived inside a bear, and the posh English picnicker, all the while thinking he was just a radio presenter or something.
But then in early 2008, I saw an ad for The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) Series Trois DVD in the ABC Limelight magazine. Curious as to the strange grammar used, I did a google search and found that this guy had done sketch comedy show!
Next stop was Youtube, where I ran into not only Pogram but Full Frontal, Tonisht and by that stage Newstopia as well. I wondered why this guy wasn't that popular - he was clearly one of the best comedians in the country - and his online world seemed sadly deserted. As with everything, I felt like I had missed the boat, and that this guy would never be as popular as what I presumed he once was.
I decided to sink my teeth in, and bought the Micallef in a Box off ebay for a measly $18.85 with $9.50 postage. After ripping off the shrink wrap and happily reading the Papal endorsement for Series Trois, I knew I had found the man of my dreams. So I spent the next three days watching the entire thing, being extremely confused by David McGhan's drama series, entirely shocked that an unpleasant memory from childhood was in fact the work of Micallef, and affirming my love for the man through the utterly bizarre turns the show would take (Six fucks for Valerie!).
Then I found the Micallef thread on the Champcom forums and I finally met people who recognised his genius. I realised he was still an active entertainer, and the news reached my ears that he was to be quiz master on Channel Ten's "YourGen" (it was called that at the time). My joy was inexpressible, because my TV didn't pick up SBS and I had entirely missed out on Newstopia.
TAYG arrived, and it was decidedly crappier than any show Micallef had done previously, but it was still glaringly Micallef and I loved his spot on mainstream television. His popularity even reached my circle of friends (through no effort on my part, I assure you), and then he began work on Good Evening.
Fast forward a year, and I've purchased the Tonisht DVD and Preincarnate both for Christmas, have bought His Generation and will next be buying Incompleat and Smithereens. Then in February, to celebrate my birthday and if Granada is filming then, I will go with some friends to a filming of TAYG. I've made a Micallef T-shirt and my friends say that I will never marry because I'll never find someone like Micallef.
So that's my long-winded history of why I'm the Shaun-loving fan I am today. I luckily managed to meet the guy when he was in Brissie for Good Evening - the 20th of November. We arrived extremely early, almost 3 hours early, and my friends excused themselves to the bathroom. I paced around the foyer, bored, but then Shaun and Stephen walked through the door, and I went apeshit. I bolted back to the bathroom, barely managed to squeal "Fucking hell guys, he's in the fucking foyer", ran back out and yelled "Shaun! Stephen" who had started to walk away. I fished out my copy of Micallef in a Box and Preincarnate, and somehow managed to communicate that I would very much like Shaun to sign them. He did so very graciously, and Stephen commented on the quality of Pogram, saying it was the best show he had ever seen.
I shook hands with Shaun and Stephen, asked if they were happy with how the show was going (they weren't, they said they hated it, cheeky buggers) and they feigned worriedness at the prospect of having to now remember their lines because they met an audience member.
"Unless you're just leaving" said Shaun, "and that's fine by me. The show's crap."
I assured them I was staying and they both sighed. I also assured Shaun that I didn't carry his work with me at all times, but I had slightest chance of bumping into him today so I brought them along. They both agreed to a photo so we got the ticket lady to take the photo and here it is! (I'm the one next to Shaun. If you squint, it looks like my friend's hand is actually Shaun's - and that he's wearing nail polish):
The show was awesome, it was absolutely stunning. I wanted to go the day after, last show in Brisbane, but didn't have the Latin-erm, money.
So that's me done! Anyone else want to share their Micallef education? Has anyone met the guy?
-PPP
