News Governor-General Quentin Bryce orders copy of Chaser skit
By Holly Byrnes
The Daily Telegraph
May 29, 2009 12:01am
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The Chaser Complaints flow in ... Julian Morrow holds a doll dressed up as Governor-General Quentin Bryce. Picture: ABC Television
MORE than 1.5 million viewers tuned in for the return of The Chaser's War On Everything this week, but Australia's Governor-General Quentin Bryce was not one of them.
Her office was forced to order a copy of the ABC comedy ("for the Government House archives,'' an official said), in the wake of complaints over a Julian Morrow skit, in which he threw a mannequin dressed up as the G-G over the walls of the men-only Melbourne Club, The Daily Telegraph reports.
While fans of The Footy Show's Sam Newman drew comparisons to his sexist treatment of a prop purporting to be AFL writer Caroline Wilson - which saw the Nine personality suspended - The Chaser boys were far from chastened by the 30 calls of disgust made to Aunty.
"We asked the Governor-General if she'd let us hoist her over the back wall of the Melbourne Club but she said no,'' Morrow said last night. Related Coverage
* Opinion: 'Struggling for laughs' * Chaser sketch irks G-GCourier Mail, 29 May 2009 * 'Revolting' Chaser hauls 'em inPerth Now, 28 May 2009 * Chaser takes on SharksHerald Sun, 28 May 2009 * Chaser takes over Sharks ground PANEWS.com.au, 27 May 2009 * Chaser group sex stuntCourier Mail, 27 May 2009
Your Say
Chasers are brilliant , their witty comedy send a laugh typoon over me. and the unwitty comedy is so 70% of australians get some of the jokes. Great work chasers.
(Read More) bobgeldof of Awsomeville
"The point of the stunt was to show as much disrespect as we could to the Melbourne Club for excluding women.
"The Governor-General was just a prop - literally - to make that point in an obviously silly way.
"It turned out the wall was very high, the dummy was heavy, and I throw like a .... very bad thrower.''
The public broadcaster received complaints about almost every segment of the satirical ABC show, which set its sights on making fun of the Cronulla Sharks group sex scandal.
A Chaser spokesman said complaint words used included: "Disgusting, cruel, offensive, pathetic, revolting and disgraceful''.
The half-hour episode at 9pm featured prankster Morrow making an unscheduled crowd announcement at a Cronulla Sharks game, as well as making fun of The Footy Show and host Paul Vautin.
"Could any Sharks players involved in the New Zealand sex scandal please head to the box,'' Morrow says over a PA system at the game.
It also showed the incident in which the boys flew a blimp into protected airspace above the Vatican, a cameo by TV talk show host Kerri-Anne Kennerley in a romantic tryst with Morrow.
Some said a Footprints sketch was offensive to Christians, while a Wipeout Palestine segment and Billy Connolly sketch were also complained about.
Many more took to websites to express their disappointment with the show which has been off-air for 18 months.
Some said they were "underwhelmed'' and wouldn't tune in again, with many saying the jokes were "predictable''.
"I think they have certainly had their day,'' one viewer wrote.
Morrow said he was disappointed there weren't more complaints.
"We care about complaint numbers far more than ratings. We were disappointed there were so few complaints this week, so we'll try to make it worse next week,'' Morrow said.
