Thursday, October 8, 2009

Hey Hey Go Away


This is the best thing that could've happened to the "return of variety television". A bit of controversy to wash away any hope of this show returning for another season.

Marieke Hardy sums it up nicely and this was before the black and white minstrels sketch. What a bunch of old school, double entendre-spinning, washed-up fuckwits. I hope we never see their (the 'Hey Hey Gang') faces again. And that goes for the 2 million knobs who watched it.

32 comments:

Perseus said...

But you had the 'Hey, Hey' album!

Alright, you were 5 years old at the time, but my point is valid.

You tried to make me sing, "I Wanna Be An Engineer, My Friend" and even at the young age I saw through it.

Lewd Bob said...

They were funny in 1975 when it was a kids' show.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

It irks me no end when Marieke occasionally makes sense.

Mind you, being a tasteless buffoon hasn't hurt Sam Newman's career any.

squib said...

I won a trip to Rio on 'Hey Hey'

Unknown said...

I switched over & caught Chook Lotto, then next thing I looked up and there was the Jackson Five act on Red Faces, and I thought, hey. You can't do that these days, that's pretty fricking racist.

Then the last bit I saw was Harry Connick Jr's speech at the end, which I though, hey. It's good that you said that, but mister you probably should've thought a bit harder before agreeing to be on the show, having been on it before & already knowing what passes as comedy on it. But I was still glad he said something, I don't think he overreacted to the skit.

And then I thought, hey. There's probably some tv people out there thinking, yep, it was the right decision to get rid of the show all those years ago, hey?

patchouligirl said...

I like Hey Hey and hope they bring it back. If "the 2 million knobs" means Generation X, thats me. Compared to Masterchef, Big Brother, Biggest Loser and endless Simpsons repeats, Hey Hey rocks. As a bonus my 2 yr old was interested in Ozzie, Molly Meldrums dog and Plucka so we actually had something we all could watch. Yay for Hey Hey its Wednesday - free to air viewers rejoice!

Perseus said...

Rio, Squib?

come.to.mumma said...

Sweet chocolaty jeebus. OK, so the station which employs Eddie and Sam thought it would be a good idea to bring back a tasteless waste of space and time (yeah, I know the same could be said for a lot of shows). It was dated, homophobic, racist, sexist, simply not funny and beyond stupid when I was forced to watch it every fucking Saturday night when I was a kid... why would it have changed because of a 'reunion'? That said, I exercised my right to say 'oh hell no' and didn't watch it. And yet I'm still a wee bit angry that some knobjockey gave it airtime.

Anonymous said...

You can't do that these days, that's pretty fricking racist.

My general feeling is that there's nothing inherently racist about someone putting on dark make-up in order to parody someone with dark skin. I don't really see it as any different to wearing a fat suit or a fake nose.

I have no opinion on Hey-Hey other than that I have no intention of ever watching it.

Lewd Bob said...

Sorry PG, you're clearly not a knob. I just hate Daryl Somers, Russell Glbert, John Blackman, bad humour, double entendres passing as jokes, the sound effects, the cartoons, the whole show.

Alex, that 'black face' routine, although not particularly offensive here, has a history in the US where it was used in a very demeaning way against the black community who had suffered terrible injustice and discrimination for a very long period of time.

Anonymous said...

True Bob, but I think there's a world of difference between taking the piss out of specific individuals and attempting to get a laugh out of portraying an entire group as an ugly stereotype (drunk, lazy, violent, etc). I'd also prefer to judge each incident on its own merits. Having said that of course, in this case I'm at the disadvantage(?) of having only seen a 10 second clip on Q&A last night.

patchouligirl said...

Thanks Bob, I'm not sure what a knob is anyway so I wasn't worried. After a long day all we want to do is collapse on the couch and watch something that isn't depressing (like the news) and only requires half our attention. If it keeps the 2 yr old amused as well even better. Theres no way I'd be watching Hey Hey on a Saturday morning but its perfect for a weeknight. That said I'll probably be sick of it in another couple of episodes. I bet Maasha has her two cents worth about the Jackson 5 thing on Idol on Sunday night. For once it isn't Kyle offending everyone.

patchouligirl said...

Oh and someone once told me that they met Daryl Somers and thought he was full of himself. Has he had a nose job? I don't mind the rest of the cast but I would prefer a different host.

Anonymous said...

PG, knob is a slang term (British I believe) for penis, and sometimes specifically for the head of the penis. In this instance, it is similar to calling someone a dickhead.

kitten said...

I think 2 million people need to get out of the house more.

Last night I was out having dinner with a friend while IQ'ing Mad Men.

I'd rather slit my wrists than waste hours of my life sitting at home watching complete rubbish on TV.

Leilani said...

I was working for the NT Tourist Commission at the time of the Daryl Somers "you'll never never know" campaign. He was an arrogant prick then. Don't think anything's changed much.

Anonymous said...

Last night I was out having dinner with a friend while IQ'ing Mad Men.

Is that some kind of hip talk for perving on hot blokes? I don't follow.

squib said...

Persey, my name was pulled out of a barrel on Hey Hey. 'Tears for Fears' sung Happy Birthday to me in Rio on my 16th birthday

patchouligirl said...

I'd rather slit my wrists than waste hours of my life sitting at home watching complete rubbish on TV

I would rather slit my wrists than take a 2 year old out to a restaurant or pub. And we don't exactly 'watch' it, its more passive background generic entertainment.

Thanks for the definition Bob, I kind of got it but 1) normally would not consider a phallic term as refering to me and 2) The English insults are so tame they kind of bounce off. It must be a very polite country.

kitten said...

Fair call, okay 2 million people minus all those with small children.

Mad Men is the most excellent TV series currently screening on Foxtel. IQ is a recording device.

Lewd Bob said...

It was Alex's definition PG but, for the record, I concur.

And you're not one.

Anonymous said...

Mad Men is the most excellent TV series currently screening on Foxtel. IQ is a recording device.

Oh. I see. I guess that would be me giving a fine example of looking like a knob then.

Perseus said...

"Persey, my name was pulled out of a barrel on Hey Hey. 'Tears for Fears' sung Happy Birthday to me in Rio on my 16th birthday"

I want the entire story posted here by 5pm, EST, Thursday 15 October, 2009.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Or there'll be consequences, Squib.

squib said...

the story is here


It was a Polygram Records thing. Elton John cancelled. We had tickets to see 'Hollywood Rock' which was a three day concert. I gave the Bon Jovi tickets to a maid at the Méridien Hotel

Melba said...

Oh. My. God.

I was going to say something about the man in blackface and a stars and stripes suit in today's Age page 3 having rooted my friend in the arse many years ago.

I can't compete with squib's story.

Melba said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lewd Bob said...

Come again, Melba?

Melba said...

You heard me Bob.

Perseus said...

Izzy Dye In Anal Shock?

Lewd Bob said...

It was Izzy Dye? Never knew he had it in him. Or should I say...ah, forget it.

Melba said...

My friend was female.