Good News Week: 30 Years of Comedy

Topic: Television

The first Good News Week had Paul McDermott, Julie McCrossin, and Mikey Robins. They did a live show at the Melbourne comedy festival.

Paul McDermott said, 'Thank you and welcome to Witness with Paul McDermott,' to the audience on April 19, 1996.

They asked Rupert Murdoch funny questions. The show was a comedy news game show.

This was 30 years ago. Paul McDermott was 33 years old then.

Paul said it was easy to move from live comedy to TV. He just cut his hair.

The first episode referenced a Channel Seven show.

Paul talked about news stories and threw newspaper clippings in the air.

The show was made by Ted Robinson. It was like a British show called Have I Got News for You.

Paul hosted the show from 1996 to 2000 and then again from 2008 to 2012.

The show was popular. In 1997, 750,000 people watched it. In 2010, Paul was nominated for a Gold Logie.

Mikey Robins says Paul owes him $45 from 1999.

The show helped local and international comedians like Daniel Sloss and Josh Thomas.

A dynamic trio

Mikey Robins was on the show with Paul. He was a radio star and a team captain.

The Melbourne comedy festival started 40 years ago. It has changed a lot.

Mikey Robins was chosen for the show because he was quick and knew about current events.

Paul and Mikey looked different, which was funny.

They started trading jokes during the pilot episode.

Mikey remembers smiling and thinking the show might work.

The other team captain was Anthony Ackroyd. There were also other comedians and actors on the show.

Julie McCrossin became a team captain after a while. She was a comedian and a radio host.

Ted Robinson told Julie she was funny and had opinions. He wanted her on the show.

Julie had worked in radio and children's theater. She was used to making people laugh.

Julie's family was big and loud. She learned to speak up and be funny.

Julie wasn't always confident, but she kept trying. Ted Robinson liked her kindness.

The first reviews of the show were good, but the ABC didn't understand it at first.

The show was almost canceled many times, but it kept going.

Mikey joked that they took money from the ABC that could have been used for British sitcoms.

Going commercial

In 1999, the show was sold to Channel 10 for $6 million. Some fans were upset.

Ted Robinson said they were 'reinventing' themselves. They felt good about the move.

Mikey Robins didn't care about being called a sell-out.

The show didn't change much, but it was an hour long now.

There was no censorship or policy change.

The audience changed. It was younger and more working-class.

Julie McCrossin said the new audience was less familiar with news and current affairs.

Julie had to be silly and make jokes. She stopped talking about politics.

Julie saw the move as a chance to reach more people. She cared about social change.

Julie was a queer woman and had hosted radio shows about queer issues.

Julie tried to quit in 1999, but Ted Robinson asked her to stay.

A second chance

In 2008, the show came back. Paul and Mikey returned, but Julie didn't.

Claire Hooper joined the show. She was new to comedy, but had been on TV before.

Claire found it hard to keep up with the news. It was sometimes sad.

Ted Robinson called Claire and offered her the job. She was surprised.

Paul and Mikey were nice to Claire. Ted gave her advice on how to do well on the show.

Ted told Claire to speak up early and be herself. He said it was like a dinner party.

Claire didn't feel like she had to replace Julie. She just wanted to be herself.

Claire's job was to help the other team members shine.

Mikey is proud that the show helped young performers get on TV.

The show had many famous guests over the years.

The show ended for good in 2012. There was a live show at the comedy festival.

Now, Claire and Paul are still working in comedy. Mikey is retired, and Julie is doing other things.

No one wants to do a new version of the show, but Mikey thinks it could work with a younger cast.

Mikey says the news is different now. What was a joke 30 years ago is real now.

Claire is doing a new live show. It's at the comedy festival until April 19.

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Good News Week: 30 Years of Comedy

Topic: Television

The first Good News Week had Paul McDermott, Julie McCrossin, and Mikey Robins. They did a live show at the Melbourne comedy festival.

Paul McDermott said, 'Thank you and welcome to Witness with Paul McDermott,' to the audience on April 19, 1996.

They asked Rupert Murdoch funny questions. The show was a comedy news game show.

This was 30 years ago. Paul McDermott was 33 years old then.

Paul said it was easy to move from live comedy to TV. He just cut his hair.

The first episode referenced a Channel Seven show.

Paul talked about news stories and threw newspaper clippings in the air.

The show was made by Ted Robinson. It was like a British show called Have I Got News for You.

Paul hosted the show from 1996 to 2000 and then again from 2008 to 2012.

The show was popular. In 1997, 750,000 people watched it. In 2010, Paul was nominated for a Gold Logie.

Mikey Robins says Paul owes him $45 from 1999.

The show helped local and international comedians like Daniel Sloss and Josh Thomas.

A dynamic trio

Mikey Robins was on the show with Paul. He was a radio star and a team captain.

The Melbourne comedy festival started 40 years ago. It has changed a lot.

Mikey Robins was chosen for the show because he was quick and knew about current events.

Paul and Mikey looked different, which was funny.

They started trading jokes during the pilot episode.

Mikey remembers smiling and thinking the show might work.

The other team captain was Anthony Ackroyd. There were also other comedians and actors on the show.

Julie McCrossin became a team captain after a while. She was a comedian and a radio host.

Ted Robinson told Julie she was funny and had opinions. He wanted her on the show.

Julie had worked in radio and children's theater. She was used to making people laugh.

Julie's family was big and loud. She learned to speak up and be funny.

Julie wasn't always confident, but she kept trying. Ted Robinson liked her kindness.

The first reviews of the show were good, but the ABC didn't understand it at first.

The show was almost canceled many times, but it kept going.

Mikey joked that they took money from the ABC that could have been used for British sitcoms.

Going commercial

In 1999, the show was sold to Channel 10 for $6 million. Some fans were upset.

Ted Robinson said they were 'reinventing' themselves. They felt good about the move.

Mikey Robins didn't care about being called a sell-out.

The show didn't change much, but it was an hour long now.

There was no censorship or policy change.

The audience changed. It was younger and more working-class.

Julie McCrossin said the new audience was less familiar with news and current affairs.

Julie had to be silly and make jokes. She stopped talking about politics.

Julie saw the move as a chance to reach more people. She cared about social change.

Julie was a queer woman and had hosted radio shows about queer issues.

Julie tried to quit in 1999, but Ted Robinson asked her to stay.

A second chance

In 2008, the show came back. Paul and Mikey returned, but Julie didn't.

Claire Hooper joined the show. She was new to comedy, but had been on TV before.

Claire found it hard to keep up with the news. It was sometimes sad.

Ted Robinson called Claire and offered her the job. She was surprised.

Paul and Mikey were nice to Claire. Ted gave her advice on how to do well on the show.

Ted told Claire to speak up early and be herself. He said it was like a dinner party.

Claire didn't feel like she had to replace Julie. She just wanted to be herself.

Claire's job was to help the other team members shine.

Mikey is proud that the show helped young performers get on TV.

The show had many famous guests over the years.

The show ended for good in 2012. There was a live show at the comedy festival.

Now, Claire and Paul are still working in comedy. Mikey is retired, and Julie is doing other things.

No one wants to do a new version of the show, but Mikey thinks it could work with a younger cast.

Mikey says the news is different now. What was a joke 30 years ago is real now.

Claire is doing a new live show. It's at the comedy festival until April 19.

Promotion

Top Stories

LIVE

Topic: Unrest, Conflict and War

Topic: Police

Analysis by Gareth Hutchens

Topic: Weather

Top Stories

LIVE

Topic: Unrest, Conflict and War

Topic: Police

Analysis by Gareth Hutchens

Topic: Weather

Just In

Topic: Demographics

Topic: Perspective

Topic: Police

Topic: Petrol Prices