The Ronnie Johns Half Hour

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The Cast of The Ronnie Johns Half Hour. From left to right Heath Franklin, Jordan Raskopoulos, Caz Fitzgerald, Felicity Ward, Dan Ilic and James Pender

The Ronnie Johns Half Hour is an Australian sketch comedy show produced by Jigsaw Entertainment and the Ten Network, which premiered in October 2005. Its full name is "The Ronnie Johns Good Times Campfire Jamboree Half Hour Show, Now on Television". The cast of the show came from a series of stage shows called The Third Degree, which featured selections from Australian university revues, and consists of Heath Franklin, Jordan Raskopoulos, Felicity Ward, Dan Ilic, James Pender and Caroline Fitzgerald.

The first season of the Ronnie Johns Half Hour ran for thirteen episodes The first six aired from October 2005 and the remaining seven aired from February 2006. A second series is currently in production. The first series is set to be aired in New Zealand on the C4 Network from July 25th.

In 2006, the show received a Logie nomination for Most Outstanding Comedy Series, and Franklin was nominated for the 2006 Inaugural Graham Kennedy Logie Award for Most Oustanding New Talent.

Contents

Recurring characters

As well as many stand-alone sketches, The Ronnie Johns Half Hour features a number of characters who have appeared in almost every episode.

Ronnie Johns

The title character of the show, Ronnie Johns is the "comedy cowboy' he rides upon the "Good Taste Pony" (a papier-mâché horse worn around his waist). Ronnie appears in the opening and closing scenes of the show, as well as occasionally interjecting between sketches commenting on them and warning the audience about potential bad taste.

Paulie

Paulie, a young man of unknown mediterrainian heritage, dressed in a green-and-pink striped polo shirt, confronts various people to complain about what might be termed pedantic issues. For example, in his first appearance, he explains to a cashier at a store that gnocchi is actually made of potatoes, and should not be placed in the pasta aisle. Other complaints he made included wanting to change the nickname of the Australian soccer team because a "socceroo" isn't a real animal, and that George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is incorrect because its events did not occur in 1984. At the end of the sketches Paulie recommends that the problems be solved by putting a sticker on the offending object, and assures the target of his complaint that "I've got my eye on youse".

On the Season 2 finale, it was revealed that Paulie's campaign against gnocchi began when his parents both ordered it at a restaurant, thinking it was pasta, and died from potato allergies.

Poppie

Poppie is depicted as a small, innocent girl, who asks strangers if they would like to look at her picture book. The book contains pictures of often controversial issues such as the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse or the Ku Klux Klan, but Poppie's narration describes them more naively, suggesting they are, for example, performing acrobatics routines or playing dress-ups. Poppy has a brother whom is homosexual, and like paulie, events from past episodes and sketches sometimes occur again at a later date.

Gary and Gary

Gary and Gary are two stereotypical English backpackers with an obsession for the TV soap opera Neighbours, particularly the character "Toadfish". Whilst backpacking through Australia they grow quite bored of the sights and often complain about everything. However almost all of the sketches quickly lead to them releiving their boredom by indulging in their favourite past-time of kicking each other in the "janglies" - each takes turn to kick the other between the legs. This is the main example of faux English slang which the characters habitually use. Towards the end of the series an American Backpacker, Chuck, joined the duo. The Garys shifted from only complaining about Australia to also making fun of Chuck and his country of origin.

Chopper Read

One of the few depictions of a real person, the infamous murderer Mark 'Chopper' Read appears as a special guest in various incongruous situations, such as reading a story for children a la Play School or calling numbers for bingo. The humour in Chopper's segments derives from his penchants for swearing and violence, as well as his lack of education, as demonstrated in the bingo sketch where he points out "I can't even fuckin' count, I'm gonna host bingo! It's just like bloody dingo but it's safer with your kids, eh?". Chopper has also been portrayed as a French teacher, a flight attendant, an auctioneer, a "drive by" instructor, and has recited 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.

Social Suicide Bomber

The Social Suicide Bomber is an awkward-looking man in a burgundy blazer and salmon-pink shirt who is summoned by people who are stuck in unpleasant social situations - such as an unattractive man flirting with a woman who doesn't want that kind of attention - by pressing a large red button. He drives away the unwanted person with banal comments or bizarre actions, like demonstrating his pterodactyl impersonation. Unfortunately, with that person gone, the Social Suicide Bomber then often turns his sights to the person who called him creating a situation that was more awkward than the one to begin with.

The Simon, Gretchin and Sigmund are a trio of apathetic Germans who dress in black and speak in monotonous voices. They appear in places that are usually the source of happy, bubbly personalities, like children's TV shows, aerobics shows, or as replacements for a department store Santa, and frequently make comments on the meaninglessness and futility of life, love and other endeavours. Gretchen is shown to be harbouring much aggression, and frequently has small outbursts of anger, and it is also shown her birthday is on the same day as Simon's. The Nihilists appear to be loosely based on similar characters from the movie The Big Lebowski.

Henry Limpton's Teabag

Henry Limpton is a man with an unfortunate compulsion. He can't help but dunk his scrotum into his friend, Cochese's food and beverages. Played out in mime with campy sitcom music. Henry has ruined Cochese's beer, fruit punch and fondue. During the christmas episode he "teabagged" a chimney while santa was descending.

Jesus Christ

The son of God. Jesus finds himself in many sketches on the show however his sketches don't have a common stylistic or narrative link. In one sketch he was trying to reach his moblie phone while crucified. In another he was challenged to avoid "towel-flicking" someones bottom and on another occasion he was the spokesman for "High Five a Muslim Day"

Rastus the Very Political Pet

A puppet dog with a left political outlook. Whenever Rastus encounters statements that he doesn't agree with, whether it be a right wing house guest or a talkback radio host Rastus responds with barks, growls and even attacks. The sketches often end with Rastas' owner, Miles, being persuaded not to put up with the person any longer and telling the character "No, Rastus is quite right, I think you're full of shit."

Phillip

A creepy looking bearded man in an overcoat goes shopping. He makes a small inquiry about the item he wants to purchase, usually a foodstuff (mangoes,ice-cream) after he purchases the item he throws it on the floor and steps on it dramatically. He then turns to the seller of the item and says "I DON'T LIKE YOUR ____"

Bill The Bear

Bill is a bear who used to work in an office but was fired because Australia's New Industrial Relations Laws meant his employers didn't have to give him hibernation leave any longer. So since Bill couldn't stay awake all year round he was given the sack (and a bowl of porridge). Bill is now trying to find a job but this is hampered by his hibernation and racist attitudes towards pandas.

Single Entendre Man

Single Entendre Man is famous for making outrageously explicit comments in a direct manner (i.e. without euphemisms). Sketches often involve a friend making a double entendre comment only for Single Entendre Man to respond with what he'd like to do to a relative of the friend.

Ranger Dan

Ranger Dan provides the public with the 3rd Degree's community service announcements. He advocates bizarre initiatives such as giving homeless people violinists to play sad music so that you can tell if the person is genuinly homeless.

Controversial sketches

The Jesus Skit

The Ronnie Johns Half Hour often features risqué material on subjects such as sex and religion, and as such have received many complaints, some of which they have played on in future sketches. For example, one of the early sketches portrayed Jesus on the cross answering a mobile phone. This generated a number of complaints, several of which claimed that they "wouldn't dare do the same thing about Muslims". The following episode, they referred to these complaints and played an identical scene with Mohammed on the cross instead of Jesus.

High Five a Muslim Day

As part of the second Season, the Ronnie Johns Half Hour advertised a fictional Australian National Awareness Day, February 28 was announced as "High Five a Muslim Day". This event was heavily advertised on the show and the internet, with viewers encouraged to go out and find Muslims "or even people who just look like they're Muslims, 'cause they've been copping it too" and get happy with the schlappy. To this end, t-shirts and posters were printed and distributed around Australia at a variety of venues and events, including the Tropfest Film Festival.

Initially the ten network were reluctant to screen the episode due to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. However the Ronnie Johns team consulted a number of prominent members of the Australian Islamic community with the sketch. The sketch was met with praise by Islamic leaders and the 3rd Degree were even given a fatwah by the Mufti of Australia decreeing that the sketch promoted tolerance and understanding.

The sketches began with a community announcement-style advertisement, where Jesus announced the day. This was followed up by a number of fake television commercials advertising the day and finally a montage of vox pops of the publics opinion towards High Five a Muslim day. At the end of the day when asked about the response the producers reported "T-shirts sold: 'A couple of hundred.' Complaints from Christians: Five. Complaints from Muslims: Nil." ([SMH Feb 27]).

Videos of Sketches

["High Five a Muslim Day"]

["National Muslim Hotline"]

External links

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