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Micallef Tonight was a short-lived Australian variety show that aired on the Nine Network in 2003. It was hosted by comedian Shaun Micallef and also featured the talents of Francis Greenslade, Jason Geary, Livinia Nixon and Pete Smith.
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Contents
- 1 Show Content
- 2 Episodes
- 2.1 Episode 1: May 12, 2003
- 2.2 Episode 2: May 19, 2003
- 2.3 Episode 3: May 26, 2003
- 2.4 Episode 4: June 2, 2003
- 2.5 Episode 5: June 9, 2003
- 2.6 Episode 6: June 16, 2003
- 2.7 Episode 7: June 23, 2003
- 2.8 Episode 8: June 30, 2003
- 2.9 Episode 9: July 7, 2003
- 2.10 Episode 10: July 14, 2003
- 2.11 Episode 11: July 21, 2003
- 2.12 Episode 12: July 28, 2003
- 2.13 Episode 13: August 4, 2003
- 3 Cancellation
- 4 Themes
- 5 Criticism
- 6 See also
- 7 External links
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Much like a typical variety show, each episode of Micallef Tonight featured a number of interviews with celebrities bookended by regular segments (such as "Shaun on his High Horse", Micallef ranting against pop culture while literally straddling a fake horse) and a musical performance. However at the times the show also delved into the realm of parody, such as introducing guest Jamie Durie with a long-winded opening only to dismiss him immediately afterwards, and requesting that guest Alison Whyte stand on a table holding an inflatable fish, in an otherwise unrelated interview, purely in order to provide material for the commercial for the following week's show.
Other in-show shenanigans included stealing musical guest Delta Goodrem's shoes as she played the piano, deliberately leaving actress Melissa George, live via satellite from Hollywood, on hold for over five minutes (she had guest starred in a supersized episode of Friends earlier that night, effectively delaying the broadcast of Micallef Tonight by several minutes), and requesting singers insert random words in to their musical performances to prove they weren't lip-syncing. Notable examples were David Campbell inserting the word "lamington" into his performance and Amiel inserting the word "dolphinarium". Micallef would end each episode with the line "See you in the Monkey House Australia!" and the show would usually close with a musical performance from Greenslade that was never quite what the audience expected; such as a rendition of Billy Joel's Piano Man...played on the Guitar
Micallef previously parodied the variety show format with 1998's The Micallef Program.
The series premiered on May 12, 2003 and thirteen episodes were aired. The first episode rated strongly and although ratings declined steadily thereafter, it was announced in June 2003 that the series would be extended for a further 20 weeks. Episode 12 (July 28) included a segment involving a midget hassling random restaurant patrons; after it screened, guest Tony Martin pointed out that the last show he had been involved in which featured a midget -- (The Mick Molloy Show) -- had been axed. In an example of history repeating itself, Micallef Tonight was cancelled the following week. Also, on an earlier episode, a visibly intoxicated Mick Molloy warned Micallef to "watch (his) arse". Micallef ended his series with an interview with Ricky Martin in which both he and Martin used an expletive on live television, then called channel Nine live on air to complain about the language used on his show.
The $10.90 Chicken Parmigiana was a mocking guest which appeared all throughout all 13 episodes.
Like the equally shortlived Molloy Show (also shown on Nine) Micallef's show was ostensibly cancelled because of dwindling ratings, in this case against fellow comedian Andrew Denton's interview series Enough Rope. In a memorable parody, whilst Danni Minogue was performing on Shaun's show, the camera cut to him only to see Shaun watching Andrew Denton's show (which aired simultaneously on another channel). Critics also claimed that the show may have been too sophisticated for most audiences on the notoriously "mainstream" Nine Network, and was an acquired taste. Others have said that part of the axing was due to a segment which made fun of Alan Jones' morning message segment on the Australian Today show. The segment began with one video on screen then became two, then four, then eight and so on till it reached dozens and although nothing said was comprehensible, they all ended at the same time with 'I'm Alan Jones'. This segment apparently angered Kerry Packer who owned Channel 9 and was a close friend of Alan Jones and ordered the show to be axed. At the time of its airing, the show was critically acclaimed and became a cult favourite, even having followers internationally due to its irreverent humour and absurdity.
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