Mister Brisbane: Vive la différence
Sizzler fizzles | Radio rantings | Ancient anthems | Brett + Borat | Privacy fallacy
Many Queenslanders like to proclaim that they are different to other Australians. Many Australians think we’re different too, but for not for the same reasons. Yes, sadly, the old “you are now entering Queensland, set your clocks back 25 years” jokes are still bandied about down south around this time of year when daylight saving kicks in. The fact is that there are some differences between us, certainly when it comes to our tastes in popular culture is instructive. This is evident if you look at the breakdowns in television and radio ratings. Some shows do much better in the Brisbane market than they do elsewhere.
We are very parochial when it comes to sport — even when they’re losing, the Brisbane Broncos’ games tend to rate well, and they naturally rate better in Brisbane than in Sydney, and hardly at all in other states (where they are on the multi-channels or shown late at night). For some reason, based on recent figures, we seem to prefer Hot Seat to The Chase Australia, even though The Chase leads nationally. Also, we’re keener on Neighbours, Home and Away, Midsomer Murders and Escape to the Chateau than people in many other capitals, and we can’t make up our minds whether we like Seven News or Nine News, while Nine normally wins in Sydney and Melbourne and Seven rules in Adelaide, Perth and overall.
When it comes to radio listening, the networked shows also work differently in different markets. In Brisbane (based on percentage of available audience listening), we like Hughsey and Ed more than they do in Sydney, and Kate, Tim and Joel (formerly Marty) much more than they do in Melbourne. And listeners down south like commercial talk radio much, much more than we do. I don’t know why this is; there may be a thesis in it.
Join Brett Debritz and Spencer Howson for the Mister Brisbane show on Reading Radio at 1296AM or DAB+ in Brisbane on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, Wednesdays at 2pm and Saturdays at 7.15am. It is also available as a podcast on popular platforms including Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts.
KELLY’S HEROES
On the subject of radio ratings, which came out last week after a Covid-related hiatus, congratulations to Kelly Higgins Devine (below) whose evening show on ABC Brisbane had a 3.6 percentage point increase in audience, meaning it had nearly twice as many listeners as the second-placegetter. The overall winner was Nova 106.9 whose Ash, Kip, Luttsy and Susie also led in the breakfast shift. But it was a very close thing, with Triple M, B105, 97.3FM and the local ABC all hot on their heels. Meanwhile, 4KQ’s Laurel, Gary and Mark had the biggest increase in audience share and are well up there among the leaders. And the absence of Alan Jones wasn’t felt too much over at 4BC, where the breakfast numbers dropped a little but Neil Breen held on to a good chunk of the audience in his first survey. So, there’s something there for just about everyone.
SIZZLED OUT
The word came through late last week that Queensland’s, and Australia’s, last remaining Sizzler restaurants will close, and a tiny piece of me died. It’s no secret that nostalgia is my bag, and it’s only recently that I was noting the demise of other formerly well-known brands and celebrating the the return of the Prince Consort name for the pub in Fortitude Valley. And yes I know Sizzler was originally an American brand and I know from exchanges on Twitter that not everybody is sad at its passing. Times move on, you know.
So, I’m now thinking about businesses from the past that never went away. What’s endured over the years? Well, there are some pubs — the Brekkie Creek, Regatta, Lord Alfred, Norman, Normanby, Fox/Terminus, Wickham, Waterloo and a few others — but I struggle to think of very old restaurants, shops or other businesses that are still going concerns. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.
SAME OLD SONGS
As I was watching the Brisbane Lions defeat the Richmond Tigers on the weekend, it occurred to me how quaint and old-fashioned Australian football club anthems are. Most of them just put new lyrics to once-popular tunes. For example, the Lions’ team song is sung to the tune of La Marseillaise, which is the national anthem of France and was written in 1792; Geelong’s to The Toreador Song from the 1875 Bizet opera Carmen; and Hawthorn’s is derived from The Yankee Doodle Boy from the 1904 musical Little Johnny Jones. Only Port Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney, West Coast and Gold Coast have original songs. Is it time for an update? I’m not saying they should throw out the old ones, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some modern-day remixes, or totally new songs, too. Perhaps it’s a challenge the clubs and the AFL could endorse to support the Australian music industry.
NO SECRETS
The other day, a friend was decrying the general lack of privacy these days, before resigning herself to the position that “the government knows everything about us any way”. Well, that’s true; in fact, it’s always been true. And it’s not just the government. While Google and Facebook and other social media platforms now make it very easy to find out the minutiae of other people’s lives, much of this information was already out there for those who took the trouble to find it.
Journalists of my era had access to such tools as the telephone book — remember the White and Yellow Pages? — which told you where just about everybody lived and gave you a number you could use to contact them. Then there were electoral rolls — books that contained the addresses of the people who weren’t in the phone book — plus company and shareholder records to give us a clue as to who owned what. There was even a database to match a car’s number plate to its owner. As for more personal details … well, you’d normally find a friend or neighbour willing to spill the beans.
The question is: are we any worse off now, or has privacy only ever been an illusion?
FILM WITH BENEFITS
Borat is back in a sequel — possibly titled Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan or Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan — and it will be streamed on Amazon Prime from October 23. (The trailer is here.) That’s enough reason for me to re-tell my Borat story from the Australian launch of the original film in 2006.
The scene is the Sydney Opera House and it’s not a typical media conference. Channel 10’s Angela Bishop is asking questions of Borat (actor/writer Sacha Baron Cohen performing in character) provided by journalists from around Australia. Right at the end, when I fear I’ve been forgotten, Bishop says: “Brett Debritz from The Sunday Mail in Brisbane would like know whether you've made any significant cultural insights into Australia yet.” I identify myself and Borat stares in my direction. ‘Yes,’ he says. ‘I am very interest to meet one of these animals — a kungaroo, yes? Kungaroo, yes? He then goes on to tell a story about his brother, Bilo, who apparently has a pouch. ‘He also have very strong arms and a head size of a chicken with a mouth with 200 teeth and three in nose. I think I answer question.’ And that was it. On the bright side, I got to see the film before most Australians and enjoyed a nice day in Sydney. And, yes, I was given a lime green mankini by the film’s distributors. And, no, I shall not be posing for photographs in it.
MEANWHILE …
Topology (above) has announced a 10-show tour including Brisbane, at the Princess Theatre, and nine regional centres. Details here.
Channel Nine Brisbane has commissioned another series of My Way in which Tim Blackwell will explore Queensland and Queenslanders’ stories. That’s on next year. This year’s season is being repeated now on Sundays at 5.30pm.
“If you’ve missed live performance this year and the spark of post‑show discussion echoing well beyond the theatre foyer, then you can’t miss this.” So says Queensland Theatre artistic director Lee Lewis of Kieran Hurley’ Mouthpiece, starring Christen O’Leary and playing at QPAC under Covid-safe conditions from October 31. Tickets here.
Update: The Queensland Symphony Orchestra is to play at the AFL Grand Final at the Gabba. What a great choice!
FEEDBACK
A former colleague of mine, photographer Mike, remembered the Rod Quantock Bus, Son of Tram tour and he said it was “bloody hilarious”.
On the matter of the NRL and head injuries, Dan noted: “You mentioned American football in the podcast — interesting that they have had very public conversations about brain injuries in recent years with a lot of scrutiny on the game as a result.” While admitting he didn’t pay much attention to the code of rugby league, he said it seemed that the NRL was “just one big insurance claim away from being in jeopardy”. However, Daniel (no relation to Dan, that I know of) compared footballers to people who take up smoking. “NRL players are well aware of potential risk. Why should clubs or the game be responsible if they choose to play? They’re not conscripted.”
Regarding unruly audience behaviour at the theatre, Lea said we should “respect the performers in almost all cases”, while Yvonne noted that, in Brisbane, “We are polite and respectful of artists. Not always the case patron to patron however. That’s a whole other story.” Tracy from Belfast said: “I will confess that in the UK if I don’t like a show it’s a very muted clap to show disgruntlement — and I have sat through a few dreadful shows! We were really surprised in US when there was live music or bands and people more interested in talking or eating instead of the music.” And Tracey from Brisbane said: “Respect the performer but if you don’t like it ... leave. No need to ruin it for everyone else.”
P.S.
Since this is evident to anybody who is playing at home, I have to admit that I’ve done very badly with my pledge made a few weeks ago to cut down my Twitter use. On the other hand, I haven’t had a drink since July 23 (but who’s counting?)