It was 2008 when John Clarke received his Lifetime Achievement Logie. I’d worked with him a bit, but like most Australians, was just a fan. When he was given his award, I remember the applause in the room was so loud and sustained that, for a moment, John showed a little bit of emotion. Satirists aren’t meant to show emotion and he had to work to hold it back. At the after party, I talked to a bunch of people – actors, producers and a network executive who asked me to get out of his eye-line as I was blocking his view of “Megan Gale’s arse”. But the fun bit of the night was that every now and then this guy would sidle up to me and murmur in my ear: “It’s Australian television’s night of nights, Adam.” I’d turn around and the great John Clarke would be disappearing into the crowd with his statue. This happened at least three times throughout the evening. “It’s Australian television’s night of nights Adam” - and off he’d go. That was the last time I ever saw John Clarke, walking off into the crowd, trophy in hand, looking for the next person whose Logies he was about to make so much better. John, it’s Australian television’s night of nights and it misses you more than you could ever have imagined.
"IT'S AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION'S NIGHT OF NIGHTS, ADAM."
The best thing about this anecdote is that you can feel his tone of voice, a slight smile and little skip step as he disappears into the crowd