Shaun Micallef and I were once guests on a pilot episode of a new podcast where we had to tell an embarrassing story about ourselves. I went first. My story had been road-tested. I knew it was guaranteed to get at least three good laughs from an English speaking audience. And it got them. Relieved, I sat back and handed the mic to Shaun. Within, I dunno, 10 seconds, he had everyone in the studio on the floor, howling. It wasn’t just the inherent funniness of what he was saying, it was his cadence, it was the way he structured the narrative, and the fact that there wasn’t a word out of place. I should have been humiliated. My story, which I’d seen bring joy to rooms of people, was now reduced to the most tepid of warm-up acts, crushed into irrelevancy by this happy genius. I got a taste of what it was like for those poor bastards who had to bat with Bradman.
Tonight, Shaun’s show, Mad As Hell, is ending after 11 years. It’s been a triumph – a banister that has held us up in good times and bad. It even got us through a pandemic - and did so without a studio audience.
Before I wrote this, I wanted to see what the media response had been to Mad As Hell when it launched in 2012 and found this from the Sydney Morning Herald:
The first episode was a real disappointment. Micallef didn't look entirely comfortable, particularly in his opening monologue, and some of the jokes were … not very funny.
As Fawlty Towers showed us, having a shithouse first review is compulsory for a legendary show. Also, the SMH’s headline: LUKEWARM ON MAD AS HELL has echoes the Daily Mirror’s LONG JOHN SHORT ON JOKES.
But the non-grudge-holding Shaun told the SMH this week he felt 11 years and 15 seasons was “a good summer” and it was “important to know when to get off before the audience starts readying the rotting fruit.” Like that would ever happen.
So tune in at 8.30pm tonight on ABC and laugh with Shaun and his team one last time. Before I go, here are some famous Mad As Hell bits to whet your appetite.
Well done,
Shaun has a brilliant mind and I for one will miss his the show.
Was lucky enough to get to a filming of a recent episode with my family, well worthwhile and enjoyed by all.
Oh wow did not realise Mad as hell was ending. Loved this show. Just binged a heap of episodes a few months ago. His comedic timing and facial expressions are second to none.