Farewell Andrew Denton’s TV Career, It Was Nice Knowing You

Andrew Denton is retiring from TV.

Earlier today, the mischievous comedian announced his plans to depart from Australian television, putting an end to a career that stretches back nearly three decades, and includes such well-loved shows as Live And Sweaty and Enough Rope. 

Denton got his start in radio in the mid-1980s, and hosted the Triple M breakfast show with Amanda Keller. After several appearances on the ABC, including the improvised comedy show Theatresports, Denton began to pick up regular hosting work there.

His first foray into TV hosting was on the comedy-variety show Blah Blah Blah, whose running joke was that the baby-faced Denton was just the work experience kid, filling in until the real star of the show turned up.

Denton’s shows were united by an anti-authoritarian streak, and he was never afraid to ruffle feathers — no more so than in the mid-1990s, when he launched a campaign to hire a bounty hunter to catch fugitive businessman Christopher Skase.

Throughout the 2000s, Denton established himself as one of Australian TV’s most fascinating interviewers on Enough Rope. His production company, Zapruder’s Other Fims, was behind such hits as CNNNN and The Gruen Transfer.

Last year, when Zapruder’s Other Films merged with Cordell Jigsaw, Denton said that he was keen to take a long break. “Now I’ve decided to make that a break from television altogether,” he said, putting a cap on a long and brilliant career.

With his retirement, Australian TV loses one of its liveliest minds. In honour of Denton and whatever he decides to do next, we present some of his most memorable TV moments.

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Blah Blah Blah (1988)

On Blah Blah Blah, a youthful Denton honed his interviewing skills in this chat with The Divinyls. Among the highlights, Chrissy Amphlett explains why it’s maybe not a good idea to grab her breast.

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The Money Or The Gun (1989-1994)

Part comedy series and part talk show, The Money Or The Gun saw Denton take on the big issues in typically irreverent style.

The series covered a lot of ground, from guns to advertising.

 

The show’s musical guests were required to perform a cover of ‘Stairway To Heaven’.

This John Paul Young version was one of the more… memorable.

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Live And Sweaty (1991-1995) 

Live And Sweaty was Denton’s attempt at a sporting panel show — sort of like The Footy Show if it was, you know, actually funny. ‘As Long As We Beat New Zealand’, recorded in the lead-up to the 1992 Olympics, made it on to #38 on the ARIA charts that year.

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Denton (1994-1995)

Denton won his first Logie Award (for ‘Most Popular Comedy Personality’) for this self-titled talk show on Channel 7.

In this rather uncomfortable interview, he asks a young Kylie Minogue how she feels about people ‘tapping into semi-naked images’ of her on the internet.

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He let it all hang out with risqué comedian Julian Clary.

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Alice Cooper had some uniquely gross rock and roll stories to tell.

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Enough Rope (2003-2008)

This interview show was Denton’s longest-running hosting gig. The aim of the show, he said at the time, was to bring in people from as many different walks of life as possible, not just ones he was comfortable with.

In that spirit, former Ku Klux Klan leader Johnny Lee Clary was a guest.

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Coldplay’s Chris Martin gave him a lesson in writing daft lyrics.

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The late Steve Irwin brought some broad Aussie style.

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And Denton and pop star P!nk built up a surprisingly fun rapport.

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Sigh. What did we miss? There are probably about a million more of these, right?