Pack ‘Er Up Boys: A Look Back At The Best Matt And Alex Moments
From 'Pack 'Er Up Boys', to awkward run-ins with Chris Rock.
Matt Okine and Alex Dyson have had it pretty good since they parted ways.
Dyson made a brief left turn into politics, running a campaign that he announced via interpretive dance, while Okine has had the sweet and gentle sitcom The Other Guy to keep him busy. Also, I saw Okine at Coles a couple of weeks ago, and he looked really well. So that’s good.
But, despite the success they’ve found as solo acts, there’s still been something ever so slightly missing — that tiny spark of Rat Dog magic that only happens when the two are in the room together. So let’s glance into the past, and go through our five favourite Matt and Alex moments.
When Matt Had To Play His Comedy Routine For Chris Rock
Matt and Alex were always skilled interviewers, able to keep their conversations buoyant and casual. That is, unless it was funnier to make them extremely awkward, which is what happened when Alex and Chris Rock teamed up and demanded that Matt play a little bit of his stand-up set.
The whole thing is gloriously cringey, with Rock in particular really driving the knife deeper into poor Matt. But the pay-off is worth it, as the legendary comedian gives his stamp of approval to the young radio host — kinda.
When They Tricked A Fellow Presenter Into Performing For Nobody
Everyone wants to host triple j’s Breakfast program. Which is how Matt and Alex were able to trick their over-eager colleague Kyran into waking up at the crack of dawn and hosting a show to an audience of absolutely nobody.
It’s a perfect Matt and Alex prank, really. The pair have always excelled at being funny without necessarily hurting anybody — their pranks are of the distinctly gentle variety. Sure, Kyran is a victim of sorts. But all he wanted was to get some kind of exposure. And weirdly enough, through being pranked, he got more than he might ever have otherwise asked for.
When Alex Unveiled The World’s Strangest ‘Playschool’ Remix
Back in 2016, triple j hosted a competition inviting listeners to submit their own remix of the iconic Playschool theme. Never one to let an opportunity for comedy to pass him by, Alex jumped at the chance, and delivered an absolutely munted song that he played live to a nonplussed Matt.
Munted — but also kinda good. Alex’s remix is a total mess, of course, filled with weird vocal reverb, a screamed chorus, and an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach to musical production. But I’ll be damned if it doesn’t stick in your head.
When They Covered Lana Del Rey (Sorta)
Inspired by Lana Del Rey’s enigmatic and beautiful ‘West Coast’, Matt and Alex decided to write their own version of the song, this one dedicated to the wonders of Western Australia. The result? A takedown of Australia’s strangest state that also manages to be as loving as it is absolutely cutting.
Lana Del Rey never knew what hit her.
When They Packed ‘Er Up, Boys
I mean, can you even imagine this list without pack ‘er up boys? The two minute clip has already been accepted into the annals of Australian comedy history, mimicked by wannabe funny folks from all across Australia.
There’s a reason that the two marked their retirement from the station with a remixed version of this legendary skit — it is, in so many ways, the jewel in their particularly lopsided crown.
When They Decimated Like A Version
Of course, Matt and Alex’s take on Like A Version was always going to be one for the ages. But I don’t think anyone was quite prepared for what it turned out to be — a soulful, absolutely bizarre mash-up of ‘Kiss From A Rose’ and Darude’s ‘Sandstorm’.
It was a meme, of course, the kind of insane prank that the two had become well-known for. But it was also, in its own way, kinda touching.