Andrew Denton My Heart
I was heartbroken when I heard that Andrew Denton intended to finish up his show Enough Rope. Thankfully, rumours of his demise were greatly exaggerated.
Unfortunately, Denton did admit that he does not want to be omnipresent on television like one Michael Parkinson. So the question is, when he does decide to farewell the comfy interviewing chair, who will fill the void?
Let’s face it – Andrew Denton is one of the best interviewers ever to grace the idiot’s lantern. He is charming, funny and disarming; managing to break down the barriers of every guest he interviews. Not only that, but he also finds the stories of real people and makes them engaging. There is no one in the same league as him on Australian television today.
Mind you, the competitors in the entertainment interviewing genre are few and far between. The only two that fall into the category are Rove and David Tench.
Rove is an entertainer and not really much of an interviewer. His questions are very standard and were probably selected from a pool by a lab-rat running through a maze. The format tends to be:
1. Promote their latest movie/album/book/show
2. Bring up one embarrassing habit and/or moment
3. Get them to swear
Of course, Rove must always bring the conversation back to himself as well. But Rove’s self-centredness cannot rival that of David Tench.
I really want to like David Tench, I really do. It is made by Zapruder’s Other Films, which is Andrew Denton’s production company. The Denton connection was what originally induced me to watch. The concept of an animated character interviewing in real time is interesting and I think the animation is impressive, but the character is just… irritating.
Tench is not funny. He’s not interesting. He’s just annoying. And yet the show is all about him, with the guests being little more than a vehicle for Tench’s unfunny jokes.
At the moment, it seems unlikely that anyone else will join the entertainment interviewing ranks, unless Channel Nine continues with its policy of putting Bert Newton on every program it airs and gives him a prime-time talk show (please don’t let that happen!). So it appears that once Denton leaves our screens, we will be adrift with nothing but vapid interviewers and no real insight.
As for Andrew Denton’s career post-ABC, I believe that he should become the Secretary General of the United Nations. With his stellar interviewing skills he could discover that the real reason Hugo Chavez dislikes the US President is because his childhood nightmares involved being engulfed by a thorny bush, or that Osama Bin Laden hides in caves is because he is agoraphobic.
Unfortunately, Denton did admit that he does not want to be omnipresent on television like one Michael Parkinson. So the question is, when he does decide to farewell the comfy interviewing chair, who will fill the void?
Let’s face it – Andrew Denton is one of the best interviewers ever to grace the idiot’s lantern. He is charming, funny and disarming; managing to break down the barriers of every guest he interviews. Not only that, but he also finds the stories of real people and makes them engaging. There is no one in the same league as him on Australian television today.
Mind you, the competitors in the entertainment interviewing genre are few and far between. The only two that fall into the category are Rove and David Tench.
Rove is an entertainer and not really much of an interviewer. His questions are very standard and were probably selected from a pool by a lab-rat running through a maze. The format tends to be:
1. Promote their latest movie/album/book/show
2. Bring up one embarrassing habit and/or moment
3. Get them to swear
Of course, Rove must always bring the conversation back to himself as well. But Rove’s self-centredness cannot rival that of David Tench.
I really want to like David Tench, I really do. It is made by Zapruder’s Other Films, which is Andrew Denton’s production company. The Denton connection was what originally induced me to watch. The concept of an animated character interviewing in real time is interesting and I think the animation is impressive, but the character is just… irritating.
Tench is not funny. He’s not interesting. He’s just annoying. And yet the show is all about him, with the guests being little more than a vehicle for Tench’s unfunny jokes.
At the moment, it seems unlikely that anyone else will join the entertainment interviewing ranks, unless Channel Nine continues with its policy of putting Bert Newton on every program it airs and gives him a prime-time talk show (please don’t let that happen!). So it appears that once Denton leaves our screens, we will be adrift with nothing but vapid interviewers and no real insight.
As for Andrew Denton’s career post-ABC, I believe that he should become the Secretary General of the United Nations. With his stellar interviewing skills he could discover that the real reason Hugo Chavez dislikes the US President is because his childhood nightmares involved being engulfed by a thorny bush, or that Osama Bin Laden hides in caves is because he is agoraphobic.
Celebrity Obsession
I'm irritated that Ray Martin is interviewing Terri Irwin for the interview that Channel 9 is presenting tomorrow night. Imagine how much better that interview would be with Denton interviewing!!!!!!!