Rove on Leno - Video and Review
Last night, Rove McManus made his American début on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
I will admit that my expectations were not particularly high, as I tend to find Rove's antics a tad tiresome. I couldn't help but cringe when he was introduced as 'Australia's Jay Leno.' I also found it quite disingenuous that he was heralded as having our most popular talk show, considering that it is really the only one on the air. Nevertheless, I held my breath and prepared to watch
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by Rove's performance. After the rather dreary interview with Dr Phil McGraw, the studio audience seemed desperate for some laughter, and he delivered. While he did seem nervous upon his entrance, this promptly dissipated; quickly replaced by an easy rapport between the Australian host and his Stateside counterpart.
Rove came across as cheeky rather than arrogant, earning many well-deserved laughs from the audience. All in all, he managed to overcome the very difficult task of engaging an audience that had no idea who he was, and holding his own against a talk show heavyweight.
I was expecting to be somewhat embarrassed by Rove's appearance - instead, I actually enjoyed it. The clips shown did make him seem somewhat manic, but they still held a great sense of fun. All in all, I think he ended up being an entertaining ambassador for the land down under. Well played, Rove.
For those who missed the interview, here is the video. I'd love to know your thoughts on Rove's Tonight Show appearance.
*Screencap courtesy of Wikipedia, and used under Fair Dealing for identification and critical commentary.
The Tonight Show Opening Sequence*
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by Rove's performance. After the rather dreary interview with Dr Phil McGraw, the studio audience seemed desperate for some laughter, and he delivered. While he did seem nervous upon his entrance, this promptly dissipated; quickly replaced by an easy rapport between the Australian host and his Stateside counterpart.
Rove came across as cheeky rather than arrogant, earning many well-deserved laughs from the audience. All in all, he managed to overcome the very difficult task of engaging an audience that had no idea who he was, and holding his own against a talk show heavyweight.
I was expecting to be somewhat embarrassed by Rove's appearance - instead, I actually enjoyed it. The clips shown did make him seem somewhat manic, but they still held a great sense of fun. All in all, I think he ended up being an entertaining ambassador for the land down under. Well played, Rove.
For those who missed the interview, here is the video. I'd love to know your thoughts on Rove's Tonight Show appearance.
*Screencap courtesy of Wikipedia, and used under Fair Dealing for identification and critical commentary.
I have never heard of this guy nor seen him before in my life, but if he is as freakin funny on HIS show as he was on this clip of Leno's show, I'd be watching him every damned week!
I love the Aussie sense of humor, your warmth, your charm, and your ability to laugh at just about anything, including yourselves...
It's a shame more Americans don't enjoy the same comic humor and the lighter side of life more often...
We're too busy poking our red, white and blue behinds into everyone else's affairs! lolol
Great post and loved the clip!
Take care and G'day,
Nick
Still, I wish we had more talk shows of the calibre of The Tonight Show on our screens.
Rugby World Cup 2007
Well...I think Rove must have read your last post and pulled his sock it to 'em up!
I will come back later to view the clip...this is just a quickie...it has its merits!
Hope you're well hon.
Dusk
Nina
Anthroblogogy
i must admit i felt really nervous when he walked out on stage. so much anticipation! and rove really looked like he was feeling it.
i too agree that someone like andrew denton has more credit, but we are dealing with popular media here, so rove is really the correct choice. i thought he handled that exceptionally well, and was able to entertain in a more universal style of comedy and not just with an australian flavour. it was also good to see him not taking the piss out of little old aus too much.
it was nice to hear the audience laughing for a reason and not just laughing because they were told to. the dynamic that was administered between jay and rove also worked very well, and i think no one tried to steel the limelight too much. all in all very entertaining and well done to rove (funny little fella).
had to watch it a second time before I reposted to this last comment by Jonathon...
Just as funny the second time around! Rove seems like one funny ass guy!
And it's very true about us American's, only because 99% of us are too busy gasping inexplicably at a naked tush on the tube, or clutching our hearts whenever we hear the word fuck...
That's why even I'm considered offbeat and irreverant here...having not been poperly "brought up" in the traditional American style, (me Mum is a Brit, me Da was Oirish, god rest his soul), so my "bizarre" sense of humor is much more open, lighthearted and maybe even a tad round the bend for most "normal" Americans I run into...
I can't corrupt the entire continent, but I'm workin on it one person at a time LOL
As far as Leno goes, he annoys the piss outta me because he comes across as the fuck-all King of Late Night Comedy, when he looks and behaves more like an ugly comedically challenged Queen, so I rarely ever watch him...
Give me an hour of Robin Williams or Eddie Izzard, and that's what I call great comedy!
But I'll tell ya what,
"why don't we all pile in the Ute, head off to Maccas this arvo for some take away, bog in, then choof right off ta Mel'b'n for a night of suckin back the tinnys, an lairin it up before I havta shoot though back to the Land of Nod??"
"I'll be needin yer help though mate, cause I dunno Christmas from the back of Bourke when it comes to bein down unda, and I'm pretty much of a whacka anyway so I don't wanna come across like a bloke who doesn't have a full quid..."
"So take a squizz at yer dance card an if ya can weasle me in somewhere's soon, if ya can, then good onya!"
All the best from your sooky Yank buddy,
Nicko!
P.S.
I did cheat quite a bit and take liberties with my version of Aussie-speak, because we had an Aussie exchange student living with us for over a year...
She taught me how to speak like a proper Aussie, and I taught her how to swear in Gaelic! LOL So in my opinion it was an equal exchange all around...
We had so much fun together, laughing at everything and everyone including ourselves, that most times she and I were reduced to tears...!
Hope she schooled me well enough to be an honorary Aussie for a day, at least on this blog anyway! LOL
Take care Nina, you're a real rip snorter,
Nicko
Anthroblogogy
you speak better strayn' then i do!you pass as an aussie i reckon. eh. eh. tiger. eh. whadaureckon?
Thanks for the laughs!
I reckon I didn't too bad of a balls up job, wadda you think mate? lol
But I reckon I can bung it on a bit when it's called for! *snicker*, perks of havin an "iyer edumacation! LOL
I did try ta crack onto that lil fair haired Sheila quite a bit cause she was crash hot, but me Ole Man spit the dummy over it cause we was both a tad too young..
Ahh well, we did manage ta share a few tinnny's and the occasional dog's eye now and again when she cooked it for me, and even though I was cunnin as a dunny rat, we never got the chance to have a go at it...LOL...Every time he caught us alone he'd get positively ropeable!
Struth mate, even blind freddie woulda known it wouldn't a worked cause I was too young ta fall in love and she was too young ta know!
But I was a silly young galah back in the day...She still posts me now and again, and has me grinnin like a shot fox every time a get a letta from her...
Too bad she upped and clapped onta a rich station owner and got hitched up...Reckon the only way I'd ever get her eye again is if I dodged a jumbuck from her old man and he started chasin me like a lizard flat out drinkin! LOL
No worries though, still got enough of me Aussie speak left ta make a fair toss at a local Shelia, that's if I ever wanted ta leave the big smoke in the OS and settle me carcass down ta watch some bush telly...
Wadaureckon Jon? Think I'd pass for a local? Tell ya what, if I ever come down Oz way again, I'll chat ya up and we'll have a piss on and get rotten! *snicker*
That'd be aces by me, mate!
Take care ya old galah, and don't do anything I wouldn't do! *grins*
Nicko
it's sounds funny, but I went as Steve Irwin one year to a Haloween party and people who didn't know me swore I was from Oz!
*bruhahah*
And don't feel too badly, me own Mum's a Pom and a right goodn she is too!
Take care,
Nick
Anthroblogogy
Thanks for stopping by!
I like to thank jay leno for invting rove on to his show im really proud that aussie's are getting notice over in the USA
rove is such a brave guy since losng his wife of cancer last year even though it must be hard he still knows how to put a smile on aussie audiance every sunday night
one, i think rove did a good job of representing Australian humour.
and two, im so fucking tired of Americans assuming that because Steve Irwin talked like a dickhead that the rest of Australia did too. Because in actual fact, we use the same words Americans would in normal day life and i dont think i have ever referred to a girl as a sheila, ever. The only word we use is mate and we dont say it with such a high toned accent. I have to say Steve Irwin stereotyped an Australian that doesn't exist but he did do well for our tourism so i'll thank him for that.
I was intrigued to see how rove would go on an american talkshow but i would have been much happier if he had appeared on Conan because honestly, Conan is way funnier that Leno and his hair is a lot more appealing then Leno's gargantuan chin. (the episode of south park with jay leno accurately portrays this)
one, i think rove did a good job of representing Australian humour.
and two, im so fucking tired of Americans assuming that because Steve Irwin talked like a dickhead that the rest of Australia did too. Because in actual fact, we use the same words Americans would in normal day life and i dont think i have ever referred to a girl as a sheila, ever. The only word we use is mate and we dont say it with such a high toned accent. I have to say Steve Irwin stereotyped an Australian that doesn't exist but he did do well for our tourism so i'll thank him for that.
I was intrigued to see how rove would go on an american talkshow but i would have been much happier if he had appeared on Conan because honestly, Conan is way funnier that Leno and his hair is a lot more appealing then Leno's gargantuan chin. (the episode of south park with jay leno accurately portrays this)
Steve Irwin not only did a lot for tourism, but also for conservation. His accent and mannerisms were very broad, but undoubtedly there are others out there that talk as he did. That's the great thing - we are all different, and cover every part of the spectrum.
I like Conan and Jay for different reasons, but I think the style of Rove's show is more akin to Late Night -and not just because Rove ripped off at least one of his segments
I honestly didn't think that rove would ever be on the jay leno show but he did it well! and after thinking that he's left aus to join the other celebrities, seeing this has made me realise that hes helping aussies get noticed in the US without people thinking we are complete bogans with weird accents.
Shrimp on the barbie anyone? lol
go rove and his m&ms!