Live and Sweaty was an Australian sports television program, broadcast on the ABC from 1991 until 1994. Hosted by Andrew Denton (and later Elle McFeast), the show was part panel-based, part talk show and part comedy, and predated The Footy Show which has a similar format.[1]

Live and Sweaty
GenrePanel show
Created byAndrew Denton
Presented byAndrew Denton (1991–93)
Elle McFeast (1994)
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
Original release
NetworkABC Television
Release22 March 1991 (1991-03-22) –
14 December 1994 (1994-12-14)

Live and Sweaty regulars

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Andrew Denton was the show's host, and this was Denton's third series for the ABC (after Blah Blah Blah and The Money or the Gun). Comedian Libbi Gorr (in her Elle McFeast persona) was a roving reporter, panellist and eventual host of the show when Denton left in 1993.[2]

Other regular panel members were actor Lex "The Swine" Marinos (always introduced with a Zorba the Greek style musical theme), Triple J presenter Debbie "Skull of Rust" Spillane,[3] former NRL player Rex "The Moose" Mossop, and Peter "Crackers" Keenan.[4] A sports news segment was presented by ABC sportscaster Karen Tighe.[5]

Notable stunts

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In 1992, Denton challenged the Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating, to a game of ten-pin bowling. Keating made no comment, but Denton continued to up the ante over the course of the year, protesting outside Parliament House and organising petitions urging the Prime Minister to accept the challenge. Keating eventually relented, not to the game, but appeared in a live interview with Denton.[6]

In the lead up to the 1992 Summer Olympics, Denton and the rest of the regular cast of the show recorded the song "I Don't Care As Long As We Beat New Zealand" parodying the sporting rivalry between Australia and New Zealand.[7] It was released as a single and reached #38 on the Australian charts.[8][9]

Discography

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Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions
AUS
[10]
"I Don't Care As Long As We Beat New Zealand"
(with Andrew Denton)
1992 38

Awards and nominations

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ARIA Music Awards

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The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1993 "I Don't Care As Long As We Beat New Zealand" Best Comedy Release Nominated [11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "A few drinks with Andrew Denton". Inside Sport. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  2. ^ "The angel said no Elle". The Canberra Times. 12 December 1994. p. 40. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  3. ^ Wallace, Mark (17 March 1991). "A program for the losing half". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). p. 24. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Elle goes Swanning around as a draftee". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). 15 March 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 17 August 2018 – via Trove.
  5. ^ Turner, Graeme; Stuart Cunningham (2000). The Australian TV Book. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-014-4.
  6. ^ "Keating refuses to roll to the right". The Canberra Times. 4 October 1992. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2018 – via Trove.
  7. ^ Wallace, Mark (20 July 1992). "Denton and team record 'Olumpic' themesong". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). p. 30. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  8. ^ The Australian Record Industry Association Ltd (30 August 1992), Australian Top 50 Singles – Week Ending 30 August 1992, Australian Recording Industry Association
  9. ^ "Andrew Denton and the Live & Sweaty Team – I Don't Care As Long As We Beat New Zealand". Australian Charts. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  10. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 79.
  11. ^ "ARIA Awards Best Comedy Release". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 17 April 2022.
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