# Genuine interview, or comedy clip? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312 "2008-03-14T00:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/1 "2008-03-14T00:35:56Z")
I’ve just seen this clip. An interviewer talks to a politician about an oil tanker spill. The increasingly sarcastic politician assures the interviewer that it’s very rare for this to happen. [http://www.hutton-web-design.co.uk/tanker.html](http://www.hutton-web-design.co.uk/tanker.html) What’s the story on this? Some of the comments I’ve seen on it say it’s a real political interview while others say its taken from a comedy show. I really hope it’s real. Very funny either way. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/2 "2008-03-14T00:45:28Z")
[This website](http://www.japiblog.com/japiblog/2007/11/the-front-fell.html) attributes it to Australian satirists John Clarke and Bryan Dawe: > [@](#): > > The video discusses an oil spill which occured on July 21, 1991 off the coast of Western Australia when a tanker called the Kirki lost it’s bow. The performers are John Clarke (Senator Bob Collins) and Bryan Dawe (interviewer). Clarke & Dawe had a weekly segment on A Current Affair, where they’d do a topical spoof interview. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/3 "2008-03-14T02:04:16Z")
In confirmation, the pictures I’ve found of Bob Collins ([link](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/09/21/collins_narrowweb__300x370,0.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/alp-heavyweight-bob-collins-dies/2007/09/21/1189881731099.html&h=370&w=300&sz=27&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=dR54yUmUo6jm6M:&tbnh=122&tbnw=99&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522Bob%2BCollins%2522%2B%2526%2B%2522Australia%2522%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN), [link](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/09/25/bobcollins_wideweb__470x387,0.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mp-raped-me-in-parliament-office/2007/09/25/1190486310966.html&h=387&w=470&sz=28&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=iGIBmKxou1mfyM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522Bob%2BCollins%2522%2B%2526%2B%2522Australia%2522%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN), and [link](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200709/r185334_689388.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2007/09/21/2039406.htm&h=840&w=551&sz=88&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=fBPuBu0Bl8vp3M:&tbnh=145&tbnw=95&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522Bob%2BCollins%2522%2B%2526%2B%2522Australia%2522%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN)) do not resemble the man being interviewed. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/4 "2008-03-14T02:14:25Z")
See also this [recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=456596&highlight=clarke) for links to the official report of the incident and Collins’ unpleasant end. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/5 "2008-03-14T02:30:31Z")
When you have seen John Clarke doing his thing for a couple of decades its hard to imagine anyone thinking this was anything other than a comedy sketch. But I guess the lack of a laugh track and the absolutely dead pan style that is Clarke’s trademark, with no mugging, no pauses for applause or laughter etc do differentiate what he does from most comedy sketches. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/6 "2008-03-14T02:54:41Z")
This is like the third thread I’ve read in various places asking this exact question. I’m simply astounded that it is not completely and utterly obvious that this is comedy from start to finish, although (equally obviously) based on a real event. Is it too subtle? [QUOTE=Peter Morris] Some of the comments I’ve seen on it say it’s a real political interview while others say its taken from a comedy show. [/quote] Where exactly have you seen comments that it’s real? > [@](#): > > I really hope it’s real. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/7 "2008-03-14T03:33:59Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m simply astounded that it is not completely and utterly obvious that this is comedy from start to finish, I thought it was a comedy immediately, but after seeing several people claiming it as real, I began to wonder. > [@](#): > > although (equally obviously) based on a real event. Not obvious, I googled but couldn’t find the real event described. Perhaps it’s well known in Australia. > [@](#): > > Is it too subtle? Now don’t be a jek. > [@](#): > > Where exactly have you seen comments that it’s real? Well I found it in this thread on the eBay forums (ebay login required) [http://forums.ebay.co.uk/thread.jspa?threadID=1100153364&start=0](http://forums.ebay.co.uk/thread.jspa?threadID=1100153364&start=0) The people there say it’s real. Though it looked like a comedy to me, there seemed like a possibility they were right. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/8 "2008-03-14T08:56:49Z")
I think you could watch ten or twenty seconds of it and be in doubt, but not the whole thing. When he starts talking about cardboard, it’s as obvious as can possibly be. The folks you’ve encountered who are saying it might be real are either winding you up, or have never encountered deadpan comedy before. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/9 "2008-03-14T10:49:08Z")
That’s hysterical! “So what’s out there?” “Nothing’s out there. Except sea, birds, and fish. And 20,000 tons of crude oil.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/10 "2008-03-14T11:12:39Z")
I know the guys that salved the vessel and investigated its state (with a view to determining why the front fell off). It was a disaster waiting to happen. I don’t know about cardboard, but certainly I remember one of the marine surveyors who went on board saying that when he went around the deck wacking things with a hammer looking for serious corrosion (standard marine surveying technique) he found more than a few instances of air vents and so on with rust holes bodged up with some sort of filler. Probably not papier mache (ie cardboard) but close. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/11 "2008-03-14T14:59:40Z")
Well, I must say that I was laughing out loud within the first ten seconds of the clip. Those guys have great timing. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/12 "2008-03-14T15:16:27Z")
Hilarious. “Hit by a wave. Very unlikely, at sea. Chance in a million.” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/13 "2008-03-14T15:31:22Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] Now don’t be a jek. [/QUOTE] Jek? Is that Ozzie for jerk? BTW, I LOL’d at the clip. Repeatedly. So the front fell off? ---
**Author:** ![Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tyrrell_mcallister/32/16772_2.png) [@Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrrell_McAllister)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/14 "2008-03-14T16:31:33Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] Where exactly have you seen comments that it’s real?Why? [/QUOTE] I don’t know about that clip. But here’s another clip from the same duo. The clip is similar in tone: [http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/07/seismic\_survey.html](http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/07/seismic_survey.html) The blogger at that link posted it as a sincere example of how Australian journalists are better than American journalists at asking hard questions of evasive politicians. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/15 "2008-03-14T17:25:15Z")
Holy $H!T that’s funny! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/16 "2008-03-14T17:53:02Z")
> [@](#): > > I think you could watch ten or twenty seconds of it and be in doubt, but not the whole thing. When he starts talking about cardboard, it’s as obvious as can possibly be. > > The folks you’ve encountered who are saying it might be real are either winding you up, or have never encountered deadpan comedy before. Yes, obviously, because only professional comedians are capable of sarcastic humour or deadpan wit. It is utterly inconceivable that someone making a witty response to a seemingly stupid question might actually be a real politician. No politician that ever lived has been capable of sardonic wit. I see it all now. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/17 "2008-03-14T18:42:11Z")
That is absolutely hilarious. **Peter** , did you actually watch the entire clip before asking if it was real? All the way through? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/18 "2008-03-14T19:13:18Z")
I’ll say it again. I watched the clip and initially thought it was comedy. Then I saw comments from various people claiming it’s real. And ONLY after seeing these comments did I question my original opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/19 "2008-03-14T20:31:48Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] The folks you’ve encountered who are saying it might be real are either winding you up, or have never encountered deadpan comedy before. [/QUOTE] If it’s young Americans making the comments, it’s likely that they’re thrown off by the utter lack of profanity in the sketch. I mean, everybody knows that comedians are supposed to cuss a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312/20 "2008-03-14T20:52:12Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] [This website](http://www.japiblog.com/japiblog/2007/11/the-front-fell.html) attributes it to Australian satirists John Clarke and Bryan Dawe: [/QUOTE] One show that Clarke and Dawe worked together in was [The Games](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Games_%28Australian_TV_series%29), made before the 2000 Olympic Games, where they played the parts of two people working for SOCOG (the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games). It’s a brilliant mockumentary, worth seeing if you can get it on DVD. One episode that I particularly liked had a builder who’d just finished building the 100-metre track, but it was 13 metres short, and they explored the consequences, such as a new Olympic record for the 87-metre sprint. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genuine-interview-or-comedy-clip/441312.md?page=2)