October 2021
Recently we had the very successful television special “Hey Hey It’s 50 Years” in Australia and I started thinking back to my own cherished memories of the show.
Following a couple of years and 8 performances on a tonight show called the “Daryl Somers Show”, I joined Hey Hey in 1984 as an occasional standup comedian, when it moved from mornings to evenings… and I hung around right up to the end of the show in 1999.
My 21 appearances on this splendid show included one as a Red Faces judge, memorable because I got the makeup people to go berserk with my makeup and the result was one of the reddest faces in the history of television. Sitting next to me on the judges bench was the always funny Red Symons and the very talented Greedy Smith (Mental As Anything) who we lost way too early.
On the subject of Red Faces, I was flattered a couple of times when I was imitated by contestants, including a very accurate imitation by “Elliot Wineglass”.
My standup appearances were always enjoyable, initially with zinc cream on the nose but always with a deadpan expression and often with a Gladstone bag with some unusual props. My most memorable props were my beach ball with hair, hot water bottle, rubber thong and big torch for my impressions in the dark.
The 50th Elliot Goblet standup comedy spot on national television (from all of my appearances on different shows) occurred in the late 90’s, and apart from the usual selection of one-liners, I also include one of my most requested pieces – “Getting Brown Shoe Polish At A Cake Shop”.
I was always thrilled to see huge overseas celebrities backstage – including Mel Gibson who sat on a makeup chair right next to me – as well as great local talents like John Farnham, Gary McDonald and Wendy Stapleton. I also shared a dressing room with people like Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Kamahl.
Exciting times.
Over those many years I got a lot of support from Daryl Somers, Jackie McDonald and Ernie Carroll, as well as regulars like John Blackman, Wilbur Wilde and Russel Gilbert who could always be heard laughing longer than anyone at my jokes… even the more subtle one-liners.
After each of my appearances on Hey Hey, I received a handwritten card from Daryl thanking me for performing. That was so uncommon and so appreciated.
All in all, some wonderful memories of a truly outstanding show that impacted so many people in Australia and beyond.