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An Australian tradition - slamming the ABC’s New Year’s Eve coverage

It’s an Australian tradition at New Year’s Eve - lining up to troll the ABC for its coverage. And this year hasn’t disappointed.

Ginger GormanGinger Gorman
@gingergorman
4 min read
January 1, 2019 - 6:48AM
Kimbra takes on a Kylie classic (ABC)

Well ahead of time, the ABC billed their 2018 NYE coverage as being all about the music.

So we were all excited when New Zealand singer Kimbra hit the stage just before 10pm.

And boy did our bubble burst quickly.

Kimbra decided to have a crack at Kylie’s number “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” and people were NOT happy. Some folk suggested she was off mic and others implied she minced up an easy song. A couple of viewers were generous and blamed it on the sound engineers.

Others were less generous.

“Kimbra needs to be a singer that we used to know,” one bloke tweeted.

“Why isn’t Kimbra singing her own songs?” another person complained on social media.

Although apparently she signed the song in AUSLAN - and a few deaf folk were pleased about this.

Kimbra performs<i> Can't Get You Out of My Head</i>
Kimbra performs Can't Get You Out of My Head

Of course, I could be out partying with all my mates – or lying on a giant lilo shaped as a sloth in my friend’s semi-heated (and very elegant) outdoor pool. But like nearly four million other Australians, I couldn’t be arsed. I’d rather sit at home on the couch with a giant bucket of prawns in one hand and a glass of prosecco in the other, get well-oiled and make fun of ABC New Year’s Eve coverage. You too? Good. Let’s go.

We kicked off at 8.30pm with “The Early Night Show” hosted by Rove McManus and Hoot. One of the great things about seeing your kids grow up is that you never have to see or hear from Jimmy Giggle again. Oh wait…

We see a bit of Annabel Crabb playing the flute (does anyone know…can she ACTUALLY play the flute?) and Leigh Sales acting as the Spinderella when introducing Zindzi Okenyo’s rap song.

Just when I was about to vomit a bit in my mouth watching washed out stars sing nursery rhymes, super cute kids from all over Australia started singing Auld Lang Syne…and it was better than the Qantas song. Awwwwwwww. We’ve peaked too early, folks.

The fireworks were pretty. Ooooo. Ahhhhh. Michael felt he would have done a better job, though.

“The Night is Yours” adult coverage was meant to start at 9.30pm but started early with a bit of indigenous poetry and amazing laser graphics.

This part is hosted by Charlie Pickering and Zan Rowe. Apparently, the ABC polled the country for Australia’s favourite party songs and one of the top three tracks was Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.”

Casey Donovan absolutely nailed the concert.
Casey Donovan absolutely nailed the concert.

I’m thinking Casey Donovan is doing a fine job belting this number out but my husband says: “Bloody hell if I kept my Nintendo Switch I could be playing it RIGHT NOW instead of watching this.”

G Flip (aka Georgia Flipo) did improve the mood of revellers quite a bit with her awesome – oh those drums! – rendition of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary. She quickly followed that number up with Blame it on the Boogie.

Indie Pop band Client Liaison clearly searched Australia’s op shops for their 80s style peach, lilac, pale blue and mint green coloured sateen suits. Eat your heart out Cindy Lauper! They busted out INXS’s track Need You Tonight and sporting some Iva Davis hair, a bit of vintage Icehouse too.

Daryl Braithwaite’s song Horses was somehow voted as Australia’s number one party tune and he sang it up until midnight. (People. This might be a nice, nostalgic song. You might have even had your first pash to it. But party to it you can not.)

Let’s think about the coverage as a whole now. Overall while there was quite a bit of whining about the sound quality but there were certainly some standout moments. Casey Donovan let us all know she has a fine pair of lungs on her. And the Twitterverse went wild for her talent.

The Night Is Yours, ABC's New Years Eve concert
The Night Is Yours, ABC's New Years Eve concert
Tim Minchin performs Better Be Home Soon with Ben Folds.
Tim Minchin performs Better Be Home Soon with Ben Folds.

The national sport of making fun of the ABC’s NYE TV coverage began in 2013 when the broadcast was dubbed a “train wreck.” Viewers noted tasteless jokes – including references to penises and vomit – and inappropriate comments about public figures such as-then Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Others suggested some of the featured personalities were drunk.

Co-host Julia ended the broadcast by saying “oh thank god” because she thought her mic was off.

Viewers were again unimpressed with the national broadcaster’s NYE coverage in 2017 when hosts Jeremy Fernandez and Ella Hooper almost missed the midnight countdown because they were distracted by a live interview with Hoodoo Gurus front man, Dave Faulkner.

The start of last year (2018) didn’t fare much better for host Charlie Pickering as he counted down to New Year. He was swiftly slammed on social media after asking the assembled crowd: “Are you ready to count down to the magical moment, the only time it’s OK to kill ... ah, kiss a police officer without asking?” Despite this gaffe, he still managed to score the gig as co-host again this NYE.

Since 2013, the ABC’s TV coverage has reached more than three million people each year. Anyone would think Australians like making fun of celebrities who make fools of themselves in public. Again. And again.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/an-australian-tradition-slamming-the-abcs-new-years-eve-coverage/news-story/379af483163c69fb3a590e3a21e5d944