The Chaser’s ambush comedy days are over

There’s no chance of The Chaser regrouping to create another satirical stunt program, according to two members | PODCAST

Julian Morrow is leaving the APEC-style comedy stunts to others.

The chances of The Chaser comedy group regrouping to create another satirical stunt program on television are zero, according to two members of the comedy alliance.

Julian Morrow, describing the group as “a loose association” and a “complicated mix”, told The Australian’s Behind the Media podcast that The Chaser’s War On Everything, responsible for the infamous APEC security breach 11 years ago, was “a thing of its time”.

“You couldn’t do those kinds of stunts we did back then these days, you just couldn’t. You would get shot.”

Chris Taylor, another Chaser member, agreed. “That kind of lightning doesn’t strike twice. We were really lucky with the The War on Everything, because it was a show that came along at the right time in the right place, when there was an appetite for devil-may-care anarchy and ­stupidity.”

He said the anonymity and guerilla tactics essential to those stunt pieces would be too hard today.

Chas Licciardello, left, dressed as Osama bin Laden and Julian Morrow during the The Chaser's APEC Summit stunt in Sydney.

“It would actually be kind of cringe-worthy to see some middle-aged men accosting the prime minister with a large novelty prop. We’d prefer to age with a modicum of dignity. I think creatively, too, we’d just rather try our hand at something new.”

In 2007, 11 people associated with The Chaser were charged with entering a restricted zone after Morrow and Chas Licciardello, dressed as Osama bin Laden, entered the restricted zone in Sydney cordoned off for the world leaders attending the APEC summit and advanced on US president George W. Bush’s hotel. The charges were later dropped.

“All the Chaser stunts were cleared in advance,” Morrow said. “There is no way you could do a stunt like that now. We knew when APEC happened that was essentially the end of that kind of stunt for us.”

Cast of "The Chaser's War on Everything" pictured in 2007. Picture: Supplied.

Morrow said the team formed and reformed to work “project by project”.

“Probably over the years we have drifted a little further apart. Chris does his own things, Chas, Craig (Reucassel) and I worked on The Checkout all together but Chas is not working on it this year because he does Planet America on the ABC.”

This year Triple M has scheduled Radio Chaser each weekday from 3pm, featuring some of the team, but not Morrow.

Now Morrow focuses on the Giant Dwarf production business, which contains most of the Chaser team and produces The Checkout for the ABC.