Tony Abbott’s promise to change his leadership style has unnerved comics.

In the wake of the failed federal Liberal leadership spill, comics around the country are nervously awaiting possible fallout, with a potential Cabinet reshuffle reportedly being their major fear.

Carlita Saunders, spokesperson for Australian Political Comics for Cheap and Easy Jokes, said their members are particularly concerned.

“They’re understandably worried,” she said. “Everyone knows Tony’s not renowned for making smart decisions, especially under pressure – that’s why we love him – and we’re concerned that in the heat of the moment he may act rashly and shunt some very real and promising source material into low profile gigs where they just won’t shine.”

According to Saunders, “There’s no place for petty considerations of loyalty, team coherency, or competency in decisions like this. It’s too important.

“Australian comedy deserves ready access to the best raw material, instead of shipping it off to the backbenches or stockpiling it in out-of-the-way portfolios. You only have to look at the downturn after Keating lost his challenge to Hawke and went into exile. The sector took years to fully recover from that hit.”

The leadership issue has brought to light many tensions within the political comedy community over the past fortnight, with scuffles reportedly breaking out at several inner-city pub comedy venues in Melbourne and Sydney over whether Tony Abbott was a boon or a curse.

However, many commentators believe these tensions, and the concerns voiced by Saunders, point to a deeper malaise within the comedy industry. Mike Offenen, organiser of the mildly popular Cockfight Ennui comedy nights at Newtown’s recently remodelled Hipster Hole Hotel, agrees: “It’s really about job scarcity. I think that’s the underlying fear that’s feeding into all this.”

Offenen, who cut his comedy teeth writing as the original Miranda Devine, believes the situation is the most challenging it has been for decades. “Employment prospects for comics in Australia have never been real flash,” he said, “but it’s pretty dire now.”

“Universities are continuing to churn out lawyers and low-level public servants faster than the comedy sector can absorb them; we’re flooded with cheap British and US imports; you can’t get a job with The Chaser unless you kill one of them – like the Sith; and any opening on television that comes up is immediately snatched by Working Dog or Micallef. And now we’ve got these internet ‘satire’ sweatshops that don’t even pay people spawning all over the place.

“In this atmosphere, it’s only natural comics are going to be stressed and looking to the government. The Liberals have done a sterling job of providing material – along with a couple of our top billionaires – but we know deep down that can’t last forever, and I think that realisation is what’s got everyone worried. Especially with the ALP and the Greens showing little sign of contributing anything we can really use without a lot of work.”

However, not everyone is so downcast about the prospects for the future. Successful character comedians, Tim Blair and Alan Jones, whose satirically subversive personas have gained both a loyal following, believe there’s plenty of opportunity for those willing to put in hard work, take some risks and stand on their own feet.

“It’s all a matter of putting in some hard work, taking some risks, and standing on your own feet,” said Jones repeatedly, before Blair added, “What he said, but more snidely.”

Leslie Richmond
https://twitter.com/TheunAustralia

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Categories: Politics

Tags: LibSpill, sat, The unAustralia, Tony Abbott