regan's blog

Some friends of ours in Sydney have launched a new comedy site.  Check out some of the videos from Red Humpy.

And a couple that are NSFW

Former TVNZ breakfast host and controversial broadcaster, Paul Henry is to host a new breakfast program for Network Ten in a deal said to be worth more than a million dollars.

Henry, who was forced to resign after a series of racial comments on the New Zealand state broadcaster’s morning show Breakfast is joining his former boss Anthony Flannery who recently announced he was leaving his Head of News and Current Affairs role at TVNZ to take up the position at Network Ten.

Here’s a bit of light relief.

Let me start by saying how much I like Rove.  Yeah, you can see where this is going, can’t you?  

Rove returned to our screens this week to pay channel Fox 8 with Rove LA.  Unfortunately, it’s kinda like the old Rove but without all the good bits.

Unlike on Ten where Rove surrounded himself with many loveable colleagues like Dave Hughes, Carrie Bickmore, Hamish and Andy, Ryan Shelton and Peter Helliar, Rove LA is a one man show very much like all the other US talk shows.  The only problem is the show doesn’t air in the US!

And in case the anticipation of having him back on our screens after a couple of years hiatus wasn’t enough, someone decided that he should attend a porn expo first off.  Perhaps the motive is you can only go up from the bottom.

While guests Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Griffin and Jerry Ferrara were typically entertaining in his company, there were some strange moments of awkwardness.  I’m not entirely sure which reality it is that a celebrity would offer random strangers to insert objects into their ass but was Kathy Griffin on Rove’s new show.  And despite the disclaimer that it was cliche, did Jerry really have to get an introduction to Vegemite? I mean, seriously.  Who wrote those gags?  A New Zealander?!

I am desperately hoping for everyone’s sake, especially Foxtel who appear to be proudly approving of their latest local content endeavor, that it pays off.  

Rove, you’re so much better than that and I was really expecting more.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is in full swing and Heineken have just released the first of their new online series discussing all the finer points of the game.

Here’s the promo for the new season of The X Factor Australia.

The  Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen  Conroy, has announced residents in Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Far North Queensland, The Whitsundays and Queensland Central Coast will have a local source of  information and advice on switching to digital TV.

Analog  signals in regional Queensland, will be  switched off on 6 December 2011.

“The local Digital Switchover Liaison Officers… will play  an important role in ensuring the community has the information it needs to get  ready for digital TV and that the switchover is a success on 6  December,” Senator Conroy said.

The  Digital Switchover Liaison Officer program is funded by the Australian Government  Officers have been appointed in all six switchover areas throughout regional Queensland.

Screen NSW has today launched its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which outlines how the organisation will play its part in closing the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and their fellow Australians.

The Screen NSW RAP has been prepared in collaboration with Reconciliation Australia, the federal body set up in 2000 to build and promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians for the wellbeing of the nation.

“Our RAP has been developing since Screen NSW began a strategic review of its activities in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander screen practitioners and industry. The Screen NSW RAP incorporates many of the thoughts collected over this period and is a plan that will continually evolve to ensure that we remain relevant and responsive in a changing screen industry landscape,” said Tania Chambers, Chief Executive of Screen NSW.

The Screen NSW RAP is based on the three key areas outlined by Reconciliation Australia: Respect, Relationships; and Opportunities.

Actions planned by Screen NSW include:
• A 10% increase in funding applications received per year across all programs that include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander key creative personnel.
• Increased visibility of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the Screen NSW website; in its enews; and publications.
• Guaranteed funds for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander projects and stories, that is reviewed annually.
• The establishment of a Screen NSW internship for six months each year.

“Screen NSW aims to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, languages and interests are accurately represented in the projects Screen NSW funds and the work that we do,” Ms Chambers said.

“We will strive to strengthen partnerships and networks between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Australian screen practitioners as an important pathway to building respect and understanding. Through the RAP, we hope to foster a positive environment of collaboration and support.