Summer Heights High

[DIEHARD]

Meet Chris Lilley - the man behind the comic creations

HIS seven comedy creations have become TV legends in the blink of an eye but getting to know the eighth one - the man himself - is a harder nut to crack.

His latest show Summer Heights High, featuring the exploits of drama teacher Mr G and students Ja'mie King and Jonah Takalua, has been attracting more than one million viewers to the ABC.

Yesterday the show's writer and actor Chris Lilley revealed there's a little bit of his own schooldays in the show and he draws on the real life stories of today's youngsters to keep his script contemporary.

Recently, Lilley, 32, experienced first-hand the full extent of his and his characters' new-found popularity. "I was walking down the street near where I live and there were a bunch of builders working on a construction site and they were (calling out) 'Chris Lilley, Jonah'," Lilley said.

"I never would have got that audience with (previous series) We Can Be Heroes."

Lilley, who grew up in Sydney, now lives with his girlfriend in St Kilda. He has been hailed as Australia's own Ricky Gervais for his edgy work on We Can Be Heroes and Summer Heights High.

*****y private school student Ja'mie King, who featured in both shows, is mimicked in schoolgrounds and offices nationwide while viewers are just getting to know troubled Tongan teen Jonah Takalua from the new series.

Manic music teacher Mr G has been established since 2003 while Lilley's other four characters seeking to be Australian Of The Year in We Can Be Heroes are also well known to fans.

All are the result of a man who has grown up observing people, their behaviour and idiosyncracies.

"There was this one teacher (in high school) who thought I used to do an impersonation of her and I didn't," he said. "I used to impersonate the head of sport and this woman was the head of the girls. She was convinced it was her."

Comedian and Rove regular Ryan Shelton helped his friend develop Ja'mie and worked on the other characters as he helped write WCBH.

"Chris goes out and meets people his characters are like and he makes studies of them, takes notes or interviews people and sometimes film them," Shelton said.

"He watches those videos over and over and over and I'm sure he's done it with Jonah. You watch him, the way he moves and all the little nuances. He's fidgety, he's always touching something or fiddling with it in that ADD way and you know he's spoken with kids and studied them."

"We'd spend two hours a day on Ja'mie, talking about what school girls do - his personal experiences, what I remembered from school.

"He did so much research, meeting private high school girls or just eavesdropping on them.

"He had an idea of what she would be like and he wouldn't have thrown himself into a character like that unless he knew exactly how to be play her convincingly."

Lilley says: "I don't like to analyse how it works too much. It's not like I play the tape and copy it. I absorb the general feel of the characters.

http://www.news.com.au

[Super Cronk]

I was going to post a thread about this asking if anyone likes it or not. i watched the last two episodes and i reckon its a crack up, especially jonah!!!

[GCT_89]

FUNNIEST **** IVE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS!!!!!!

jonah is by far the funniest of chris's characters. he just does everything so well with him.......

i only finished year twelve last year and can relate his character to many, MANY students i used to go to school with.......

Jonah
"oh miss you farted"
"you got your period or what miss?"
"puck you miss"
"SORRY BEN!!!!"

Ja'mie
"just because im rich doesnt mean im a *****"
"sorry, no offence. but its true"

Mr G.
"thats my plunger"

[Super Cronk]

yeah he does the sterotypical high school islander really well.

[nflin3]

This show is gold... have to say jonah is the best character

[Social Loafer]

The bloke is a genius, he does all 3 characters so brilliantly.

Couldn't stop laughing when Jonah chose to put those Yellow hot pants on :laugh:

[DIEHARD]

The bloke is a genius, he does all 3 characters so brilliantly.

Couldn't stop laughing when Jonah chose to put those Yellow hot pants on :laugh:

He is a genius, to pull off so many different characters so perfectly.

Jonah makes me laugh so much I cry. The yellow pants was a crack up.

[Social Loafer]

I think it was last week that Mr G complained to the PE department about the balls making too much noise when kids use them :laugh:

Ja'amie's whole relationship with the year 7 boy was on the border line of being so very very wrong, yet you couldn't stop laughing :laugh:

[DIEHARD]

I think the best thing about the show is the subtly, just the finer touches and hidden gags and the complexity of the characters.

[nflin3]

I think he does the role of Ja'mie ( I think the name is a joke ;)) very well. He captures the personality of a grade 11 girl who has moved from a private school to a public school very well I think.

Can't wait for the fight between the girls next week. It is hard enough concentrating to understand the full conversation between the girls as it is ^_^

Thank god I can podcast these :P

[jenny]

ABC sorry for Summer Heights High drug death jokes
September 21, 2007

THE ABC will make a public apology to a family after Chris Lilley's hit show Summer Heights High poked fun at the ecstasy death of a blonde teenage student named "Annabel" on Wednesday night.
Peter and Alison Catt, the parents of Elanora Heights woman Annabel Catt who died from an ecstasy overdose in February, were forced to leave their living room room in disgust when the show was aired.

While it has agreed to end next week's program with a message to the local family, the broadcaster is refusing to pull the the remaining shows that continue the storyline of beautiful blonde teenager "Annabel Dickson".

A photo of the character, which even looks like Annabel, was used in the episode, with drama teacher Mr G using the death as fodder for a school musical promoted as "One girl, one pill, one hell of a night". It included songs with the lyrics, "She's a party girl with a bad habit for drugs ... when girls take drugs and then they die, who would have thought at Summer Heights High".

Mr and Mrs Catt said the episode had caused their family enormous distress and they had called on the ABC to pull future episodes of the series which continue the ecstasy death story-line.

Annabel, 20, died on February 18 after taking an ecstasy tablet - later found to be the deadly drug PMA - at a Good Vibrations music festival.

The show also caused great anguish yesterday for staff and students at Annabel's former school, Narrabeen Sports High.

Acting principal Roger Dawson said staff and students were very distressed.

Mr and Mrs Catt said: "We and many others immediately drew the conclusion the episode was making a comparison to our beloved daughter.

"This was done by naming the deceased in the show Annabel Dickson, describing her as blonde and beautiful and showing a picture that had a resemblance to our daughter."

The ABC described the similarities as an unfortunate coincidence.

"All filming of Summer Heights High finished on February 7 this year - 11 days prior to the tragic death of Annabel Catt on February 18," ABC-TV director Kim Dalton said.

"ABC TV and the producer have both contacted the Catt family to explain the situation and to apologise for the extremely unfortunate coincidence that our fictional character has the same first name."

An ABC spokeswoman confirmed the distressing parallels were known to the corporation. "We had finished production, it was all done. Of course we knew, the world knew, it was all over the newspapers. There was nothing we could do about it."

Asked why the Catt family were not told before the program aired, the spokeswoman declined to comment.

Annabel's older brother, Antony, said the show had "opened a massive wound" for his already traumatised family. "Shock, disbelief, anger - I could use a lot of adjectives to describe how I felt," he said.

"They have known about Annabel for months and they gave us no forewarning to say it's a terrible mistake and say sorry.

"We've got another five episodes of comparisons being drawn between this character and my little sister.

"This is the first time I have been genuinely angry since Annabel died."

The show's creator and main actor, Chris Lilley, 32, was not available for comment.
AAP

[nflin3]

Can there be at least one ABC comedy that doesnt get bad stories about them in the media LMAO

[jenny]

Can there be at least one ABC comedy that doesnt get bad stories about them in the media LMAO

Teletubbies:p

[Coaster]

Teletubbies:p


Purple one is gay, try again Jenny

[jenny]

Purple one is gay, try again Jenny
LOL Really?

[Super Cronk]

teletubbies is a comedy?

[Social Loafer]

teletubbies is a comedy?

I'm sure if you drank enough it would be.

An yes. the purple teletubby is gay.

p.s. Anyone seen we can be heroes? It ik Chris Lilley's Previous work, got the whole Series on DVD for $20, brilliant stuff..

[nflin3]

I can't remember-

IS "We can be heroes" The same thing as "Australias search for young Australian of the Year" ?

[Social Loafer]

I can't remember-

IS "We can be heroes" The same thing as "Australias search for young Australian of the Year" ?

Yep, featuring characters like Ricky Wong.

[Super Cronk]

yeah that wasnt too bad but didnt watch alot of it.

[travop]

man this is the best show and i like jonahs tag, some kid at my school adopted his tag and tagged it around the school its crazy. and mr g man that dude if he was in real life he would be in jail

[nflin3]

Last nights was OK but man Jonahs Dad was so friggin funny.

[Super Cronk]

^^^ I as cracking up, in tears from the jonah/ jonahs dad part.

This is becoming my fave show.

[DIEHARD]

Is it like wrong to have the hots for Jamie? I'm just asking for a friends see.

[jenny]

Is it like wrong to have the hots for Jamie? I'm just asking for a friends see.

Is Jamie a girl or a boy ???:p

[Super Cronk]

Is it like wrong to have the hots for Jamie? I'm just asking for a friends see.


Not at all, ja'mie is extremely hot!

[jenny]

Not at all, ja'mie is extremely hot!

Ahhhhhh...its all in the spelling :p (never watched the show)

[nflin3]

Not at all, ja'mie is extremely hot!

Might get interesting when you get underneath the dress.........

[Super Cronk]

Might get interesting when you get underneath the dress.........

Not sure if intresting is the word ;)

[nflin3]

Not sure if intresting is the word ;)


And the right word for it would be?

Hard?

At least you might get an egg roll

[~lee~]

I read your comments on the show here and decided to check it out - man what a funny show! Jonah is a brilliant character and his dad touching his dick that had me crying with laughter. He plays the other 2 characters well, dating a 7th year, definitely borderline but pulled off brilliantly.

[Timmy Titans]

has to be the funniest show i've ever seen

killed myself laughing when jonah put on those little yellow pants

i reckon this weeks one will be the funniest one yet
trust me
the preview looks hilarious

[travop]

yea the show was in hot water a few weeks when ep 2 was shown
cant rember what for though

[nflin3]

yea the show was in hot water a few weeks when ep 2 was shown
cant rember what for though

Go back a few pages in this thread.

[Timmy Titans]

It was in episode 3 when they showed a picture of a girl who was called annabel and said she had died from a drug overdose from ecstasy. And 3 days after they had finished shooting and editing the series the picture of he girl that they showed actually did die from a drug overdose, then her parents who were watching the show got upset and complained

[nflin3]

It was in episode 3 when they showed a picture of a girl who was called annabel and said she had died from a drug overdose from ecstasy. And 3 days after they had finished shooting and editing the series the picture of he girl that they showed actually did die from a drug overdose, then her parents who were watching the show got upset and complained

Looked like their daughter

[travop]

yea thats the one
thats really strange maybe the writers knew the real annabelle and knew her habits....???? maybe theres a conspiracy at the abc my friends...... maybe..... maybe

[Robbie_Dee]

God, what a funny show!!! I caught last weeks episode after hearing all the comments, and loved it! Went back and downloaded the rest of the episodes, quality! Jonah has me in tears of laughter, just how he acts in the Class room etc, it's taken the class clown to the extreme, with the language etc. Very well done!

[DIEHARD]

I love how in episode 2 or something Jonah says he thinks he is doing the other students a service, giving them some entertainment and a little break.

[~lee~]

Not the best episode of the series but still really funny. Jonah in that skirt is hilarious. It looks like the series finale next week, can anyone confirm it is?

[DIEHARD]

It was so said when Mr G's dog got run over.

I think the best thing about this show is its sublty and not always the comedy.

The turf war between the the Pollies and the yr 7s is funny.

The best part was Jonah's rap music video. :rolf:

[Super Cronk]

Jonahs dad is a crack up.

Was funny when MR g spun the dog around at the start then made it walk... :rolf:

[travop]

man i havent seen the chasers of s,h,h cause my computer decided to have a massive hissy fit:hissyfit" :hissyfit" then wont let me turn it of safely jeeez i wanna throw it out the window

[DIEHARD]

Lilley a 'human stealth bomber'

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5701404,00.jpg

Comedian Chris Lilley is like a "human stealth bomber" who goes behind enemy lines in the community to gather material for his hit television shows, award-winning director Matt Saville says.

Lilley today was accused of stealing ideas and characters for his controversial new ABC television series Summer Heights High - a mockumentary-style show set in a suburban high school in which Lilley, the program's writer, plays multiple characters.

Victorian teacher Michael Reed said Lilley's character Mr G was ripped off a Network Ten show he helped write in 2000 called Sit Down, Shut Up, News Ltd reported.

But Saville, who directed Lilley's previous series We Can Be Heroes, said Lilley was a comic genius and master of observational humour.

He said Lilley would improvise material for four-and-a-half hours of filming each day.

"You cannot underestimate Chris' genius," Saville told an Australian Directors Guild (ADG) conference in Sydney today.

"It was all scripted and the scripts were beautiful, but Chris wanted to improvise it all.

"I felt like my job as director was almost like Chris created the universe and I recorded it for him."

Saville, who last night won an ADG award for outstanding achievement in feature film for Noise, said Lilley was a master at observing people undetected.

"He likes to keep a low profile because his is an observational style of humour - he has to work behind enemy lines," he said.

"He would make a really good spy.

"He can kind of walk into a room and be standing there for 10 minutes and then someone will be like: 'Oh Chris, there you are'. He is like a human stealth bomber."

Saville said Lilley was a very private person and wanted his characters to speak for themselves.

"I'm constantly getting phone calls from people wanting to get a sound byte about Chris," Saville said.

"His profile is going through the roof because of the show (Summer Heights High), but he is intensely private.

"That's partly because of who Chris is and his temperament and I think it's also partly because Chris wants the characters to be what goes out into the world, and not Chris Lilley.

"If everyone gets to know Chris Lilley it will be harder for him to present these other manifestations that he does so brilliantly."

http://www.news.com.au

[Gonzalez]

Ah. I love ABC. Providing the most hilarious hour of television all week:)

Awesome show. Hard to remember that it's a comedian playing them and not the doings of a normal person.

[Super Cronk]

Next week looks to be the last ep...that sucks i wish the show went longer.

[DIEHARD]

Next week looks to be the last ep...that sucks i wish the show went longer.

I actually thought last nights was supposed to be the last episode.

But Jonah is only in year 8, there might be a season 2 or a new project. I'd say that is very likely with the success of the program.

The DVD will be a hot seller for Christmas!

[Super Cronk]

I actually thought last nights was supposed to be the last episode.

But Jonah is only in year 8, there might be a season 2 or a new project. I'd say that is very likely with the success of the program.

The DVD will be a hot seller for Christmas!


Yeah i was thinking that, maybe a spin off show with jonahs character. either way cant wait to see more of chris lilleys stuff.

[~lee~]

It was a funny episode last night, maybe Jonah gets sent back to Tonga and they can film for a term at Tonga Heights High!

[GCT_89]

well im pretty sure ja'mie was an old character that chris had already done before and since she was so popular he has used her in this show too........

maybe we'll see the same thing happen to jonah, in some other kind of spin off.......

[DIEHARD]

well im pretty sure ja'mie was an old character that chris had already done before and since she was so popular he has used her in this show too........

maybe we'll see the same thing happen to jonah, in some other kind of spin off.......

Yea she was off his last show and so was Mr G. We Can Be Heros.

[~lee~]

Can someone clue me in on the word fob

[DIEHARD]

As Summer Heights High ends, Librarians come out to play

SADLY for fans of Jonah, Ja'mie and Mr G, there's unlikely to be a new series of Summer Heights High when this one wraps up in a couple of weeks.

But if elements of Summer Heights took your breath away, stand by for its replacement, The Librarians.

Hatched in the mid-1990s by friends and actors Robyn Butler and Roz Hammond during a stint working together on the Eric Bana show, The Librarians centres on a seriously un-PC head librarian, whose catch-cry is "I don't make the rules", and the odd cast of characters that surround her.

The Librarians starts on October 31.

Hammond and Butler star.

RANDOM thoughts
Colin Vickery talks to Ja'mie about life at Summer Heights High

You have been at Summer Heights High now for a month. Have the other students accepted you?
Totally. I'm pretty much friends with everyone. Randoms are always saying "Hi" to me in the playground and I'm just faking it and waving back. Everyone was like, "Oh, my God" at first and now they're like, "Wow, she's totally down to earth". I'm just like them - but rich.

You dated a year 7 guy but that didn't work out. How have you coped with the break-up?
I was so upset that night. I made my friend Brianna come over and console me. We missed Australian Idol because I was crying so much and we lost track of time. Brianna kept reminding me of how hot I am and how so many boys still want me. So I'm OK now. But I'll never date a year 7 for as long I live. They're so immature.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
When I'm not doing charity work or excelling in sport and academia, I love going out with my friends. We get into nightclubs all the time, because I have a fake ID. I also love hanging out at the shops and *****ing about all the randoms that hang out there.

Have there been any challenges in your life you've had to overcome?
Yes. My tits are below average in size because I had an eating disorder in year 8 when they were growing so they didn't develop properly. It's pretty challenging because I get judged for it. I could look hotter if they were bigger. I'm getting implants when I'm 18. Dad's paying.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I'd like to pursue my modelling. And once I get famous from that, go around to povo countries and have photos taken with starving kids on my lap. I want to have my own fashion label and design clothes for skinny people only. And I'll have like a factory, and I'll send all the damaged stock to Third World countries for them to wear.

What's your favourite quote?
My sponsor child Sonali said to me once, "Bulumbo Shamanaka". It's Sudanese and it means "You are very beautiful girl". That's my favourite quote because for me it's pretty accurate.

Ever been mistaken for someone famous?
I always get Jessica Alba. It's weird 'cos I'm way taller. But face and body are pretty similar.

What does it feel like to be so popular?
It's really hard work. Like everyone wants to be friends with me so I'm always giving out my mobile number to total randoms. And girls at my school are always fighting over who gets to sit next to me in classes and stuff. It's so embarrassing. And accepting friends on myspace takes ages 'cos everyone's trying to Add Me.

What sacrifices have your parents made to get you this far?
I was going to say money for all my school fees and activities, but my dad's totally rich so he doesn't even notice. And my mum doesn't sacrifice anything. She's a total *****. She used to get me a present a day. Like a CD or a DVD or something and she'd leave it on the end of my bed for when I got home from school. Now she's working part-time and she never does it. And she never makes my bed any more. She's such a selfish *****.

Did you become used to the camera crew following you or were you always conscious of it?
I love being followed around by cameras. At home I make my little sister film me all the time with Dad's handycam. And then we watch it back on the plasma to see how I look. I'm so used to it.

This is the second documentary you've been in. Any plans to pursue a career in television?
I'd love to host like a morning show. Just me and some hot guy crapping on about current affairs and stuff. It'd be really fun.

If you had three wishes, what would they be?
1) That everyone in the world would be hot, even in Third World countries; 2) That I get a massive modelling contract and get famous around the world, and; 3) That all schools could be private.

COMEDY
Summer Heights High, M
ABC, Wednesday, 9.30pm
Home-grown hilarity
Duration: 30 minutes

http://www.news.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Meet Chris Lilley ? QLD

Chris Lilley Signing

Event Date: 3/11/2007
Event Location: ABC Shop Indooroopilly
Event Description: Come and Meet the writer and the performer of the hilarious, absurd and frequently shocking ABC TV series Summer Heights High, Chris Lilley,at the ABC Shop Indooroopilly at 10.30am. Chris Lilley will be signing copies of the New Release Summer Heights High DVD and merchandise. We Can Be Heroes DVD and Book also available. For more information ph:07 3878 9923

Chris Lilley Signing

Event Date: 3/11/2007
Event Location: ABC Shop Chermside
Event Description: Come and Meet the writer and the performer of the hilarious, absurd and frequently shocking ABC TV series Summer Heights High, Chris Lilley,at the ABC Shop Chermside at 1pm. Chris Lilley will be signing copies of the New Release Summer Heights High DVD and merchandise. We Can Be Heroes DVD and Book also available. For more information ph:07 3359 1378

https://shop.abc.net.au/extras/eventlist.asp?eventcategoryid=129&stateid=4

[DIEHARD]

Chris Lilley flees SHH fans

COMEDIAN Chris Lilley was trapped by angry fans after halting an autograph signing session yesterday.

Lilley was appearing at Chadstone Shopping Centre when snubbed fans turned on him, forcing him to seek refuge with centre management.

Summer Heights High devotees had been promised Lilley's autograph if they bought a DVD of the hit show.

But after two hours' signing, he stood up, waved to the crowd of 1000 and attempted to leave.

Fan Donna McGindle said the crowd began booing him, then started to chase him.

Security guards ushered him into a room and threatened to call police to calm the crowd.

ABC publicist Kelly Davis said it was impossible for Lilley to give everyone an autograph.

http://www.news.com.au