Shaun Micallef
Shaun Patrick Micallef (; born 18 July 1962) is an Australian comedian, actor, writer and television presenter. He is currently the host of the satirical news comedy series "Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell" on the ABC. He also hosted the game show "Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation" on Channel 10. Micallef first gained recognition as a cast member of the sketch comedy show "Full Frontal", which led to his own sketch show, "The Micallef P(r)ogram(me)", the sitcom "Welcher & Welcher" and the variety show "Micallef Tonight". He then hosted the satirical news comedy series "Newstopia" on SBS, the game show  Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation on Network Ten, and "Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell" on ABC TV. He also co-created and starred in "Mr & Mrs Murder" on Network Ten. In addition to his television work Micallef has appeared on stage, most notably in a revival of "The Odd Couple" (2016) for the Melbourne Theatre Company and on radio as the co-host of Melbourne station Vega 91.5's morning program. He is also the author of several books: "Smithereens" (2004), "Preincarnate" (2010), "The President's Desk" (2014), "Tales from a Tall Forest" (2017), "The Uncollected Plays of Shaun Micallef  (2018), Mad as Hell and Back" (2019) and "Happily Ever Afterwards" (2021). Early life and education. Micallef was born in Adelaide, South Australia, and is of Maltese and Irish descent. His father worked for a company that sold parts for Volvos and his mother was employed at the Adelaide Bank. As a child, Micallef lived in Clovelly Park and attended St Bernadette's School in St Marys then St Joseph's Catholic School in Mitchell Park (now Sacred Heart College Middle School) before moving on to Sacred Heart Senior College where he was the College Captain. Micallef studied law at  the University of Adelaide, where he was frequently involved in comedy revues, often involving Francis Greenslade and Gary McCaffrie, with whom he continues to work. Influences. Micallef was influenced by the Goons, Peter Sellers, Marx Brothers, S. J. Perelman, James Thurber, Spike Milligan, Barry Humphries, Frank Muir, Monty Python and Woody Allen. Career. Early theatre. In 1972, having three younger sisters taking ballet classes, ten-year-old Micallef was often asked to help out when a dance routine required a boy. The following year he auditioned for the Bunyip Children's Theatre and over the next four years participated in  plays that they performed in the Scott Theatre during school holidays. In 1976 he doubled for Humphrey B. Bear for personal appearances. Legal career. Micallef was a practising solicitor for ten years in the field of insurance law before making the decision to move to Melbourne and pursue a full-time career in comedy in 1993. He relates the story that, while working as a solicitor, he talked so much about making a career change and becoming a comedian that his wife Leandra gave him an ultimatum: she marked a date on a calendar and told him to quit his  job and become a comedian by that date or never talk about it again. Television and film. Following early TV appearances on "Theatre Sports" (1987) and "The Big Gig" (1989), in early 1993 Micallef was offered a job writing for the "Jimeoin" show which was soon followed by an offer to also write for the sketch comedy show "Full Frontal" where six months later he took on the role as co-producer with Gary McCaffrie. In 1994, Micallef became a full-time cast member of "Full Frontal", where he became well known for characters such as Milo Kerrigan, Nobby Doldrums  and a send-up of Italian male model Fabio. Micallef recalls that the show was a good introduction to television comedy because, with an ensemble cast, its success did not hinge on his performance and he had more freedom to make and learn from mistakes. However, he was frustrated with the lack of control he had over his work in the series as well as the repetition of characters and gags. Micallef's role on "Full Frontal" led to a 1996 special "Shaun Micallef's World Around Him" and three seasons of the two-time Logie Award-winning ABC series  The Micallef Program (1998–2001), which he co-wrote and produced with long-time writing partner Gary McCaffrie. Since the series' end he has created and starred in two short-lived television series, the sitcom "Welcher & Welcher" (2003) and the variety show "Micallef Tonight" (2003), and devised a series of telemovies, "BlackJack" (2003–present). Micallef has also had acting roles in the television series "SeaChange" (2000), "Through My Eyes" (2004) and "Offspring" (2010) as well as supporting roles in the films "Bad Eggs" (2003), "The Honourable Wally Norman" (2003), "The Extra" (2005), "Aquamarine" (2006) and "The King" (2007). In 2006, he  was a recurring guest on the Network Ten Improvisational theatre show "Thank God You're Here". In 2007, along with partners McCaffrie and Michael Ward, Micallef developed the satirical comedy program "Newstopia", which he hosted. In 2009, Micallef joined the Ten Network and hosted "Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation", which aired for four seasons. He co-created "Mr & Mrs Murder", a crime comedy television series for Channel Ten which aired in 2013, and starred in the lead role of Charlie Buchanan alongside Kat Stewart. Also that year, Micallef signed on to voice the artificially intelligent robot RE3F in the Australian feature  length science fiction film "Arrowhead" (2014). Micallef currently hosts "Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell" and "Talkin' Bout Your Generation" which was renewed in 2018 for Channel Nine. Other work. In September 2005, Micallef began hosting the breakfast show "Shaun, Beverley and Denise" on Melbourne radio station Vega 91.5 FM with comedian Denise Scott and television presenter Beverley O'Connor. In July 2006, comedian Dave O'Neil took over as host and the show was renamed "Dave and Denise with Shaun Micallef". Micallef left the network on 23 November 2007. Micallef released a book, "Smithereens", which was published in 2004 and contains  a collection of prose, poetry and plays. He describes it as a collection of "all sorts of bits and pieces I have written". His second book, a novella titled "Preincarnate", was released in 2010. In October 2014, Micallef released his third book, "The President's Desk: An Alt-History of the United States"; a semi-fictitious history, told from the perspective of the Resolute desk. Personal life. Born to teetotaling parents, Micallef began drinking alcohol at age 18, and became a teetotaller in 1986. Micallef currently lives in Williamstown, Victoria, with his wife Leandra, whom he married in 1989, and  their three sons. Micallef is a teetotaler, although he did consume alcoholic beverages for a scientific test featured on "Shaun Micallef's On The Sauce". Awards. ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987. !