Comedy Slapdown
Encyclopedia
Comedy Slapdown is an Australia
n television improvised comedy program produced by FremantleMedia
, that first aired on The Comedy Channel
from November 8, 2008 at 7:30pm. The show is hosted by H.G. Nelson
and feaures a variety of comedians participating in theatresports
Matt Parkinson heads up the judging panel which includes one other celebrity judge and one judge selected from the audience. Notable guest comedians include Corinne Grant
, Tom Gleeson, Natalie Garonzi
, Matt Tilley
and Julia Zemiro
.
The premise of the show can be compared to the popular improvisational comedy program 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?
' with various improvisational comedy games played as the teams compete against each other.
Nuclear Storm (Runner-up, 2008)
The Trio of Doom
Hardcore Nitro
The Dirty Hombres
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television improvised comedy program produced by FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
, that first aired on The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
from November 8, 2008 at 7:30pm. The show is hosted by H.G. Nelson
Greig Pickhaver
alt=Greig Pickhaver|thumb|In May 2010Greig Pickhaver AM is an actor, comedian and writer, who forms one half of the Australian sports comedy duo Roy and HG...
and feaures a variety of comedians participating in theatresports
Theatresports
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre, which uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Opposing teams can perform scenes based on audience suggestions, with ratings by the audience or by a panel of judges...
Matt Parkinson heads up the judging panel which includes one other celebrity judge and one judge selected from the audience. Notable guest comedians include Corinne Grant
Corinne Grant
Corinne Grant is an Australian comedian and television presenter.-Career:After briefly studying as a nurse in Wodonga, she embarked upon a career as an actor in Melbourne, obtaining a degree in drama. After graduating, Grant started doing stand-up comedy to overcome her stage-fright. Her first...
, Tom Gleeson, Natalie Garonzi
Natalie Garonzi
Natalie Garonzi is an Australian actress, writer, comedian and TV Presenter. She worked internationally as a model for many years and then began her television career on Nickelodeon Australia where she was hugely popular on Saturday Nick Television and Sarvo...
, Matt Tilley
Matt Tilley
Matthew "Matt" "Old Mate" Vernon Thompson Tilley is an Australian radio presenter and comedian who has worked for Melbourne radio station FOX FM since 1990.-Biography:...
and Julia Zemiro
Julia Zemiro
Julia Zemiro is an Australian television presenter, radio host, actor, singer and comedian.- Early life :...
.
The premise of the show can be compared to the popular improvisational comedy program 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4, for a 10 series run...
' with various improvisational comedy games played as the teams compete against each other.
Game Examples
In each episode, the contestants are split into 2 teams, the red team and the blue team (Referring to the terms "In the red corner" and "In the blue corner") Here some of the games that are played- What's My Name? - A standard Comedy Slapdown opening round. The game involves both teams. One member of each team is a bouncer and holds a clipboard. Names of celebrities will appear on the screen behind them and the other players must, one at a time, do an impression of that person and help their teammate guess who they are.
- Off The Cuff - This game involves one member of each team. One person is given something to make a speech about, and at random times, the other player will say a word and the player giving the speech must incorporate that word into their speech.
- Don't Diss Me! - This game also involves one member of each team. They are each given a microphone and they will take turns rapping insults based on the pictures that appear on the screen. EG: with an hourglass: "Hey, boy! You got no class, 'cos, You just tippin' through an hourglass!"
- What's This Do? - Works exactly the same way as 'Props' On 'Whose line is it anyway?'. Each team is given a weird-looking prop and they will go back and forth, thinking of as many funny ideas as possible using the props.
- They said What? - One at a time, a player from either team will deliver the words you would never want to hear in a given situation (Eg; In a taxi, In bed with someone, at the oscars). There are two topics for the players to make statements on. The second topic usually relates to the occupation of the guest judge (Eg; At a singing competition for Anthony CalleaAnthony CalleaAnthony Cosmo Callea is an Australian singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 2004 season of Australian Idol when he became runner up. He was signed to Sony Music Australia until 2009 and is now an independent artist...
, at a Brownlow medal dinner for Jason AkermanisJason AkermanisJason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
)
- Break Into Song - For one of the 2 teams. They will act out a given scenario, but when the musician, John Thorn, starts playing music they must start singing their dialogue and keep singing until the music stops.
- Celebrity Serenade - Comedy Slapdown's weekly final challenge. The guest judge of the week will sit in a chair on stage and HG will ask them a few personal questions. Each of the 6 players must then sing a song about the guest, incorporating the info from the questions.
List of teams
The Squirminators (Winner, 2008)- Paul McCarthyPaul McCarthy (Australian actor)Paul McCarthy is an Australian comedy actor. He is best known for sketch comedy television series Comedy Inc.-Career:...
- Natalie GaronziNatalie GaronziNatalie Garonzi is an Australian actress, writer, comedian and TV Presenter. She worked internationally as a model for many years and then began her television career on Nickelodeon Australia where she was hugely popular on Saturday Nick Television and Sarvo...
- Damian CallinanDamian CallinanDamian Callinan is a comedian from Melbourne Australia. He was formerly a secondary teacher, and taught Drama and English at Penola Catholic College.-Entertainment career:...
Nuclear Storm (Runner-up, 2008)
- Lliam Amor
- Emily Taheney
- Russell Fletcher
The Trio of Doom
- Tom Gleeson
- Rebecca De UnamunoRebecca De UnamunoRebecca De Unamuno is an Australian actress and comedian. De Unamuno has written and performed for a number of television comedy series, short films and stand up comedy shows.-Career:...
- Cameron KnightCameron KnightCameron "Cam" Knight is an Australian comedian and television personality, born 1976 in Cummins, South Australia.-Career:He studied at the South Australian Centre for the Performing Arts before making his break into television as a member of the Big Bite sketch comedy show...
(Stood in for by Russell Fletcher for one episode)
Hardcore Nitro
- Matt TilleyMatt TilleyMatthew "Matt" "Old Mate" Vernon Thompson Tilley is an Australian radio presenter and comedian who has worked for Melbourne radio station FOX FM since 1990.-Biography:...
- Corinne GrantCorinne GrantCorinne Grant is an Australian comedian and television presenter.-Career:After briefly studying as a nurse in Wodonga, she embarked upon a career as an actor in Melbourne, obtaining a degree in drama. After graduating, Grant started doing stand-up comedy to overcome her stage-fright. Her first...
- Stephen HallStephen HallStephen Charles Hall is an Australian actor and writer.-Television:Halls' career in televisions includes both acting and production duties...
The Dirty Hombres
- Rik Brown
- Julia ZemiroJulia ZemiroJulia Zemiro is an Australian television presenter, radio host, actor, singer and comedian.- Early life :...
(Stood in for by Julia MorrisJulia MorrisJulia Morris is an Australian writer, comedian, actress, television presenter and television producer who has worked extensively in Australian and British television and radio. She has toured widely with her solo stand-up comedy shows. In Australia, she is best known as one of the stars of the...
for two episodes) - Steven Gates