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Pizza (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Pizza is an Australian black comedy
television series
on the Australian television
network, SBS
. It has also spun off
a feature length
movie
(Fat Pizza) in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video
/DVD
which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies
exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza" starring several characters from the show also tours the eastern coast of Australia.
Pizza relies heavily on the ironic
and self-conscious use of ethnic
stereotype
s, cars, sex
, drugs
and violence
to produce its dark humour, which can at times be mean spirited. It is also famous for its consistent cameo appearance
s of various Australian celebrities (actors, comedians, and professional athletes etc.).
and directed
by Paul Fenech
who also plays the main protagonist
of the series, Pauly, a pizza deliveryman. In certain special episodes Pauly will break the fourth wall
and as himself (the "fil-um maker" ) present featurettes revealing the history of the series, often tongue-in-cheek.
It first started as a project of Fenech's in the early 1990s, starring himself and shot in black and white. In 1995 his short film Pizza Man won him 3rd place in the Tropfest
film festival.
The show was first shown on SBS in 2000 and is up to its 5th season. The half hour program is usually shown in the Monday night 1 to 2 time slot — common for offbeat comedy shows such as South Park
, John Safran
, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
, Drawn Together
and Quads!.
s for the Sydney-based small business of Bobo Gigliotti, whose motto is "they're big and they're cheesy". According to Pauly, in the first episode, pizza delivery is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, a fact reiterated by a news reporter on a nearby television. In the suburbs of Sydney, this appears to be true as during the series the men have dealt with alien
s, killer kangaroo
s, bikies, bogans
, drug dealers, dominatrices
, celebrities
, the CIA
, ASIO
, the New South Wales Police Force, the Australian Federal Police
, Arab and Asian terrorists, organised crime gangs, and even evil Satanic forces
conspiring to fulfil Armageddon
. Despite all this, no one seems quite surprised at any of this happening, and they persist in the dead end job which pays $3.00 an hour (which is below minimum wage).
(called "special deliveries") Paul Fenech will sometimes break the fourth wall
and act as "himself" (or a stylised version of himself, still much like the character he plays) and introduce the segments. These special deliveries are usually clip shows or mockumentaries
on the show. In 2004 the series was a live-studio broadcast of audition
s for the next series of Pizza (interspersed with stunts, music and nudity), series finale
s had previously adopted a similar format with the crew "hijacking" the SBS television studio
. In the latter half of 2004, a mockumentary entitled "World Pizza" was broadcast which featured Pauly, Rocky and Toula travelling from Sydney to Napoli
, Italy – "the birthplace of pizza". According to the show, they could only afford stopover flights, and had to stop in Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas
before reaching Rome. Bobo and Habib (who along with Davo had been arrested by Customs
for drug possession in the airport prior to departure) appeared as talking heads
through this series.
"Special Deliveries" include:
The new employees at Fat Pizza are:
In the "Sexpo
" episode, Pauly interviews porn stars Ron Jeremy
and Serenity.
Australian Comedy Awards
Australian Screen Sound Guild
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
on the Australian television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
network, SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
. It has also spun off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
a feature length
Feature length
Feature length is motion picture terminology referring to the length of a feature film. According to the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a feature length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes to be eligible for an Academy Award.The term may also...
movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
(Fat Pizza) in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
/DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies
Schoolies week
Schoolies or schoolies week refers to the Australian tradition of high-school graduates having week-long holidays following the end of their final exams in late November and early December."Toolies" refers to older revelers who participate in Schoolies week but are...
exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza" starring several characters from the show also tours the eastern coast of Australia.
Pizza relies heavily on the ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
and self-conscious use of ethnic
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s, cars, sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
, drugs
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
and violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
to produce its dark humour, which can at times be mean spirited. It is also famous for its consistent cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s of various Australian celebrities (actors, comedians, and professional athletes etc.).
History of the show
The show is writtenScreenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
and directed
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
by Paul Fenech
Paul Fenech
Paul Fenech is a film maker, television and film actor and writer from Sydney, Australia, best known for his role in Pizza and Swift and Shift Couriers .-Career:...
who also plays the main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the series, Pauly, a pizza deliveryman. In certain special episodes Pauly will break the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
and as himself (the "fil-um maker" ) present featurettes revealing the history of the series, often tongue-in-cheek.
It first started as a project of Fenech's in the early 1990s, starring himself and shot in black and white. In 1995 his short film Pizza Man won him 3rd place in the Tropfest
Tropfest
Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival.Tropfest began in 1993 as a screening for 200 people in a cafe in Sydney but has since become the largest platform for short films in the world. Tropfest Australia takes place in February each year in front of a live audience of approximately...
film festival.
The show was first shown on SBS in 2000 and is up to its 5th season. The half hour program is usually shown in the Monday night 1 to 2 time slot — common for offbeat comedy shows such as South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, John Safran
John Safran
John Safran is an Australian documentary maker and radio broadcaster, known for combining humour with explorations into religion and other issues...
, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace is a British dark comedy show made for Channel 4 by Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade. Following on from Garth Marenghi's Netherhead, which won the 2001 Perrier Awards, the show revolves around fictional horror author Garth Marenghi and his publisher Dean Learner...
, Drawn Together
Drawn Together
Drawn Together is an American animated television series, which ran on Comedy Central from October 27, 2004 to November 14, 2007. The series was created by Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein, and uses a sitcom format with a TV reality show setting...
and Quads!.
The premise
The show centres on the activities of Pauly and his fellow co-workers as they deliver pizzaPizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
s for the Sydney-based small business of Bobo Gigliotti, whose motto is "they're big and they're cheesy". According to Pauly, in the first episode, pizza delivery is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, a fact reiterated by a news reporter on a nearby television. In the suburbs of Sydney, this appears to be true as during the series the men have dealt with alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
s, killer kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s, bikies, bogans
Bogan
The term bogan is Australian slang, usually pejorative or self-deprecating, for an individual who is recognised to be from a lower class background or someone whose limited education, speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplifies such a background....
, drug dealers, dominatrices
Dominatrix
Dominatrix or mistress is a woman or women who takes the dominant role in bondage, discipline and sadomasochism, or BDSM. A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"...
, celebrities
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
, the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
, ASIO
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
, the New South Wales Police Force, the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
, Arab and Asian terrorists, organised crime gangs, and even evil Satanic forces
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
conspiring to fulfil Armageddon
Armageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
. Despite all this, no one seems quite surprised at any of this happening, and they persist in the dead end job which pays $3.00 an hour (which is below minimum wage).
Season One - 2000
- Episode One - Dangerous Pizza
- The pilot, introduces Bobo, Bobo's mother, Claudia MacPherson, Pauly and Sleek, who is beginning his first shift. The episode underlines that delivering pizzas is one of the most dangerous jobs in the Western World. At the end of the episode, Pauly is abducted by aliensExtraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
.
- The pilot, introduces Bobo, Bobo's mother, Claudia MacPherson, Pauly and Sleek, who is beginning his first shift. The episode underlines that delivering pizzas is one of the most dangerous jobs in the Western World. At the end of the episode, Pauly is abducted by aliens
- Episode Two - Space Pizza
- The episode introduces Rocky and Habib. Pauly has been dumped in the desert by the aliens and tries to find his way back to civilization. Meanwhile Bobo has employed a new pizza deliverer in place of Pauly. However the new deliverer ends up being killed by an axe murderer. Guest starring: Barry CrockerBarry CrockerBarry Hugh Crocker OAM is a popular Australian singer, with a crooning vocal style.-Biography:...
of Barry McKenzie fame.
- The episode introduces Rocky and Habib. Pauly has been dumped in the desert by the aliens and tries to find his way back to civilization. Meanwhile Bobo has employed a new pizza deliverer in place of Pauly. However the new deliverer ends up being killed by an axe murderer. Guest starring: Barry Crocker
- Episode Three - Film Pizza
- Guest Starring: KamahlKamahlKamahl is the stage name of Kandiah Kamalesvaran , an Australian singer and recording artist, perhaps best known for "The Elephant Song", and his repertoire of popular music.-Early life:...
, Jon EnglishJon EnglishJonathan James "Jon" English is an Australian rock singer, musician, actor and writer. English emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1961...
and Dr. Karl
- Guest Starring: Kamahl
- Episode Four - Crime Pizza
- Episode Five - Crazy Pizza
- Episode Six - Love Pizza
- Episode Seven - Road Trip Pizza
- Episode Eight - Snowy Pizza
- Episode Nine - Gambling Pizza
- After their shifts, Sleek and Bobo head out to the casino to place some bets. While Sleek wins, Bobo is on a losing streak, and finds himself desperate enough to bet his shop. Unfortunately Bobo loses, and Pauly and Sleek find themselves working at the pizza shop for their new boss, the MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
. Guest Starring: Tania ZaettaTania ZaettaTania Zaetta is an Australian actress and television presenter who acts in Bollywood.-Early life:Zaetta was born to an Italian father and an Australian mother. Grand daughter of James Howard Browne OAM, botanist. She spent the earlier years of her life living in Merbein, Victoria...
- After their shifts, Sleek and Bobo head out to the casino to place some bets. While Sleek wins, Bobo is on a losing streak, and finds himself desperate enough to bet his shop. Unfortunately Bobo loses, and Pauly and Sleek find themselves working at the pizza shop for their new boss, the Mafia
Season Two - 2001
- Episode One - New Pizza
- The shop is moved to Hashfield, a dangerous neighborhood, where Pauly and Sleek encounter many problems with the locals. The media films Bobo unhygienically making pizzas.
- Episode Two - Politically Incorrect Pizza
- Assault charges are pressed against Pauly, who defends himself after being abused by an old and disabled man, against Bobo, who prejudicially declined the applications of a lesbian, a blind man, an obese man and an old and disabled man, and against Habib, Rocky and the boys who faked that they were disabled but were eventually being filmed while comfortably playing rugby in the park.
- Episode Three - Sexy Pizza
- Episode Four - Millionaire Pizza
- Episode Five - Melbourne Pizza
- Pauly and Sleek have the day off work and decide to drive to Melbourne. They stay in a hotel and set out to some night clubs to meet some girls. Sleek successfully hooks up with women, while Pauly, who has unknowingly taken ecstasy, returns to the home of a girl he meets and engages in many problems that evolve into fights. Guest Starring: Nick GiannopoulosNick GiannopoulosNick Giannopoulos is a Australian stand-up comedian, film and TV actor. He is best known for his comedy stage show Wogs Out of Work alongside George Kapiniaris and the television sitcom Acropolis Now and is an exponent of wog comedy.-Early life:Nick is an actor/writer/producer/director...
, Tottie GoldsmithTottie GoldsmithTottie Goldsmith is an Australian actress and singer.-Biography:Goldsmith is the daughter of Melbourne restaurateur and nightclub owner Brian Goldsmith and British-born actress Rona Newton-John. Her great grandfather was German physicist and Nobel Prize winner Max Born...
, and Costas KiliasCostas KiliasCostantinos "Costas" Kilias is a Greek-Australian barrister and actor. Kilias is best known for his role as "Tony the Yugoslav" in The Wog Boy and Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos, as well as his role in The Castle...
.
- Pauly and Sleek have the day off work and decide to drive to Melbourne. They stay in a hotel and set out to some night clubs to meet some girls. Sleek successfully hooks up with women, while Pauly, who has unknowingly taken ecstasy, returns to the home of a girl he meets and engages in many problems that evolve into fights. Guest Starring: Nick Giannopoulos
- Episode Six - Flashback Pizza
- Pauly and Sleek get the day off work as Bobo has an appointment with a psychiatrist amid concerns claim that he is crazy.
- Episode Seven - Freaky Pizza
- Episode Eight - Girlfriend Pizza
- Episode Nine - ANZAC Pizza
- Paulie wants to march in the ANZAC parade but keeps getting sidetracked.
- Episode Ten - Desert Pizza
- Sleek, Pauly and his uncle are fishing on a boat, they have some bait which contains marijuana, goat's cheese and petrol, Sleek accidentally rolls up a joint and lights it only to realise that the boat had exploded. The explosion sends Pauly and Sleek out to sea where they end up as castaways on an island. Guest Starring: Tony NikolakopoulosTony NikolakopoulosTony Nikolakopoulos is a Greek Australian film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his work in the films of Nick Giannopoulos, The Wog Boy and The Wannabes, and for his role as Attilio in the television series Scooter: Secret Agent...
- Sleek, Pauly and his uncle are fishing on a boat, they have some bait which contains marijuana, goat's cheese and petrol, Sleek accidentally rolls up a joint and lights it only to realise that the boat had exploded. The explosion sends Pauly and Sleek out to sea where they end up as castaways on an island. Guest Starring: Tony Nikolakopoulos
Season Three - 2003
- Episode One - New Pizza
- Episode Two - Terrorism Pizza
- Episode Three - Cult Pizza
- Bobo instructs his crew to work dressed with Christmas attire in July, which was encouraged by Bobo's male order bride Lin Chow, while Davo is engrossed in a new religion. Pauly is also suspected as a stalker and a "petofile".
- Episode Four - School Pizza
- Episode Five - Road Trip Pizza
- Episode Six - Sexpo Pizza
- Episode Seven - Birthday Pizza
- Episode Eight - Quarantine Pizza
- Bobo had previously ordered Habib and Pauly to steal some chickens to have more ingredients, when they realise that the chickens are infected and are causing fatalities to the customers.
- Episode Nine - Refugee Pizza
Season Four - 2005
- Episode One - New Shop Pizza
- Episode Two - Small and Large Pizza
- Episode Three - Father's Day Pizza
- Pauly reminisces about his father, who was forced to leave his wife and 4 year old son to work with the British Government, and his adventures that are portrayed as that of James Bond's before he arrived in Australia. Guest Starring: Bessie BardotBessie BardotBessie Bardot is an Australian businesswoman, author, nude model, television host, and socialite. Her career began in the 1990s, when she was discovered by former Australian Gladiator Geoff Barker, who is now her husband.- Early life :A child of hippie parents, she was born in the Blue Mountains,...
- Pauly reminisces about his father, who was forced to leave his wife and 4 year old son to work with the British Government, and his adventures that are portrayed as that of James Bond's before he arrived in Australia. Guest Starring: Bessie Bardot
- Episode Four - Holiday Pizza - Part I
- Due to daylight savings, Pauly mistakenly arrives at work one hour early only to see Bobo with a transvestite. Pauly uses his mobile phone to take photos and blackmails Bobo, requesting 2 weeks paid holiday to Italy or he would show the photos to Bobo's mother. Pauly arrives in Italy and stays with his cousin Luigi.
- Episode Five - Holiday Pizza - Part II
- Luigi and Pauly are supposed to go to SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
but Luigi's ego makes both of them follow two women to VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
.
- Luigi and Pauly are supposed to go to Sicily
- Episode Six - Waitress Pizza
- Pauly wants a raise, but Bobo says that he cannot afford it because he hired a new waitress.
- Episode Seven - Burnout Pizza
- Habib, Toula, Rocky and Kristina accompany Pauly so that he can race in the dragsDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
.
- Habib, Toula, Rocky and Kristina accompany Pauly so that he can race in the drags
- Episode Eight - Habib's Wedding pizza
- Habib marries Toula, after proposing to her when he was drunk, at a shifty venue. Bobo is the caterer, DJ BJ is the DJ, and Junior and Kev are the waiters. Arguments and punch-ups arise from who had booked the venue, the religion of Toula and Habib, the wedding singer, and Habib's dad, who returns from Cuba as he had been in Guantánamo Bay, shows his dislike for Toula.
Season Five - 2007
- Episode One - Carwash Pizza
- Bobo does an insurance job on his old Fat Pizza pizzeria and buys a new shop in Hashfield Valley, because business is so bad he is forced to turn the shop into a pizzeria café carwash.
- Episode Two - Law & Order Pizza
- Davo steals a police drug-sniffer dog and then tells the copsPoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
when the dog was suddenly cut up into pieces, then Chong Fat is suspected of the crime. Chong Fat admits that Davo had stolen the dog, Habib and Rocky had stolen the dog off Davo and offered him a ransom to pay if he wanted it back or else they would chop off its head. Davo is taken to the police station and tells the officers that Habib and Rocky then stole the dog off him. The cops arrested Rocky and Habib and took them to trial. Habib confesses that he took the dog but then gave him to Bobo who was believed to have cut it up to use for pizza meat. Bobo is then sentenced to trial and admits that Chong Fat had cut up the dog. Chong Fat is then taken into custody and sentenced to prison, Where he gets raped by a gay cellmate (the same inmate who also raped Habib in the earlier series of Pizza).
- Davo steals a police drug-sniffer dog and then tells the cops
- Episode Three - Melbourne Cup Pizza
- Bobo holds a Melbourne cup lunch at Fat Pizza. Everything goes wrong, from bad food to power failures; the obese customers are unhappy at the lack of food and alcohol.
- Episode Four - The Beach Part One
- Bobo has a day off and goes to Cronulla beach with his ex porn star girlfriend Ruby. The day explodes into mayhem as pizza deliveries go wrong and Habib and Rocky accidentally start a riot with lifesavers. The media then interview Pauly and he is taken out of context and blamed as the instigator of the Cronulla Beach riot.
- Episode Five - The Beach Part Two
- After causing the Cronulla riots and bashing radio shock jock Allen Ford Jones, Pauly and Junior are deported to Coconut Island, only there is a twist the department of immigration makes a mistake and they are sent to Crocodile Island.
- Episode Six - Doctor Pizza
- During an argument over cockroachesCockroachesA cockroach is an insect of the order Blattaria. "Cockroach" may also refer to:*Cockroach , a 2001 album by Danger Danger*Cockroach , a 2008 novel by Rawi Hage...
on Bobo's pizzas, Bobo accidentally bites off Rocky's finger. Both are sent to Hashfield Hospital, meanwhile Pauly is road raging all the hospital doctors and after bashing them there are no doctors to help Bobo and Rocky. In the end Junior decides to help with Bobo's surgery (after he lied to a Coconut Island nurse saying that he is a doctor).
- During an argument over cockroaches
- Episode Seven - Cracker Pizza
- In response to a new Government ban on crackers and new "working for tips" laws the pizza shop workers suffer more grief than usual. Habib sets off all his old crackers before the ban is enforced, Davo is arrested for robbing a service station to pay for pizzas and Pauly drives to Canberra with Habib's cousin Omar to buy crackers.
- Episode Eight - Barbeque Pizza
- Habib fakes the death of his wife, Toula, while she is in GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
whereby Habib receives $100,000. Bobo's gay Italian cousin Santino comes to visit from Italy. He shows Bobo how to make good pizzas. He gets a crush on DJ BJ. Bobo's mama goes interstate and Bobo has a barbeque to celebrate his engagement to his ex porn star girlfriend Ruby. Habib buries Toula's coffin (which he later tells Rocky there were only bricks in the coffin) and gets the insurance money.
- Habib fakes the death of his wife, Toula, while she is in Greece
Special deliveries
In certain special episodesVery special episode
"Very special episode" is an advertising term originally used in American television commercials to refer to an episode of a sitcom or television drama that deals with a serious or controversial social issue...
(called "special deliveries") Paul Fenech will sometimes break the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
and act as "himself" (or a stylised version of himself, still much like the character he plays) and introduce the segments. These special deliveries are usually clip shows or mockumentaries
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
on the show. In 2004 the series was a live-studio broadcast of audition
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...
s for the next series of Pizza (interspersed with stunts, music and nudity), series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
s had previously adopted a similar format with the crew "hijacking" the SBS television studio
Television studio
A television studio is an installation in which a video productions take place, either for the recording of live television to video tape, or for the acquisition of raw footage for post-production. The design of a studio is similar to, and derived from, movie studios, with a few amendments for the...
. In the latter half of 2004, a mockumentary entitled "World Pizza" was broadcast which featured Pauly, Rocky and Toula travelling from Sydney to Napoli
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy – "the birthplace of pizza". According to the show, they could only afford stopover flights, and had to stop in Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
before reaching Rome. Bobo and Habib (who along with Davo had been arrested by Customs
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is the Australian Federal Government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border, facilitating the movement of legitimate international travellers and goods, and collecting border-related duties and...
for drug possession in the airport prior to departure) appeared as talking heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
through this series.
"Special Deliveries" include:
- Fat Pizza (2000): A single disc comedy albumAlbumAn album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
featuring sketchesSketch comedyA sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
about Pauly, Sleek and Bobo. The album also features numerous rap songs performed by Paul Nakad (Sleek). - A Real Slice of Pizza (2001): Behind-the-scenes of Pizza, including bloopers, deleted scenes and interviews.
- Pizza: The Stage Show: A live stage showStage ShowStage Show was a popular music variety series on American television originally hosted on alternate weeks by big band leaders and brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Produced by Jackie Gleason, the CBS-TV show included the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley.The series began as a...
that toured Australia during the series early run, featuring many of the shows performers. - What's Doing? (2003):
- Pizza World (2004:) Pauly, Rocky and Toula travel around the world trying out different pizzas, meanwhile searching for the world's first pizzeria, found in NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy. - Pizza Live (2004):
- The Da Vinci Cup (2006): With the World Cup starting soon, Pauly and the gang travel around the world to prove the sporting event is a sham, and that the results are already known by a select few.
- World Record Pizza (2007): Pauly, Habib, Katrina and Kev travel around the world again, this time attempting to deliver a pizza to the top of Ayers Rock by circling the globe.
Employees of Fat Pizza
- Paul FenechPaul FenechPaul Fenech is a film maker, television and film actor and writer from Sydney, Australia, best known for his role in Pizza and Swift and Shift Couriers .-Career:...
as Pauly Falzoni – main protagonist, pizza deliveryPizza deliveryPizza delivery is a service in which a pizzeria delivers a pizza to a customer. Delivery is normally made with an automobile, motor scooter, or bicycle.- Ordering :...
man, boxerKickboxingKickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
, and aspiring "filum maker". His favourite derogatory comment for people is "stooge", originating from a comment a teacher once made to him. Pauly has been one of Bobo's longest serving employees at Fat Pizza and has provided Bobo with some good ideas over the years. During the 2005 series of Pizza, Pauly's parents and relatives were shown with Pauly having a cousin named Luigi who lives in Italy as well as one episode taking a look at Pauly's parents. Also, Pauly's ethnic background consists of MalteseMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, Italian, and Spanish roots.
- Paul NakadPaul NakadPaul Nakad is an Australian hip-hop artist and actor. He is best known by his stage name Sleek the Elite, which he used as a character name for the Pizza TV show and Fat Pizza movie....
as Sleek the Elite – so named because he is "slicker than slick", an aspiring rapper, ladies' man and a pizza delivery man who self-titled himself the "Lebanese Lover" or "Lebanese Legend". He was the main co-star in the first two series and the movie. He is a ladykiller hence the name Lebanese lover. In the third series (2003, after the movie) it was revealed Sleek had been kidnapped by IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic terroristsTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
while holidaying in his homeland of LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
for "rooting all their women". In several episodes, Sleek was portrayed as the closeted bisexual male. He was replaced by Rocky's other cousin - Slick, who is killed off by Bobo in season three, episode one.
- Tahir BilgiçTahir BilgiçTahir Bilgiç is an Australian comedian, film and television actor, of Turkish descent. He is best known for his role in the sitcom Pizza.-Career:...
as Habib HalalHalalHalal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
Habib – meaning "Friend" in Arabic. Habib featured as a supporting character in the earlier series of Pizza; a friend of Sleek's, he is a stereotyped young Lebanese (Bilgiç is actually TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) drug-dealer and fenceFence (criminal)A fence is an individual who knowingly buys stolen property for later resale, sometimes in a legitimate market. The fence thus acts as a middleman between thieves and the eventual buyers of stolen goods who may or may not be aware that the goods are stolen. As a verb, the word describes the...
of stolen goods (typically mobile phoneMobile phoneA mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s). He played a larger role in the theatrical version of Pizza. In 2003 after the loss of Sleek, he was employed at the shop as a deliveryman, a position he regularly uses as a front for his illegal activities. He is socially inept, and used to be unlucky with women (which played a part in developing his fetish for "fat chicks" due to him being unable to get the kind of girls Sleek and Rocky picked up on a regular basis as well as Sleek and Rocky denying Habib from getting the attractive girls), but has hitched up with Toula.
- Rob ShehadieRob ShehadieRob Shehadie is the star of the hit comedy "Fat Pizza', "Swift and Shift" and "Houso's" playing the character Rocky. He has been part of the Fat Pizza TV show for the past 10 years. Rob has featured in the Fat Pizza movie that broke box office records in Australia. He has also toured the country...
as Robert "Rocky" Shekazbah – self stylised "Lebanese Rambo". A tall muscular homophobicHomophobiaHomophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
egotistical Lebanese friend/second cousin of Habib (often role of enforcer), seems to be able to score with any number of young (and likely underage) women.
- JabbaJabba (Channel V)Jabba aka Jason Davis is a television personality who first made a name for himself as part of the launch of subscription television in Australia in 1995...
as David "Davo" Dinkum – a stereotyped bongBongA bong is a filtration device/apparatus generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco,or other herbal substances.In construction and function a bong is similar to a hookah, except smaller and more portable...
-smoking Aussie. Being the only non-"chocko" at Fat Pizza sometimes leaves him at the end of discriminationDiscriminationDiscrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
, but he gets on well with the drug-dealing Habib. Introduced in the movie, he has appeared since. Since 2005, Davo was sacked from Fat Pizza and now he is unemployed, spending most of his time smoking his bong, getting drunk and looking for chicks (the vast majority of them pot-smoking bogan chicks that reside in Hashfield). He is the one who wears thongs as training footwear.
- John BoxerJohn BoxerJohn "Johnny" Boxer is a television and film actor from Sydney, Australia, best known for his role as Bobo Gigliotti in Pizza.-Filmography:-Television:*Water Rats...
as Bobo Gigliotti – the psychotic pizza chefChefA chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
who is the "boss" of Fat Pizza. He has little patience and those that cross him usually end up on the wrong end of his chainsawChainsawA chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
. He is a horrible boss imposing dreadful working conditions and abuse. Additionally, he is consistently docking the delivery-boys' $3/hr pay for any deviation from schedule. The only thing Bobo likes is his Mama and his new mail-order brideMail-order brideMail-order bride is a label applied to a woman who publishes her intent to marry someone from another country. This term is considered offensive by some people. The mail-order bride industry is the economic trade of contracted domestic partnerships, often between citizens of different countries or...
Lin Chow (and making pizzas). Since Lin Chow was deported back to VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Bobo has been single and during the 2007 series of Pizza, he has recently met a former erotic film actress named Ruby a.k.a. "Mama Jugs" (Angela White) and the two have been dating frequently (much to the disgust of Bobo's mother).
Supporting cast
- Annalise BraakensiekAnnalise BraakensiekAnnalise Braakensiek is an Australian model, actress and TV presenter.-Biography:Braakensiek was born in Sydney, New South Wales and speaks five languages;...
as supermodelSupermodelThe term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
Claudia MacPherson – though pronounced "Clow-dia", the name is an obvious play on models Claudia SchifferClaudia SchifferClaudia Schiffer is a German model and occasional actress, who reached the peak of her popularity during the 1990s, initially due to her resemblance to Brigitte Bardot. Schiffer is one of the world's most successful models, having appeared on over 500 magazine covers...
and Elle MacphersonElle MacphersonElle Macpherson is an Australian model, actress, and businesswoman nicknamed "The Body". She is perhaps best known for her record five cover appearances for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s...
. She is dimwitted, rich, blonde, bulimic and attractive.
- Maria VenutiMaria Venuti- Life / Career :Venuti was born to an Italian father and an Egyptian mother.She began her career as a 'performer' on Brian Henderson's Bandstand and on The Mike Walsh Show in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early 1990s, she had guest roles in A Country Practice and in G.P.It wasn't until 2000 that she...
as Bobo's Mama – Bobo's overbearing Italian mother who actually owns Fat Pizza. Despite her being quite physically abusivePhysical abusePhysical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
Bobo still loves his Mama and still lives with her.
- Jo Jo Yee as Lin Chow Bang – Bobo's diminutiveDiminutiveIn language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
mail-order brideMail-order brideMail-order bride is a label applied to a woman who publishes her intent to marry someone from another country. This term is considered offensive by some people. The mail-order bride industry is the economic trade of contracted domestic partnerships, often between citizens of different countries or...
from VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The Fat Pizza movie partly dealt with the arrival of Lin Chow (and her family), and as such she only appears since 2003. She has not been seen since 2003 after the Department of Immigration deported her back to VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
due to Habib and Rocky informing both the police and Immigration so they could avoid drug dealing charges and time in jail.
- Rebel WilsonRebel WilsonRebel Wilson is an Australian actress, writer, and stand-up comedienne, known for her roles in the television series Pizza and Bogan Pride and the film Bridesmaids.-Early and personal life:...
as Toula – an obeseObesityObesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
Greek-Australian girl who was Habib's girlfriendGirlfriendGirlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
and now wife, whom she refers to as her "Habibi". She is a voracious eater, and she accompanied Pauly and Rocky in the "Pizza World" mockumentary. In Los Angeles she asks a tourist centre if they have star map, but one that marks all the fast food places rather than celebrity residences. In the recent series of Pizza, it is revealed that Toula has a gang of obese girls called the "Fat Chick 12" (because although there are only 6 girls in the gang, they are as large as two people). It is also revealed in the recent series of Pizza that Toula is an obsessive control freak, domineering and controlling over every aspect of Habib's life, especially in the later stages of their engagement and after Habib married her. Before the wedding, Toula used the members of the Fat Chick 12 to spy and stop Habib from enjoying his last days of bachelorhood by preventing erotic dancers from going to Habib's buck's night, as well as spying on Habib and preventing him from having his own private buck's night with a bunch of strippers. After the wedding, Toula's control over Habib has become more extreme with Toula preventing Habib from returning to work and forcing Habib to wear pinkPinkPink is a mixture of red and white. Commonly used for Valentine's Day and Easter, pink is sometimes referred to as "the color of love." The use of the word for the color known today as pink was first recorded in the late 17th century....
tracksuitTracksuitA tracksuit is an article of clothing consisting of two parts: trousers and a jacket usually with front zipper. It was originally intended for use in sports, mainly as what athletes wore over competition clothing and would take off before competition. In modern times, it has become commonly worn...
pantsTrousersTrousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
. In the 2007 series of Pizza, Habib has returned to work and has been avoiding Toula by saying that he is "really busy".
- Anthony Salame as Omar, Habib's cousin and best friend of his cousin Mohammed. He was introduced in Pizza in 2007, when he helped Habib do an insurance job on the old Fat Pizza premises. He is often shown to be with Habib and Rocky in most episodes. He was shown to be friends with Pauly when they went to the fireworks factory.
- Alex Haddad as Mohammed, Habib's cousin and best friend of his cousin Omar. He was introduced in Pizza in 2007. when he helped Habib do an insurance job on the old Fat Pizza premises. He is often shown to be with Habib and Rocky in most episodes.
- Katrina Spadone as Katrina, or Kat for short – a best friend of the obese Toula, and girlfriend to Rocky. In the recent series of Pizza, Katrina started to develop a crush on Pauly since Rocky was not treating her right. She has broken up and re-united with Rocky several times (much to the torture and torment of Pauly who is keen on having Katrina as his girlfriend). In World Record Pizza, she joined Pauly, Habib and Kev in their trip around the globe, much to Rocky's disgust, so that Pauly can try to get Katrina. However, before they left BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
to return to Australia, Katrina decided to stay in Brazil with her new boyfriend. She has since re-appeared, featuring in the Season 5 episode 'Doctor Pizza'.
New employees at Fat Pizza
In the 2005 series of Pizza, new characters were introduced to accompany Pauly and Habib in delivering pizzas, after Bobo decided to turn Fat Pizza into a franchise.The new employees at Fat Pizza are:
- Kevin Taumata as Kev the Kiwi - A stereotypical Māori-Australian, who is obsessed with alcohol. Whenever on/off duty, he will sneak to a local pub to "git on thuh puhss." Kev often uses New Zealand slang including "choice!" and "bro'". He also has a small rivalry with Junior. He is always seen with his sunglasses on.
- Andrew Ausage as Junior - Bobo's apprentice chef, who, like Bobo, abuses the other employees. He and Kev have a small rivalry, and sometimes fight each other for reasons unknown. Sometimes Junior would add Samoan-inspired ingredients on pizzas, such as pig snouts and turtle meat and cooked meat in a Hungi.
- Alex RomanoAlex RomanoAlex Romano is an Argentine-Australian actor who plays the role of DJ BJ in the television series Pizza and the role of "Alex" in Swift and Shift Couriers. He grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, after he migrated there with his family in 1981.DJ BJ was a new character in the 2005...
as DJ BJ ("BJ" standing for Big Jams) - A young employee, who is more abused and yelled at from Bobo and Junior more than the others. He enjoys playing his turn-table but is also clumsy and a weakling, resulting in occasional accidents and injuries (e.g., a snake chasing him at Uluru, being electrocuted by fiddling with plugs on Melbourne Cup Day). - Anh DoAnh DoAnh Do is a Vietnamese Australian author, actor and stand-up comedian.He has appeared on many Australian TV shows such as Thank God You're Here and Good News Week, and was runner-up on Dancing With The Stars in 2007. He studied a combined Business Law degree at the University of Technology, Sydney...
as Chen Chong Fat (a.k.a. Keith) - A stereotypical Asian, who tries to get into Australian culture, eating pies and sausage rolls and talking in outdated slang. In Season 5, he was framed for stealing a police dog (Davo Dinkum, Habib and Rocky were the ones responsible for stealing the police dog) and was sent to jail, and was not seen after that episode.
- Hollie Meyer as "Baby" and "Toula's gang". A stereotypical "fat chick" who is one of Toula's girls. She forces herself on DJ BJ who becomes her boyfriend and she is not shy to push her weight around. She is the butt of the fat jokes and happy to retaliate violently when ridiculed. Hollie also played a variety of other roles including Toula's double in series 5, the Ghost, and "Voula" in the 'Italy' episode, season 4.
Guest appearances
Pizza has an extremely long list of guest appearances of many Australian media personalities (hence this list is incomplete). Many have recurring roles, or reappear in later episodes as entirely new characters. They also show a high degree of retroactive continuity.- Angry AndersonAngry AndersonGary Stephen "Angry" Anderson AM is an Australian rock singer, television presenter/reporter, actor and conservative political activist. He is best known as the vocalist with the hard rock band Rose Tattoo since 1976 but he is also recognised for his acting roles and his charity work...
- as a bikieMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, as well as an ANZAC commander in a flashback to the Battle of Gallipoli - Chris FranklinChris FranklinChris Franklin is an Australian stand up comedian and former sailor for the Royal Australian Navy. He is most famous for writing the song "Bloke" , which reached #1 on the ARIA Charts in 2000...
- as Dazza, a stereotypical bogan alcoholic, often seen putting up with his equally-stereotypical wife Shazza. - Anthony MundineAnthony MundineAnthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
- as himself - Tony BarberTony BarberAnthony "Tony" Ferraro Barber is an Australian game show host and television personality.-Early life:...
- Carl BarronCarl BarronCarl Barron is an Australian comedian. His style is based on observational humour. He was born in Longreach, Queensland, the son of a sheep shearer, and formerly worked as an apprentice roof tiler. Barron has released three DVDs, entitled Carl Barron LIVE!, Carl Barron: Whatever Comes Next and...
- as a macheteMacheteThe machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
-wielding armed robber who attempts and fails to rob Bobo - Nick BarkerNick BarkerNicholas "Nick" Paul Barker is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist who formed a Melbourne-based rock, power pop band Nick Barker & the Reptiles in March 1988. Their cover version of Cockney Rebel's "Make Me Smile " reached the top 30 on the Australian Recording Industry Association ...
- Tony BonnerTony BonnerTony Bonner is an Australian television, film and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, later moving on to lead roles in the dramas Cop Shop and Skyways.-Early life:Bonner was born in Manly, a northern beach suburb of Sydney...
- as a murderous Special Air ServiceAustralian Special Air Service RegimentThe Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
commander. - Bessie BardotBessie BardotBessie Bardot is an Australian businesswoman, author, nude model, television host, and socialite. Her career began in the 1990s, when she was discovered by former Australian Gladiator Geoff Barker, who is now her husband.- Early life :A child of hippie parents, she was born in the Blue Mountains,...
- as Pussy Galore, a female British assassin who worked with Pauly's father in one episode of Pizza - Richard Carter - as a police detective
- Stephanie Chaves-JacobsenStephanie Chaves-JacobsenStephanie Jacobsen is an Australian actress.-Personal life:Jacobsen was born in Hong Kong, then a British crown colony...
- as Selina, one of Sleek's numerous girlfriends. - Bob EllisBob EllisBob Ellis is an Australian writer, journalist, film-maker and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germaine Greer, Les Murray, John Bell, Ken Horler, and Mungo McCallum...
- as Premier of NSW - Michael DiamondMichael Diamond (sport shooter)Michael Constantine Diamond, OAM is a professional target shooter from Australia. Mastering the shotgun, Diamond succeeded in winning the Olympic gold medal for trap both in Atlanta and Sydney . He also holds the world record in double trap, and held the final world record in trap between 2007...
- as himself on one episode of Pizza Live. - Dr Karl
- Jon EnglishJon EnglishJonathan James "Jon" English is an Australian rock singer, musician, actor and writer. English emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1961...
- as a (washed-up) actor - Peter EverittPeter EverittPeter "Spida" Everitt is a former Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda, Hawthorn Hawks and the Sydney Swans in the AFL. He made his debut for St Kilda in 1993 and in 2003 began playing for Hawthorn. Everitt was traded to the Sydney Swans at the end of 2006. Following the club's 2008...
- trying to steal money from Pauly for cigarettes, already has a cigarette on his ear. - Jeff FenechJeff FenechJeff Fenech is a retired Australian boxer and a three-time world champion who is now a boxing trainer.-Boxing career:...
- as himself - Mario FenechMario FenechMario Fenech is a Maltese-Australian rugby league personality. He is a former player of the game for New South Wales, and is a regular guest on The Footy Show. His favoured position was as Hooker, where he represented NSW. In his later career he became a Prop-forward...
- as Pauly's Uncle Shiba - Tim FergusonTim FergusonTimothy Dorcen Langbene "Tim" Ferguson is an Australian comedian and television presenter.- Background :...
- as magician David CockerfieldDavid Copperfield (illusionist)David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys... - Cornelia FrancesCornelia FrancesCornelia Frances is a British-born actress based in Australia since the early 1970s. Frances is best known for her recurring role as judge Morag Bellingham on Home and Away.-Early life and personal life:...
- Frenzal RhombFrenzal RhombFrenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
- as bong-smoking rock band Marilyn's Regurgitator - Nick GiannopoulosNick GiannopoulosNick Giannopoulos is a Australian stand-up comedian, film and TV actor. He is best known for his comedy stage show Wogs Out of Work alongside George Kapiniaris and the television sitcom Acropolis Now and is an exponent of wog comedy.-Early life:Nick is an actor/writer/producer/director...
- as a Greek taxi driver who verbally scuffled with Pauly in Melbourne over the issue of "hook turning". - Kym GyngellKym GyngellKym Gyngell is an Australian AFI award winning comedian and film, television and stage actor...
- Tottie GoldsmithTottie GoldsmithTottie Goldsmith is an Australian actress and singer.-Biography:Goldsmith is the daughter of Melbourne restaurateur and nightclub owner Brian Goldsmith and British-born actress Rona Newton-John. Her great grandfather was German physicist and Nobel Prize winner Max Born...
- as a married woman who has kinky sexual fetishes whom Pauly meets in a Melbourne nightclub. - Nathan Harvey - as Dougie, one-time Pizza HutPizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
mascotMascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name... - Ross HigginsRoss HigginsRoss Higgins is an Australian actor, best known for his role as Ted Bulpitt in the television situation comedy series Kingswood Country....
- as a number of minor characters, one of them a Vietnam War veteran in one episode. - Merv HughesMerv HughesMervyn Gregory Hughes is a former Australian cricketer. A right-arm fast bowler, he represented Australia between 1985 and 1994 in 53 Test matches, taking 212 wickets. He played 33 One Day Internationals, taking 38 wickets. He took a hat trick in a Test against the West Indies at the WACA in...
- as Ivan MilatIvan MilatIvan Milat-Luketa was a Croatian painter and sculptor. He is a painter of the modern era in Croatian art history.-Life:... - Bill HunterBill Hunter (actor)William John "Bill" Hunter was an Australian actor of film, stage and television. He appeared in more than 60 films and won two Australian Film Institute Awards.-Early life:Hunter was a son of William and Francie Hunter...
- as a police detective - KamahlKamahlKamahl is the stage name of Kandiah Kamalesvaran , an Australian singer and recording artist, perhaps best known for "The Elephant Song", and his repertoire of popular music.-Early life:...
- as manager of rival Pizza shop Phat Pizza. Other roles as well. - George KapiniarisGeorge KapiniarisGeorge Kapiniaris is Greek Australian television actor, stage actor and comedian.-Career:Kapiniaris broke through in the stage show Wogs Out of Work with Nick Giannopoulos. He then starred in the Melbourne based television sitcom Acropolis Now with Giannopoulos, Simon Palomares and Mary Coustas...
- as Ronnie McDoggleRonald McDonaldRonald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
, also as an Albanian war criminal. - Maggie KirkpatrickMaggie KirkpatrickMaggie Kirkpatrick is an Australian actress, who is best known for her portrayal of the iconic character Joan Ferguson, a sadistic and corrupt lesbian prison officer known to the prisoners as "The Freak" in the popular Australian television soap opera, Prisoner...
- Bernard KingBernard King (television)Bernard King was an Australian stage actor, celebrity chef, and television personality.-Early life:King was born into a farming family in Maleny, Queensland. He attended a Christian Brothers College in Nudgee, Queensland on a scholarship. After graduation he taught school.-Acting career:King...
- Jack Levi (Elliot GobletElliot GobletElliot Goblet is a character created by the Australian comedian Jack Levi.The character is renowned for his deadpan delivery of quirky one-liners - his style can draw comparisons with that of the American comic Steven Wright...
) - as a Health Inspector and Driving Instructor - Lex MarinosLex MarinosLex Marinos OAM is an Australian television actor, director and writer. Notable for his acting role as 'Bruno', the Italian son-in-law of bigot Ted Bullpitt, on the Australian comedy television series Kingswood Country as and host of Late Night Legends on ABC2, he was also a presenter on radio...
- as Sleek's lawyer - Ada NicodemouAda NicodemouAda Nicodemou is a Greek Cypriot-born Australian actress, best known for her role as Leah Patterson-Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Early life:Nicodemou was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. She has been an Australian resident since 1987....
- plays a female police officer in one episode of the first season - Margaret PomeranzMargaret PomeranzMargaret Pomeranz AM is an Australian film critic and television personality.-Early life:Pomeranz was born in 1944 in Waverley, a suburb of Sydney, and was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon, the then newly opened Macquarie University, and the Playwright's Studio at...
- as herself - David StrattonDavid StrattonDavid James Stratton is an English- Australian film critic and television personality.-Life and career:Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England in 1939, Stratton was sent to Hampshire to see out the war years with his grandmother, an avid filmgoer, where he was taken to the local cinemas regularly...
- as himself - Shane PorteousShane PorteousJohn Shane Porteous is an Australian television character actor, TV screenplay scriptwriter, theatre actor, animation layout artist, and animation voice artist.-Biography:...
- as a doctor - John SeruJohn SeruJohn Seru is an actor and former professional wrestler. He is best known as "Vulcan" in the Australian version of TV series Gladiators, as well as joining the British Gladiators team in Seasons 7 and 8. He is also known for his part in the James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, where he plays...
- playing numerous characters, sometimes playing as a bodyguard for celebrities. - Gary SweetGary SweetGary Sweet is an Australian film and television actor known for his roles in Alexandra's Project , Police Rescue, Cody, Big Sky, The Battlers, Bodyline and Stingers....
- Red SymonsRed SymonsRedmond Symons is an Australian musician, writer, actor and radio host, probably best known as lead guitarist with Skyhooks and as the snide judge of "Red Faces", a segment of the long-running Hey Hey It's Saturday variety television show...
- Michael VeitchMichael VeitchMichael Veitch is an Australian comedian, author and broadcaster, best known for his roles on the sketch comedy television shows The D-Generation, Fast Forward and Full Frontal, as well as for his books on Second World War aviation and the Bass Strait Islands.Veitch emerged from the tradition of...
- Tania ZaettaTania ZaettaTania Zaetta is an Australian actress and television presenter who acts in Bollywood.-Early life:Zaetta was born to an Italian father and an Australian mother. Grand daughter of James Howard Browne OAM, botanist. She spent the earlier years of her life living in Merbein, Victoria...
- as herself - Kirsty Lee AllanKirsty Lee AllanKirsty Lee Allan is an Australian actress and former fashion model. She is most known for portraying Able Seaman Rebecca 'Bomber' Brown in Sea Patrol.-Career:...
- as Sharona, an attractive waitress who Bobo hires. She appears in only one episode, where she is eventually killed by Chen in a carnival dodgem car accident. - Bruno Xavier - as Mahatma GandhiMahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
during many flashbacks throughout the series
In the "Sexpo
Sexpo
Sexpo – Health Sexuality and Lifestyle Exhibition – is a four-day public event looking at all aspects of health, adult entertainment, sexuality, and adult lifestyles....
" episode, Pauly interviews porn stars Ron Jeremy
Ron Jeremy
Ronald Jeremy Hyatt , usually called Ron Jeremy, is an American pornographic actor. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", he was ranked by AVN at number one in their "The 50 Top Porn Stars of All Time" list...
and Serenity.
Awards and nominations
Logie AwardLogie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
- 2001: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (nominated)
- 2002: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (nominated)
- 2004: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (nominated)
- 2005: Most Outstanding Comedy Program (nominated)
Australian Comedy Awards
- 2003: Outstanding Australian TV Comedy - character based (nominated)
Australian Screen Sound Guild
- 2004: Best Achievement in Sound for a Television Program (won, for episode "School Pizza")