Comedy series will tread on toes

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 16

Comedy series will tread on toes

Staunch conservatives should be warned against watching Network Two at 10 p.m. on Mondays, from next week.

“Funny Business,” a home-grown, fast-paced comedy sketch series that shows little respect for the accepted institutions of New Zealand life, is coming.

“Funny Business” star Willy de Wit says: “The show’s not for toupee wearers.”

It is aimed at people willing to have a laugh at themselves and — for half an hour each Monday night for six weeks — not take life too seriously. The show is written by and stars “Funny Business,” the Auckland comedy foursome of Willy de Wit, Dean Butler, lan Harcourt and Peter Murphy. “Religion, the family, sport — they’re all in the firing line,” says de Wit. “We wondered if we should leave the country after it screened. But then we realised we’d taken

the p— out of the airlines as well!” From the first sketch of the first episode “Funny Business” start treading on toes with a song about Mormons. Then follows a role reversal sketch which sees women with jugs of Tia Maria replace leering men with their jugs of beer. lan Harcourt believes the series is the most exciting to go on TV this year. The comedian, who many will recognise for his appearances in the Levene’s commercials, says the show takes more risks than people are used to seeing in locally produced comedy.

While some will love the show and others dislike it, it is bound to have people talking, he says.

Willy de Wit explains that the show is very different to previous New Zealand sketch shows, like “McPhail and Gadsby.” It is not political and, despite being written

by five men (“Funny Business” and James Griffin), it is not sexist, he says.

Peter Murphy says the involvement of three women (Amanda Tollemache, Alison Wall and Stephanie Millar) enhanced the quality of the series. “At times we felt a bit shown up,” he says. The comedy group has been together since late 1984. They met while performing as amateurs at the Comedy Factory, at that time run from Auckland’s Retro nightclub.

Dean Butler says the group is trying to raise the consciousness of the New Zealand public’s perception of comedy. He is hoping that some of the more “off-the-wall” sketches will be popular. “But if people say that’s the best New Zealand comedy I’ve ever seen, I’ll be happy.” “Funny Business” starts on Monday at 10 p.m. on Two.