Chas Licciardello

Chas Licciardello

Chas Licciardello in 2007
Birth name Charles[1] John Licciardello
Born (1977-05-10) 10 May 1977
Medium Print, television, radio and stage
Nationality Australian
Years active 1999 – present
Genres Satirical comedy
Spouse Jocelyn Laurence
Notable works and roles
Website chaser.com.au

Chas John Licciardello (born 10 May 1977) is an Australian comedian and member of satirical team The Chaser. Licciardello has appeared as a regular of CNNNN, The Chaser's War on Everything and The Hamster Wheel.

Early life

Chas attended the Sydney Grammar School where he produced and edited a small satirical school magazine The Tiger with fellow Chaser writers Charles Firth and Dominic Knight.[2] He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Science majoring in physics and computer science.[3][4] He met his wife, Dr Jocelyn Laurence, in a physics laboratory. He also met Craig Reucassel, Andrew Hansen and Julian Morrow at the University of Sydney through the Arts Revue, Honi Soit and campus politics.

Television career

The Chaser

Licciardello is a member of the comedy crew, The Chaser. His television career began in 2001, when he appeared on The Chaser Decides. This show satirised the then-upcoming Australian Federal Elections. He also appeared on these spin-off series, in 2004 and 2007.

He then appeared on the CNNNN program, for two seasons, airing in 2002 and 2003.

Licciardello's popularity with Australian television viewers, and the media, along with the other members of The Chaser team, rose in 2006. He appeared on The Chaser's War on Everything, for three seasons, airing in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

In 2010, he appeared on Yes We Canberra!. In 2011 and 2012, he also appeared on The Hamster Wheel.

Planet America

In 2012, Licciardello co-hosted Planet America on ABC News 24. This show focused on the American political story, leading towards the Presidential Elections that were held in November 2012. In early 2016 Licciardello resumed his hosting duties of "Planet America", in the lead up to the 2016 U.S. Presidential and Congressional Elections in November 2016.

Controversy

Bulldogs 2006

In July 2006, Licciardello faced charges of "offensive conduct" by the New South Wales Police Force, after turning up at a National Rugby League football match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the St George Illawarra Dragons on 14 July 2006, dressed up as a Bulldogs fan and attempting to sell fake knives, knuckledusters and balaclavas (all coloured blue and white, the Bulldogs' club colours) in a stunt for The War, satirising the then-recent violent action of Bulldogs fans.[5][6] Licciardello explained that the skit "poked fun at the misbehaviour of Bulldogs fans" knowing that "a lot of people thought it was funny."[7]

Licciardello was quick to dispute his charges on the show. The following Friday, he appeared on The War in a cage before referring to the NSW Premier, Morris Iemma's own joke regarding residents of crime-riddled suburbs wearing balaclavas.[8]

On 29 August 2006, in Kogarah Local Court, Licciardello pleaded not guilty to the charge. The matter was adjourned until 12 October.[9] On 22 January 2007, magistrate Joanne Keogh said she would view an unedited video of the incident, totalling 50 minutes, to decide Licciardello's fate. Licciardello gave no evidence in the matter, letting The Chaser team's film speak for him.[10] He was subsequently found not guilty of offensive behaviour.[11]

The decision was hailed a "victory for free speech". Licciardello was in the best of humour after the decision, and was reported as saying he would "appeal to the Supreme Court, the High Court, to the UN, the Jedi High Council and the Snickometer" before being reminded he had won the case.[12]

APEC 2007

One of the most controversial stunts in which Licciardello was involved was the APEC stunt in 2007. Fellow Chaser Julian Morrow claimed that he and Licciardello aimed to get a majority of their members arrested amidst the high security surrounding the APEC Australia 2007 summit in Sydney, adding jokingly that they also aimed to get Licciardello shot.[13]

Footage aired on The Chaser's War on Everything on 12 September 2007 showed the fake "motorcade" consisting of two SUVs, a black Holden limousine flying a Canadian flag on the bonnet, four "runners" (one of whom was Morrow) carrying hand-held video cameras and two motorcycles. They passed through two security checkpoints without being stopped by police or asked for identification; at one point, the footage showed Morrow offering to present identification to a police officer, however he was waved through without this occurring. The motorcade reached a point 10 metres outside the hotel where U.S. President George W. Bush was staying. Police only realised that the motorcade was a hoax when Licciardello, dressed as Osama bin Laden, voluntarily stepped out of the limousine.

Licciadello holds a "thought bubble" over Malcolm Turnbull's head, satirising what politicians are really thinking.

Following the incident, Licciardello and Morrow were detained and questioned by NSW Police on 6 September 2007 outside the InterContinental Hotel,[14][15] and were charged under the APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Act 2007.[16] The charges were dropped in April 2008. They were dropped because his lawyers stated that he was waved through the blockades and he had to do what the police said.

Other works

During the Chaser recess, Licciardello appeared on the panel of My Favourite Album an ABC TV special, showcasing Australia's top ten albums as voted by the public. He also filled in on Triple M's drive time slot during the summer of 2007 with fellow Chaser colleague Dominic Knight with their show Chas and Dom from 'The Chaser'.

On 25 May 2008 Licciardello and Craig Reucassel were guests on channel Ten's Rove. Their interview concluded with the '20 Bucks in 20 Seconds' segment. When Rove McManus asked the only question that is asked to every guest, "Who would you turn gay for?", Chas responded in annoyance that everyone answered "I'd turn gay for you, Rove" but that nobody ever followed up on it. He then leapt on Rove and French kissed him, before licking Rove on the face.[17]

In 2009, for a stunt featured in the series finale of The Chaser's War on Everything, he received heavy dosages of botox, lip injections and spray tanning on the left side of his body so as to bear a similarity to Daniel Craig.[18] The amount of botox was so heavy that it lasted when he made his appearance on The 7 pm Project, over 3 months after the botox was injected into the right side of his face. Licciardello is currently the Script Comedy Consultant for the ABC topical news show, Hungry Beast and continues to work with the other Chasers on the Hamster Wheel.

On April 7, 2016, Licciardello and fellow Chaser colleague Andrew Hansen were responsible for his colleague Dom Knight losing his job as the presenter of the Evenings show on 702 ABC Radio when he instigated a food fight involving 100 naked men and women in the studio.

Personal life

He is married to Dr Jocelyn Laurence, formerly a research analyst at Foster Stockbroking.[19] He lives in Croydon Park, in the inner west of Sydney.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ A statement by the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions: (28 April 2008). "Chaser APEC case dropped: DPP tells why". Crikey. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Cutting to the Chaser". The Sydney Morning Herald. Melbourne. 16 September 2004. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
  3. ↑ "Alumni Grand Reunion Dinner" (PDF). Our Alumni Community newsletter. The Sydney Law School. October 2003. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2005. Retrieved 27 July 2006.
  4. ↑ http://libbigorr.com.au/static/files/assets/9e8cd34c/chasing_chas_S08.pdf
  5. ↑ "Bulldogs prank not funny". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 July 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2006.
  6. ↑ O'Dwyer, Erin; Dasey, Daniel (16 July 2006). "Chaser Canterbury joke gets no laughs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 July 2006.
  7. ↑ Weaver, Clair (16 July 2006). "Footy Stunt Outrage". The Sunday Mail QLD. Retrieved 27 July 2006.
  8. ↑ "Joking Iemma says 'lighten up'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 June 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2006.
  9. ↑ "Chaser star denies offensive conduct". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 August 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2006.
  10. ↑ "Chaser star lets stunt film decide his fate". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2007.
  11. ↑ "Chaser star cleared over Bulldogs stunt". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
  12. ↑ "Chaser court victory hailed as triumph for free speech". The Age. Melbourne, Australia. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
  13. ↑ "Chaser team planning 'something extreme' at APEC". The Sunday Telegraph. 2 September 2007. Archived from the original on 4 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
  14. ↑ "Chaser duo held over APEC stunt". The Age. Melbourne, Australia. 6 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  15. ↑ "Police question The Chaser duo over APEC stunt". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  16. ↑ "11 charged over Chaser APEC stunt". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  17. ↑ "The Chaser's Chas Licciardello springs kiss on Rove McManus". Courier Mail. 26 May 2008. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  18. ↑ "Chaser's Chas bows out with botox". Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2009
  19. ↑ "Chaser's sober whippet ways". The Daily Telegraph. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
  20. ↑ "Chasing Chas" (PDF). Libbi Gorr. Retrieved 24 September 2012.

External links

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