“It’s all about the team you’re with. As a comedian you need great support to keep the ball in the air,”  Lawrence Mooney told radioinfo after winning his ACRA.
 
While chatting to Steve Ahern on the winners’ backstage red carpet just after receiving his award, he shared some insights into breakfast radio comedy.
 
After working in Brisbane for SCA and also previously in Melbourne, Moonman was able to compare the cities with Sydney, where he now hosts breakfast on Triple M.

Sydney listeners are “very loyal to the shows they know,” he said, citing how Kyle and Jackie took their audience from 2Day to KIIS.

“When we started at the beginning of the year there were a lot of Grill Team listeners that weren’t happy the Grill Team had gone. They have taken a while to adjust.

“You slowly but surely show them you’ve got a good product and ask them to come back and have a listen. We’ve done that and we’re growing, it’s great.”

On the topic of comedy he said:

“There’s a perception that comedy is a bit more hemmed in and can‘t say what it wants to say, but comedy still has the same rule as it’s always had, that is that peopel will forgive anything if it is hillariously funny.


“It’s about being smart and not complaining about the new goal posts or boundary lines… just be funny and that’s what we try to do…

“We’re doing sketch comedy on our radio show and that’s working for us, but sketch comedy on television is very hard to pull off and I don’t think the tv networks have the appetite or budget for that.”

Moonman was known for his Malcolm Turnbull impersonations, poking fun at him while he was prime minister. Sadly, Turnbull did not last long in the top job and is no longer PM. Was that a problem for Moonman?

“Malcolm was good for me… last year when he was deposed I thought what will I do now, but you’ve got to get out from behind the character eventually. If he hadn’t been sacked I’d still be doing Malcolm so it’s kind of a relief.”

Listen here for more winners speeches, recorded just after the winners received their awards.

Complete ACRAs winners list here.