Kraig Krieger

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Kraig Ronald John Krieger,born on 29th July 1960 Victoria, Australia. (Comic/Announcer/Performer/Umpire). According to his biography on [1], '...Kraig entered the wonderful (& silly !) world of showbiz in 1965, when he did his first public performance (singing that hard rockin’ Shirley Temple classic, ‘On The Good Ship Lollypop’) on stage at the Palais Theatre, Melbourne, at an Annual Concert for the well-known ‘Tuppy Downs School of Dance’. This performance was memorable for many reasons…(1) One of the most popular Australian bands at that time, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, also performed on the bill, (2) He got a standing ovation (3) He got a toy train from his Mum & Dad as bribery to perform & (4) He wet his pants !

Kraig was educated at St.Pauls Primary School(Frankston, Vic.), Wesley College, Melbourne High School & Melbourne University High School.

Kraig also won a scholarship at the Voila's Academy of Modern Performance (VAMP), studying under the guidance of the Principal, Voila Ritchie.

He started performing regularly in 1974 in various Hotel Talent Quests around suburban Melbourne as a vocalist, winning some & losing some, and drinking lots & lots of lemon squashes.

Kraig has also made several appearances on many TV shows, including ‘Young Talent Time’, ‘Pot Of Gold’, ‘New Faces’, ‘Skyways’, ‘Cop Shop’, ‘Young Lions’ and commercials for Australia (BHP,Telstra), America (Verizon Mobile Phones) & the United Kingdom (Halifax Bank). During that time Kraig worked with, or appeared on the same bill as Tina Arena, Dave Hughes, Richard Stubbs, Michael Cormack, Janet Ross-Fahy & Alyce Platt.

After retiring from ‘live’ work, Kraig became a Security person, working backstage at some of the biggest Musical acts to perform Downunder including Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, INXS, Mick Jagger, Culture Club, Billy Joel, & about 70 others!

Kraig (a one-eyed Collingwood supporter who hates ‘Bloody Umpires’ !)also became a ‘Bloody Umpire’ in the Victorian Football Association during the 1980’s , highlights include being selected at senior level consistently , umpiring a Grand Final, running on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, & officiating in 2 Collingwood Football Club ‘All-Star’ fund-raising matches at the legendary Victoria Park (renamed Jock McHale Stadium). Kraig is currently a Goal Umpire in the Western Border Football League, and officiated in the 2005 Reserve Grade Grand Final.

In 1985, Kraig made his debut as a Radio Show host on the now defunct shows ‘Cut The Music’ & ‘Steve & The Board’ on Melbourne Radio Station 3RRR…The Best Community Radio Station in the World !, interviewing entertainers such as Ronnie Burns (& his Daughter Lauren, who would win Gold at Sydney 2000 many years later !), Venetta Fields (Ike & Tina Turner Review, Pink Floyd, John Farnham), Ian’Molly’Meldrum (Countdown), Mike Holden (The Mixtures), Jim Keays (Masters Apprentices), Alan Lancaster (Status Quo), & many others

Kraig had quit from all these occupations by the early 90’s, due to many reasons, including a very messy divorce & a knee operation.

Then in the mid-90’s Kraig had a series of incidents which led to him being asked to become a fill-in host for a Karaoke night at the ‘Robin Hood Tavern’ in Frankston (Vic) for 4 weeks. After 2 weeks they sacked the old host, and hired Kraig….

….and so was born ‘Krazy’ Kraig !!!

Playing to an audience full of bike gang members, hookers, crims (including 2 convicted murderers…one of whom a TV Movie was made about !) plus some normal people thrown in for good measure. After 2 extremely enjoyable years working 4 nights per week, Kraig & ‘The Hood’ parted ways.

Kraig then fell into the job (?) of managing one of the Mornington Peninsula’s most popular Blues bands, ‘Cheap Labour’. One of the frequent ‘meeting places’ for members of the band was a (still running) Muso & Poetry Night at the wonderful ‘Beaches’ restaurant at Mornington. This was not only where Kraig performed his first ever Stand-up Comic routine, but he also met his future Wife there as well, Award winning Poet Clareece Judd.

After the birth of his 3rd son, Kennedy, he ventured to Sydney to work as a volunteer at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Since that time there have been many more Stand-up routines (‘Star & Garter’, ‘Silvers Nightclub’, ‘The Bearhouse’), Radio Shows (BLUFM, 5GTR), sackings (BLUFM, 5GTR), live DJ & Karaoke Shows (Star City Casino- Sydney, Oxford Scholar – Melbourne.

After a very messy & political exit (involving the on-air sacking of Breakfast host Robert Darby)from Mount Gambier Community Radio Station 5GTR at Christmas 2004, Kraig was invited to join his former stable-mate, Robert Darby, in the creation of an Internet Radio Show, comprising of politically incorrect observations about events & people both in Australia & overseas. Thus was born the ground-breaking satirical talk/music show, 'Greetings From Australia'. Kraig & Robert were joined by another 5GTR announcer & Mount Gambier musician/author/actor Denis O'Carroll. Ther show featured a re-birth of the character 'Krazy'Kraig, and includes semi-regular appearances from 'Nev from Nangwarry', 'Randy the Yanker', & 'Snr.Sgt.Farqnuckle'. A regular feature since the inception has been the 'unique & original' readings of the vast library of poetry written by Clareece Judd.

'Krazy'Kraig has also made a few appearances on the short-lived local Mount Gambier television production 'NightVision with Robert Darby', screened on Community TV Station, BushVision in 2006. Plans are underway to film the recording of 'Greetings From Australia' for the purpose of creating a weekly 10 minute segment on an, as yet un-named, local Mount Gambier television production being prepared by Robert Darby & Denis O'Carroll.

Kraig is also believed to be preparing an e-commerce business involving two of his favorite pastimes, Internet Radio & Australian Rules Football.