Blokesworld

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Blokesworld is an Australian television lifestyle series. It was originally shown on Channel 31 in 2003, then on Network Ten from 2004 to 2005, usually anytime between 11.30pm and 12.30am on Friday nights (following Sports Tonight). The intention of Blokesworld, according to its official website, is to "traverse the world of 'Blokedom' and rediscover the joys of a roaring V8 engine, a good bar-B–Q, a punt on the dogs and a bit of a perve along the way".

It had been compared to a "Aussie" version of the US show, The Man Show. It is currently being aired on Aurora Community Television channel on the pay tv network Foxtel.

Contents

[edit] The Show

The creators and main presenters of Blokesworld are two personalities who go by the names "Ado" and "Ben Wah". The format of the show is based around regular segments that focus on subjects like motor sports, exotic dancing (and other sexually themed topics), and unique aspects of Australian culture and society. In most episodes a connecting theme is interspersed among these segments.

Supporting presenters on Blokesworld include Rachel "Miss Blokesworld" James, exotic dancers Lolli, Misty and Bobbi (aka 'The Vertical Bar Team') and Scott Bon. Other regular presenters on the show have included Chinese restaurateur-cum-stuntman Billy Mok and Australian country music star Adam Brand.

The music throughout Blokesworld is provided by Holeshot, who are in fact Ado, Ben Wah and an undisclosed member in disguise as Motocross contenders.

Although Blokesworld airs on a commercial network, advertising is present as sponsorship throughout the show rather than in conventional TV ad breaks.

[edit] History

Blokesworld originally began as a slow-paced, low-budget Saturday night program on the national community network Channel 31 in 2003. The concept of the show stemmed from Ado and Ben Wah's new found interest in dirt biking, following years of playing in bands together and dabbling in music journalism. They then extended on the idea that Australian television needed a more 'bloke friendly' program, and set upon the task of completing six episodes of a show that combined the dirt biking theme with pole dancing, discussion on all matter of trucks and cars, and various other 'blokey' subjects. The episodes were then submitted to Channel 31, in hopes that a late-night slot could be secured. When Channel 31 suggested that six more episodes be put together in order to constitute a full series, Ado and Ben Wah moved production into the former's Queensland home and took odd jobs to make ends meet. Blokesworld finally debuted on Channel 31 in February 2003 and became an instant cult hit. Much of the funding for the series at the time came from sponsorship deals with companies such as Globe and 1-800 Reverse.

Many unsuccessful attempts to sell Blokesworld to the commercial networks followed. Eventually, Steve Dundon of the Melbourne-based production company Cornerbox expressed interest in the show and convinced Network Ten to place Blokesworld in a Friday night graveyard slot. In order to be closer to Cornerbox, Ado and Ben Wah relocated the production from their native Queensland down to Whittlesea in Victoria during 2004.

Ten launched the second series of Blokesworld in September 2004. By now the show had better editing and sponsorship from more lucrative companies like Ford Motor Company (which ties in with the show's obsession with Ford's V8 engine utilities). It has consistently won its timeslot ever since.

Blokesworld's final season for Channel Ten concluded in November 2005. The latest season, subtitled Spin The Globe, was filmed throughout Europe and Japan during 2006, and began airing in November that year on the community cable channel Aurora (via Foxtel/Austar). Three respective anthologies of the show's first three seasons have also been released on DVD.

[edit] Controversy

Blokesworld has often been criticized by certain feminist pressure groups for its usual portrayal of women, who tend to be scantily-clad, statuesque blondes presented in a semi-pornographic context. An example of this is in one of the most common segments, "Pole Position", which incorporates an exotic dancing routine coupled with a revealing striptease, while the Holeshot song "Pop My Clutch" plays in the background. However, it has been argued that Blokesworld is meant to be viewed from an ironic perspective and doesn't intend to be degrading to women whatsoever.

On 16 September 2005, a live-show spinoff of Blokesworld, "Blokesworld Live", was shut down by Brisbane City Council fifteen hours before the event was to commence at Brisbane's RNA Showgrounds. Though the organisers stressed that the event was well-organised and in accordance to public liabililty, security and OHS regulations, Brisbane City Council had given in to political pressure, concerned individuals and minority groups such as the Young Women's Christian Association to stop "Blokesworld Live" from going ahead. The event was eventually rescheduled to appear in nearby Ipswich at the start of October.

[edit] External links

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