Charles Firth (comedian)

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For the historian, see Charles Harding Firth.

Charles Henry Burgmann Firth is an Australian comedian, best known as a member of The Chaser productions CNNNN and The Chaser's War on Everything. He is the brother of Verity Firth, the Labor MP for the seat of Balmain in the New South Wales state Parliament.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early years

He attended Sydney Grammar School, where along with Chaser colleagues Dominic Knight and Chas Licciardello he ran the satirical school magazine The Tiger.[2]

[edit] Later years

Firth went on to attend the University of Sydney where he completed an Arts degree, edited the Honi Soit student newspaper, and in 1997 broke through a plate glass window during a University Senate meeting to protest the introduction of full fee paying places at the university. While attending Charles was also the subject of a reality-TV style documentary called Uni, by film-maker Simon Target. centred around the lives of students at the University of Sydney. Fellow Chaser Andrew Hansen was also a subject. It was aired on the ABC in 1996.[3][4]

On CNNNN, broadcast in 2003 and 2004, he played a role as host of the fictional segment The Firth Factor, parodying journalistic styles used by the American Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly's prime time show The O'Reilly Factor.

During the 2004 Australian federal election (during production of The Chaser Decides) an eBay user of the name "Charles Firth" was seen selling their vote. This segment was never aired.[citation needed]

By 2006, Firth had moved to the United States. He periodically appears on The Chaser's War on Everything in a segment about American culture entitled Firth in the USA. This segment serves to highlight American ignorance of Australia and the world. His first book, American Hoax, a multi-character (including ad-man Bertrand Newton) journey, was released in November 2006.

He went to Adelaide in July 2007 to present at the Festival of Ideas with fellow Chaser Julian Morrow, where his performance included asking the audience to SMS their questions to him, throwing lollies to the audience, and "defacing" three Wikipedia articles.[5]

Firth was working on a new weekly print magazine and news website, which was launched in mid-August 2007 called The Manic Times.[6] The newspaper has since ceased production and that company is now called "Manic Studios" [7] producing web video for the Australian, and more recently, American Union movements in partnership with The Republic [8]. Charles remains actively involved as a writer, performer and producer.

He generated controversy among the Westboro Baptist Church when he began to openly "flirt" with one of their members while interviewing him at one of their pickets. As the man began to walk away, Firth followed him and continued to openly "flirt" with him. The rest of the picketers began to call him a "fag-ass pervert", but he persistently continued.[9]

Firth is married to Amanda Tattersall, a strong supporter of the ALP and Unionism.

[edit] Other work and guest appearances

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mitchell, Alex. "I'm not going anywhere", 2006-05-07, p. 2. Retrieved on 2007-04-15. 
  2. ^ Idato, Michael (September 16, 2004). Cutting to The Chaser. The Age. Retrieved on 2006-12-12.
  3. ^ Uni. Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
  4. ^ Carman, Marina (1997-11-05). University life in the '90s. Green Left Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
  5. ^ Chasers War on Wikipedia (July 11, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-04.
  6. ^ Represent - July 13th | represent radio
  7. ^ http://www.manictimes.com.au
  8. ^ The Republic - 02 8989 5796
  9. ^ Charles Firth "flirting" with a Westboro Baptist Church member (January 28th 2008). Retrieved on 2008-01-28.

[edit] External links

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