Hamish & Andy
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Hamish and Andy are an Australian comedy duo, consisting of Hamish Blake & Andy Lee.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early days
The two met while studying commerce at the University of Melbourne, and entered comedy competitions. The pair spent countless hours presenting numerous programs on the Melbourne youth radio station - the Student Youth Network. They developed a sketch show called Radio Karate for community television station Channel 31, which caught the attention of Seven Network boss Ian Johnson.
[edit] Television and radio
The duo then presented The Hamish And Andy Show which aired on Channel 7 in March 2005. It was a casual talk program mixed with sketch comedy. It featured a number of actors and continued sketches from the Seven Network sketch show Big Bite. They began work with Channel 7 on the day Lee finished his last exam at Melbourne Uni. Unfortunately the show was a ratings disaster, with reviewers acknowledging their talent but describing the show as "poorly structured".[1] As a result, the show was axed after only two weeks, although the duo retained the two suits they used on stage. Soon after, Hamish and Andy were offered a late-night shift on radio station Fox FM, for which they were not paid. The station warmed to the duo, and they went on to host the Almost Midday show on Saturdays.
As ratings improved for the pair, it was announced that in 2006 they would have their own weekday drive program from 4-6pm. Titled The Hamish & Andy Show, this show is broadcast to other Today Network radio stations in Perth (92.9), Adelaide (SAFM), Sydney (2Day FM), Brisbane (B105), Newcastle (NXFM) and Canberra (FM 104.7) and is replayed in a highlights package on Saturdays from 7-9am. This radio spot came soon after signing with Rove McManus' production company Roving Enterprises. They starred and wrote for the mock Channel Ten series Real Stories, a satirical current affairs show hosted by Jennifer Adams. The first season finished on October 10, 2006 with repeats of these starting on June 3, 2007 on Sundays after Rove. Several notable guests have appeared on the show including Rove McManus, Tony Martin, Nicholas Bell, Derryn Hinch, Alan Brough, Jeremy Kewley and others.
Hamish and Andy frequently appear on other comedy-orientated TV shows. Both have appeared numerous times on episodes of the ABC music quiz/comedy show Spicks and Specks, as well as guest appearances on Rove Live. They commenced a regular segment on Rove in 2007. The pair appeared together on an episode of the first series of Channel 10's Joker Poker - Andy would eventually go on to win the tournament. They also appeared on Australia's Brainiest Comedian where Andy made it past the First Round. Hamish has also appeared 7 times (twice in the First Season, three times in the Second Season and twice in the Third Season) on the comedy show based on improvising scenarios, "Thank God You're Here."
Andy Lee won Cleo Bachelor of the Year 2006. As part of their radio show, Hamish Blake used AUD$800, which was originally kept aside to take his girlfriend on a holiday, to put a bet on Andy winning the 'glamour-quest'. As a result, Hamish won AUD$12,000, which he put towards buying a greyhound for the radio show. The greyhound is named 'Fred Basset' after another segment in the show, one that Hamish does, much to the disdain of Andy.
Hamish and Andy both competed in the Celebrity Challenge race at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park from 15-March 18, 2007. Andy finished in 6th position with Hamish finishing in 13th. Due to a bet made previously over who would win, Hamish was forced to wear a racing helmet for an indefinite amount of time, until Andy allowed him to take it off. (It was padlocked.) At the end of the week, Hamish was allowed to take off the helmet, at the expense of not reading his Fred Basset segment, which Andy frequently derides as rubbish.
On 27th May 2007 - They lost a busking bet against Jet and had to streak naked in front of the Rove audience. [2]
On 7 July, 2007 they presented at the Australian leg of Live Earth. As of September 17 2007 Hamish and Andy began planning a trip around Australia and doing the show from all sorts of different locations around Australia. It included not just major cities but small towns also. The trip was entitled the "Caravan of Courage". They travelled from Perth to Brisbane in the space of ten days.
During April, 2008, the duo travelled to Afghanistan. Their Radio show still continued with live broadcasts which Australian Soldiers participated in. There were plenty of bets taken place, including a rock skimming competition (which Andy won) the loser (hamish) was required to dip his toe in the sewage of Afghanistan.
[edit] Logies 2007
On the 4th of May Hamish and Andy had their Logies Spit-Roast Pants Off Friday Party with many Australian stars bringing along food. Such stars included Neighbours Stars Eliza Taylor-Cotter and Daniel O'Connor D-Generation Star Rob Sitch, former Today Tonight host, Naomi Robson, Spicks and Specks host Adam Hills, Australian Idol judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson and Getaway presenter Jules Lund. Some of the foods on offer were Jules Lund's falafel, Naomi Robson's Black Forest cake and Rob Sitch's Chicken Surprise.
On the 6th of May Hamish and Andy were at the 2007 Logie Awards at Melbourne's Crown Casino, broadcasting from the Maybelline blue green-room, interviewing famous stars like Avril Lavigne and various logie winners. On the red carpet Andy brought his girlfriend Megan Gale and Hamish brought his girlfriend Anna Jennings-Edquist. On air they complained about the quality of the gift bags they were given in lieu of payment.
