The Chaser's War on Everything

The Chaser's War on Everything
Company type	Television program
Industry	Television comedy
Founded	February 17, 2006; 20 years ago
Founder	The Chaser team (Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel, Andrew Hansen, Chas Licciardello)
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Satirical comedy television series

The Chaser's War on Everything is an Australian satirical comedy program broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) ABC1 channel. It earned the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Television Comedy Series. The program features satirical sketches and comedic pranks targeting social and political themes, created by The Chaser team, which includes Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel, Andrew Hansen, and Chas Licciardello. Dominic Knight contributed as a writer, while Charles Firth reported from the United States until mid-2007.

Debuting on 17 February 2006, the series produced a total of 58 episodes across three seasons during 2006–2007 and 2009. The initial season was broadcast late on Friday nights; later seasons shifted to a more prominent Wednesday 9 pm timeslot. After a hiatus in 2008, the show returned in May 2009 with a shortened third season initially planned for ten episodes but later cut to eight due to controversy surrounding the "Make a Realistic Wish Foundation" sketch.

The program's stunts frequently generated debate. For example, in July 2006, Licciardello faced charges (from which he was eventually acquitted) for selling counterfeit knives at a rugby league event. In September 2007, Licciardello, Morrow, and other crew members were detained for violating security protocols during the 2007 APEC summit.

The concluding episode aired on 29 July 2009, drawing an average nationwide viewership of 1.45 million.

Origins

The Chaser originated in 1999 when Dominic Knight, Charles Firth, Craig Reucassel, and Julian Morrow launched a fortnightly newspaper titled The Chaser. Later additions to the group included Chas Licciardello, Andrew Hansen, and Chris Taylor to support the publication. With backing from Andrew Denton, they developed television programs for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, notably CNNNN. In 2005, they began filming a pilot for an ABC series initially named The Age of Terror Variety Hour. ABC commissioned 27 half-hour episodes for 2006 featuring news satire, monologues, and confrontational segments involving politicians, celebrities, and business figures. The show was hosted by Morrow, Hansen, Reucassel, Taylor, and Licciardello.

Several proposed titles were rejected by ABC including The Age of Terror Variety Hour and Thank Allah It's Friday. Although The Chaser is Right was initially accepted, it was later dismissed by Morrow; Hey Hey, it's the Chaser was also abandoned following a 2005 pilot. Ultimately, the series adopted the title The Chaser's War on Everything. The format incorporated live audience performances with a more informal approach compared to their previous productions.

Broadcast

The Chaser's War on Everything premiered on ABC1 on 17 February 2006 during late Friday night hours. It quickly gained a dedicated following with national viewership ranging from approximately 591,000 to 821,000 per episode. Two mid-year 'best of' specials were broadcast during the season, which concluded on 8 September 2006.

In its second season (2007), the show moved to Wednesday evenings at prime time, increasing its audience to nearly 1.5 million viewers weekly despite competing against commercial programs. This season wrapped up after 24 episodes on 14 November 2007. Following this, The Chaser produced The Chaser Decides, two episodes covering the 2007 Australian federal election.

After the controversial stunt during the APEC motorcade incident, the show's profile significantly increased and international broadcasts expanded to countries including Finland, Israel, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, South Korea, and Poland.

Following Chaser Decides, television production was paused in early 2008 while the group focused on their national stage tour titled The Chaser's Age of Terror Variety Hour.

In the United States, cable channel G4 acquired broadcasting rights and premiered the series on 28 January 2009 at 9 PM ET as part of its international programming block Duty Free TV. Promotional efforts highlighted its controversial status in Australia.

In the United Kingdom, BBC Four aired six compilation episodes showcasing highlights from the first two seasons starting from 23 June 2009.

The third season launched on 27 May 2009 on Wednesday nights at 9:00 pm on ABC1. This final installment consisted of ten episodes. The last episode aired on 29 July 2009.

In late 2009, Programming Director Darren Chau secured full rights for the Comedy Channel, which began airing the complete collection on 3 December as part of its Biggest Thursday Ever event.

DVD release

The initial 13 episodes of the first season were made available on DVD on 17 August 2006, including commentary from The Chaser team and the production crew, along with additional and unaired footage. The second DVD set for season one, featuring the remaining thirteen episodes with similar extras, was released on 1 November 2006.

The first half of season two, comprising 13 episodes, followed on DVD on 14 August 2007, retaining the same presentation style. The concluding portion of season two was issued on DVD on 7 August 2008, offering comparable bonus content. The entire third season was released as a complete DVD set on 5 November 2009.

Vodcast

On 27 July 2006, ABC revealed that full episodes of The Chaser's War on Everything would be accessible via vodcasting. Within just 45 days of its inclusion in the Australian iTunes podcast directory, the series climbed to the top position. The last four episodes of season one averaged approximately 175,000 vodcast viewers and recorded around 25,000 downloads, which ABC regarded as a strong performance.

During 2007, episodes from season two became the most downloaded vodcasts, accumulating close to nine million downloads—accounting for more than half of ABC’s online vodcast traffic that year. Additionally, season one was made available for purchase and download through the Australian iTunes Store, marking one of ABC’s earliest ventures into offering television content on that platform.

Show format

Credits – The opening credits highlight the five principal cast members alongside images of prominent politicians and celebrities tied to current affairs. These titles generally remain stable except for two that are updated to feature recent personalities. Closing credits list both cast and crew and often include comedic video clips; for instance, Andrew Hansen once performed a song about the credits themselves, while another episode displayed credits in Ukrainian. In Season 3, a sketch led to a credit name alteration where Chas Licciardello was listed as Gvhftr Kijl.
Introduction – Each episode begins with Reucassel and Taylor discussing significant recent news events, sharing their viewpoints before introducing pre-recorded stunts or sketches.
Andrew Hansen's hair – Starting in late Season 1, Andrew Hansen adopted a new hairstyle each week for the program, showcasing looks such as mohawks, dyed hair, and even wearing a small clock.
Name changes – During Season 2, on-screen credit names were modified to reflect current figures or humorous twists, including variations like "Julian bin Morrow," "Posh Chaser," or Arabic translations of cast members’ names.
Dialogues – The cast typically engages in conversations about recent happenings or upcoming stunts that lead into pre-produced segments such as stunts, advertisements, or trailers. Earlier episodes also featured monologues.
Old Woman – A recurring joke in Season 3 involved displaying a photo of an elderly woman with a shopping trolley during sketches, originating from a stunt in Season 2. After the final episode aired, she requested her image be removed; subsequent releases replaced her with photos of Dom Knight.
ABC Complainer (Dear ABC) – Debuting in Season 3, Andrew Hansen portrayed Philip Harley, a character who writes sarcastic letters to ABC following sketches, criticizing them as "a waste of taxpayer's money." Harley appeared four times in episode five—the highest number within a single episode.
Conclusion – Episodes conclude with the team delivering a closing joke followed by Chris reading out results from an online poll hosted on their website.

Core segments

The core segments serve as the foundation of the program, addressing significant topics across diverse subjects. Delivered live by the cast, these often incorporate pre-recorded sketches and stunts aligned with the episode’s themes.

"What Have We Learned from Current Affairs This Week?" – Hosted by Hansen and Licciardello, this segment mocks the sensationalist style of rival weeknight current affairs shows such as Today Tonight and A Current Affair. It exposes their rapid, frequently flawed conclusions and educates viewers on identifying dubious reporting methods and questionable "experts".
"Firth in the USA" – Operating from the United States, Firth performs stunts or interviews that reference American culture. A notable instance includes approaching Hillary Clinton to volunteer as a presidential intern, parodying the Lewinsky scandal.
"The Ad Road-Test" – The team recreates scenarios depicted in television commercials to evaluate their effectiveness in real life. For example, they examine whether male cheerleaders can successfully encourage someone to quit smoking.
"In Other News ..." – Previously featured with Morrow and Reucassel, this segment covered current news stories occasionally accompanied by related stunts. It was the sole segment appearing in every episode during Season One.

Added in Season Two:

"The Fixers" – Taking over from "In Other News ...", Morrow and Reucassel tackle community issues and offer solutions, often supported by pre-produced content.

Secondary segments

Secondary segments are generally short, pre-filmed stunts or sketches that complement the main show.

"Surprise Spruiker" – Hansen acts as a shop spruiker attempting to assist stores in selling products before being interrupted by security personnel.
"Scenes from the Life of the Crazy Warehouse Guy" – Hansen plays a warehouse advertisement announcer applying his distinctive style to everyday scenarios, originally derived from spoofs of rug warehouse ads.
"Pursuit Trivia" – Morrow quizzes politicians or celebrities with Trivial Pursuit questions during interviews or press conferences; this was particularly prominent in the first season.
"Mr Ten Questions" – Hansen impersonates a journalist who fires off ten rapid questions without allowing responses, covering both relevant and obscure subjects.
"A Message From Osama Bin Laden" / Subtitles – Existing footage of Osama bin Laden and others is humorously re-subtitled to declare absurd jihads or messages.
"Citizens' Infringement Officer" – Morrow hands out fake fines for trivial or ridiculous offenses such as unusual license plates or inappropriate baby names.

Introduced in Season Two:

"If Life Were A Musical" – Cast members engage passersby as if participating in a Broadway musical, parodying Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions.
"Clive The Slightly-Too-Loud Commuter" – Hansen portrays Clive, a boisterous public transport rider who discusses personal matters loudly on his mobile phone.

Occasional segments

These appear less frequently but still contribute to the show’s content.

"What Have We Learnt From History?" – Hansen, Taylor, and Reucassel investigate whether society has absorbed lessons from historical events such as the Trojan Horse.
"Famous Face Off" – Previously hosted by Hansen, this segment featured experts competing in skills like newsreading or sports commentary.
"The 2:30 Report" – Formerly presented by Licciardello and Morrow, this segment reviewed subpar late-night television including game shows and religious broadcasts.

Added in Season Two:

"The News According To Fox" – Licciardello and Hansen critique perceived biases within Fox News Channel’s coverage.
"What You Missed on Cable" – Licciardello and Morrow highlight unusual pay TV programs, contrasting them with ABC1’s offerings; this was designed as a successor to The 2:30 Report.
"Anna Coren's Segue/Meaningless Gibberish of the Week" – Part of "What Have We Learnt from Current Affairs This Week?", focusing on Anna Coren’s convoluted transitions on Today Tonight.
"Nut Job of the Week" – Licciardello and Taylor examine individuals who hold unconventional beliefs, such as proponents of The Secret’s law of attraction theory.
"Open Mic" – Morrow uses public address systems within businesses to deliver humorous announcements.
"Election Watch" – Licciardello and Taylor analyze topics related to the 2007 federal election, frequently referencing unrelated issues for comedic effect.
"Middle East TV" – A segment introduced in Season Three that reviews television programming from the Middle East.

Traditional recurring segments became scarce during Season Three; popular features like "What Have We Learnt from Current Affairs This Week?" were dropped as the team pursued new material to maintain originality.

Segments featured once or twice

"Say What?!" – During the first season, Andrew Hansen introduced a brief segment showcasing images of foreign swear words connected to food.
"Rudd.I.Am song" – In the third season, The Chaser created a music video that used excerpts from Kevin Rudd's speeches, parodying American celebrity songs inspired by Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" address.

Regular features

Stunts – A core element of the program, stunts involve confronting public figures or provoking reactions from employees in retail environments. Each stunt must receive clearance from the ABC Legal Department to prevent legal complications. The typical approach is to enter, capture footage, and then be removed.
Sketches – These include fabricated commercials, mockumentaries, and conventional comedy skits.
Songs – Mostly performed by Hansen with lyrics often written by Taylor, these pieces focus on comedic themes.
Television Advertisements – Satirical commercials promoting fictitious products or lampooning real ones.
Movie Trailers – Parodies of trailers for actual or imaginary films.
Vox Pop – Team members collect public opinions through street interviews.

Controversies and notable stunts

The Chaser has often been criticized by tabloid programs such as Today Tonight and A Current Affair, along with talkback radio hosts, for stunts considered risky, offensive, or in poor taste. Several events generated extensive media coverage and sparked public discussion.

Julian Morrow's novelty cheque

Prior to the series launch in 2006, Morrow presented a counterfeit cheque made out to Saddam Hussein to Australian Wheat Board executive Charles Stott, requesting his signature. Due to legal concerns, this stunt was omitted from the initial episode but later included on DVD releases. Morrow pointed out the irony of Stott’s intimidation given his dealings with Saddam Hussein.

Chris Taylor on Sunrise

In 2007, Taylor orchestrated an elaborate fake breakup announcement that ended with an expletive-laden message during an interview on the morning program Sunrise. The segment was filmed after the live broadcast and edited to appear genuine. The hosts were unaware of Taylor’s exact language and subsequently issued apologies.

Chas Licciardello's Bulldogs incident

In 2006, Licciardello faced charges of offensive conduct after selling counterfeit Canterbury Bulldogs merchandise that ridiculed fan hooliganism. He appeared handcuffed on the next episode and offered an apology. Following a not guilty plea, he was acquitted in January 2007 and humorously vowed to continue appealing despite the favorable verdict.

Craig Reucassel's axe stunt

In response to reports of security lapses involving Prime Minister John Howard, Reucassel approached Howard during his morning walks carrying a plastic battle axe and later a running chainsaw. Howard accepted the axe gesture but did not engage when confronted with the chainsaw. A mid-point attempt involving a mace was edited out of the broadcast.

Julian Morrow's ticket prank

In 2006, Morrow bought airline tickets under the names "Al Kyder" and "Terry Wrist" via Virgin Blue, checked in using automated kiosks, then failed to board so their names were publicly announced. Virgin Blue condemned the act for misusing taxpayer-funded resources.

Craig Reucassel's Speedos stunt

During the 2007 New South Wales State Election campaign, Reucassel confronted opposition leader Peter Debnam dressed only in Speedos and a cap, parodying Debnam’s own swimwear appearances. Although it attracted media attention, Debnam chose not to respond.

APEC prank and arrest

At the 2007 APEC Summit, Morrow, Licciardello, and nine crew members were detained after breaching security by entering a restricted zone in a fake Canadian motorcade. Licciardello appeared dressed as Osama bin Laden and disclosed the hoax. They faced charges under the APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Act 2007 but were released on bail. The stunt had ABC legal approval anticipating early detection but successfully passed two police checkpoints using rented limousines. Authorities confiscated footage which was later returned for airing. Despite official condemnation, public support grew and ratings rose for their subsequent episode. Charges were dropped in April 2008 due to police failure to identify fake credentials.

"The Eulogy Song"

In October 2007, Hansen performed a satirical piece penned by Taylor that critiqued the posthumous glorification of celebrities and notorious figures such as mass murderer Martin Bryant. The song provoked media backlash including criticism from then Prime Minister John Howard and opposition leader Kevin Rudd. Taylor defended it as valid satire and noted it was a toned-down adaptation of a stage routine.

Seven Network Injunction

In November 2007, The Chaser infiltrated Seven Network headquarters aiming to parody Today Tonight’s reenactment style but were confronted for trespassing. Channel Seven secured an injunction preventing broadcast of the segment which The Chaser intended to contest. Instead, they aired a reenactment satirizing their own stunt. Seven’s CEO David Leckie publicly condemned them sharply; Morrow responded with humor suggesting interest in employing them.

"Make a Realistic Wish Foundation" sketch

In June 2009, Taylor and Hansen aired a controversial sketch mocking the Make-a-Wish Foundation by proposing that terminally ill children should receive modest gifts rather than lavish ones. The segment triggered widespread public outrage and condemnation from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who described it as "beyond the pale." ABC managing director Mark Scott issued an unconditional apology and announced stricter content review measures. The episode was removed from online platforms until edited versions excised the sketch; future broadcasts and DVDs excluded it entirely. The ABC suspended The Chaser's War on Everything for two weeks. Upon returning, the show referenced the controversy by dubbing itself "The Chaser's Waste of Taxpayers' money," acknowledging its government funding amid criticism.

Current affairs programs

Programs focusing on current affairs, such as Channel 7’s Today Tonight and Channel 9’s A Current Affair, have broadcast segments critical of The Chaser team. A Current Affair explored speculation about the show potentially transitioning to commercial networks and expressed disapproval over the use of Osama bin Laden as a comedic element, emphasizing the dangers involved in their stunts.

Meanwhile, Today Tonight questioned the legitimacy of The Chaser's pranks and condemned their breach of APEC security. When Today Tonight attempted to shadow The Chaser during a stunt, The Chaser consented but orchestrated a counter-stunt aimed at embarrassing Channel 7 by alluding to Peter Meakin’s recent DUI incident. Most of this footage was withheld by Channel 7, which instead aired clips portraying The Chaser as conceited. Subsequently, reporter James Thomas issued an apology regarding this depiction. In September 2011, Channel 7 began broadcasting reruns of The Chaser.

Awards

In December 2006, The Chaser's War on Everything secured an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award for 'Best Television Comedy Series', with Hansen honored for "Best Performance in a Television Comedy". Additionally, Hansen earned the APRA / AGSC accolade for 'Best Television Theme' due to the show's original theme composition.

The series received nominations for the TV Week Logie in the "Most Outstanding Comedy Program" category in May 2007 and was again nominated for AFI's 'Best Television Comedy Series' that same year. Early in 2008, it was also shortlisted for the international Rose D'Or comedy award.

In June 2008, The Chaser was awarded the Atheist Foundation of Australia's Tom Paine Award, recognizing their "Exemplary service to humanity" and advocacy for principles that foster human well-being.

The program was nominated once more in 2010 for the TV Week Logie under "Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program" for its 2009 season.

External links

Official American site for The Chaser G4TV