We Can Be Heroes: Finding the Australian of the Year
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | July 27, 2005 |
| Founder | Chris Lilley, Ryan Shelton |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Television miniseries |
We Can Be Heroes: Discovering the Australian of the Year (titled The Nominees outside Australia) is an Australian mockumentary miniseries developed, co-written, and starring Chris Lilley alongside Ryan Shelton, with direction by Matthew Saville.
The narrative centers on five distinct Australians (all portrayed by Lilley) who have been nominated by their acquaintances and relatives for the prestigious Australian of the Year award in recognition of their remarkable accomplishments.
The show debuted on 27 July 2005 and wrapped up on 31 August 2005, broadcasting on the ABC every Wednesday at 9:00 pm. Each of the six episodes has a runtime of approximately 30 minutes. Internationally, it aired on FX in the United Kingdom, Sundance Channel in the United States, and The Comedy Network in Canada. Within Australia, it was featured on The Comedy Channel as part of their Aussie Gold segment hosted by Frank Woodley.
This series earned a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Comedy, while Chris Lilley was honored with the Best New Talent Logie for his portrayal.
Characters
All individuals nominated for Australian of the Year are embodied by Chris Lilley.
Daniel Sims
Daniel Sims resides in Dunt, South Australia, a fictional locale inspired by Lara, Victoria. At age 17, he represents a caricature of rural Australian teenagers. His household includes his mother, a hearing-impaired twin brother Nathan, two younger brothers, and a sister. Their father passed away several years prior in a vehicular accident.
Daniel’s nomination stems from donating an eardrum to Nathan (also played by Lilley). Since Daniel lacks proficiency in sign language, he resorts to alternative communication methods such as shouting or displaying coloured cards that signal commands like "change the Xbox game" or "piss off."
Both brothers and their peers enjoy activities like rapping and beatboxing, with Nathan’s abilities advancing following partial restoration of his hearing.
Daniel triumphed in state-level finals but initially resisted formal protocols such as wearing a suit or delivering a speech—he later consented upon realizing that Canberra’s legal age permits purchasing porn and fireworks.
Daniel, Nathan, their family members, and their mother’s boyfriend reappear in Lilley’s later production Angry Boys, which further explores their stories.
Ja'mie King
Ja'mie King is a 16-year-old from Sydney’s North Shore, originally born in South Africa. She gained notoriety for sponsoring 85 Sudanese children through Global Vision, a fictional charity satirizing World Vision International, earning her a National Record. Her fundraising efforts positioned her as the organisation's prominent figurehead. Ja'mie also participates twice weekly in the 40 Hour Famine event, which she claims both raises funds and "keeps [her] looking hot."
As the quintessential 'popular' student at Hilford Girls' Grammar School—a private institution on the North Shore—Ja'mie and her clique prioritize appearance and social standing. They endorse her assertions about reaching the finals of "Dolly Magazine Covergirl of the Year." Ja'mie epitomizes the archetype of an affluent, elitist private schoolgirl, engaging in activities such as sleepovers, gossip sessions, and modeling.
She plays a leading role during a school assembly promoting Global Vision, where she guides students in repeating a Sudanese phrase meaning "You are very beautiful girl." She harshly criticizes the school for misallocation of funds, equating each dollar not raised to a child's death and suggesting transforming the school oval into a "mass grave" due to insufficient donations.
Two weeks before the Australian of the Year finals, Ja'mie discovers that flooding has devastated 'her' village, resulting in nearly all her sponsored children dying except for two survivors. She expresses frustration during a confrontation with Global Vision's manager and accuses her mother of lacking support.
One sponsored child named Sonali is revealed to be an undocumented immigrant detained at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. Sonali writes to Ja'mie requesting a visit; recognizing media potential, Ja'mie brings along a friend skilled in photography. Later she accompanies Sonali to Canberra for the finals, lending her a Year 10 Formal dress.
Ja'mie also appears in Chris Lilley's subsequent series Summer Heights High and Ja'mie: Private School Girl.
Pat Mullins
Pat Mullins, a 47-year-old resident of Nollamara, Perth, was married to Terry and had two children. She lived with skeletal dysplasia, which caused one of her legs to be shorter than the other. To adapt, she taught herself to roll quickly along the ground as a mode of movement.
Her husband constructed a challenging obstacle course to help her train across different types of terrain. Pat set out with the goal of rolling from Perth all the way to Uluru but encountered various injuries and difficulties along the way, including an incident where a gumnut became stuck in her nose.
The final episode disclosed that Pat passed away from liver cancer on 12 January 2006, just 23 days following the announcement of the Australian of the Year. Unfortunately, she was unable to complete her journey to Uluru.
Phil Olivetti
Phil Olivetti, a 37-year-old from Bray Park, Brisbane, self-nominated as Queensland's candidate. A former police officer, he gained public attention after rescuing nine children from an unsecured jumping castle dangerously close to power lines. He left law enforcement to become a motivational speaker and planned to publish an autobiography alongside merchandise sales. Driven by a strong desire to win the award, he invited one of the judges to a barbecue and attempted unsuccessfully to bribe him.
Phil also sought involvement in his son's Scout group by offering an emergency-preparedness course featuring exaggerated scenarios such as evading Al Qaeda snipers. During one demonstration, a boy named Jeremy became trapped beneath a tree when a safety rope broke; Phil’s aggressive attempt at rescue aggravated Jeremy’s injury, necessitating medical treatment. Phil disparagingly referred to Jeremy as "a wuss."
Despite his efforts, Phil failed to advance to the state finals. He deceived his family about this outcome, prompting them to travel to Canberra on his behalf. When security denied him entry, his bribery attempt led to an incident that revealed his dishonesty and caused a rift within his family. He watched with bitterness as the Queensland finalist was announced.
Three months later, Phil remains married but has abandoned motivational speaking, returned to policing, and is working on a miniseries dramatizing the jumping castle rescue and other experiences, casting Vince Colosimo in his role. Phil often compares Colosimo to Eric Bana, referencing Bana’s performance in Chopper.
Ricky Wong
Ricky Wong is a 23-year-old physics student from Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, of Chinese heritage. Known for his energetic personality—frequently exclaiming "Physics is Phun" and calling his workspace the "Wong laboratory"—he fits the archetype of a "Chinese overachiever." Ricky earned recognition for creating an exceptionally efficient solar energy panel but harbors ambitions of becoming a professional actor.
His father insists that he finish his physics degree before pursuing acting. Ricky plays Walkabout Man in Indigeridoo, a musical focusing on Indigenous Australian figures such as Cathy Freeman and Lionel Rose.
After completing his PhD, Ricky joined CSIRO through his father's connections but soon experienced depression. Defying his father's wishes, he declared his intention to switch careers and focus entirely on acting.
Reception
The program attracted an average audience of 749,000 viewers per episode.
Outside of the show
- The characters appeared on Triple J's Today Today as satirical Australian of the Year nominees; despite being parodies, some listeners expressed dissatisfaction with their portrayed attitudes, especially that of Ja'mie King.
- In 2005, Ja'mie King co-presented an ARIA Award for 'Highest Selling Single' alongside James Mathison to Anthony Callea.
- Ricky Wong performed at the 2006 Logie Awards, delivering a song from Indigeridoo accompanied by Cathy Freeman.
DVD distribution
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See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2005 Australian television series debuts
- 2005 Australian television series endings
- 2000s Australian comedy television series
- 2000s Australian television miniseries
- 2000s satirical television series
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
- Australian mockumentary television series
- 2000s Australian television sitcoms
- Australian satirical television shows
- Cross-dressing in television
- Australian English-language television shows
- Logie Award for Most Outstanding Comedy Program winners
- Race-related controversies in television
- Television shows set in Victoria (state)