Shaun’s secret acting role

A few would have noticed Shaun eating bananas at various times on recent episode of TAYG. According to TV Week, Shaun is losing a bit of weight for an upcoming, secret dramatic role for Channel Ten.

Shaun says he has “a project coming up that I can’t talk about, where the person I’m acting with is stick thin, and in my normal state I’d look too big against them.” So far he’s lost 9 kg, so watch him chisel up as the season continues.

In a separate article on TV Tonight, Shaun revealed the new drama came out of an idea from himself and Jason Stephens, and will star Kat Stewart. He won’t be writing it though, preferring to concentrate on the acting side. Shooting looks like running from late August up until the end of the year, making 2012 another busy one for Shaun.

TV Week has guessed that the secret role is linked to a telemovie about Julian Assange. What do you think?

Your Gen preview

So tomorrow night is the first episode of possibly the last season of TAYG. Expect a Trust Me challenge called ‘Human Hotdog’ and also the appearance of John Cleese! – all my comedy dreams have come true, Shaun and John together!

I’ve been loving the teaser ad for this season, so I’ve uploaded it for your enjoyment, in case you missed it. It’s got Stuart the meerkat, so how can you lose?

TAYG returns next week

The fourth season of Talkin’ ’bout Your Generation is set to start on Wednesday 1st February at 8pm. (8pm? Are the Channel Ten programmers trying EVERY time slot?)

Filming for the fourth season  began a few weeks ago, and we’ve been advised it includes plenty of the madness we saw last season, and a number of new games.

The first guests are expected to be Mary Coustas, Stephen K. Amos and Jodi Gordon.

Shaun’s podium is bare!

Shaun has put out a call for viewers to help decorate the TAYG set for Season 4:

Hello, Shaun Micallef here.

People of TAYG, I need your help. My vast and expensive collection of pop cultural ephemera, items from which are proudly displayed each week atop the TAYG podium, has been stolen.

I suspect the thief is a shadowy agent of the Dark Lord Sauron and have consequently dispatched three hobbits, a dwarf, two elves and Josh on a quest to recover the missing stuff. It is vital they succeed, for I’m not insured.

The quest, as you might guess, is extremely dangerous and will take the small band of adventurers to many strange and faraway lands where public transport infrastructure is hopeless, so getting around will be tricky.

But back to you. I’m asking you to send in to TAYG the kind of cool stuff that you’d like to see displayed on my podium: toys, daggy records, figurines, books, comics – anything that you think evokes the spirit of your generation. Drop us a line at tayg@granadamedia.com.au, include a pic of your item, and if we like it, we’ll be in touch.

Thankyou for your time, my preciouses.

Shaun Micallef is Mad as Hell

No, not a statement of fact, but the title of Shaun’s new ABC show, announced for 2012.

The show is described as “a half-hour weekly round-up, branding, inoculation and crutching of all the important news stories”. It’s been a few years since Shaun’s been on the ABC. His show Newstopia, which will draw obvious comparisons, aired on SBS from 2007-8.

“So, what’s this show all about? A good question, if I do say so – and it’s exactly that sort of direct, no-nonsense questioning of even myself that’s going to make this show the must-see event television that’s been virtually killed off by Kyle and Jackie O’s A Night with the Stars.” says Shaun Micallef.

10 episodes will air, with dates still to be advised.

Talkin’ Bout Your Generation will still be returning to Channel 10 in 2012, with 10 episodes to be recorded and aired. Plenty of Micallef for next year!

Shaun returning to TAYG in 2012

It’s finally been confirmed – Channel Ten have renewed Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation for 2012 and Shaun is back as host, along with the team captains: Amanda, Charlie and Josh.

There was concern about the future after the show wasn’t included in the 2012 Programming Launch, and Shaun mentioning an interest in pursuing other projects.

But lucky for us, we have a least one more season of TAYG goodness!

The Collected Shaun DVD Set

After rumours last year, finally The Collected Shaun Micallef DVD Box Set is now out in stores (also here)!

The box set includes 10 DVDs and 1 CD:

Originally, the box set was to include Shaun Micallef’s New Years Rave, shown on Channel Ten at the end of 2009, but that seems to have been omitted. That means all of the DVDs (and CD) in the box have been previously released individually.

Another glaring omission is of course Welcher and Welcher, which was released last year.

Cameo in Bazura

A new ABC2 show is going to do a tongue-in-cheek investigation of the sinful side of cinema. The Bazura Project began life on community television as a movie appreciation and review show. Hosts Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah have made the move to the ABC for a 6-part series covering violence, sex, money, profanity, drugs and fame.

Shaun, along with Tony Martin and Kat Stewart, have all filmed cameos for the new series, which starts Thursday September 29th at 9pm.

Update: Shaun will be voicing the role of the robot MK-Ultra in all six episodes!

Season finale for TAYG

This Sunday’s episode is the last for this season of Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation, after Channel Ten burnt through the remainder of the shows which were expected to run til November. (Glee has replaced TAYG on this Wednesday). The Sci Fi episode was to be the finale (hence the E.O.S. 2011 on the floor plate – End of Series), but the order has been changed.

An article in the Melbourne Weekly highlights just how popular the show is, and this has been reflected in the visits to this very website after each broadcast! Of course, long term Micallef fans would be well and truly familiar with his gems of work.

The rumor about Shaun leaving TAYG next year still circles, and while nothing lasts forever, my bet is we’ll seen Shaun tackle at least one more season next year, along with something else.