Craig Thompson
Thompson at the 2011 Brooklyn Book Festival
Born	(1975-09-21) September 21, 1975 (age 36) Traverse City, Michigan, United States
Occupation	Graphic novelist
Influenced by	Taro Yashima Daniel Clowes Chris Ware Joe Sacco

Craig Matthew Thompson (born September 21, 1975) is a graphic novelist best known for his books Good-bye, Chunky Rice (1999), Blankets (2003), Carnet de Voyage (2004) and Habibi (2011). Thompson has received four Harvey Awards, two Eisner Awards, and two Ignatz Awards. In 2007, his cover design for the Menomena album Friend and Foe received a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package.

Early life[link]

Craig Thompson was born in Traverse City, Michigan in 1975.^[1] He and his brother grew up in rural Marathon, Wisconsin, in a fundamentalist Christian family. His father was a plumber, and his mother alternated between working as a stay-at-home mom and a visiting-nurse assistant for the disabled. Media such as films and televisions shows were screened or altogether censored by their parents, and the only music allowed was Christian music. Thompson's only access to the arts were the Sunday funnies and comics, since they were assumed to be for children, to which Thompson attributes his early affinity for the medium. Thompson and his brother were particularly enamored of black and white independent comics in the 1980s, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the do-it-yourself ethic that they embodied.^[2]

In high school Thompson entertained dreams of becoming either a small-town artist or a film animator. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Marathon County for three semesters, during which he began writing a comic strip for the college newspaper and "just kind of fell in love with [comics], suddenly. It filled all my needs -- I was able to draw cartoons, to tell a story; but I also had total control, and I wasn't just a cog in some machine somewhere."^[3] After spending a semester at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Thompson left his hometown in 1997 and settled in Portland, Oregon.^[4][5]

Career[link]

Thompson worked briefly at Dark Horse Comics, drawing ads, logos, and toy packaging for the company while working on personal projects at night. After developing tendinitis, Thompson left Dark Horse and devoted his time to his own work.^[4]

His debut graphic novel was the semi-autobiographical Good-bye, Chunky Rice (1999), which was inspired by his move to Portland and "cute cartoony stuff" from his childhood such as the work of Jim Henson, Dr. Seuss, and Tim Burton.^[3] As a result of Chunky Rice, Thompson won a 2000 Harvey Award for Best New Talent and received a 2000 Ignatz Award nomination for Outstanding Artist. Thompson followed Chunky Rice with the mini-comics Bible Doodles (2000) and Doot Doot Garden (2001).

In late 1999, Thompson began work on a 600-page autobiographical graphic novel Blankets, which was published three and a half years later in 2003 to critical acclaim.^[6] Time magazine named Blankets its #1 graphic novel for 2003,^[3] and Thompson won two 2004 Eisner Awards, for Best Graphic Album-New and Best Writer/Artist,^[7] three Harvey Awards, for Best Artist, Best Cartoonist, and Best Graphic Album of Original Work,^[8] and two Ignatz Awards, for Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection and Outstanding Artist.

Thompson said that he believes Blankets was a success because he was "reacting against all of the over-the-top, explosive action genre [in alternative comics, and] I also didn’t want to do anything cynical and nihilistic, which is the standard for a lot of alternative comics."^[6] As a result of Blankets, he rose quickly to the top ranks of American cartoonists in both popularity and critical esteem. Pulitzer Prize-winning comic artist Art Spiegelman sent him a long letter of praise for Blankets,^[2][4] and in mock-jealousy, Eddie Campbell expressed a temptation to break Thompson's fingers.^[9] Despite the praise, the book, which was Thompson's way of coming out to his parents about no longer being a Christian, resulted in tension between him and his parents for a couple of years after they read it.^[2]

Thompson followed Blankets with 2004's travelogue Carnet de Voyage, which received Ignatz Award nominations for Outstanding Graphic Novel and Outstanding Artist. He also contributed numerous short works to Nickelodeon Magazine, as "Craigory Thompson."

In 2007, Thompson created the artwork for the Menomena album Friend and Foe, which was released on January 23 from Barsuk Records. Thompson's design received a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package, to which he responded, "I wanna get it! I think it would be very funny to be a cartoonist with a Grammy...if nothing else it helps bring attention to the band."^[10]

In late 2004, Thompson began working on Habibi, a graphic novel published by Pantheon Books, in September 2011.^[6][11] The book is influenced by Arabic calligraphy and Islamic mythology: "I'm playing with Islam in the same way I was playing with Christianity in Blankets," as he said in a 2005 interview.^[12] The book was praised by Time magazine,^[13] Elle magazine,^[14] Financial Times,^[15] Salon,^[16] The Independent,^[17] NPR,^[18] The Millions,^[19] Graphic Novel Reporter,^[20] and The Harvard Crimson.^[21] Other reviewers, such as Michael Faber of The Guardian, and a six-person roundtable discussion of the book conducted by Charles Hatfield of The Comics Journal, while lauding the quality of Thompson's visuals and his use of various Eastern motifs, narrative parallels and intertwining plots and subplots, had negative reactions to the book's length, or the degree of sexual cruelty inflicted upon the main characters.^[22][23]

Style and influences[link]

Thompson at home in front of his drawing table in 2009

Thompson has acknowledged the influence of graphic artists Taro Yashima, Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, and Joe Sacco.^[4] Thompson has said that, in his composition process, pages are initially composed "in a very illegible form, a shorthand where words and pictures blur into alien scribbles...I'm working with words and pictures right from the beginning, but the picture might not look any different from a letter, because they're just a bunch of scribbles on a page." Then he rewrites those sketches into "a detailed thumbnail with clear handwriting, and that way I can go back and edit." Even on his long works, Thompson drafts the entire book in ballpoint pen before beginning the final brush-inked version.^[12]

Personal life[link]

Thompson has explained that he is no longer a Christian, a status that evolved gradually beginning with his high school years, during which he became disenchanted with the church and its dogma, though he still agrees with Jesus' teachings.^[2] A significant portion of Blankets is devoted to said explorations of Christianity.

Awards[link]

• 2000 Harvey Award for Best New Talent for Good-bye, Chunky Rice^[2][24]
• 2004 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album for Blankets^[25]
• 2004 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist for Blankets^[25]
• 2004 Harvey Award for Best Artist for Blankets^[8]
• 2004 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist for Blankets^[8]
• 2004 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Original Work for Blankets^[8]
• 2004 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist for Blankets^[26]
• 2004 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection for Blankets^[26]
• 2005 Prix de la critique^[27]

Nominations[link]

• 1999 Harvey Award for Best New Talent for Top Shelf, Doot Doot Garden, et al.^[28]
• 2000 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist for Good-bye, Chunky Rice^[2][29]
• 2000 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist for Carnet de Voyage^[30]
• 2000 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel for Carnet de Voyage^[30]
• 2007 Grammy Award for Best Recording Package for Friend and Foe^[10]

Bibliography[link]

Graphic novels[link]

• Good-bye, Chunky Rice (1999)
• Blankets (2003)
• Carnet de Voyage (2004)
• Habibi (2011)

Mini-comics[link]

• Bible Doodles (2000)
• Doot Doot Garden (2001)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Craig Thompson

• Doot Doot Garden Blog Craig Thompson's official website
• Interview with Craig Thompson for "Habibi"
• Excerpt from "Habibi" in Guernica
• Top Shelf Catalog for Craig Thompson

Shaun Micallef
Shaun Micallef (right) being interviewed in March, 2010
Birth name	Shaun Patrick Micallef
Born	(1962-07-18) 18 July 1962 (age 49) Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Medium	Television, radio, books, internet
Nationality	Australian
Years active	1987-present
Genres	Sketch comedy, surrealism, dadaism
Subject(s)	Humour
Influences	The Goons,[1] Peter Sellers, Marx Brothers,[2] S. J. Perelman, James Thurber, Spike Milligan,[3] Barry Humphries, Frank Muir,[4] Monty Python,[5] Woody Allen
Influenced	Sammy J[6]
Spouse	Leandra (1988-present) 3 children
Notable works and roles	The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) Welcher & Welcher Micallef Tonight Newstopia Thank God You're Here (2006-2007) Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation

Shaun Patrick Micallef (born 18 July 1962) is an Australian actor, comedian and writer. After ten years of working in insurance law as a solicitor in Adelaide, Micallef moved to Melbourne to pursue a full-time comedy career in 1993. He first gained recognition as a cast member of the sketch comedy show Full Frontal, which in turn led to a number of television roles including his own sketch show, The Micallef P(r)ogram(me), the sitcom Welcher & Welcher and the variety show Micallef Tonight. He also fronted the satirical news comedy series Newstopia on SBS and currently hosts the game show Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation on Network Ten.

In addition to his television work Micallef has appeared on stage, most notably in the Australian production of Boeing Boeing, and radio as the co-host of Melbourne station Vega 91.5 FM's morning program. He is also a published author; his book Smithereens was released in 2004, and re-released in January 2011. His other book, a novella by the name of Preincarnate, was released in 2010.

Personal life[link]

Micallef was born in Adelaide, South Australia and is of Maltese and Irish descent.^[1] His father worked for a company that sold parts for Volvos and his mother was employed at the Adelaide Bank.^[7] As a child he lived in Clovelly Park and attended St Bernadette's School in St. Marys then St Joseph’s Catholic School in Mitchell Park (now Sacred Heart College Middle School) before moving on to Sacred Heart Senior College where he was the College Captain.^[8] He studied law at the University of Adelaide, where he was frequently involved in comedy revues, often involving Francis Greenslade and Gary McCaffrie, with whom he continues to work.^[9] He was a practising solicitor for ten years in the field of insurance law before making the decision to move to Melbourne and pursue a full-time career in comedy in 1993.^[7] He currently lives in Williamstown, Victoria with his wife Leandra (whom he married in 1988) and their three sons.^[1][10] He relates the story that while working as a solicitor, he talked so much about making a career change and becoming a comedian that his wife gave him an ultimatum. She circled a date in the near future on a calendar and told Shaun to quit his job and become a comedian by that date, or never talk about it again.

Career[link]

Early theatre[link]

In 1972, having three younger sisters taking ballet classes, ten year old Micallef was often asked to help out when a dance routine required a boy. The following year he auditioned for the Bunyip Children's Theatre and over the next four years participated in plays that they performed in the Scott Theatre during school holidays. In 1976 he doubled for Humphrey B. Bear for personal appearances.

Television and film[link]

Following early TV appearances on Theatre Sports (1987) and The Big Gig (1989), in early 1993 Micallef was offered a job writing for the Jimeoin show which was soon followed by an offer to also write for the sketch comedy show Full Frontal where six months later he took on the role as co-producer with Gary McCaffrie. In 1994, Micallef became a full time cast member of Full Frontal, where he became well known for characters such as Milo Kerrigan, Nobby Doldrums and a send-up of Italian male model Fabio. Micallef recalls that the show was a good introduction to television comedy because, with an ensemble cast, its success did not hinge on his performance and he had more freedom to make and learn from mistakes. However, he was frustrated with the lack of control he had over his work in the series as well as the repetition of characters and gags.^[7]

Micallef's role on Full Frontal led to a 1996 special Shaun Micallef's World Around Him and three seasons of the two-time Logie Award-winning ABC series The Micallef Program (1998–2001), which he co-wrote and produced with long-time writing partner Gary McCaffrie.^[11] Since the series' end he has created and starred in two short-lived television series, the sitcom Welcher & Welcher (2003) and the variety show Micallef Tonight (2003),^[12] and devised a series of telemovies, BlackJack (2003–present).^[13]

He has also had acting roles on the television series SeaChange (2000), Through My Eyes (2004) and "Offspring" (2010), and supporting roles in the films Bad Eggs (2003), The Honourable Wally Norman (2003), The Extra (2005), Aquamarine (2006), and The King (2007). In 2006, Micallef was a recurring guest on the Network Ten Improvisational theatre show Thank God You're Here.

In 2007, along with partners McCaffrie and Michael Ward, Micallef developed the satirical comedy program Newstopia, which he hosted. The show began airing 10 October 2007 on SBS, and in August 2008 it was announced that a third series had been commissioned.^[14] In 2009, Micallef joined the Ten Network and hosted "Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation", which has been a hit on Australian television screens.

In 2012 he began hosting ABC1's Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell.^[15]

Other work[link]

In September 2005, Micallef began hosting the breakfast show on Melbourne radio station Vega 91.5 FM, Shaun, Beverley and Denise, with comedian Denise Scott and television presenter Beverley O'Connor. In July 2006, comedian Dave O'Neil took over as host and the show was renamed Dave and Denise with Shaun Micallef. Micallef left the network on 23 November 2007.^[16]

He has also released a book, Smithereens, which was published in 2004 and contains a collection of prose, poetry and plays. Micallef describes it as a collection of "all sorts of bits and pieces I have written".^[3][12]

Mainstream popularity[link]

With Micallef's 2009 move to the Ten Network's Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, a sudden and unprecedented rise in his popularity within the Australian mainstream has been observed.^[17] His contract with the program marks his first long-term position in a commercial network and has raised his profile in commercial television. The extent of this has been demonstrated with celebrity appearances on Rove McManus' Rove^[18] and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?,^[19] and on 9am with David & Kim.^[20] In 2010, he was voted most popular presenter at the Annual Logie Awards.^[20]

List of works[link]

Films[link]

• The King (2007) - Colin Bednall
• Aquamarine (2006) - Storm Banks
• The Extra (2005) - Paul Ridley
• Bad Eggs (2003) - Premier Cray
• The Honourable Wally Norman (2003) - Ken Oats
• The 13th House (2003) - Sir
• Silly Billy Don't Touch That! (Unknown)

Television[link]

• Mad as Hell (2012) - Host
• Mollusks (2011) - Easty (voice)
• The Bazura Project's Guide To Sinema (2011) - MK-Ultra (voice)
• Laid (2011–present) - G-Bomb
• A Quiet Word With ... (2011) - Himself (guest)
• Offspring (2010) - Lachlan
• Shaun Micallef's New Year's Rave - Host
• Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
• Chaser's War on Everything (2009) - Himself (guest in the Rudd song sketch)
• Rove (2009) - Himself (guest)
• Melbourne International Comedy Festival (2009) - Host
• Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation (2009–present) - Host
• Good News Week (2009) - Himself (Guest)
• Spicks and Specks (2008) - Himself (guest)
• Newstopia (2007–2008) - Himself
• Dogstar (2007) - Narrator
• Thank God You're Here (2006–2007) - Various (semi-regular guest)
• The Shambles (2006) - (guest cameo)
• Through My Eyes (2005) - Jack Winneke
• BlackJack (2003–2007) (writer)
• Micallef Tonight (2003) - Himself (also writer)
• Welcher & Welcher (2003) - Quentin Welcher (also writer/producer)
• SeaChange (2000) - Warwick Munro
• The Micallef Program (1998–2001) - Various (also writer/producer)
• Shaun Micallef's World Around Him (1996) - Various (also writer/producer)
• The Glynn Nicholas Show (1996) (writer)
• Full Frontal (1994–1997) - Various (also writer/producer)
• Jimeoin (1994) - Various (also writer)
• The Big Gig (1989) (writer)

Theatre[link]

• Boeing Boeing (2008) - Bernard
• Good Evening - Sketches from Dudley Moore and Peter Cook (2010)

Radio shows[link]

• Dave and Denise with Shaun Micallef on Vega 91.5 FM (2005–2007)
• Hamish & Andy on Fox FM (a guest twice)
• Pete and Myf (with Newstopia writer Richard Marsland on Triple M (guest two times)
• Get This appeared on the final show in the first hour

Books[link]

• Preincarnate (2010)
• Smithereens (2004)

Music[link]

• His Generation (2009)

Awards[link]

• 2008: Won Aria Award Best Comedy Release - The Expurgated Micallef Tonight: The Very Best of Shaun Micallef's Short-Lived but Brilliant Tonight Show^[21]
• 2010: Won Most Popular Presenter and nominated for the Gold Logie at the Logie Awards for his role on Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation.

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Unofficial Shaun Micallef Fansite
• Shaun Micallef at the Internet Movie Database
• Unofficial Shaun Micallef Fansite

Sir Leslie Colin Patterson
Portrayer, Barry Humphries
First appearance	January 1974, St George Leagues Club, Sydney, Australia
Portrayed by	Barry Humphries
Information
Spouse(s)	Gwenneth
Children	Craig and Karen
Religion	Roman Catholic

Sir Leslie Colin "Les" Patterson is a fictional character portrayed by the Australian comedian Barry Humphries. Obese, lecherous and offensive, this farting, belching, nose-picking figure of Rabelaisian excess is an antipodean Falstaff. He is Dame Edna Everage's exact opposite: she is female, refined, Protestant and from Melbourne; he is male, uncouth, Catholic and from Sydney.

Patterson's humour abounds in such a wide range of racist and sexual stereotypes that it would offend almost anyone who takes it at face value.

• He boasts of his prowess with his "Girl Friday" and his trips to Bangkok "rub and tug shops"
• He jokes that "the best place to hide something from a Pom is under a bar of soap".
• He also resents Australians having died "stopping a bullet for the Pommy Empire."

Character origins[link]

By Humphries' own account, the character of Patterson first appeared in a one-man show that he performed at the St George Leagues Club in Sydney in January 1974.^[1] Appearing in the guise of the boorish, loud-mouthed and uncultured Patterson, Humphries claimed to be that club's own entertainments officer as he introduced the next act, Dame Edna Everage. As Humphries recalled, “I understood later that many members of the audience thought Les was genuinely a club official, which says a lot for his charm and sincerity”.^[1] Later that same year, the character (by now identified as Australia's cultural attache to the Far East) was revived in a two-week cabaret appearance that Humphries performed at the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong. In Humphries' words, “The English merchant bankers and commodity brokers and Australian accountants there all recognised Les as someone they knew in the Australian diplomatic corps, and took him to their hearts”.^[1] Patterson went on to play an even larger role in Humphries' next one-man show in London, Housewife Superstar! (1976), delivering a lengthy monologue that was included on the original cast album.

Stage, film and TV appearances[link]

On stage[link]

For more than 30 years, the character of Sir Les Patterson has been a regular feature in Barry Humphries' solo theatrical appearances in Australia and Great Britain, during which he performs a monologue and frequently bursts into song. Some of Patterson's specific monologues (as documented in the theatre programmes for Humphries' various shows) include the following:

• 'The Yartz', from Isn’t it Pathetic at his age? (Australian tour, 1978–79) and A Night with Dame Edna; (UK tour, 1978–79)
• 'Peter and the Shark', from The Last Night of the Poms (London, 1981) and Song of Australia (Melbourne and Sydney, 1983)
• 'Les looking good', from An Evening’s Intercourse with Barry Humphries (Australian tour, 1981; UK tour, 1982)
• 'Les Patterson presents his broad-based package', from Tears Before Bedtime (Australian tour, 1985–86) and Back with a Vengeance (UK tour, 1987–88)
• 'Les Patterson gets an Audience', from Look at me while I'm talking to you (Australian and UK tours, 1994–95)
• 'Address to the nation', from Back to my Roots and other Suckers (Australian tour, 2003)
• 'My Sacred Trust', from Back with a Vengeance: A New Effort (Australian tour, 2006–07)

During the Australian tour of Remember You're Out! (1999), it was stated that Patterson would not be appearing for fear of offending Humphries' more genteel fans; however, the character nevertheless made an appearance (as a scripted but seemingly unexpected gate-crash) during the show's Second Act.

In an effort to specifically satisfy fans of Les Patterson's earthy humour, Humphries has also performed two one-man shows entirely in Patterson's guise: one in London, entitled Les Patterson Rampant in Whitehall (June/July 1996) and another in New York, entitled Les Patterson Unzipped (Zipper Theater, 2 May 2005). The London performance was recorded, and has since been released both as an audio tape and a video tape, under the title Live and Rampant: Les Patterson has a Stand-Up.

Film and television[link]

On television, the character of Sir Les Patterson has hosted a documentary about the transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty, entitled Sir Les and the Great Chinese Takeaway (1997). He has also appeared as a special guest on the following:

• Another Audience with Dame Edna Everage (1984)
• Dame Edna's Christmas Experience (1987)
• The Dame Edna Satellite Experience (1989)
• Barry Humphries' Flashbacks (1999)
• Aussies: Who gives a XXXX (2001)
• The Dame Edna Treatment (five episodes, 2007).

Barry Humphries has also been interviewed in Patterson's guise on numerous TV talk shows, including Parkinson (1982), The Panel (2003) and Rove Live (2005).

In 1987, Sir Les Patterson was also the basis of an ambitious full-length feature film, Les Patterson Saves the World, which was a critical and commercial failure.

Other appearances in character[link]

Personal appearances[link]

In 1983, the Cambridge Union Society held a spoof ceremony in which Barry Humphries, in the guise of Les Patterson, was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters.^[2] This caused great angst amongst Cambridge dons who were worried that the general public might mistakenly believe that Cambridge University had awarded the gong to Sir Les. Of course the Cambridge Union is not entitled to award honorary degrees in any case.

In 1986, Humphries as Patterson was awarded the Douglas Wilkie Medal for doing the least for football in the best and fairest manner, in 1986. His dislike for the game of Australian rules football was illustrated when he coated a leather football in cream cake, and fed it to a camel.

Depictions in art[link]

In 1999, expatriate Australian photographer Polly Borland created a memorable image of Sir Les Patterson (seated on a toilet, waving an Australian flag) as part of a series entitled Australians, which was exhibited at the respective National Portrait Galleries in London (2000) and Canberra (2001).^[3] A photograph of Sir Les Patterson by Simon Leigh also formed part of Leigh's exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall in 2000.^[4]

In 2000, a portrait of Humphries as Patterson by painter Bill Leak won the Packing Room award at the Archibald Prize.

Fictional biography[link]

Early life and education[link]

Sir Leslie Colin Patterson, AO, was born on 1 April 1942, in Taren Point, Southern Sydney.^[5] In later life, he claimed descent from a certain Ebenezer Patterson, who had been sent to Australia as a convict in the nineteenth century.^[6] Little is known of Patterson's present-day family beyond from the fact that he has a sister whose name is either Lois or Noreen (sources differ) and a brother named Gerard, who became a clergyman and later served as an Advisor on Religious Affairs to the Lord Howe Island Chamber of Commerce. In a brief memoir published in 2006, Father Gerard Patterson described his brother Les as “the archetypical Australian scallywag”, who had been their mother's favourite.^[7] Father Patterson further recalled that his brother had a “rough and ready education”.^[7] Through the influence of their Uncle Leo, both brothers were sent to Melbourne to attend the prestigious Xavier College, although Les remained there for only 1½ terms. Returning to Sydney, he attended Our Lady of Dolours' Boys School and completed his Intermediate Certificate at Parramatta High School.^[1]

Patterson commenced tertiary study at the Kogarah TAFE.^[5] Prior to his appointment as Cultural Attache, he completed what he described as a “five-day crash court in World Culture” at the University of Sydney.^[6] Only a few years later, he would receive an honorary doctorate in Australian Studies.^[8]

Personal life[link]

Although Father Gerard Patterson noted that he and Les had “drifted apart” after he had entered the priesthood, he would later officiate at his brother's wedding to Gwyneth Lorraine Dolan, a former hand model.^[7] She was a film buff who enjoyed Disney movies and, by Sir Les' own account, they had met at a matinee screening of Fantasia.^[9] They subsequently had two children, Karen and Craig. Members of the Patterson family have occasionally assisted Sir Les in his business ventures. When he founded the Thursday Island Film Commission in 1978, his wife Lady Gwenneth was appointed as director, his daughter Karen as secretary, and his sister Lois as creative liaison co-ordinator.^[10] According to Father Gerard Patterson, Karen later took a position at Our Lady of Dolours School for Ridiculously Slow Learners, in South Sydney, while her brother Craig was employed for the Australian Wheat Board, where, in 2008, his work had “recently attracted unfair publicity”.^[7]

In 1976, Les Patterson received a knighthood “for services to Australian culture” as part of the New Year's Honour List. Sources differ, however, in regard to its precise designation. The sleeve notes to Patterson's 1985 LP, 12 Inches of Les, identify him a KBE (Knight Commander of the British Empire), while his own signature, as seen in the preface to his book The Traveller's Tool, identifies him as a KCB (Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath).

In various published sources, Les Patterson has listed his hobbies as 'pocket billiards and sauna construction in Thailand' (according to a 1995 programme bio)^[8] and 'wine tasting and infidelity' (according to a 2005 CV).^[5]

Professional life[link]

Over a career of more than four decades, Sir Les Patterson has held numerous positions in the public and private sector, including the following:

• Employee in the Office of Custom and Excise (Literature Division) (1960s),^[11]
• Minister for Shark Conservation (1960s)^[6]
• Minister for Drought under the Gough Whitlam administration (early 1970s)
• Cultural Attache to the Far East (1974)
• Cultural Attache to the Court of St James (1975–76)
• Chairman and Treasurer of the Thursday Island Film Commission (by 1978)^[10]
• Member of the Government Select Committee into the High Incidence of Transvestism in the Yartz(arts)(by 1978)^[10]
• Chairman of the Australian Cheese Board (by 1978)
• Chairman of the Australian Chapter of the International Cheese Board (by 1985)
• Chairman of the Australian Fillum Facility (by 1985)
• Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of the London School of Australian Studies (by 1985)^[12]
• Founder of the Sir Les Patterson School of Etiquette (by 1993)^[13]
• Food and Beverage consultant, Sydney Institute (by 2003)^[5]
• Etiquette and protocol advisor to the Australian Federal Government (by 2003)^[5]
• Member of Australian Peacekeeping Mission to Baghdad (by 2003)^[5]
• Cultural ambassador to the United States (by 2005)
• Minister for Sport with special responsibility to keep sports rampantly heterosexual and "blokey"
• Minister for the "Yartz" (arts)

Published works[link]

Since the 1970s, Barry Humphries has released a number of books and recordings under the guise of Sir Les Patterson.

Books[link]

• Les Patterson's Australia, Melbourne: Sun Books, 1978.
• The Traveller's Tool, London: Michael O'Mara Books Ltd, 1985.
• The Enlarged and Extended Tool, (reported to be 'in preparation', 2005)

Recordings[link]

Solo albums

• Les is More: Diplomatic Ditties For The Dysfunctional Family, Tamarin Records TAM204 (2003)
• Live and Rampant: Les Patterson has a Standup (original London cast), The Comedy Club GAGSDMCO53 (1996)
• Twelve Inches of Les, Liberation Records LIB5064 (1985)

Solo singles

• 'G'Day' b/w 'G'Day (Club Version)', Powderworks POW0387 (1987)
• 'Give her one for Christmas' b/w 'My Old Lady', Towerbell Records TOW82 (1985)

Other appearances on record

• Song of Australia: An Educational Sonorama (original 1983 Australian cast); Bilarm Music BAC26 (2006)
• Barry Humphries: Dada Days (Moonee Ponds Muse Volume 2; Raven Records RVCD-34 (1993)
• The Dame Edna Party Experience; Epic Records 463235 1 (1988)
• World Expo 88: The Songs; EMI Records, EMP 8801 (1988)
• LP: The Les Patterson Long Player (music and dialogue from Les Patterson Saves The World); WEA Records 254779.1 (1987)
• Dame Edna Everage: The Last Night of the Poms; EMI Records EMC2742/3 (1981)
• Barry Humphries presents Housewife Superstar! (original London cast); Charisma Records 9124 004 (1976)

Filmography[link]

• Live and Rampant: Les Patterson has a Stand Up (1996)
• Les Patterson Saves the World (1987)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Sir Les Patterson: The Unofficial Webshite
• Sir Les Patterson: Google Groups

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Sir_Les_Patterson

Easton Corbin
Easton Corbin being interviewed.
Background information
Born	(1982-04-12) April 12, 1982 (age 30)[1]
Origin	Trenton, Florida, USA[2]
Genres	Country
Occupations	Singer-Songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar
Years active	2009-present
Labels	Mercury Nashville
Associated acts	Carson Chamberlain Rory Lee Feek
Website	www.eastoncorbin.com

Easton Corbin (born April 12, 1982) is an American country music singer. He signed to Mercury Records Nashville in 2009 and released his self-titled debut album in March 2010, featuring the two Number One hits "A Little More Country Than That" and "Roll With It", as well as the top 15 hit "I Can't Love You Back".

Biography[link]

Easton Corbin is a native of Gilchrist County, Florida. He lived on his grandparents' farm following his parents' divorce, and was introduced to country music-themed television programs such as Hee Haw. After taking guitar lessons from session musician Pee Wee Melton at age fourteen, Corbin joined a band, which won an opening slot at a music festival, followed by opening slots for Janie Fricke and Mel McDaniel.

Corbin later attended the University of Florida's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and earned an agribusiness degree, before marrying his wife, Briann, on September 2, 2006. He and Briann then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, on October 14, 2006,^[3] where he worked at an Ace Hardware store and performed at writers' nights. A distant cousin, who is a professor of entertainment management, recommended Corbin to contacts in Nashville, Tennessee.^[4]

Music career[link]

[edit] 2009-2011: Easton Corbin

Joe Fisher, senior director of A&R at Universal Music Group Nashville, signed Corbin to the Mercury Nashville label in 2009.^[4] He released his debut single, "A Little More Country Than That", in July of that same year.^[4] Rory Lee Feek of Joey + Rory wrote the song with Don Poythress and Wynn Varble.^[4] The label released a four-song digital extended play entitled A Little More Country Than That on August 18, 2009,^[3] shortly before the single entered Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Corbin's self-titled debut album was released in March 2010, under the production of Carson Chamberlain.^[2] The album had first-week sales of 43,000 copies, making for the highest first-week sales on the Mercury Nashville label in seven years.^[5]

"A Little More Country Than That" peaked at Number One on the country charts dated for the week ending April 3, 2010,^[6][7][8] making Corbin the first solo male country artist to send a debut single to Number One since Dierks Bentley's "What Was I Thinkin'" in 2003.^[9][10] "Roll with It" was released as the album's second single, which also hit Number One in October 2010. The album's third and final single, "I Can't Love You Back," released to radio on November 8, 2010, and reached a peak of number 14 on the Hot Country Songs chart in early 2011.

To promote Easton Corbin, he went on tour as an opening act for Brad Paisley's H20 World Tour, which began in May 2010.^[9]

[edit] 2012-present: All Over the Road

Easton Corbin released his fourth single, "Lovin' You Is Fun," on February 13, 2012. It serves as the lead-off single to his forthcoming second studio album, All Over the Road, which will be released in 2012.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

Singles[link]

• ^A Current single.

Music videos[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]