So Rove’s Called It A Day…
Rove McManus surprised viewers by announcing that not only was last night’s show the final episode of his talk show for 2009, but it was also going to be the last episode ever.
Reports The Age:
Rove McManus announced on-air last night that his long-running talk show, ROVE, would be coming to an end, with last night’s episode being his last after a ten-year run.
“It was a difficult call to make but after ten years it felt like time to step away from the show and take a break to properly reflect on what I want to do next as a performer,” he said.
Rove’s decision followed discussions with Channel Ten over the last couple of weeks.
I happened to be watching telly last night when Rove announced at the beginning of the show that there’d be no more ROVE, and instead of going to bed (like someone who has to be up at 4.30am should be) I stayed up to “watch history”.
Rove indicated that he hadn’t wanted to make a big deal of things, but I kinda wish he had. His final show was filled with weak comedy sketches and awkward interactions, and I couldn’t help but feel that a clip show featuring the best moments of the last 10 years would’ve been more appropriate and enjoyable for viewers. Watching the guys who update the Rove website deliver a rather flat joke song called ‘Prance’ to a bemused audience seemed to me to be a waste of five valuable minutes of the last ever episode which could’ve been better spent reminding the country of some of the show’s finer moments over the years.
Rove’s a decent, affable guy and I’ll be interested to see what he does next on Australian television. In the meantime, I hope the networks have already begun the process of seeking out new, fresh talent. If they bring back Young Talent Time to fill the timeslot, I think I will kick my television in and read a book instead.
What did you think of Rove’s last show? And more importantly, who would your dream Australian talk show host be? Let’s give network executives a few decent ideas.
MORE: Rove calls it quits
Comments
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Suzbut
November 16, 2009 at 1:07 PM
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Jimmy
November 16, 2009 at 1:13 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 1:16 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 1:28 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 1:34 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 4:13 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 1:31 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 1:50 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 2:35 PM
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November 16, 2009 at 2:44 PM
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Philip Wait
November 16, 2009 at 6:39 PM
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1 2 Next »I admire and respect Rove in many ways but gave up on the show years ago because it was no longer funny and his interviews were a waist of time. As far as I am concerned the final show is about 7 years to late
My girl and I watched it, only because he announced it was the ‘last ever’. About halfway through, girl turned to me and said ‘with the guests the show has had over the years, it’s amazing it manages to be unfunny so often’.
I remember seeing Rove many times on the Melbourne comedy circuit years ago; other comedians were hit/miss, Rove was consistent. He wasn’t as sharp or edgy or outrageous or lose-your-shit funny as some of the others, but you could tell he had his eye on the prize. I wish him well and hopes his production company takes some real chances.
To be honest, I don’t think they had time to put a package together. I think the decision was pretty quick, and it sounds like Rove was pushed. It would have been a good way to send it off though I agree!
You obviously missed the episode a few weeks back where they played all the highlights from the last 10 years. Plus comedy is a very hard thing to write. Although the ‘prance’ thing was kida lame it still brought a smile to my face. Which is more than I can say for this article. Let’s send the Rove man some respect.
Well, I did miss it but I was aware the ten year anniversary clip special existed – that doesn’t change the fact that it was a shame we didn’t get to see the best Rove’s show had to offer on the last ever episode. Also, you may like to note that I actually wasn’t heckling Rove in the above “piece” at all so you should save your righteous indignation for the people who will bang out the usual chorus of “Oh, he’s not funny, he’s just like Daryl Somers”.
Hmm yes it was obviously a bad episode because they didn’t replay the highlights… The man made a choice to get out and thats what he did, and he did it well. He still pulled off a whole live audience event from a car park, and almost does so every week. I’m just still trying to get over the fact that I came across this article by it being headlined on the Google News Page. That in itself is hillarious.
Well I for one am glad he has called it quits.
Boring, not creative and simply not funny.
Perhaps Rove watched the clips of Don Lanes show and realized that he didn’t have the goods.
KK
Sadly, I can’t think of any worthy contenders out there and it has nothing to do with the quality of australian talent, but the committee mentality that has overtaken Australian TV.
“Rove”, the TV show – in my opinion was unwatchable shite. It was so ridiculously scripted that it was an embarrassment. I understand that big stars require all questions in advance etc but it took away from the whole talk show ethic. I have seen Rove in his comic routine, and the man is funny and charismatic when left to his own devices. His show was not.
Look what happened to the Doug Anthony All Stars after their departure from the ABC to the land of the ‘suits’ making the decisions. Paul McDermott is frightenly bad at reading the autocue. And Tim… poor ol’ Tim…. “don’t forget your toothbrush” followed by that Big Brother thing a few years ago… OMFG. What happened to the man. The almightly dollar talks obviously.
I agree with your assessment. Comedy can often be hit and miss but you would hope for an exit show to relive some of the homeruns. As for a host, I never like to bag people publicly but please not Peter Helliar…sorry Peter but try something other than comedy.
I dont know about Rove but I heard Channel Nine have signed up Don Lane for a new cutting edge Australian production.
The Rove turns 10 special was actually quite funny, I think 10 should replay that as a much better goodbye!
According to todays newspaper (nov 16) he has spoken with Merrick Watts and Peter Helia over lunch about joining forces with Nova as co hosts in the new year. I for one am all for it, if the rumors are true ;P
As for the “Prance” sketch, i also believe a slideshow of the greatest, funniest, most embarrasing etc moments over 10 years would have been a winner. It lacked the ka-pow of a ‘final ever’ episode.
……but i still love rove! :D all the best mate!
As a sidenote i agree comedy is hard to write and i have enjoyed most, not all, but most of rove live over the years. I would prefer more australian comedic talent on our television and less of the american garbage such as the late show with david letterman. I want more support for australian talent!!
Not a moment too soon. Why does Australia employ such talentless people? He is not funny, so he encourages his sidekicks to indulge in the kind of sexual and lavatorial “humour” most people grow out of by the age of 12. Can you envisage this bloke getting a job as an entertainer in Britain? He’d starve. And do you recall his addressing Kevin Rudd as MISTER Prime Minister? Dear God ………
I think his timing is right to close the show. Rove was alright as a host but not a very good interviewer. The other regulars associated with the show were mostly lame.
It lost its mojo sometime back, but there’s no doubt that Rove himself is a very funny and entertaining guy.
I expect to see most of the regulars on new shows again before we know it.
Let us consider some of the comedic devices employed by this irritating little twerp . . . repeating unfunny punchlines in a louder or sillier voice, wasting food and admitting to a politically incorrect, sideshow-esque obsession with little people . . . I’m surprised and disappointed that his show lasted as long as it did, and hope that his absence from the public sphere is complete and permanent.
Rove McManus: clinically unfunny for ten years.
“His final show was filled with weak comedy sketches and awkward interactions”
Honestly, I think his show has been like that every week for a good long while now. The show outstayed its welcome by at least 5 years, in my opinion.
Oh, he’s not funny, he’s just like Daryl Somers”
how about repeats of old young talent time? that’s quality tv right there
good riddance. the show was absolutely not funny.
i watched a tiny bit of it in 2000, but realised how unfunny the show was, and immediately stopped watching it since.
i believe the only reason why he’s calling it quits, is because TV ratings were going too low, and was forced off the off because of this. in other words, it wasnt his choice, he was given the boot.
I have a huge amount of respect for the guy, but even when the show was rating well the guest interviews were cringe-worthy. Whenever the show did attempt to veer into more blue territory (Gordon Ramsay, Lady Ga Ga) it sat badly with the lovable man-child persona he worked hard to cultivate. It’s a shame but ratings had flatlined and it was time to go. I do think they should have had a best of bit last night.
omg when I heard this is I was shattered. I can’t believe i missed it. Anyone know where I can watch it online?
How sad. I was devastated when Rove announced this. I started watching Rove when he started on network ten (I was about 8). Now I’m 17 and I look back and some of my fondest memories of tv were of Rove. As sad as it sounds, I grew up watching Rove and I don’t think I’d be the same person today without it. Maybe it was the right time though. Last night was probably one of the least funniest shows in quite a while. I do agree though that there should have been a big fuss made. This wasn’t a come and go program like The Chasers, it was a decade long icon of modern Australian television and I don’t think it got the send off it deserved. The thing that stuck out most for me last night was seeing Peter Hellier on the verge of tears. He’d Been there since day 1 and even until the final moments of the program he was still cracking jokes (the flower props). For me, it’s almost as though someone has died and I know of many of my friends and family who would feel the same way. We’ll definintely see Rove and Pete and all the rest of the cast in the future but it is the end of an era. You’ll be sorely missed.
decent,affable don’t make a good show.
he gets the best guests,interviews them half-assedly for a couple minutes and resigns them to the couch to daydream quietly for the rest of the show.
they say leno’s horrible,those who say that obviously haven’t seen rove before.to say he’s unfunny would be a deadly understatement.
GOOD RIDDANCE ASSHOLE.
While I’d love to side with all the haterz on the internet, Rove had undeniable influence.
Personally, having the only Australian made variety show* for near on the last decade, I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Rove: The only Australian TV personality who had a clue. Well done.
* I close my eyes to all the miscarriages 9 tried to shove out over the years.