Anthony Albanese pokes fun at a former ministerial colleague and makes a risque Dolly Parton joke on Spicks And Specks, leaving ABC viewers divided
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown off his music talents on the ABC game show Spicks and Specks, where he impersonated Peter Garrett and made a risqué joke about Dolly Parton’s famous anatomy.
However, the move to feature in the light-hearted music trivia has seen divided reactions from viewers on social media, with some claiming it was a letdown while others called the Prime Minister ‘a natural’.
Mr Albanese, an avid fan of Australian rock and pop music, was introduced by Spicks and Specks presenter Adam Hills as ‘a DJ who also spends time running the country’.
One of the questions concerned the Australian band Midnight Oil, fronted by Peter Garrett, who was elected Labor MP for the Sydney seat of Kingsford Smith in 2004 and served alongside Mr Albanese as a minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments Labour.
Mr Albanese revealed that having Garrett as a ministerial colleague could be distracting because “when Peter talked to you, he would sometimes talk with his hands and that was a bit strange.”
As he recalled the anecdote, Mr. Albanese did an imitation of Garrett that reflected the Oils frontman’s jerky, signature dancing style.
At another point, Mr. Albanese made a joke about American country icon Dolly Parton and her two enormous tour buses, following up on a Hills joke about a motorist who spotted the famously busty singer’s motorcade with the warning “big load ahead.” .
“I was allowed in, they were quite spectacular,” the Prime Minister said of the vehicles, amid much raucous laughter.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared on the ABC music trivia game show Spicks and Specks (pictured right with Myf Warhurst)
Mr Albanese revealed he was Transport Minister at the time Parton, who hates flying, took her tour buses even though they were too wide for Australian vehicle standards.
“The bureaucrats said it didn’t fit… (but) can’t you just put one of those vans out front with a ‘Big Bus coming’ sign,” Mr Albanese said.
Parton thanked Mr. Albanese by name during an onstage appearance and said she would happily “smear lip gloss all over him.”
“What goes on tour stays on tour,” Albanese joked when asked if this happened.
Mr Albanese, who was in a team with show director Myf Warhurst and Australian singer/songwriter Ben Lee, also seemed a little baffled by one of the indie music star’s comments.
“But we’re having fun and we’re really high,” Lee said, causing Mr. Albanese to laugh before a more concerned look crossed his face.
At one point, Mr. Albanese did an impression of Peter Garrett’s conversational style, which also mimicked the Midnight Oil singer’s signature choppy dancing style.
The Prime Minister joked about the jerky dance moves of his former colleague Peter Garrett
He also refused to repeat Warhurst’s slogan to start the proceedings: ‘play on moles’.
“One of the downsides of my job is that you can do things and they are completely taken out of context,” he explained.
“It’s risky enough that I’m even here.”
Mr Albanese was asked at the start of the show if he was there to win.
“You can’t become prime minister without being a little competitive,” he told Hills.
As it turned out, the Prime Minister’s team triumphed 19-18 against show director Alan Brough, who teamed up with guests Astrid Jorgensen and Zoe Coombs.
Mr. Albanese tweeted that he was “delighted to be on one of my favorite shows” and “had a great time” at Spicks and Specks.
Others at
“I just went to watch Spicks and Specks on a Sunday night,” someone said angrily.
‘The sight of a guest walking away is enough to return to #TheBlock’
Mr Albanese and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett (pictured right) were ministerial colleagues during the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments
Another tweeted: ‘As if repeating Spicks & Specks wasn’t cringeworthy enough, it’s now the transparent Trojan horse for some Albo goodguy marketing. Puke,” said another.
A third wrote: ‘Spicks and Specks has been boring for ten years. @AlboMP just destroyed that. Never again,” wrote another.
Some viewers were even bolder.
‘I just saw the ad for AlboMP on Spicks & Specks. Who thought that was a good idea? It smacks of a government that has jumped the shark,” one tweet said.
Another disgruntled voter wrote: ‘Wow, instead of helping Aussies’ struggling cost of living, you’re instead using our money to pick on the specks in the crappy ABC. GONE NEXT ELECTION.”
‘Disgraceful that the Prime Minister is on Spicks and Specks during a cost of living crisis! Disgraceful!,” said another.
Still, there were some grateful viewers.
‘Anthony Albanese on Spicks and Specks. What a natural image, imagine Dutton taking part in a music/quiz show?’ wrote one viewer.
Another said: ‘This #Spicks & Specks is so much fun. Great teams, lots of laughs, Russell Crowe is a muso with a lot of power at the Rabbitohs; Dolly Parton has big buses and Ben Lee is downright hilarious.”
‘Albo knows all the answers (typical!). Don’t worry, they won’t spare him.’