Austen Tayshus
Encyclopedia
Austen Tayshus is the stage name of Jewish Australian
comedian Alexander Jacob Gutman. He is best known for the comedy single "Australiana
", a spoken word piece filled with Australian puns.
Holocaust survivor. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish
home. At 15, he participated in the International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth and took part in the finals in Israel; he finished in the top five. Later, he spent several months at a yeshiva
in Jerusalem. He returned to Israel as a volunteer during the Yom Kippur War
. Gutman lives in New South Wales and has two daughters.
based on the word "ostentatious
". Austen Tayshus first gained public recognition in 1983 performing his comedy single, "Australiana", written by fellow comedian Billy Birmingham
. It is a spoken word piece that contains many pun
s using Australian terms, especially with the names of places and animals. For example:
He branched out into highly political, controversial humour, often drawing on his Jewish background. A tall man (6 in 6 in (1.98 m)), he appears on stage wearing a black suit and dark sunglasses. He is characterised by a resonant deep voice. He is often moody, and taunts his audience and venue staff.
Since "Australiana", he has performed over 10,000 shows, and produced films, documentaries and records, mostly dealing with social issues.
In 1999, he released "Footyana", a comedy piece in the style of "Australiana". It includes such lines as:
He also performed on the television show Live and Kicking.
in the Division of Warringah
in the August federal election, representing the Australian Sex Party
. He stood against Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott
. He subsequently ran in the 2011 New South Wales state election
as a member of the Outdoor Recreation Party
, contesting Opposition Leader
Barry O'Farrell
's seat of Ku-ring-gai
.
History of the Jews in Australia
The history of the Jews in Australia dates back to 1788, when a number of Jews were among the convicts brought to the country aboard the First Fleet to establish the first European settlement on the continent, on the site of present-day Sydney. Today, an estimated 120,000 Jews live in Australia...
comedian Alexander Jacob Gutman. He is best known for the comedy single "Australiana
Australiana (song)
Australiana was the #1 single in Australia in 1983 for eight consecutive weeks. It is a spoken-word comedy by Austen Tayshus, written by Billy Birmingham....
", a spoken word piece filled with Australian puns.
Biography
Alexander (Sandy) Jacob Gutman was born in New York and moved to Sydney at the age of one. He is the son of a HasidicHasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
Holocaust survivor. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
home. At 15, he participated in the International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth and took part in the finals in Israel; he finished in the top five. Later, he spent several months at a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in Jerusalem. He returned to Israel as a volunteer during the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. Gutman lives in New South Wales and has two daughters.
Career
The stage name "Austen Tayshus" is an aptronymAptronym
An aptronym is a name aptly suited to its owner. Fictional examples of aptronyms include Mr. Talkative and Mr. Worldly Wiseman in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress , Truman Burbank , the lead character in the 1998 film The Truman Show, the principal cast of the Mr...
based on the word "ostentatious
Boasting
Boasting is the act of making an ostentatious speech. It is considered a vice by such major religious groups as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism...
". Austen Tayshus first gained public recognition in 1983 performing his comedy single, "Australiana", written by fellow comedian Billy Birmingham
Billy Birmingham
Billy Birmingham is an Australian humourist and sometime sports journalist, most noted for his parodies of Australian cricket commentary in recordings under The Twelfth Man name. He was the writer of the comedy hit Australiana which was made famous by performer Austen Tayshus...
. It is a spoken word piece that contains many pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s using Australian terms, especially with the names of places and animals. For example:
- "...my mate Boomer rang" (boomerang
BoomerangA boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
)- "...do you wanna game of Euchre, Lyptus?" (eucalyptus
EucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
)- "...how much can a koala bear?" (koala
KoalaThe koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
)
He branched out into highly political, controversial humour, often drawing on his Jewish background. A tall man (6 in 6 in (1.98 m)), he appears on stage wearing a black suit and dark sunglasses. He is characterised by a resonant deep voice. He is often moody, and taunts his audience and venue staff.
Since "Australiana", he has performed over 10,000 shows, and produced films, documentaries and records, mostly dealing with social issues.
In 1999, he released "Footyana", a comedy piece in the style of "Australiana". It includes such lines as:
- "Is Stephen Tingay
Stephen TingayStephen Tingay is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Australian Football League during the 1990s....
or something?" (gayHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
)- "We passed Liam the Burger Rings
Burger RingsBurger Rings are a hamburger flavoured Australian snack food distributed by the Twisties corporation but owned by its parent company The Smith's Snackfood Company, which in turn is owned by PepsiCo.These iconic salty snacks emerged in 1974....
. Come on Liam, pick a ring." (Liam PickeringLiam PickeringLiam Michael Pickering is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL.-Football career:He played for the Geelong Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club. He played 102 games with Geelong from 1993–1999, before his retirement from AFL football...
)
He also performed on the television show Live and Kicking.
Political career
In August 2010, he ran for the Australian House of RepresentativesAustralian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
in the Division of Warringah
Division of Warringah
The Division of Warringah is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, and covers most of the land between Middle Harbour and the Pacific Ocean. It extends from Port Jackson in the south to the suburb of Dee Why in the...
in the August federal election, representing the Australian Sex Party
Australian Sex Party
The Australian Sex Party is a Australian political party founded in 2009 in response to concerns over the influence of religion in politics. The party was born out of adult-industry lobby group, the Eros Association. Party leader, Fiona Patten, is CEO of Eros and the party's Registered Officer,...
. He stood against Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott
Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...
. He subsequently ran in the 2011 New South Wales state election
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
as a member of the Outdoor Recreation Party
Outdoor Recreation Party
The Outdoor Recreation Party is a minor political party in Australia. It largely represents the outdoor community and such interests as cycling, mountain biking, bushwalking, camping, kayaking, 4WDing, skiing, fishing lobbies, as well as similar recreational groups with an interest in the outdoors...
, contesting Opposition Leader
Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)
The role of the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in New South Wales is a title held by the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
Barry O'Farrell
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell MP, is an Australian politician and is the 43rd Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Western Sydney, Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ku-ring-gai for the Liberal Party since 1999.Born in...
's seat of Ku-ring-gai
Electoral district of Ku-ring-gai
Ku-ring-gai is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by the current Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell of the Liberal Party of Australia, since 1999.-Electorate History:...
.