Merrick and Rosso
Encyclopedia
Merrick and Rosso are an Australia
n comedy
duo, Merrick Watts
and Tim Ross
. The duo began in stand up comedy and first came together when they teamed up for a one off comedy show in 1996. They are now known for their syndicated radio programs, network and pay TV shows, stand up comedy tours, comedy DVDs and books.
radio in 1998. They became fulltime presenters for that segment for the next two years; regulars on their show included Myf Warhurst
and Peter Helliar
. In 2001, they moved to newly-launched commercial radio
station Nova 96.9
for the breakfast radio shift (6am to 9am). They have remained in this time slot since the station's launch. Sami Lukis
at one time served as a co-host until she moved to Brisbane at the end of 2007. Since 2008, actress Kate Ritchie
has co-hosted the show. In 2009, previous co-host Lukis started co-hosting a breakfast program on Triple M
in Sydney, and thus competes directly with Merrick and Rosso. On 10 November 2009, Ross announced his impending departure from the Merrick, Rosso & Kate breakfast show. Kate Ritchie also announced her departure from the show. Watts plans to continue on radio. Ross's departure ends an 11 year radio partnership with Watts. 4 December 2009 was Merrick and Rosso's final radio show as a duo on Nova 969. It was a tearful affair during which tributes were paid to them by some of Australia's finest comedians including Peter Helliar
and Judith Lucy
and celebrities such as Tom Williams
and Ray Hadley
. Snippets of the duo's favourite prank calls were played, as well as an audio montage of highlights from the past nine years. This was also Kate Ritchie
's final show and she was equally commended for her contribution to the breakfast show.
. In 2003 their television show Merrick and Rosso Unplanned
debuted on the Nine Network
, based on the antiformat established by Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned
in the UK. It featured comedy, chat and audience interaction which ran for three seasons. In 2005, Merrick and Rosso starred in the television series The B Team
on Network Ten
. On 7 July 2007 they presented at Live Earth
.
Merrick Watts has also appeared in the comedy series The Hollowmen
and Thank God You're Here
. In 2008, the duo starred in a new comedy series, The Merrick & Rosso Show
on The Comedy Channel
. He has also appeared as Marty Johnstone
, a New Zealand drug dealer who was originally the leader of the Mr Asia drug syndicate in the hit series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
.
Tim Ross fronts comedy band Black Rose who opened the V festival in Melbourne and Sydney in 2009. He also hosts Uncharted, an unsigned band competition series on MTV.
He also is in pre production for the new Adam Sandler film Kangaroo Man.
, Brendan Cowell
, Kate Ritchie
, The Veronicas
, Stephen Curry, Ian Thorpe
, Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, Peter Helliar
, Hugh Jackman
, Dicko and Judith Lucy
.
One popular sketch that picked up a following on YouTube and FunnyorDie was 'The Almost Transformers' which featured the stars disguised as a fridge and a washing machine for the purpose of terrifying shoppers. Another stunt included adopting an entire village in PNG (a popular trend amongst Hollywood celebrities) and renaming it Merrick & Rosso Land, distributing T-Shirts bearing slogans such as "Sorry Madonna, I'm Taken", "Angelina Rejected Me" and "Property of Merrick And Rosso".
Guests for the second series included Will Ferrell
, The Wiggles
, Ed Phillips
, Tommy Williams
, Magda Szubanski
, Bob Evans
, Eskimo Joe
, David Wenham
, Asher Keddie
, Charlotte Dawson
and Alex Perry
, Antonia Kidman
and cricketer Stuart MacGill
.
The show also created the anti-testimonial, where big name celebrity guests who came into the Nova studios were given (often scripted) material and invited to explain why they could not or did not want to appear on the TV show. Anti-Testimonials were given by Will Smith
, Lily Allen
, Russell Brand
, Chris Rock
, Ryan Reynolds
, Kelly Clarkson
, Rhys Darby
, Seth Rogan, Macy Gray
, Eric Hutchinson
and Cesar Milan.
breakfast show podcast, Merrick & Rosso also recorded their own podcast Original Pirate Material on a daily basis. Their podcast is a mix of email reading, uncensored material and prank calls. The last Original Pirate Material podcast was published on 15 November 2006.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n comedy
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
duo, Merrick Watts
Merrick Watts
Merrick Watts is a Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Tim Ross....
and Tim Ross
Tim Ross
Timothy Jonathon Ross is an Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Merrick Watts.-Stand up:...
. The duo began in stand up comedy and first came together when they teamed up for a one off comedy show in 1996. They are now known for their syndicated radio programs, network and pay TV shows, stand up comedy tours, comedy DVDs and books.
Radio
Merrick and Rosso first came to prominence performing a weekly guest spot on the drive-time program on Triple JTriple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
radio in 1998. They became fulltime presenters for that segment for the next two years; regulars on their show included Myf Warhurst
Myf Warhurst
Myfanwy "Myf" Warhurst is an Australian radio announcer and television personality, best known for her work at Triple J and on ABC Television's music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. Before her career as a radio announcer and TV personality, she was editor-in-chief of Melbourne street press...
and Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
. In 2001, they moved to newly-launched commercial radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station Nova 96.9
Nova 96.9
Nova 96.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Sydney, Australia, owned by the DMG Radio Network.-History:One of the driving forces behind the creation of Nova was the growing demographic of youth who were embracing the commercialised anti-pop movement fronted by such artists as Daft Punk...
for the breakfast radio shift (6am to 9am). They have remained in this time slot since the station's launch. Sami Lukis
Sami Lukis
Sami Lukis is an Australian television and radio personality. She appeared on the Nine Network as the weather girl on Today, and for Network Ten on the children's educational program Totally Wild...
at one time served as a co-host until she moved to Brisbane at the end of 2007. Since 2008, actress Kate Ritchie
Kate Ritchie
Katherine "Kate" Ritchie is an Australian actress, best known for her long-running role as Sally Fletcher on the television soap opera Home and Away. She played the character for 20 years from 1988–2008...
has co-hosted the show. In 2009, previous co-host Lukis started co-hosting a breakfast program on Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
in Sydney, and thus competes directly with Merrick and Rosso. On 10 November 2009, Ross announced his impending departure from the Merrick, Rosso & Kate breakfast show. Kate Ritchie also announced her departure from the show. Watts plans to continue on radio. Ross's departure ends an 11 year radio partnership with Watts. 4 December 2009 was Merrick and Rosso's final radio show as a duo on Nova 969. It was a tearful affair during which tributes were paid to them by some of Australia's finest comedians including Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
and Judith Lucy
Judith Lucy
Judith Mary Lucy is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy. She has toured Australia with several highly successful one-woman shows, including No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado , King Of The Road , An Impossible Dream , The Show , The Show 2 , Colour Me Judith...
and celebrities such as Tom Williams
Tom Williams
Tom Williams may refer to:*Tom Williams , head football coach at Yale University*Tom Williams *Tom Williams , English-Cypriot football player...
and Ray Hadley
Ray Hadley
Raymond Morris Hadley OAM is an Australian talkback radio broadcaster. He presents 2GB Sydney's morning show, and leads the Continuous Call Team, a rugby league-based talkback radio panel program.-Early Life:...
. Snippets of the duo's favourite prank calls were played, as well as an audio montage of highlights from the past nine years. This was also Kate Ritchie
Kate Ritchie
Katherine "Kate" Ritchie is an Australian actress, best known for her long-running role as Sally Fletcher on the television soap opera Home and Away. She played the character for 20 years from 1988–2008...
's final show and she was equally commended for her contribution to the breakfast show.
Television
Their first foray into television was a short-lived pay TV show, Planet Merrick and Rosso (later known as Super Planet Merrick and Rosso) on The Comedy ChannelThe Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
. In 2003 their television show Merrick and Rosso Unplanned
Merrick and Rosso Unplanned
Merrick and Rosso Unplanned was a free-form talk show hosted by Australian comedians Merrick Watts and Tim Ross, based on the UK talk show Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned. Produced by Granada Productions, the series debuted on the Nine Network on 3 September 2003...
debuted on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, based on the antiformat established by Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned
Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned
Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned is a free-form talk show hosted by British comedians/personalities David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and produced by Avalon Television...
in the UK. It featured comedy, chat and audience interaction which ran for three seasons. In 2005, Merrick and Rosso starred in the television series The B Team
The B Team
The B Team was an Australian comedy television show, which screened on Network Ten.The show starred comedians Merrick and Rosso and featured skits, pranks and some audience participation. The show's first episode aired on Wednesday the 6th of October 2005, but was soon cancelled due to poor ratings...
on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
. On 7 July 2007 they presented at Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
.
Merrick Watts has also appeared in the comedy series The Hollowmen
The Hollowmen
The Hollowmen is an Australian television comedy series set in the offices of the Central Policy Unit, a fictional political advisory unit personally set up by the Prime Minister to help him get re-elected. Their brief is long term vision; to stop worrying about tomorrow's headlines, and focus on...
and Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here is an Australian television improvised comedy program created by Working Dog Productions, which premiered on Network Ten on 5 April 2006, and aired for the first three seasons with Seven for the fourth season...
. In 2008, the duo starred in a new comedy series, The Merrick & Rosso Show
The Merrick & Rosso Show
The Merrick & Rosso Show is an Australian comedy television series which airs on The Comedy Channel, which premiered on 2 October 2008. It is hosted by Tim Ross and Merrick Watts, who are better known as comedy duo Merrick and Rosso...
on The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
. He has also appeared as Marty Johnstone
Marty Johnstone
Christopher Martin "Marty" Johnstone was a New Zealand drug trafficker. The former Takapuna Grammar pupil was dubbed "Mr Asia" by the Auckland Star newspaper in August 1978 in a series of articles by Pat Booth.-Murder:...
, a New Zealand drug dealer who was originally the leader of the Mr Asia drug syndicate in the hit series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the marijuana trade centred around the New South Wales town of Griffith. The timeline of the series is the years between 1976 and 1987. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities...
.
Tim Ross fronts comedy band Black Rose who opened the V festival in Melbourne and Sydney in 2009. He also hosts Uncharted, an unsigned band competition series on MTV.
He also is in pre production for the new Adam Sandler film Kangaroo Man.
The Merrick & Rosso Show
In 2008, Merrick and Rosso returned to Australia's Comedy Channel with an original format entitled 'The Merrick & Rosso Show'. A mixture of sketches, stunts and parodies, often featuring the guest star, it quickly became the highest rating show in the channel's fifteen year history. Guests throughout the first season were Ray MartinRay Martin (television presenter)
Raymond George "Ray" Martin AM is an Australian television journalist. He is best known for his various on-air roles on Channel Nine from 1978 to 2008. In 2011 he returned to 60 Minutes....
, Brendan Cowell
Brendan Cowell
Brendan Cowell is an Australian actor, screenwriter and director. Cowell was born in Sydney. He stumbled upon acting by accident while waiting for his sister to come out of a rehearsal; he was then cast in a commercial at age 8...
, Kate Ritchie
Kate Ritchie
Katherine "Kate" Ritchie is an Australian actress, best known for her long-running role as Sally Fletcher on the television soap opera Home and Away. She played the character for 20 years from 1988–2008...
, The Veronicas
The Veronicas
The Veronicas are an Australian electrorock, pop-punk and rock band. Twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007....
, Stephen Curry, Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe
Ian James Thorpe OAM , nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey, is an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most...
, Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
, Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters...
, Dicko and Judith Lucy
Judith Lucy
Judith Mary Lucy is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy. She has toured Australia with several highly successful one-woman shows, including No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado , King Of The Road , An Impossible Dream , The Show , The Show 2 , Colour Me Judith...
.
One popular sketch that picked up a following on YouTube and FunnyorDie was 'The Almost Transformers' which featured the stars disguised as a fridge and a washing machine for the purpose of terrifying shoppers. Another stunt included adopting an entire village in PNG (a popular trend amongst Hollywood celebrities) and renaming it Merrick & Rosso Land, distributing T-Shirts bearing slogans such as "Sorry Madonna, I'm Taken", "Angelina Rejected Me" and "Property of Merrick And Rosso".
Guests for the second series included Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
, The Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
, Ed Phillips
Ed Phillips
Ed Phillips is an Australian Sydney-based television and radio presenter. He is probably best known for hosting the national game-show Temptation in the mid-2000's.-Career:...
, Tommy Williams
Tommy Williams
-1996:-External links:* official TX Senate website* campaign website* profile*Follow the Money - Tommy Williams** campaign contributions...
, Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski is a British-born Australian actress, comedian, television presenter, radio host and author.Szubanski's career began while she was studying at university and she progressed to television sketch comedy, as both a writer and performer...
, Bob Evans
Bob Evans
Robert "Bob" Evans is a British former racing driver from England. He participated in 11 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 1 March 1975. He scored no championship points...
, Eskimo Joe
Eskimo Joe
Eskimo Joe is an Australian alternative rock band formed by Stuart MacLeod on guitars, Joel Quartermain on drums and guitar and Kavyen Temperley on bass guitar and vocals, in East Fremantle, Western Australia in 1997....
, David Wenham
David Wenham
David Wenham is an Australian actor who has appeared in movies, television series and theatre productions. He is known in Hollywood for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Carl in Van Helsing and Dilios in 300 and Neil Fletcher in Australia...
, Asher Keddie
Asher Keddie
Asher Keddie is an Australian actress who is perhaps best known for her role in the Australian television series Offspring. She is also known for her theatre work and leading roles in the television series Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and Love My...
, Charlotte Dawson
Charlotte Dawson
Charlotte Dawson is known in New Zealand for her roles as host of Getaway, How's Life? and Charlotte's Lists, in Australia as a judge on Australia's Next Top Model and as a host of The Contender Australia....
and Alex Perry
Alex Perry
Alex Perry is an Australian fashion designer, particularly noted for his designs in womenswear. After graduating from East Sydney Technical College in 1984, Perry worked as a model agent representing Australian models for international modelling agencies. In 1992 Perry opened his first atelier...
, Antonia Kidman
Antonia Kidman
Antonia Kidman is an Australian journalist and TV presenter, and the younger sister of actress Nicole Kidman. She has 5 children.-Early life and family:...
and cricketer Stuart MacGill
Stuart MacGill
Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is a former right-arm leg spin bowler of the Australian cricket team, with a domestic career at Western Australia, New South Wales, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Somerset...
.
The show also created the anti-testimonial, where big name celebrity guests who came into the Nova studios were given (often scripted) material and invited to explain why they could not or did not want to appear on the TV show. Anti-Testimonials were given by Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, Russell Brand
Russell Brand
Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
, Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
, Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
, Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
, Rhys Darby
Rhys Darby
Rhys Montague Darby is an actor and stand-up comedian from New Zealand, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals...
, Seth Rogan, Macy Gray
Macy Gray
Macy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...
, Eric Hutchinson
Eric Hutchinson
Eric Hutchinson is an American singer-songwriter. He signed with Madonna's Maverick Records, but the label shut down before his album was released. Hutchinson recorded and released the album Sounds Like This on his own...
and Cesar Milan.
Podcast
Apart from the official Nova 96.9Nova 96.9
Nova 96.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Sydney, Australia, owned by the DMG Radio Network.-History:One of the driving forces behind the creation of Nova was the growing demographic of youth who were embracing the commercialised anti-pop movement fronted by such artists as Daft Punk...
breakfast show podcast, Merrick & Rosso also recorded their own podcast Original Pirate Material on a daily basis. Their podcast is a mix of email reading, uncensored material and prank calls. The last Original Pirate Material podcast was published on 15 November 2006.