Restoring the Balance
Encyclopedia
Restoring the Balance is a satirical radio segment that occasionally appears on Australia
n radio station Triple J
, which originally attempted (satirically) to display the contrasting political views between the then conservative Australian Howard government
, and the majority of the Left wing government-funded Triple J radio station. The premise of the show suggested that the station was forced by the ABC board to broadcast a segment of right wing political views in order to restore the balance. The creators began by conducting satirical interviews with Australian political identities in 2003. The show itself was broadcast sporadically on Sunday afternoons during 2004, and then began as a series broadcasting on 25 February 2007.
The show features the characters of young Liberal
Stirling Addison and young National
Tom Thomlinson. The pair are played by Julian Schiller and Tony Moclair
. They represent the more affluent end of Australian society - Addison from the city, Thomlinson from a farming area. The characters portrayed on the show are extreme in their views, which has resulted in complaints from callers who do not realise the show is a parody.
The official site lists brief outlines of each of the characters. Addison is a Sydney Grammar Old Boy and his profile includes:
Thom Thomlinson is described as "a simple farm boy at heart", who grew up on his family's 100 000 hectare property in rural Queensland. Gems from his past include:
Schiller and Moclair also filled in on Triple J as a one-off in the Sunday morning shift where they appeared as themselves. In August 2004, Schiller and Moclair signed on to do breakfast radio at Nova 91.9
, a new Adelaide
station.
It was recently announced that from 25 February 2007, Stirling Addison would return to Triple J on Sunday evenings to host a new series of Restoring the Balance (apparently without Thom Thomlinson as a co-host). John Safran
, the previous host of this timeslot, has allegedly gone on a 10-week hiatus due to his other media commitments. In character, Stirling insisted that this change was instead approved by the ABC board due to the current segment being "too semitic", and displaying "a lack of traditional right-wing values". Amongst other things, he then went on to approve the taxpayer-funded visit of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
to Sydney, and stated how "it would be an honour to be shot in the face
by the Vice President".
2007 saw the inclusion of Spencer Penrose, a Family First member as co-host (played by Richard Marsland
).
Restoring The Balance made its last appearance on Triple J in a stint airing on Sundays at 9pm, from July 24 until Sept 11, 2011.
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 radio station Triple J
Triple 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...
, which originally attempted (satirically) to display the contrasting political views between the then conservative Australian Howard government
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, and the majority of the Left wing government-funded Triple J radio station. The premise of the show suggested that the station was forced by the ABC board to broadcast a segment of right wing political views in order to restore the balance. The creators began by conducting satirical interviews with Australian political identities in 2003. The show itself was broadcast sporadically on Sunday afternoons during 2004, and then began as a series broadcasting on 25 February 2007.
The show features the characters of young Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
Stirling Addison and young National
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
Tom Thomlinson. The pair are played by Julian Schiller and Tony Moclair
Tony Moclair
Tony Moclair is an Australian actor, writer and comedian. He has worked on various Australian radio networks, often appearing in character rather than as himself.-3RRR Breakfasters:...
. They represent the more affluent end of Australian society - Addison from the city, Thomlinson from a farming area. The characters portrayed on the show are extreme in their views, which has resulted in complaints from callers who do not realise the show is a parody.
The official site lists brief outlines of each of the characters. Addison is a Sydney Grammar Old Boy and his profile includes:
- Baptised into the Anglican Church in 1981 before its sell out to left wing homosexual minority interests.
- Elected Grade 5 student president - remembered for sacking tuck shopTuck shopA tuck shop is a small, food-selling retailer. It is a term principally used in the UK, Grenada, South Africa, New Zealand, the Australian states of Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, and occasionally in other parts of the former British Empire. In New South Wales, the term is...
mothers for displaying signs of 'unionised' activity. - Royal Tennis champion 3 years in a row (by default '94/'95, '96 victory still subject of inquiry)
- Winner of the CJ Asquith prize for inter-collegiate oration representing St Andrews College, for speech ;Melanie Howard - a life of virtue".
Thom Thomlinson is described as "a simple farm boy at heart", who grew up on his family's 100 000 hectare property in rural Queensland. Gems from his past include:
- Boarded at Geelong Grammar.
- Last day of school, hijacks bus and drives into boarding school dorm - several students injured but refuse to press charges. In non-related incident, father donates $25 000 to Old GrammariansGrammar schoolA grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
fund. Bus driver later sacked for reckless endangerment. - Graduates accelerated degree in Ag Science/Banking at Bond UniversityBond UniversityBond University is a private university located in Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is also the first private university established in Australia...
after failing first year twice. In non related incident, father donates $25 000 to Bond University's Vice Chancellor’s Fund.
Schiller and Moclair also filled in on Triple J as a one-off in the Sunday morning shift where they appeared as themselves. In August 2004, Schiller and Moclair signed on to do breakfast radio at Nova 91.9
Nova 91.9
Nova 91.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Adelaide, Australia, owned by the DMG Radio Network.Along with its sister stations Nova 100 Melbourne, Nova 96.9 Sydney, Nova 106.9 Brisbane and Nova 93.7 Perth, Nova now claims to be Australia's leading under 40's brand.-Breakfast:The breakfast...
, a new Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
station.
It was recently announced that from 25 February 2007, Stirling Addison would return to Triple J on Sunday evenings to host a new series of Restoring the Balance (apparently without Thom Thomlinson as a co-host). John Safran
John Safran
John Safran is an Australian documentary maker and radio broadcaster, known for combining humour with explorations into religion and other issues...
, the previous host of this timeslot, has allegedly gone on a 10-week hiatus due to his other media commitments. In character, Stirling insisted that this change was instead approved by the ABC board due to the current segment being "too semitic", and displaying "a lack of traditional right-wing values". Amongst other things, he then went on to approve the taxpayer-funded visit of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
to Sydney, and stated how "it would be an honour to be shot in the face
Dick Cheney hunting incident
The Dick Cheney hunting incident occurred on February 11, 2006, when then U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney shot Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old Texas attorney, while participating in a quail hunt on a ranch in Kenedy County, Texas...
by the Vice President".
2007 saw the inclusion of Spencer Penrose, a Family First member as co-host (played by Richard Marsland
Richard Marsland
Richard Kemble Marsland was an Australian comedy writer, actor, comedian and radio personality.-Radio:...
).
Restoring The Balance made its last appearance on Triple J in a stint airing on Sundays at 9pm, from July 24 until Sept 11, 2011.