The Spoonman
Encyclopedia
The Spoonman was an Australian late night talk back show hosted by radio personality Brian Carlton
. Carlton used the alias "The Spoonman" on the show, which was syndicated on the Triple M
network across Australia. On 27 November 2008, it was announced that the following episode would be the last to air on the network.
As of August 2009, he returned on-air with Triple M Sydney
to be the weekday news reader.
and networked to Triple M stations across Australia. Slogans for the show included "No Topic Taboo" and "Everything is utterly fair game".
Listeners could contribute to the show via phone, SMS, email or online web form at the Triple M website. The show could also be heard live online, or a podcast downloaded from the Triple M website. Due to the late time slot of the show, callers were often intoxicated.
The show was also unique in being one of the only radio shows on the Commercial FM band in Australia to feature traditional talk back style programming- it competed with other late night AM band shows such as "Tony Delroy's Nightlife" on ABC Local Radio.
The Spoonman's nickname came about as a collaboration between himself and management. Inspiration for the name is claimed from the hit song Spoonman
, and also from Brian's character as a "self-professed 'stirrer'". Several versions of his on air name are frequently used by callers, including "Spoony"/"Spoonie".
It is understood that Garfield's nickname originates from an instance whereby he gave a fellow staff member a copy of the movie 'Garfield' for their child's birthday- Odie received his nickname from the name of the dog also featured in the Garfield series.
Garfield was also the producer of Dolphin Juice
, a radio show that aired on Triple M
Sydney on Sunday nights, on which he had a small segment reviewing the week in sport.
, South Australia
. Previously, the show was broadcast there on 104.7FM- the reason given by the station for the change was new station programming. The Spoonman later confirmed that the show would only cease broadcasting in South Australia, and would return in 2008 in 3 capital cities.
Common belief is that a timeslot reshuffle was the likely culprit of the show's cancellation in South Australia, as due to timezone differences, the
show would have begun broadcasting there at 7:30PM- the material discussed on the show would have been unsuitable for that timeslot according to Australian radio broadcast laws.
The show also includes a number of regular and semi-regular segments including Brush with Fame, Get It off Your Chest and Spoony's War on Error. (Both Spoony's War on Error and Get It off Your Chest seem to have been phased out.)
Spoonie has also proclaimed himself a dreamweaver and has consequently incorporated this talent into his show as an occasional late night segment although recently, it has been phased out. Also, sometimes he will do a rant on matters that bug him, such as his war against business ties.
It was common for topics to include anything from current events to previous topics of discussion or something going on in a caller's personal life. Callers will often raise topics near the beginning of the program which are then sometimes continued by other callers wishing to give their opinions on the matter. Spoony stresses that this was one of the most "dangerous things in talkback radio", as he hands the show completely over the listeners. It was consequently a favourite with listeners as they get to voice their opinions and views on the air.
Occasionally on other days of the week free for alls may occur. On every day during the final week of broadcast a free for all happens every night.
In one instance, a caller confessed to an elaborate lie to an ex-boyfriend about giving birth to a child of his (which was actually miscarried) and subsequently putting the child up for adoption. The caller admitted to faking documentation (such as borrowing a friend's ultrasounds and photos) and that she never intends to confess the truth to him, despite losing significant sleep over it.
As of the 10th of July 2008, "Get it off your chest", has returned and will become a regular Thursday segment. The same night marked the first time ever on the show, where no callers had called for the topic. After Spoonman went back on air, he explained it was the first time no callers had called up. Soon after a full switchboard of callers appeared.
, Ziggy Switkowski
, "Weird Al" Yankovic
, 2007 Australian of the Year Dr Tim Flannery, celebrity scientist Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, Hunters and Collectors frontman, Mark Seymour
and Henry Rollins
.
He can cut your call if you:
or Wikipedia
the answer. In one instance, a caller by the name of Edwin attempted to Google the Austrian capital
when Spoonman heard his light typing and cut him off the line.
If a caller answered a question correctly, they moved on to the next question. If not, Spoony moved onto the next caller. The caller to answer the fifth and final question correctly won a limited edition Spoonman singlet
, whose value peaked at $105 on eBay
. If a caller answerd all five questions correctly, they also won a bonus pack of CDs and DVDs—this first happened on 13 February 2007.
If, by the end of the set of 10 callers, questions remained and the final question has not been asked, a new set of callers were lined up over the break. If the final question has been asked, but was not correctly answered, the quiz entered a penalty shoot out. (This was usually implemented when the show was running short on time.) In this situation, rather than lining up 10 callers, listeners were asked to keep calling and one caller was be picked of the switchboard at random after the break. This was to make it fair because the listeners have time to look up the correct answer. This "Shoot out" method had rarely been used in the quiz's more recent times. On one occasion, the last question of the quiz was not answered before the show's end, so it was finished the following day.
Since its inception, the Cruel Quiz has been both praised and panned by listeners. On Tuesday, 2006-09-12, after Spoony received an SMS stating that everybody hated the quiz, he ran an e-mail and SMS poll to determine how people really felt about it. During the course of the evening, he mentioned that it was roughly a 50/50 split and that he would put the topic on the agenda for Wednesday's show. The exact results of the poll are unknown. The quiz has become an "on occasion" segment on the show, and was no longer an every night segment.
The current record holder was Akhil Bangia with three Spoonman limited edition singlets.
By far the most popular Cruel Quiz caller was William of Melbourne; he rings every night and almost always was the first caller through. William was lucky enough to win a free holiday to Queensland
as one listener liked him so much that he deserved to be rewarded.
As of the 13th of December 2007 (the last show of the year) The Cruel Quiz has finished. Spoony stated live on air that the "Cruel Quiz" will not be returning in 2008.
only segment, introduced in 2008, which one could argue was a separate show in itself. It contained explicit content and language, so much that it cannot be broadcast over the airwaves, as it would be in breach of the broadcasting act. These rules (in Australia) need not apply to podcasts. Even still, some of the first podcast was censored out (which was Odie naming Britney Spears
' genitalia a "bulldog
chewing mayonnaise
") In a special ATFS podcast (where Spoony was not included because he was ill), Garfield and Odie remarked that there would be no more censorship in future podcasts, confirmed by using the word cunt
. This podcast revealed what was censored out of the first podcast but subsequently got taken down due to "a request from Britney's Management". The word cunt was still used in future podcasts. The topics raised are mostly things on the news and stuff going on in the guys lives, and the podcast was basically a "rant" (talk) between Spoony, Garfield and the little heard Odie. Running themes in ATFS are "Garfield's Bible Quote of the Week" and Odie's "Challenges", in which one was not to swear an entire podcast, and punishment being per profanity was to eat a banana paddle pop and lick the stick, two things he hates. The ATFS podcasts can be found at this page. Links to stories spoken about on the podcast can be found here. As noted by panel operator Garfield on 13 February 2008, the ATFS podcast made its way onto the top 10 podcast list on iTunes. The last episode produced was #39.
People can vote on the Forking SpoonFan Wiki.
The ATFS enjoyed a partial return with 2 Random Raves, including both Garfield and THE Bryan Madigan (Odie), giving fans the hope of a continued return. However with THE Bryan Madigan leaving the M's in early 2010, it seemingly putting to rest any further hope of a return.
Train, a person only known as the Aldi man, gave William and his mother a free trip to the Gold Coast
.
He had left his house at 2:30 pm Monday, and It was believed he was going to the local park to kick a football, and check his savings account at an ATM in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
William has brown, curly hair, was wearing a black and red 'Holden racing team' jacket, Grey tracksuit pants with white piping, and black 'Nike' football boot. He was also carrying a yellow football.
It was announced on the 28th of August show that William has been found alive and well, after walking into a police station in the morning.
's death.
death, he raised issues concerning Irwin's treatment of animal
s, criticising Irwin for regularly harassing and provoking them in his documentaries
. He did however merit his contribution to animal and habitat conservation at a species level. The following day, he apologised for "putting a narrow focus" on Irwin's Death and accepting that he was incorrect in believing that Steve Irwin was not seen by many people as someone of respect or celebrity in Australia, claiming that "plenty of Aussies thought he was just a wanker
". He came to the conclusion that he was incorrect for saying these comments the following day after he received hundreds of emails and SMSes in fact showing the opposite ideals. He allowed callers to speak their mind about Irwin on this second night.
and also doing editorials on the hour which are available for download from the Triple M website and iTunes.
From 2009 to 2010, Spoonman was a regular contributor on Ugly Phil's night show.
He is currently reading the news on Triple M's Sydney breakfast show "The Grill Team"
Brian Carlton
Brian Carlton is an Australian radio announcer, producer and journalist.-Biography:Carlton was born in Australia, into a Catholic household. He grew up in Beacon Hill, a suburb of Sydney's Northern Beaches, finishing high school in 1980. Working several jobs, including a bank manager, he entered...
. Carlton used the alias "The Spoonman" on the show, which was syndicated on the 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 :...
network across Australia. On 27 November 2008, it was announced that the following episode would be the last to air on the network.
As of August 2009, he returned on-air with Triple M Sydney
2MMM
2MMM is a radio station broadcasting in Sydney, Australia. Triple M Sydney is part of the Austereo Triple M network and broadcasts on the 104.9 MHz frequency.-The Early Days:...
to be the weekday news reader.
The Show
The show was broadcast from the Austereo studios, SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and networked to Triple M stations across Australia. Slogans for the show included "No Topic Taboo" and "Everything is utterly fair game".
Listeners could contribute to the show via phone, SMS, email or online web form at the Triple M website. The show could also be heard live online, or a podcast downloaded from the Triple M website. Due to the late time slot of the show, callers were often intoxicated.
The show was also unique in being one of the only radio shows on the Commercial FM band in Australia to feature traditional talk back style programming- it competed with other late night AM band shows such as "Tony Delroy's Nightlife" on ABC Local Radio.
The Staff
The show was hosted by Brian Carlton, who called himself 'The Spoonman' on air, and occasionally featured input from the show producers and panel operators, nicknamed 'Garfield' and 'Odie'.The Spoonman's nickname came about as a collaboration between himself and management. Inspiration for the name is claimed from the hit song Spoonman
Spoonman
"Spoonman" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Spoonman" was released on February 15, 1994 as the first single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown . "Spoonman" is often credited as one of the songs that launched Soundgarden's career...
, and also from Brian's character as a "self-professed 'stirrer'". Several versions of his on air name are frequently used by callers, including "Spoony"/"Spoonie".
It is understood that Garfield's nickname originates from an instance whereby he gave a fellow staff member a copy of the movie 'Garfield' for their child's birthday- Odie received his nickname from the name of the dog also featured in the Garfield series.
Garfield was also the producer of Dolphin Juice
Dolphin Juice
Dolphin Juice was a comedy radio show broadcast from 9-11pm Sunday nights on Sydney's 104.9 Triple M. It is hosted by Bernie Tingles and Barry Goldwater. There is also a TV version of the show featured on TVS Sydney....
, a radio show that aired 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 :...
Sydney on Sunday nights, on which he had a small segment reviewing the week in sport.
Broadcasting Times
Most recently, the show was broadcast between 10pm - 1am (AEST) Tuesday to Friday; but previously the show was broadcast at different times, including 8pm - 11pm Monday to Thursday, and 9pm - 12am Monday to Thursday.Cancellation in Adelaide
On 16 November 2007, thirty minutes before the show concluded, The Spoonman announced that the show would no longer be broadcast in AdelaideAdelaide
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...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Previously, the show was broadcast there on 104.7FM- the reason given by the station for the change was new station programming. The Spoonman later confirmed that the show would only cease broadcasting in South Australia, and would return in 2008 in 3 capital cities.
Common belief is that a timeslot reshuffle was the likely culprit of the show's cancellation in South Australia, as due to timezone differences, the
show would have begun broadcasting there at 7:30PM- the material discussed on the show would have been unsuitable for that timeslot according to Australian radio broadcast laws.
Show Format
The show usually begins with Spoony discussing the major news topics and current events for the day and setting an agenda for discussion. Each show from Tuesday to Wednesday typically revolves around two or three topics. Fridays are open to any topic (see below) that a listener calls in about, SMS's, or emails to the show.The show also includes a number of regular and semi-regular segments including Brush with Fame, Get It off Your Chest and Spoony's War on Error. (Both Spoony's War on Error and Get It off Your Chest seem to have been phased out.)
Spoonie has also proclaimed himself a dreamweaver and has consequently incorporated this talent into his show as an occasional late night segment although recently, it has been phased out. Also, sometimes he will do a rant on matters that bug him, such as his war against business ties.
Friday Monster Free-for-All
Every Friday night, The Spoonman turned the show over to his listeners to talk about whatever topic they like. Although he began the show by briefly talking about the day's major news headlines, listeners are free to call in and talk about anything of their interest or concern (he stated that this was in response to the media criticism that he had complete control over the subject matter of the show on 22 May 2007).It was common for topics to include anything from current events to previous topics of discussion or something going on in a caller's personal life. Callers will often raise topics near the beginning of the program which are then sometimes continued by other callers wishing to give their opinions on the matter. Spoony stresses that this was one of the most "dangerous things in talkback radio", as he hands the show completely over the listeners. It was consequently a favourite with listeners as they get to voice their opinions and views on the air.
Occasionally on other days of the week free for alls may occur. On every day during the final week of broadcast a free for all happens every night.
Brush with Fame
Brush with Fame was an occasional segment on a Tuesday night for callers to talk about their encounters with celebrities. Callers are encouraged to talk about who they met, how and where they met them, and what they were like when they met; were they nice to them, or did they give them "the brush"... hence the name of the segment. This segment, however, was not always on Tuesday night due to other topics.Spoony's Bulging Sack
In this segment, The Spoonman reads and replies to off-topic emails and emails regarding previous topics that are received throughout the week.Get It off Your Chest
Get It off Your Chest was an occasional segment that allows callers to call in and "confess their sins". Spoony describes the segment as "radio's most dangerous confessional". The confessions vary from caller to caller, and can vary in seriousness. Most calls are typically for minor acts, such as petty thefts (or borrowing without returning) or lies.In one instance, a caller confessed to an elaborate lie to an ex-boyfriend about giving birth to a child of his (which was actually miscarried) and subsequently putting the child up for adoption. The caller admitted to faking documentation (such as borrowing a friend's ultrasounds and photos) and that she never intends to confess the truth to him, despite losing significant sleep over it.
As of the 10th of July 2008, "Get it off your chest", has returned and will become a regular Thursday segment. The same night marked the first time ever on the show, where no callers had called for the topic. After Spoonman went back on air, he explained it was the first time no callers had called up. Soon after a full switchboard of callers appeared.
Letters to Spoonman
This was an infrequent segment that Spoony does whenever a listener sends him a Letter to Spoonman. The letters are usually from a listener asking for advice (from both Spoony and other listeners) about a personal issue in their lives. Such issues are often about a relationship of some kind, such as an unfaithful partner or a partner caught-in-the-act of doing something unsettling, and in some cases if they feel they have been mistreated by society.Special guests
Spoony occasionally has guests on his show. Notable guests include porn star BelladonnaBelladonna (porn star)
Belladonna is an American pornographic actress and producer.-Early life:Michelle Anne Sinclair was born in Biloxi, Mississippi as the second of seven children. The family had German, Scottish, and Cherokee roots. She experienced her first kiss at age twelve, got her first tattoo at thirteen, and...
, Ziggy Switkowski
Ziggy Switkowski
Dr Zygmunt "Ziggy" Edward Switkowski is a Polish Australian businessman and nuclear physicist.He is most known as the former Chief Executive Officer of Australia's largest telecommunications company Telstra, and for overseeing major aspects of the implementation and planning of its full...
, "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
, 2007 Australian of the Year Dr Tim Flannery, celebrity scientist Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, Hunters and Collectors frontman, Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
and Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
.
Spoony Tune
Every night towards the end of the show, Spoony was allowed to play a song from his own personal music collection. This was called the Spoony Tune. Spoonman plays songs from many genres, many of the songs are tracks you would not normally hear on Triple M or on commercial radio in Australia at all. The list of songs can be viewed here at the Triple M website.Phased-out segments
Over the history of the radio program, several segments have been phased out.30 Second Soap Box
This segment usually happened on a Monday night. The basis for this segment was to give the listeners 30 seconds to speak about anything without being interrupted by Spoony. However, after the 30 seconds are over, the listener was automatically cut off, regardless of their topic discussed. This segment came about after criticism that he "cuts and drones out listeners". As the listener speak without being interrupted, this makes it more dangerous than the "Free-For-All" so Spoony has set a few rules.He can cut your call if you:
- Break the Law
- Break the Broadcasting Act
- Advertise.
Cruel Quiz
The first Cruel Quiz was held on Monday, 2006-06-26 and had become a regular segment, which ran most nights. This quiz contained five general knowledge questions. At the beginning, 10 callers are lined up ready to play. Each caller was allowed five seconds to answer each question (known as the five-second fudge factor). The short time limit was designed to reduce the ability of a caller to quickly GoogleGoogle (verb)
The transitive verb to google refers to using the Google search engine to obtain information on the Web. However, it can also be used as a general term for searching the internet using any search engine, not just Google...
or Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
the answer. In one instance, a caller by the name of Edwin attempted to Google the Austrian capital
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
when Spoonman heard his light typing and cut him off the line.
If a caller answered a question correctly, they moved on to the next question. If not, Spoony moved onto the next caller. The caller to answer the fifth and final question correctly won a limited edition Spoonman singlet
Vest
A vest is a garment covering the upper body. The term has different meanings around the world:Waistcoat :. This is called a waistcoat in the UK and many Commonwealth countries, or a vest in the US and Canada. It is often worn as part of formal attire, or as the third piece of a lounge...
, whose value peaked at $105 on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
. If a caller answerd all five questions correctly, they also won a bonus pack of CDs and DVDs—this first happened on 13 February 2007.
If, by the end of the set of 10 callers, questions remained and the final question has not been asked, a new set of callers were lined up over the break. If the final question has been asked, but was not correctly answered, the quiz entered a penalty shoot out. (This was usually implemented when the show was running short on time.) In this situation, rather than lining up 10 callers, listeners were asked to keep calling and one caller was be picked of the switchboard at random after the break. This was to make it fair because the listeners have time to look up the correct answer. This "Shoot out" method had rarely been used in the quiz's more recent times. On one occasion, the last question of the quiz was not answered before the show's end, so it was finished the following day.
Since its inception, the Cruel Quiz has been both praised and panned by listeners. On Tuesday, 2006-09-12, after Spoony received an SMS stating that everybody hated the quiz, he ran an e-mail and SMS poll to determine how people really felt about it. During the course of the evening, he mentioned that it was roughly a 50/50 split and that he would put the topic on the agenda for Wednesday's show. The exact results of the poll are unknown. The quiz has become an "on occasion" segment on the show, and was no longer an every night segment.
The current record holder was Akhil Bangia with three Spoonman limited edition singlets.
By far the most popular Cruel Quiz caller was William of Melbourne; he rings every night and almost always was the first caller through. William was lucky enough to win a free holiday to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
as one listener liked him so much that he deserved to be rewarded.
As of the 13th of December 2007 (the last show of the year) The Cruel Quiz has finished. Spoony stated live on air that the "Cruel Quiz" will not be returning in 2008.
Dreamweaver
Usually on a Wednesday night, Spoony will open up the phones and take calls from people who have recurring dreams, but are unable to work out what they mean. His job as the "dreamweaver" was to work out what the dreams mean, and suggest a way for the person to remove the dream or change the dream, when it occurs again. Spoony says that recurring dreams are usually our subconscious trying to alert us to something in our life. Spoony informs the listeners that he has had successful experience with work colleagues etc. Spoony says that not being able to see the caller's body language or facial expressions when he was talking to them on the air, makes it more difficult to examine people's dreams.Spoony's War on Error
The War on Error was dedicated to exposing errors spotted by listeners, anywhere they happen to see them. Sometimes, this will even include errors made by Spoony himself. This segment was usually run on Wednesday nights, although Spoony will occasionally mention minor errors throughout the week.Editorials
On Fridays a set of short editorials recorded by Spoony (approx. one minute each) are played throughout the day, giving his final opinion of the week's major topics. They are archived on the Triple M website for listeners to download. http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/shows/thespoonman/listen/spoonmaneditorials.html. Spoony did not release any new editorials from the beginning of 2008 to the cancellation of the show.The ATFS Podcast
ATFS, or After the Forking Show was a podcastPodcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
only segment, introduced in 2008, which one could argue was a separate show in itself. It contained explicit content and language, so much that it cannot be broadcast over the airwaves, as it would be in breach of the broadcasting act. These rules (in Australia) need not apply to podcasts. Even still, some of the first podcast was censored out (which was Odie naming Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
' genitalia a "bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
chewing mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
") In a special ATFS podcast (where Spoony was not included because he was ill), Garfield and Odie remarked that there would be no more censorship in future podcasts, confirmed by using the word cunt
Cunt
Cunt is a vulgarism, primarily referring to the female genitalia, specifically the vulva, and including the cleft of Venus. The earliest citation of this usage in the 1972 Oxford English Dictionary, c 1230, refers to the London street known as Gropecunt Lane...
. This podcast revealed what was censored out of the first podcast but subsequently got taken down due to "a request from Britney's Management". The word cunt was still used in future podcasts. The topics raised are mostly things on the news and stuff going on in the guys lives, and the podcast was basically a "rant" (talk) between Spoony, Garfield and the little heard Odie. Running themes in ATFS are "Garfield's Bible Quote of the Week" and Odie's "Challenges", in which one was not to swear an entire podcast, and punishment being per profanity was to eat a banana paddle pop and lick the stick, two things he hates. The ATFS podcasts can be found at this page. Links to stories spoken about on the podcast can be found here. As noted by panel operator Garfield on 13 February 2008, the ATFS podcast made its way onto the top 10 podcast list on iTunes. The last episode produced was #39.
Possible ATFS Return
On the 7th of April, 2009, Odie, the former phone operator of the Spoonman Show reported that ATFS would return, if enough fan support resulted.People can vote on the Forking SpoonFan Wiki.
The ATFS enjoyed a partial return with 2 Random Raves, including both Garfield and THE Bryan Madigan (Odie), giving fans the hope of a continued return. However with THE Bryan Madigan leaving the M's in early 2010, it seemingly putting to rest any further hope of a return.
Biggest Fan Award
The 'Official Spoonman Fanclub' officially voted young William of Melbourne 'The Biggest Fan of the Spoonman'. He was a regular caller. Spoonman announced this on the radio June 12, 2007. After a Bad experience on a Connex MelbourneConnex Melbourne
Connex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended to 30 November 2009....
Train, a person only known as the Aldi man, gave William and his mother a free trip to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
.
William - Missing person
William was reported as a missing person on Tuesday the 25h of August, 2008.He had left his house at 2:30 pm Monday, and It was believed he was going to the local park to kick a football, and check his savings account at an ATM in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
William has brown, curly hair, was wearing a black and red 'Holden racing team' jacket, Grey tracksuit pants with white piping, and black 'Nike' football boot. He was also carrying a yellow football.
It was announced on the 28th of August show that William has been found alive and well, after walking into a police station in the morning.
Controversial Comments
The show was promoted as a "controversial talk show", and Carlton freely admits that he speaks his mind and raises his opinions with much vigour. There have been occasions where his comments have created some controversy from the media and some of the show's listeners. Prominent comments of this nature are the discussion that was created on the suicide attempt of the then leader of the NSW opposition, and Spoonman's opinions expressed on the day of Steve IrwinSteve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
's death.
August 2005 - John Brogden
In August 2005, he was criticised after discussing the suicide attempt of the then-leader of the NSW Opposition, John Brogden, describing the method, wrist-cutting, as 'half-arsed'.September 2006 - Steve Irwin
In September 2006, on the evening after Steve Irwin'sSteve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
death, he raised issues concerning Irwin's treatment of animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s, criticising Irwin for regularly harassing and provoking them in his documentaries
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
. He did however merit his contribution to animal and habitat conservation at a species level. The following day, he apologised for "putting a narrow focus" on Irwin's Death and accepting that he was incorrect in believing that Steve Irwin was not seen by many people as someone of respect or celebrity in Australia, claiming that "plenty of Aussies thought he was just a wanker
Wanker
Wanker is a pejorative term of English origin, common in Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth countries, including Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It initially referred to an onanist but has since become a general insult. It is synonymous with tosser.-Meaning:The term wanker...
". He came to the conclusion that he was incorrect for saying these comments the following day after he received hundreds of emails and SMSes in fact showing the opposite ideals. He allowed callers to speak their mind about Irwin on this second night.
Nationwide Cancellation of Show
On 26 November 2008, Spoonman announced his retirement from presenting "Late Night with the Spoonman" on Triple M. Triple M executives stated that the axing of the show was a result of a re-direction of resources to breakfast shows and Spoony's slot would no longer receive resources. The new direction of Sydney's Triple M may have been a factor in the decision to cancel the show also.2009 - Present, Return to MMM
He was reading the weekday news from 10am-3pm (from 2009 to 2010) on Triple M Sydney2MMM
2MMM is a radio station broadcasting in Sydney, Australia. Triple M Sydney is part of the Austereo Triple M network and broadcasts on the 104.9 MHz frequency.-The Early Days:...
and also doing editorials on the hour which are available for download from the Triple M website and iTunes.
From 2009 to 2010, Spoonman was a regular contributor on Ugly Phil's night show.
He is currently reading the news on Triple M's Sydney breakfast show "The Grill Team"