Face to Face with Kim Hill - John Clarke

Television (Full Length Episode) – 2004

In 2004 Kim Hill interviews comedy legend John Clarke at his home in Melbourne. Among other topics, Clarke talks about how easily humour travels, and looks back at the birth of his iconic Fred Dagg character in the early 1970s — with his black singlet, a hat given to Clarke by his sister, and some torn-off trousers from state television's wardrobe department. Clarke talks about New Zealand being far from alone in claiming to have a laconic, understated style of humour, and how he thinks the country is seen overseas. He also discusses the differences between working collaboratively and his famous solo act, Fred Dagg.

...I was doing a character that I could slip in and out of quite easily because I at this stage hadn't worked out the supreme significance of writing, and I was probably making it up as I went along to a great extent.
– John Clarke on Fred Dagg