Lawrence live and unapologetic

Aside from News, Current Affairs, Breakfast television and Sport, there’s not a great deal of television that’s Live anymore.

But one show bucking the trend is ABC2’s Dirty Laundry Live, hosted by Lawrence Mooney, with his partner-in-crime Brooke Satchwell.

Now in it’s second season untangling our ‘morbid fascination’ with celebrity and paparazzi, the panel show loves to fly by the seat of its pants.

“A lot of people have trouble comprehending that we’re Live,” Mooney explains. “There is no dump button, no delay, at 9:30 we’re up and away for the next 40 – 45 minutes. They’ve extended us this year. We were half an hour last year except for the last 4 episodes but now it’s 45 minutes, depending on whether it’s a ‘hard out’ or a ‘soft out’ (ie. on time or not).

“I think a lot of people have trouble realising that it’s Live because it looks quite well edited as it’s going along.

“You tell people it’s Live and they say ‘When are you recording?’”

Satchwell, better known for her drama roles on Wonderland, Packed to the Rafters, Tripping Over and Neighbours, is relishing the opportunity of a Live panel show.

“I actually forget that we are Live, but hopefully not to my own detriment or professional standing. But I love the conversation of it. I love the spit-balling and play,” she suggests.

“When things go awry or when the unexpected happens that brings it back into focus.”

Her rapport with Mooney is evident, and she is happy to acknowledge his dual skills in anchoring, steering, participation.

“You have a very curious role within the show. That’s a lot of balls to have in the air,” she tells Mooney.

“A lot of balls,” he cheekily adds.

“The ball analogy is a good one but inevitable in a 40 minute Live show, a pancake is going to hit the ground.

“I’m not setting traps or deliberately trying to upset it. But it does find its own momentum. One of the great things is when the panel is firing and I can just sit back and enjoy it.

“We’re just trying to do a show that is fun and pretty honest about the discussion of celebrity and fame and how it is manipulated by the medium that uses it.

“I’ve watched this show back and realised how much we benefit from our awesome director, Jon Olb, who also keeps it dynamic. His sense of anticipation and knowing when something is going to happen is fabulous.”

Last year’s panellists included regulars Marty Sheargold, Zoe Coombs Marr and Triple J’s Matt Okine as well as special guests Wil Anderson, Eddie Perfect, Sophie Monk, Josh Thomas, Tony Martin, DJ Havana Brown, Yumi Stynes and former magazine editor Wendy Squires. Mooney gatecrashed his way onto red carpets to get up close and personal with Sandra Bullock, Steve Carell, Russell Crowe, Simon Pegg, Kat Stewart and Baz Luhrmann.

The show has also been making is mark in social media, while traditional media has begun to take notice.

“What’s been really nice with the Live component is that there has been a cultish gathering of viewers that got behind the show right from the start. They engaged on the multimedia platforms and it became a conversation amongst themselves. So they were part of the discourse but they were having it in their own way,” Satchwell explains.

“It’s given people a more personal connection to the show.”

Those fans have helped the show to trend on Twitter whilst on air which, for ABC2, doesn’t always come easily.

“It’s a big get for a second-tier channel. We’re rating well above our benchmark, or what is expected of us. There’s a nice momentum and we had a nice review on news.com.au as ‘The rudest show on TV,'” he laughs.

“They collated a list of gags and said we were a very funny show that, kind of nobody is watching in terms of trying to find it on ABC2.

“Word gets out.”

But there have also been raised eyebrows, including for Mooney’s own full-frontal photo last year and using the C-word when commenting on the Charles Saatchi domestic abuse of Nigella Lawson.

But with use of female anatomy as profanity the show also came under fire on Jon Faine’s ABC radio show.

“That talkback went for 40 minutes,” Mooney recalls.

“They haven’t had a talkback for that long on one subject since 9/11.

“They accused us of doing it as a ratings grab and it wasn’t. It was a very specifically-written joke that ends up having to go right along the line, authorised by the EP here and in Sydney and the head of the network.”

While the word aired during its MA rated timeslot, Mooney insists it wasn’t spontaneous in an ABC policy environment.

“It’s quite a long and protracted process so you have to want to stand by you joke. You have to really want to call Charles Saatchi a c***, which we did want to, and why I thought it was a very appropriate use of a strong term of abuse for somebody who had abused his wife.

“In this day and age it’s quite difficult to do something that is controversial. We’re not about to emerge a picture of Christ in a bucket of piss. for example. Do you know what? We are. We might do that tonight.”

With its volatile topics, Dirty Laundry Live may not be to everybody’s liking, but Mooney defends, “I think it’s probably the most fun you can have on TV in Australia”I think there is some great fun on New Guinea TV, but in Australia, this is the most fun.

“Where is there more fun to be had, right now?”

Dirty Laundry Live airs 9:30pm Thursdays on ABC2.

Disclaimer: David Knox is an occasional TV commentator on Jon Faine's 774 programme.