Friday Flashback: Fugly Awards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MlaAZcmr5c

Back in 2008 The Fugly Awards rolled out a bit of brown carpet opposite Crown Casino for an awards ceremony like no other.

Organiser Anthony Dever flew from Brisbane to stood behind a milk crate podium and ‘award’ non existent trophies to empty chairs with the words Kyle Sandilands, Jackie O, Anna Coren and Gladiators.

The “anti-Logies,” as they were known, were an online hit, “honouring” the worst in Aussie telly. Attracting 12,000 votes in their first year and 25,000 in their second, they frequently attracted media attention for their sheer bravado. Flying in the face of 50 years of television respectability, one man hit a nerve with his snarky sense of fun.

“It was always just a silly, off the cuff thought that friends and family suggested I actually do,” Dever told TV Tonight at the time. “I put the website up online and it just took off. Everyone voted enthusiastically for what they thought was the worst on the telly.”

Despite some stars accepting their gongs (Adam Hills, The Chaser) thee was never any recognition from TV Week.

Dever once said, “There were a couple of years where I was trying to bait them. Even last year with our logo design. In the second and third years I was even sending media releases directly to the editor just trying to get a rise.

“But there was never any sort of bite back which was a little disappointing.”

After 7 years, The Fugly Awards concluded, managing to outlast some of the glorious shows it once recognised.