Janet CollinsThat’s It for Enough Rope
December 8th 2008 13:43
Andrew Denton
I was fortunate to catch the last episode of Andrew Denton’s Enough Rope on ABC1 tonight. In his final show, Denton, in his usual style chose two very different people to interview.
The first was the American actor and director, Ben Stiller. The second was Wendy Whiteley, the ex-wife of the late artist Brett Whiteley.
I have enjoyed Denton throughout his career but never as much as I have in the Enough Rope series. In his more mature years, Denton has managed to cultivate a very relaxed interview style. His delving into sensitive issues and subjects with candour and his ability to draw from his guests on the show reflections on very personal aspects of their lives, has elevated him to be one of the best Australian interviewers (if not the best) of all time.
Tonight, Denton combined a very witty interview with Ben Stiller (how could it have been anything else?) with an incredibly witty yet personable interview with Wendy Whiteley. Denton posed questions that had Whiteley explaining her once drug induced life with husband Brett, their associations with the royalty of rock and her relationships with her mother and her daughter, Arkie. They also discussed the period she cared for Arkie up until her death.
This could have been heart-renching stuff but Denton handled it with such style that the conversation flowed with ease. I have not seen all episodes but I have seen enough of them. I thought this was one of the best I had seen.
Even when Denton is interviewing someone I have little interest in, I am quickly drawn into the conversation. The show has had a good run – six seasons in all – and nearly 200 episodes. Denton chose this time to end the show and spend more time behind the camera. The show closed with a bang. Denton won its fourth AFI Award at the weekend when the show won the best light entertainment television series at this year’s award ceremony in Melbourne.
Denton's not going behind the camera completely. He will be returning for a second series of Elders next year. Elders is another face to face series, the first series of which went to air this year.
Enough Rope however will be a great loss for the ABC.
Information sourced from ABC online
Image courtesy of The Age
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Interview with Jerry Seinfeld
Comment by Cibbuano
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It's rare to find an interviewer that is both comfortable and incisive... I've never seen his interview with Chopper, but I read the transcript and it was phenomenal...
Comment by Chris Champion
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You have portrayed Andrew Denton's special talent - magic really - very well.
When I first heard that Enough Rope was ending, I reeled. It's like losing a good friend. He's a genius and therein lies the solace - whatever he chooses to do in future, we have that to look forward to.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I didn't see the interview with Chopper either. I saw enough of the episodes to fall in love with the show though and I was so glad I was able to catch the last one.
I'm sure they will repeat them - maybe even over the summer - because they are dateless really.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Yes, it wasn't only the great preparation of the questions he asked but the way he asked them and his style certainly gave us some great conversations.
Comment by Taylor
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Thanks for the comment.
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Comment by David O'Connell
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I'd like to have Richard E. Grant putting him on the spot for a bit longer than the end credits though, that could have been an hilarious way to end the show in an even longer form!
Comment by Janet Collins
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How true. Another thing I have really noticed that Denton does when an inervewee says something pretty confusing is say "what do you mean by that" or similar, giving them a chance to explain.
Other interviewers often just give them a strange look.
Thanks for dropping in.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Even though Iwas unable to catch every episode, I'll miss it too. I am even tempted to get the DVDs to get all the ones I missed.
Thanks for visiting and cmmmenting.
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Thaks for that. I'll check this out too.
Janet