Ken Sparkes

TV Week Logies Awards 2006 Australia’s Academy Awards Night Ken Sparkes National Nine Network-Radio 2UE Former TV Week columnist and feature writer & the “voice” of the TV Week Logies.

Another glittering night of glitz, glamour, legs, low cut gowns, winners, and losers and by early Monday morning legless TV folk has come and gone.

2006 was the seventh time I’ve voiced the Logies telecast live and who can remember how I may have voiced non live over the past 48. 

If you thinks that producing this once a year event is easy then think again, it’s the hardest gig in TV and who ever has the unenviable task to glue the puzzle altogether has to be VC material. 

This year the task fell on the shoulders of Maggie Bashfield and Rory Callahan, two highly skilled professionals assisted by the best team of guys and gals from the Nine Network. 

Remember the Crown Palladium venue is no cakewalk in which to produce a TV show of this magnitude, it was never built with TV in mind.

Staging is a nightmare, but somehow it’s done year after year with amazing results.

Bert Newton was back plus four other hosts, Ray Martin Georgie Parker, Daryl Somers Lisa McCune with Adam Hills in the “Green Room” so the “experts” had not one but six targets.

Once again the fans loved the “Red Carpet” and it really is a thrill to walk with the celebrities, check out the babes and feel the vibe.

This year I shot a Promo proposal using a DVCAM with the king of 35mm John Bowring doing the more serious filming with off sider Simon Beard for the Nine Network.

Rehearsals were the usual buzz with just about every presenter on time and in place to get a feel for the room and their various tasks.

The big “crack up” was visiting US Hollywood legend Joan Rivers, who during rehearsals threw in a line about Russell Crowe that I wish she’d used on the show.

But it’s now gone to God!

Many would expect her hard to work with but no way, she was a true gem and very personable, so I threw in the word legendary to introduce her, I felt the written intro was too bland.

I discussed this with Joan, someone else said, “Hollywood icon” but “legendary” got the nod from the writer

The Chris Lilley headed “Indigenous Performance” was another eye opener.

No matter how many times this troupe rehearsed I was on the floor, just loved it and they all pulled it off with so much enthusiasm.

Sports great Cathy Freeman found it a little hard to smile in rehearsal as I could see that she had a slight fear she may be dropped when lifted into the air by other caste members and her natural shyness was evident.

However when the big night came Cathy flashed her famous winning smile.

Pink was great; however I wished she’d worn the rehearsal gear for the telecast instead of that tattoo exposing outfit. Just don’t like “tats” on girls even though I spent part of my early life at sea.

Daryl Braithwaite, Garth Porter and the Sherbet team added a welcome touch of nostalgia with the classic “Howzat” and although Daryl started out trying to rest his voice in rehearsals he finally cut loose on the third run through.

One thing I did notice was the old habit of holding the mic with his fist covering his face, not a good look on telly, only had to drop the mic about two inches and the “look” would have improved.

Chong Lim was back as Band leader and his music genius was evident. Chongs had a sensationally successful year with The Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Dancing with the Stars and a host of recording sessions.

He rearranged an old 1951 Dinah Washington song called TV is the Thing This Year that was also featured in the movie, “Goodnight & Good Luck!”

Who else but my neighbour in Sydney David Campbell was selected to sing this number as the shows closer. It will also be featured on his new CD with Chong.

David has such raw energy and he gives 100% in rehearsal when it came time to deliver his performance on Sunday night he was pumped and the Palladium erupted.

Bert Newton was a peach to work with and our careers go way back to the 1960’s Coca Cola Hi Fi Club National TV Show on the 7 Network.

Bert was Victorian President and I was National President in Sydney. What did that mean at the time? I got more money!

Since then our paths have crossed many times at Channel Nine and at 3UZ Melbourne and 2UW Sydney.

So we are certainly no strangers.

Nothing was too much trouble and Bert was always available to the producers.

It is a pure delight to see how he works the audience with that special “Bert” magic.

His fall off the stage at the conclusion of the show was certainly not rehearsed and the following morning his famous “moon face” showed the evidence of some comet hits.