We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year
Encyclopedia
We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year (known mostly as The Nominees outside of Australia, but distributed with its original title in the iTunes
UK store) is an Australian mockumentary
TV series created, written and starring Chris Lilley
and directed by Matthew Saville
.
It follows the story of five unique Australians, who have each made a large achievement and been nominated by friends and family for the Australian of the Year
award.
It premiered on 27 July 2005, and concluded on 31 August 2005. It was shown on the ABC
on Wednesday nights at 9:00pm. There are six episodes, with each episode running for 30 minutes. The show is broadcast in the United Kingdom
on FX
and in the United States
on the Sundance Channel. In Australia The Comedy Channel
currently airs the series as part of their Aussie Gold
block hosted by Frank Woodley
. It currently airs on The Comedy Network
in Canada.
The show won a Logie Award
for most outstanding comedy and Chris Lilley won the Best New Talent Logie for his performance in the show.
, which is the only fictional location in We Can Be Heroes. He is 17 years old, and largely a parody of rural, country people. He lives with his mother; his hearing impaired twin brother, Nathan; and his two younger brothers and sister. His father died in a car crash many years ago.
Daniel was nominated for Australian of the Year
for donating one of his eardrums to his near-deaf brother, Nathan (also played by Lilley). As he does not know sign language
, Daniel uses different methods to talk to Nathan, such as screaming at him, or using coloured cards. These cards have different meanings, including 'change the Xbox
game' or 'piss off'.
Both Daniel and Nathan, as well as their friends, enjoy rapping
and beatboxing
. After his hearing was partially restored, Nathan's beatboxing skills improved greatly. Four different rap lyrics created by Daniel can be found here http://abc.net.au/tv/heroes/daniel/rap.htm.
Daniel was a winner for the state finals, but he did not want to wear a suit, or make a speech. However, he later changed his mind when he discovered he would be able to legally buy porn
and fireworks
in Canberra
.
Daniel and his family, along with his mother's boyfriend, regularly feature in Lilley's latest series Angry Boys
, showing the lives of the twins.
"Driving a Pulsar, You can feel my pulse yaaa"
"Going into town with my mates, You've got to open a couple of gates"
"My car is a manual, My name is Daniel"
of Sydney
, New South Wales
, but was born in South Africa
. Ja'mie is a 16-year-old girl and has sponsored 85 Sudan
ese children for Global Vision (a fictional organisation parodying World Vision International
), which gave her the National Record. Due to her work of raising money Global Vision decided to make her the 'face' of their organisation. Ja'mie also does the 40 Hour Famine twice a week which she says not only helps raise money but "keeps me looking hot".
Ja'mie is the 'popular' girl in Year 11 at Hilford Girls' Grammar School, a private school
on Sydney's North Shore. She and her group of three friends are very superficial, caring only about their looks. Ja'mie's friends all support Ja'mie's claims to have been in the finals of Dolly
Covergirl of the Year. Ja'mie serves as a parody of the stereotypical wealthy and snobby North Shore private school girl. Ja'mie and her friends enjoy sleepovers and gossiping, as well as modelling and the arts.
She is even featured in a school assembly to promote the work of Global Vision where she makes the school repeat after her in the Sudanese language what Sonali told her when they parted at the Detention centre where Sonali is staying. "Bulumbo Shamanaka" when translated in English says 'You are very beautiful girl'. She scolds the school for misusing their money telling them that each dollar they do not donate equals one dead child, and that they should convert their school oval into a "mass grave" because of the money the school accumulated from food sales at the canteen.
Two weeks before the Australian of the Year
finals, Ja'mie is informed that a flood has hit 'her' village killing all but two of her Sudanese children. She displays apparent displeasure and is shown to have a very short temper when she argues with the manager of Global Vision and then accuses her mother of not offering her support.
In the episodes, we are shown one of the Sudanese children she sponsored named Sonali. Sonali apparently has illegally entered Australia and is held at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
. In one episode Sonali apparently writes a letter to Ja'mie telling her that she is in Australia and asking Ja'mie to visit her. Ja'mie is sceptical at first but soon realises that this visit will bring a lot of media attention, so she invites one of her friends along because she 'is good at taking photos'. Ja'mie even takes Sonali along to Canberra
for the finals and lends Sonali her Year 10 Formal dress to wear for the occasion.
Ja'mie appears in Chris Lilley's subsequent TV series Summer Heights High
, where she is on an exchange to the public school, Summer Heights High School.
in Perth, Western Australia
, and was 47 years old. As an adolescent she developed skeletal dysplasia of the femur resulting in one leg being shorter than the other. In order to move around more quickly she developed the ability to roll along the ground at high speeds. She was married to Terry, whom she wrote a song about: The song is sung in one of the episodes.
Terry built Pat a training course, featuring various terrains and obstacles, for her rolling. Her ambition was to roll from Perth to Uluru
, although she experienced some injuries and setbacks during training, including having a gumnut
lodged up her nose.
In the last episode, it was revealed that Pat died of liver cancer on 12 January 2005, 23 days before the announcement of Australian of the Year. She never completed her roll to Uluru.
nominee, who in fact nominated himself for the award; he is a self-obsessed 37-year-old, from Bray Park
in Brisbane
. He used to work for the police force until he saved 9 children from an unsecured Jumping Castle that was about to crash into power lines. After that, he quit his job and tried to start a career in motivational speaking. He had plans to write an autobiography and sell merchandise. He soon became obsessive about winning the prestigious award, inviting a man on the judging panel to a barbecue to flaunt his Australian spirit and later attempt to bribe him unsuccessfully.
In the midst of his attempts to secure the award he also tried to become involved in his son's Scouting troop through his motivational speaking course, which was based on how to deal with (unrealistic) emergency situations, such as escaping from Al Qaeda snipers. In his first and only demonstration, Phil attempted to show the troop what to do if stuck underneath a tree through the efforts of terrorists. A young boy named Jeremy volunteered to help Phil, but quickly regretted it when the tree's safety rope snapped, leaving him trapped and suffocating under the huge object. Phil tried to violently remove the tree only to inflict more pain on the scout and necessitate medical assistance. He then lamely comments that Jeremy was "a wuss".
Despite his enthusiasm, Phil was eventually informed that he had not made it into the state finals. In a fit of anger, embarrassment and possible denial, Phil lied about the situation to his family, leading to their going to Canberra regardless. When he tried to enter the finals, however, he was firmly asked to leave by security. His attempts to bribe the guards with a thousand dollars simply created an incident, causing his wife to expose his deceit. A bitter argument ensued ending with his family deserting him, leaving Phil to watch with utter contempt as the Queensland finalist was announced.
Three months after the announcement of Australian of the Year, Phil is still married and decided to quit motivational speaking and rejoined the police, but is also working on a miniseries
about the jumping castle incident and other "situations" he got into, in which he will be played by Vince Colosimo
.
physics student who lives in the suburb of Wheelers Hill
, Melbourne
, Victoria
. He is often exuberant and tells his colleagues that "Physics is Phun" and that they are in the "Wong" laboratory. This character is largely a vehicle for parodying the stereotypical "Chinese overachiever", or model migrant
. He has achieved fame for his work in solar energy by developing a highly efficient solar energy panel, but his passion lies in acting. Ricky's dream is to become a professional actor. His father, however, does not want him acting and says that he should complete his physics degree after he finishes Indigeridoo, a musical about indigenous Australians
in which Ricky plays the main role: Walkabout Man. The production portrays many famous and well known indigenous people, including Cathy Freeman
, Deborah Mailman
and Lionel Rose
.
Once Ricky completed his PhD, he went to work for the CSIRO - his father had already secured him a job there. However, he soon became depressed, and to his father's anger, announced he was going to act full-time, and auditioned for Home & Away. In a deleted scene, it's also revealed that Ricky is gay, and has feelings for his friend Chun.
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
UK store) is an Australian mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
TV series created, written and starring Chris Lilley
Chris Lilley (comedian)
-External links:****...
and directed by Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville is an Australian television and film director, who began his career working as a titles designer for many Australian television series...
.
It follows the story of five unique Australians, who have each made a large achievement and been nominated by friends and family for the Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
award.
It premiered on 27 July 2005, and concluded on 31 August 2005. It was shown on the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
on Wednesday nights at 9:00pm. There are six episodes, with each episode running for 30 minutes. The show is broadcast in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on FX
FX (UK)
FX is a television channel in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, owned by Fox, launched in 12 January 2004. It was originally branded as FX289 in reference to its Sky EPG number. It was rebranded to FX in May 2005 as the channel moved in the Sky EPG.FX targets a demographic between 25...
and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the Sundance Channel. In Australia The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
currently airs the series as part of their Aussie Gold
Aussie Gold
Aussie Gold is a television programming block on Foxtel’s the Comedy Channel, which was formerly hosted by Australian comedian Frank Woodley. The block plays on Saturday nights from 7:30pm and celebrates the very best in Australian comedy....
block hosted by Frank Woodley
Frank Woodley
Frank Woodley is an Australian comedian who is best known for his work alongside Colin Lane as part of the comedic duo, Lano and Woodley. The two performed together for almost 20 years in live shows, a television series and an album of comedic songs, before deciding to pursue individual careers...
. It currently airs on The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media specializing in comedy programming.The channel operates two time shifted feeds, East and West ....
in Canada.
The show won a Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for most outstanding comedy and Chris Lilley won the Best New Talent Logie for his performance in the show.
Daniel Sims
Daniel Sims lives in Dunt, South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, which is the only fictional location in We Can Be Heroes. He is 17 years old, and largely a parody of rural, country people. He lives with his mother; his hearing impaired twin brother, Nathan; and his two younger brothers and sister. His father died in a car crash many years ago.
Daniel was nominated for Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
for donating one of his eardrums to his near-deaf brother, Nathan (also played by Lilley). As he does not know sign language
Auslan
Auslan is the sign language of the Australian deaf community. The term Auslan is an acronym of "Australian sign language", coined by Trevor Johnston in the early 1980s, although the language itself is much older...
, Daniel uses different methods to talk to Nathan, such as screaming at him, or using coloured cards. These cards have different meanings, including 'change the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
game' or 'piss off'.
Both Daniel and Nathan, as well as their friends, enjoy rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
and beatboxing
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
. After his hearing was partially restored, Nathan's beatboxing skills improved greatly. Four different rap lyrics created by Daniel can be found here http://abc.net.au/tv/heroes/daniel/rap.htm.
Daniel was a winner for the state finals, but he did not want to wear a suit, or make a speech. However, he later changed his mind when he discovered he would be able to legally buy porn
PORN
Porn is a common short form for pornography. It may also refer to:* Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina* PORN, a French industrial rock band...
and fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
Daniel and his family, along with his mother's boyfriend, regularly feature in Lilley's latest series Angry Boys
Angry Boys
Angry Boys is an Australian television mockumentary series written by and starring Chris Lilley. Continuing the mockumentary style of his previous series, the show explores the issues faced by young males in the 21st century – their influences, their pressures, their dreams and ambitions...
, showing the lives of the twins.
"Driving a Pulsar, You can feel my pulse yaaa"
"Going into town with my mates, You've got to open a couple of gates"
"My car is a manual, My name is Daniel"
Ja'mie King
Ja'mie King lives in the North ShoreNorth Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, but was born in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Ja'mie is a 16-year-old girl and has sponsored 85 Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese children for Global Vision (a fictional organisation parodying World Vision International
World Vision International
World Vision International, founded in the USA in 1977, is an evangelical relief and development umbrella organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good...
), which gave her the National Record. Due to her work of raising money Global Vision decided to make her the 'face' of their organisation. Ja'mie also does the 40 Hour Famine twice a week which she says not only helps raise money but "keeps me looking hot".
Ja'mie is the 'popular' girl in Year 11 at Hilford Girls' Grammar School, a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
on Sydney's North Shore. She and her group of three friends are very superficial, caring only about their looks. Ja'mie's friends all support Ja'mie's claims to have been in the finals of Dolly
Dolly Magazine
Dolly is a monthly teen magazine started in 1970 by Fairfax Ltd. in Australia, and purchased by ACP in 1988. The current editor is Gemma Crisp, former features editor at Cleo, who was made editor of Dolly magazine in September 2007...
Covergirl of the Year. Ja'mie serves as a parody of the stereotypical wealthy and snobby North Shore private school girl. Ja'mie and her friends enjoy sleepovers and gossiping, as well as modelling and the arts.
She is even featured in a school assembly to promote the work of Global Vision where she makes the school repeat after her in the Sudanese language what Sonali told her when they parted at the Detention centre where Sonali is staying. "Bulumbo Shamanaka" when translated in English says 'You are very beautiful girl'. She scolds the school for misusing their money telling them that each dollar they do not donate equals one dead child, and that they should convert their school oval into a "mass grave" because of the money the school accumulated from food sales at the canteen.
Two weeks before the Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
finals, Ja'mie is informed that a flood has hit 'her' village killing all but two of her Sudanese children. She displays apparent displeasure and is shown to have a very short temper when she argues with the manager of Global Vision and then accuses her mother of not offering her support.
In the episodes, we are shown one of the Sudanese children she sponsored named Sonali. Sonali apparently has illegally entered Australia and is held at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
Villawood Immigration Detention Centre is an Australian immigration detention facility located in the suburb of Villawood in Sydney, Australia...
. In one episode Sonali apparently writes a letter to Ja'mie telling her that she is in Australia and asking Ja'mie to visit her. Ja'mie is sceptical at first but soon realises that this visit will bring a lot of media attention, so she invites one of her friends along because she 'is good at taking photos'. Ja'mie even takes Sonali along to Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
for the finals and lends Sonali her Year 10 Formal dress to wear for the occasion.
Ja'mie appears in Chris Lilley's subsequent TV series Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High
Summer Heights High is a Logie Award-winning Australian television mockumentary series written by and starring Chris Lilley. It is a parody of high-school life epitomised by its three protagonists: effeminate and megalomaniacal "Director of Performing Arts" Mr G; self-absorbed, privileged teenager...
, where she is on an exchange to the public school, Summer Heights High School.
Pat Mullins
Pat Mullins lived in the suburb of NollamaraNollamara, Western Australia
Nollamara is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling.The name "Nollamara" is the Aboriginal word for the plant known as the Black Kangaroo Paw.-Transport:...
in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and was 47 years old. As an adolescent she developed skeletal dysplasia of the femur resulting in one leg being shorter than the other. In order to move around more quickly she developed the ability to roll along the ground at high speeds. She was married to Terry, whom she wrote a song about: The song is sung in one of the episodes.
- Terry, Terry
- You make me very merry
- Even though you're very very hairy
- I'll always love my Terry
Terry built Pat a training course, featuring various terrains and obstacles, for her rolling. Her ambition was to roll from Perth to Uluru
Uluru
Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park....
, although she experienced some injuries and setbacks during training, including having a gumnut
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
lodged up her nose.
In the last episode, it was revealed that Pat died of liver cancer on 12 January 2005, 23 days before the announcement of Australian of the Year. She never completed her roll to Uluru.
Phil Olivetti
Phil Olivetti is the QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
nominee, who in fact nominated himself for the award; he is a self-obsessed 37-year-old, from Bray Park
Bray Park, Queensland
Bray Park is a suburb north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Moreton Bay Regional Council. Bray Park is located north of Brisbane. It is named after John Bray, a former Shire councillor....
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. He used to work for the police force until he saved 9 children from an unsecured Jumping Castle that was about to crash into power lines. After that, he quit his job and tried to start a career in motivational speaking. He had plans to write an autobiography and sell merchandise. He soon became obsessive about winning the prestigious award, inviting a man on the judging panel to a barbecue to flaunt his Australian spirit and later attempt to bribe him unsuccessfully.
In the midst of his attempts to secure the award he also tried to become involved in his son's Scouting troop through his motivational speaking course, which was based on how to deal with (unrealistic) emergency situations, such as escaping from Al Qaeda snipers. In his first and only demonstration, Phil attempted to show the troop what to do if stuck underneath a tree through the efforts of terrorists. A young boy named Jeremy volunteered to help Phil, but quickly regretted it when the tree's safety rope snapped, leaving him trapped and suffocating under the huge object. Phil tried to violently remove the tree only to inflict more pain on the scout and necessitate medical assistance. He then lamely comments that Jeremy was "a wuss".
Despite his enthusiasm, Phil was eventually informed that he had not made it into the state finals. In a fit of anger, embarrassment and possible denial, Phil lied about the situation to his family, leading to their going to Canberra regardless. When he tried to enter the finals, however, he was firmly asked to leave by security. His attempts to bribe the guards with a thousand dollars simply created an incident, causing his wife to expose his deceit. A bitter argument ensued ending with his family deserting him, leaving Phil to watch with utter contempt as the Queensland finalist was announced.
Three months after the announcement of Australian of the Year, Phil is still married and decided to quit motivational speaking and rejoined the police, but is also working on a miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
about the jumping castle incident and other "situations" he got into, in which he will be played by Vince Colosimo
Vince Colosimo
Vincenzo Colosimo is an Australian AFI Award winning stage, television and screen actor. He has worked in both Australia and the United States.-Personal life:...
.
Ricky Wong
Ricky Wong is a 23-year-old ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
physics student who lives in the suburb of Wheelers Hill
Wheelers Hill, Victoria
Wheelers Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 22 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Wheelers Hill had a population of 21,029.-History:...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. He is often exuberant and tells his colleagues that "Physics is Phun" and that they are in the "Wong" laboratory. This character is largely a vehicle for parodying the stereotypical "Chinese overachiever", or model migrant
Model minority
Model minority refers to a minority ethnic, racial, or religious group whose members achieve a higher degree of success than the population average. It is most commonly used to label one ethnic minority higher achieving than another ethnic minority...
. He has achieved fame for his work in solar energy by developing a highly efficient solar energy panel, but his passion lies in acting. Ricky's dream is to become a professional actor. His father, however, does not want him acting and says that he should complete his physics degree after he finishes Indigeridoo, a musical about indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
in which Ricky plays the main role: Walkabout Man. The production portrays many famous and well known indigenous people, including Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman
Catherine Astrid Salome "Cathy" Freeman, OAM is former Australian sprinter, who specialised in the 400 metres event. She became the Olympic champion for the women's 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics, at which she lit the Olympic Flame.Freeman was the first ever Aboriginal...
, Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman , is an Australian television and film actress. She was the first Aboriginal actress to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role...
and Lionel Rose
Lionel Rose
Lionel Edmund Rose MBE was an Australian bantamweight boxer, the first Indigenous Australian to win a world title.-Early life:...
.
Once Ricky completed his PhD, he went to work for the CSIRO - his father had already secured him a job there. However, he soon became depressed, and to his father's anger, announced he was going to act full-time, and auditioned for Home & Away. In a deleted scene, it's also revealed that Ricky is gay, and has feelings for his friend Chun.
Outside of the show
- Some of the characters were interviewed on Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's Today TodayToday TodayToday Today was a drivetime radio show on Australia-wide radio station Triple J, broadcast between 3:00pm and 5:30pm weekdays during 2004 and 2005. The title is a parody of the Australian current affairs program Today Tonight on Channel Seven....
show, by Chris TaylorChris Taylor (comedian)Christopher Thornton "Chris" Taylor is an Australian comedian, writer and former radio host from Sydney. As a member of The Chaser, he is best known for co-writing and appearing on satirical ABC Television shows CNNNN and The Chaser's War on Everything...
and Craig ReucasselCraig ReucasselCraig Bruce Reucassel is a television and radio comedian from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser...
, portrayed as actual Australian of the Year candidates. Despite the fact they are obviously parodies, several listeners called in to complain about their attitudes, especially that of Ja'mie King. - Ja'mie King presented an ARIAAustralian Recording Industry AssociationThe Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
Award for 'Highest Selling Single' to Anthony CalleaAnthony CalleaAnthony Cosmo Callea is an Australian singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 2004 season of Australian Idol when he became runner up. He was signed to Sony Music Australia until 2009 and is now an independent artist...
with James MathisonJames MathisonJames Mathison is an Australian television presenter.-Early life:Mathison was born in Sydney, New South Wales He grew up in Frenchs Forest and attended St...
in 2005. - Ricky Wong made an appearance at the Logie AwardLogie AwardThe TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s in 2006. He sang a song from Indigeridoo with Cathy FreemanCathy FreemanCatherine Astrid Salome "Cathy" Freeman, OAM is former Australian sprinter, who specialised in the 400 metres event. She became the Olympic champion for the women's 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics, at which she lit the Olympic Flame.Freeman was the first ever Aboriginal...
.
DVD Release
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| We Can Be Heroes Special Edition | ||
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