Why Rove Live would never work now

For ten years Australian comedian Rove McManus fronted a show that was appointment viewing for millions of Australians and New Zealanders. Rove Live ran from 1999 until 2009; it was broadcast in NZ from 2004 with the catchy sign off, "say 'hi' to your mum for me!".

“Our brief to ourselves was we are a group of kids who've been given the keys to the studio and told lock up when you leave. So, we did some really bizarre stuff,” McManus told RNZ’s Culture 101.

“Now when you have an idea, it really needs to land and land.

Rove McManus shares how kiwi comedians are like cockroaches

Culture 101

“Slow burn, or the idea of a network sort of backing something for the first six months, 12 months while it finds its feet, I think is a lost art, unfortunately, but we had great fun.”

US comedian Will Ferrell was a memorable guest, he says, epitomising the anarchic, off-the-cuff nature of the show.

Ferrell was appearing with John C, Reilly ostensibly to promote their latest film Stepbrothers, he says.

“All I was told was the boys have an idea, but they don't want you to know what it is, which I think is a great sign.”

Australian Olympic pole vaulting gold medallist Steve Hooker, was also booked on the show, he says.

“So, the boys decided they would dress as Olympic pole vaulters and then turn up being mad at me that I would dare book another pole vaulter on the show”.

McManus promised the pair, after they’d riffed on pole vaulting gag, he’d get round to discussing their latest film.

“I very quickly realised they had no desire to do that whatsoever.

“They probably sold the movie Stepbrothers better by just coming on and being hilarious, pretending to be pole vaulters than if we talked about the movie for 15 minutes.”

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A segment with regular guest John Tavolta went less well, he says.

Travolta, who was a Qantas ambassador at the time, was showing off his personal airliner in a live cross, McManus says.

“They were playing the movie Face Off, on the entertainment screens, which is a John Travolta movie.”

A gag popped into his head, he says.

“I said, ‘Oh, do you want to play John Travolta movies on your plane? Which he laughed at and went, yes. And then I thought of a joke that I thought would be very funny.

“’What, even Battlefield Earth?’ which is one of his not as well received movies. And he said, yes. Well, especially Battlefield Earth.”

Despite taking the joke well on air, the movie star was not amused, McManus says.

“He has become the only guest in my entire career that I hand wrote an apology letter to him, and got one back I was very pleased to say where he was all fine. And yes, we mended all the fences that need to be mended after that.”

McManus is back on New Zealand screens this month as games master on Celebrity Escape, a new format where comedians including Kiwis Chris Parker, Josh Thomson and Hayley Sproull attempt high-concept escape rooms.

He has been surprised by the competitiveness and utter disorganisation of the guests, he says.

“When they walk into the very first room in the very first episode, and I tell them everything you need to know to get started is on a piece of paper staring at you right there on the table.

“They read that piece of paper and then they all run like chickens in a hen house, scattering everywhere, just completely disorganised. No focus whatsoever. I could not believe it.”

He loved the concept of the show, he says.

“It is an original format that was born and raised here in New Zealand.

“And I thought to myself, this has genuine legs that could be more than one season and maybe reach the heights of a Taskmaster.”

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