Chas Licciardello

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Chas Licciardello is a comedian and satirist from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

A law graduate of The University of Sydney^[1], Chas is part of The Chaser team, and has helped to write and produce their newspaper and television shows. He currently appears on ABC television as part of The Chaser's War on Everything.

Licciardello frequently engages in disruptive and larrikin-type behaviour. In the opening credits of the show, he appears dressed in a chicken suit. Recently he appeared at the 2006 Logies with the intention of appearing in the Nine Network broadcast at least 20 times. He notched up 34 appearances, including one unauthorised backstage appearance, and at least two stage invasions.

Memorable skits on the show that Chas was involved in include: Logies Bonehead (May 12, 2006), Sniffer Dogs (February 17, 2006), Statue Buskers (March 31, 2006) and Current Affairs Visualisations (March 3, 2006).

During the Chaser recess Chas appeared on the panel of My Favourite Album an ABC TV special showcasing Australia's top ten albums as voted by the public. He is also filling in on Triple M's drive time slot during summer with fellow Chaser colleague Dominic Knight with their show Chas and Dom from 'The Chaser'.

He is a paid-up member of Australian Football League side Western Bulldogs.^[2] This is surprising due to him being from the Rugby dominated landscape of Sydney, and the fact that the Western Bulldogs are a club from the city of Melbourne.

[edit] Offensive conduct charges

In July 2006, Chas faced charges of "offensive conduct" from NSW police, after turning up at a rugby league football match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the St George Illawarra Dragons on 14 July 2006 dressed up as a Bulldogs fan and attempting to sell fake knives, knuckledusters and balaclavas for a War on Everything sketch.^{[3] [4]}

Licciardello explained that the the mock kit "poked fun at the misbehaviour of Bulldogs fans - I know that a lot of people thought it was funny."^[5]

Chas however was quick to dispute his charges on the show. The following Friday he appeared on the program in a cage before referring to the NSW premier, Morris Iemma's own racial joke regarding residents of crime-riddled suburbs dressing in balaclavas.^[6]

On 29 August 2006 in Kogarah Local Court Licciardello pleaded not guilty to the charge. The matter was adjourned until 12 October.^[7] On Monday 22 January 2007 magistrate Joanne Keogh said she would view an unedited video of the incident, totalling 50 minutes to decide Licciardello's fate. Licciardello gave no evidence in the matter, letting The Chaser team's film speak for him.^[8] He was subsequently found "not guilty" of offensive behaviour ^[9].

The decision was hailed a "victory for free speech" as satirical comedy can continue without fear of the law. Licciardello was in the best of humour after the decision, saying he would appeal to the Supreme Court, the High Court, to the UN, the Jedi High Council and the Snickometer. ^[10]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Chas Licciardello at the Internet Movie Database

The Chaser
Charles Firth - Andrew Hansen - Dominic Knight Chas Licciardello - Julian Morrow - Craig Reucassel - Chris Taylor
Productions:
The Chaser (newspaper) - The Chaser Annual The Election Chaser - CNNNN - The Chaser Decides Cirque du Chaser - Chaser News Alert - The Chaser's War on Everything Today Today - Bloody Sunday - Chas and Dom

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