Enough Rope
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Enough Rope with Andrew Denton (or simply Enough Rope) is a television talk show broadcast on the ABC network in Australia. The title of the show comes from the phrase "Give someone enough rope and they will hang themselves".
Enough Rope is the brainchild of Australian comedian, social critic, producer and media personality Andrew Denton. The hour long, commercial free chat show has aired since 2003. The show initially competed against the Nine Network's Micallef Tonight in the Monday 9:30pm timeslot, and critics have claimed that Enough Rope's high ratings forced Nine to axe their program. Throughout 2004 and 2005 Enough Rope continued to dominate, averaging well over a million viewers weekly.
Denton's meticulous research in interview preparation usually impresses his high profile guests. The show is often noted for its 'human' stories where everyday people share their extraordinary life stories. The show is essentially 'no frills', and is presented in front of a sizable live studio audience.
[edit] Famous Guests
Denton often flies to international destinations to conduct his interviews. Some of the high profile international guests have included former US President Bill Clinton, director Steven Spielberg, Al Gore, Bob Geldof, actor Antonio Banderas, Bono, Dr Jane Goodall and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
On a local level, comedian Dave Hughes opened up about what led him to give up alcohol and lifestyle television pioneer and Aussie icon Don Burke shed some light on the axing of his iconic show, Burke's Backyard. Enough Rope was at the centre of political controversy in 2005 as the result of a controversial interview with former ALP opposition leader Mark Latham which almost did not make it on to the air (Latham was also interviewed for Lateline). In addition to celebrities, Denton's interviewees have included people who have lived interesting lives or hold interesting professions, such as veterinarians, taxi drivers and diving instructors. An occasional feature of the show is "Show & Tell", in which Denton interviews members of the studio audience, who reveal interesting stories about themselves.
