The Melbourne International Comedy Festival
presents
The 11th Annual Great Debates


11th Annual Great Debate Tuesday 6th June 2000; 9:30pm
Saturday 15th April 2000 Audiencegnw-327debate 2
Arguing That: Love Makes The World Go Round
On Location Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)
Affirmative:
Rove McManus (C)Margaret SmithRoss Noble
Negative:
Paul McDermott (C)Julie McCrossinMikey Robbins
Mediator:Rod Quantock Result:Affirmative Win
Show Run-down:
- Intro by Rod Quantock
- Rove McManus Affirmative 1
- Paul McDermott Negative 1
- Margaret Smith Affirmative 2
- Julie McCrossin Negative 2
- Ross Noble Affirmative 3
- Mikey Robbins Negative 3
- Rove McManus Rebuttal - Affirmative
- Paul McDermott Rebuttal - Negative

11th Annual Great Debate Tuesday 13th June 2000; 9:30pm
Sunday 9th April 2000 Absentgnw-327debate 1
Arguing That: Bigger is Better
On Location Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)
Affirmative:
Judith Lucy (C)Dave O'NeilStewart Lee
Negative:
Paul McDermott (C)Jean KittsonBoothby Graffoe
Mediator:Julie McCrossin Result:Tie
Show Run-down:
- Intro by Julie McCrossin
- Judith Lucy Affirmative 1
- Paul McDermott Negative 1
- Dave O'Neil Affirmative 2
- Jean Kittson Negative 2
- Stewart Lee Affirmative 3
- Boothby Graffoe Negative 3
- Judith Lucy Rebuttal - Affirmative
- Paul McDermott Rebuttal - Negative
- Julie Scores
- § Still to see





GnW Great Debates

GnW Great Debate Tuesday 5th September 2000; 9:30pm
Saturday 12th August 2000 Audiencegnw-334debate 3
Arguing That: We Must Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
Affirmative:
Rove McManus (C)Corinne GrantJames O'Loghlin
Negative:
Paul McDermott (C)Julie McCrossinMikey Robbins
Mediator:Kerri-Anne Kennerly Result:Negative Win
Show Run-down:
- Kerri-Anne set up debate and intro teams
- Rove Affirmative 1
- Paul Negative 1
- Corinne Affirmative 2
- Julie Negative 2
- James Affirmative 3
- Mikey Negative 2
- Rove Rebuttal
  {fly in "smiley Face"}
- Paul Rebuttal
  {James voted off the island}
  {Paul graffitis the Smiley Face}
  {Rove flame thrower on Smiley Face}
  {Rove: "Smiley Face will always prevail" cues fireworks and backlight face}
- Kerri-Anne adjudicates (w/ audience)
- Kerri-Anne goodbye's/thank you's
- James All By Himself
Notes:
The finale of this debate was quite eventful, so a brief description follows:- Rove concludes his rebuttal by leaving us with a reminder of his argument: A large yellow Smiley Face (on a big grey backboard, which drops from the rafters). Paul, during his rebuttal, acts out a ballot to vote James "off the island" after his speech tended towards the opposition's (Paul's team) argument. Paul also gets paint brushes and paint, and graffitis the smiley face with black paint to resemble satan, and also paints "SATAN" on the affirmative team desk and "SANTA" on the negative team desk. Rove returns with a flame thrower and obliterates the smiley face (they need two takes for this bit...!), leaving a blackened backboard with the negative image of the smiley face. Rove cues fireworks in front and a backlight to shine throught the face, triumphantly saying "Smiley Face will always prevail". Up to this point from Rove coming out with the flame thrower was done twice, as the backlight didn't come on the first time, and the fire works on the sides were rather piss-weak. Also, some falling burning debris managed set the moderator's chair alight. John, sporting a CO2 extinguisher put debris out, but didn't notice the chair. Kerri_anne did, and quickly commandeered the extinguisher and put it out herself! The second take was a little less eventful, the smiley face wasn't re-graffitied though; and the backlight worked, but the fireworks didn't go off! (although the side one ended up going off during Rove's flame thrower attack)
- § Still to see


GnW Great Debate Tuesday 12th September 2000; 9:30pm
Saturday 26th August 2000 Audiencegnw-335debate 4
Arguing That: The Olympics Are Fools Gold
Affirmative:
James O'Loghlin (C)Kitty FlanaganMikey Robins
Negative:
Peter Berner (C)Gabby MilgateTony Squires
Mediator:Paul McDermott Result:Tie
Show Run-down:
  • Paul intros
      + Throws boomerang & lights cauldron
    - James O'Loghlin Affirmative 1
    - Peter Berner Negative 1
    - Kitty Flanagan Affirmative 2
      + Photos on monitor
    - Gabby Milgate Negative 1
      + twirling ribbons on sticks
    - Gabby Milgate Shine On
      + fireworks & gold glitter
    		•  - Mikey Robins Affirmative 3
    - Tony Squires Negative 3
    - James O'Loghlin Affirmative Rebuttal
      + Olympic rings from desks
    - Peter Berner Negative Rebuttal
      + throws meat into BBQ
      + Paul (& audience) Advance Australia Fair
    - Paul McDermott Adjudicates with audience
      + thank you's and goobye's
    Notes:
    - Kitty
    - § Still to see


    GnW Great Debate Tuesday October 2000; 9:30pm
    Saturday 26th August 2000 Audiencegnw-334debate 5
    Arguing That: Science Should Get Out Of My Genes
    Affirmative:
    Paul McDermott (C)Jean KittsonDave Hughes
    Negative:
    Adam Spencer (C)Julie McCrossinRod Quantock
    Mediator:Richard Fidler Result:Negative Win
    Show Run-down:
    Notes:
    - Rod Quantock had apparently written his speech for the wrong argument (somehow confusing the double negative). He didn't discover it until it was too late (just before the show), and so he ad-libbed his part. He started his speech clutching a cordless microphone at the lecturn, and soon came down into the audience. He asked the occupation of the entire front row, which was probably not initially intended, but as every single one except the last person responded they were a student! He stopped when came across a woman who was a nurse. He went back to the stage for more of his "speech", but on the subject of being able to choose attributes of your children, he came back down and sat in with the audience. He introduced the two people on either side of him, Michael (aka Wally) and Annemarie. As well as askning their occupations (surprise, surprise, students!), Rod asked Annemarie what attributes she would pick about her children if she were able to. Not getting much of a response, Rod soon returned to the stage.
    - Paul's rebuttal involved some pre-planned audience participation. On entering, the audience were given a photo of Paul's face on a stick (in colour, although some of the people at the back only got black & white). Paul explained this to the audience at the main door tot he studio just before they were let in that they were to be put in front of their faces on the cue "Look at the world we have created"
    - § Still to see


    GnW Great Debate Tuesday 17th October 2000; 9:30pm
    Saturday 7th October 2000 Audiencegnw-335debate 6
    Arguing That: Sex is Never Safe
    Affirmative:
    Paul McDermott (C)Julie McCrossinMikey Robins
    Negative:
    Adam Hills (C)Gretel KilleenJustin Melvey
    Mediator:Sophie Lee Result:Negative Win
    Show Run-down:
    Notes:
    - § Still to see


    GnW Great Debate Tuesday 7th November 2000; 9:30pm
    Saturday 7th October 2000 Audiencegnw-300debate 7
    Arguing That: Gambling is Good For You
    Affirmative:
    James O'Loghlin (C)Julie McCrossinVince Sorrenti
    Negative:
    Adam Spencer (C)Sen. Natasha Stott DespojaRhys Muldoon
    Mediator:Paul McDermott Result:Negative Win
    Show Run-down:
    Notes:
    - § Still to see