Voting has opened for this year’s Logie awards and plenty of talent with links to Canberra is in contention.
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The fields are wide open at the moment until final nominees are announced on March 31.
But public voting will ultimately determine who is on the short list and who gets the Silver Logies in the most popular categories and the Holy Grail, the Gold Logie, for the most popular personality on Australian television.
Former Canberra Girls Grammar student Samara Weaving is in the running for Most Popular Actress for her role in Home and Away.
The field for Most Popular Actor is crowded with former Canberrans.
Among those with more than a good chance is former Kambah resident and St Edmund’s College old boy Matt Le Nevez who sent many an Offspring fan into meltdown when his character, the doomed Dr Patrick Reid, was killed off.
Former Hawker College student Rhys Muldoon is in the running for his role in House Husbands and ex-Marist College student Patrick Brammall could get a nomination for his work in both Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story and Upper Middle Bogan.
Former Weston Creek resident Matthew Evans is a contender in the Most Popular Presenter category for his series about food and life in Tasmania, Gourmet Farmer, which is also recognised in Most Popular Lifestyle Program. Evans is a former Stirling College student who was a chef at The Republic restaurant in the mid-1990s.
Timomatic, ex Narrabundah College, has been recognised in the Most Popular New Talent category for his judging role on Australia’s Got Talent. Also in contention for Most Popular New Talent is Paul West, who we will claim because his series River Cottage Australia is filmed at Central Tilba on the South Coast. It’s been a big year for West, with the cooking series also a possibility for Most Popular Lifestyle Program.
And Annabel Crabb is a possibility for Most Popular Presenter for Kitchen Confidential which is also a contender in the Most Popular Light Entertainment Program, the show revealing another side to our federal politicians.
The 56th Logie Awards will be presented in Melbourne on April 27. Vote for your favourite at http://www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au/. Voting closes on March 2.
Anniversary celebrations set to shock and oar
2014 will be a big year for a Canberra icon and a Canberra institution.
It will be 50 years since Lake Burley Griffin was filled (in April, 1964) and officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies (in October, 1964) and 50 years since the Canberra Rowing Club was founded (on May 1, 1964).
The Canberra Rowing Club kicks off its celebrations on Sunday with an informal gathering at the club’s boatshed in Yarralumla Bay where a retro dress code will give a big nod to its 1960s beginnings.
Plenty of other events are planned over the course of the year including a 50th anniversary ball at the National Portrait Gallery on May 10.
Among those celebrating the anniversary on Sunday will be foundation member Alex Leitch, 72, of Page, who was a young plasterer when he joined the Canberra Rowing Club. He was in the stroke seat of the club’s four which won the first ever ACT regatta.
‘‘I’ve made friends I’ve had all these years,’’ he said.
Mr Leitch later worked in the buildings and grounds section at the Australian National University. He still rows every day, cycling from his home, but now with the Black Mountain Rowing Club.
Canberra’s All Star line-up sells out
No surprises here. The Doug Anthony All Stars have sold out their only two shows at the Canberra Comedy Festival.
Paul McDermott and Tim Ferguson are reuniting and, in the absence of third member, Richard Fidler, will be joined by Paul ‘‘Flacco’’ Livingston.
The trio started busking in Garema Place in 1984 and McDermott promises that in their 30th anniversary year “despite the cruel vicissitudes of age, we intend to bring joy to the masses’’.
“Canberra is our heartland, our homeland, and the birthplace of the All Stars,” he said. “It was on the muddled pavers of Garema Place that we honed our craft, sang beautifully, prattled on about politics and battled earnest Christians for busking glory. It’s great news that our shows have sold out at the Canberra Comedy Festival.’’
McDermott, perhaps best known for his role as host of Good News Week, recalls the All Stars’ proclivity for dark comedy.
“It was Petrie Plaza where I was set alight, in a garbage bin, in the name of comedy, while pretending to be Joan of Arc. Those were good times, stupidly funny and often dangerous.”
The Canberra Comedy Festival runs from March 4 to 9, with more than 50 shows. For those that missed out on the Doug Anthony All Stars anniversary shows, the only chance to see them will be at the Opening Night Gala on March 4 alongside comedians Tom Gleeson, Sammy J, Jeff Green, Urzila Carlson, and Matt Okine. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit: www.canberracomedyfestival.com.au
Winning bidders tee off on Marshall
Craig Miller of Granite Transformations in Fyshwick was the successful bidder for a round of golf this week with retired Wallabies and Brumbies legend George Gregan, former All Blacks star Justin Marshall and Canberra golfer Brendan Jones.
Miller paid $5000 for the private round at Royal Canberra Golf Course on Thursday. The auction on allbids.com.au was in support of Canberra Grammar School’s Northside Early Childhood campus, organised by Jones.
Miller was able to take four mates - Gary Bodman, George Panagakis, Graham Potts and Richard Tindale.
We heard Marshall seemed to struggle on the course and his fellow players weren’t sure if it was from the jetlag due to the flight from New Zealand as he claimed (that haul across the Tasman Sea can be a real killer you know) or the 3am finish the morning of the tee off at 7am.
Thomas More Parish’s 50th speaker for 50 years
Still more anniversaries.
Established in 1964, St Thomas More Parish in Campbell is celebrating its golden jubilee throughout 2014.
The anniversary year will be launched at a mass on Sunday at 11am celebrated by Canberra’s new Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse.
The St Thomas More Forum, which has attracted many a high-profile speaker since it started in 2005, will also have its 50th speaker during the year. It’s TBA but perhaps Prime Minister Tony Abbott could take the prestigious spot, as he was also the first speaker back in 2005.
What’s on
♦ The Brumbies Meet the Players Day is on Sunday from 10am to 1pm at the University of Canberra No. 1 Oval, at the end of Allawoona Street, Bruce. Meet the playing squad and coaches. A jumping castle, face painting, sausage sizzle and Brumby Jack will also be there.
♦ Dendy Cinemas Canberra has advance screenings this weekend of Oscar bait Dallas Buyers Club starring Matthew McConaughey. It’s on Saturday and Sunday at 12.4pm in the traditional cinema and 11.15am in the premium lounge. The official release is February 13.
♦ A Valentines Day Meet and Greet Singles Night will be held at the Kremlin Bar, 65 Northbourne Avenue, from 7.30pm. It’s part of fundraising efforts for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. For tickets email kedwards@cerebralpalsy.org.au or call 6258 3200.
♦ Canberra’s own Timomatic will be performing at the Tuggeranong Hyperdome on Saturday at 11am. Kulture Break will also perform.