Some of our photos from our screening of Starstruck at Sydney Underground Film Festival 2026.
300 people turned out to see the 1982 movie and there was no shortage of tutus visible. Even a kangaroo suit!
Download your free 2026/2027 Starstruck calendar for you to print out any size you like.
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The greatest Australian movie musical of 1982 featuring a tutu, a cockatoo and Max Cullen, was a huge hit when we presented it at Sydney Underground Film Festival on Saturday.
300 people over 2 cinemas turned out to laugh and sing along to Gilliam Armstrong’s Starstruck, a film rarely screened in recent decades.
Plenty of Starstruck enthusiasts turned out in costumes, there was even a kangaroo suit, in tribute to the famous kangaroo suit Jackie Mullins peels off during her first song (Temper Temper) at The Lizard Lounge, which was externally played by Bondi Pavilion.
Then we all danced to the long deleted Starstruck soundtrack album afterwards for an hour or so before we had to shush up, as the next film was starting at the festival and we didn’t want any trouble. We are like that.
As well as many of the songs off the soundtrack, the sounds of 1982 and adjacent were heard and danced too. I also included music from our previously featured movie masterpieces Can’t Stop The Music and Xanadu.
To pump up the greatest Australian cinematic musical of 1982, STARSTRUCK, on the big screen again after all these years, download your free 15 month calendar.
Suitable for your share house or your harbourside pub, it runs from October 2026 to the end of 2027.
You can boldly print it as large as A3 or as a more discreet A6. Enjoy 15 months of this colourful neon soaked spectacular. Richard Saunders spent time going cross eyed designing a fitting tribute to an unforgettable part of Australian cinematic history. That somehow often gets forgotten.
Simply download it from the link below and print it any size you like:
Download Starstruck calendar 2026/2027
Enjoy! I hope to see many of you at the Starstruck screening and after party on 12 September as part of the 2026 Sydney Underground Film Festival. https://www.suff.com.au/starstruck
Starstruck is a movie to be celebrated every day of the year. “Be what you like, like what you be. It’s no dream.”
I’m beyond excited to reveal we are screening STARSTRUCK in 4K for the Sydney Underground Film Festival this year.
STARSTRUCK from 1982 is one of my favourite Australian films, although it is rarely (if ever) on television and hasn’t been available on DVD for over 20 years.
The Sydney Underground Film Festival is at The Factory in Marrickville. STARSTRUCK will be screened on Saturday, 12 September at 3pm.
I will be awarding lo-fi but unique prizes before the screening for the best outfits, and DJ-ing afterwards in the courtyard bar.
“Be who you like, like who you be.”
If you came to last year’s Xanadu screening, you know we encourage singing and dancing, so bop along to Starstruck in what will be the most shamelessly colourful cinema celebration in Sydney. Dress up like it’s 1982 or pick a character from the film: Jackie, Angus, Ice Cream Girl or Max Cullen as the dressing gown wearing Reg. Maybe it’s time to break out that tutu you’ve got there.
Tickets are limited, as are the people who really get into this film. There is nothing quite like sharing the enjoyment of a unique film with a cinema full of exuberant like-minded individuals. This will be fun, tutu or no tutu! Probably don’t bring a live cockatoo though, that wouldn’t work out well.
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Dr Cara Santa Maria has been with The Skeptics Guide To The Universe podcast for over 11 years now. Along with the rest of the crew, she recently visited Sydney, Australia for NotACon, hosted by SGU and Australian Skeptics. The three day skeptical festival was full of science and science adjacent antics.
During a break in the last night of the show, I was lucky to catch Cara, who is a clinical health psychologist, science communicator, podcaster, and Emmy Award-winning journalist. She has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in 2025 in the Patient and Family Support Program at the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center. She also holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology, an M.S. in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience, and a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy.
So obviously I started by asking her about Devo ..
Our conversation ranged from advertising on podcasts to being a public figure, and we even speculate on how much George Michael will be played by George Hrab at the 80s Singalong grand finale at NotACon.
Also we discover Cara’s height in the newly discovered German metric measurement of the Zentimeter. Breaking news: she’s 165,000 Zentimeters.
Skeptics Guide To The Universe website
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Sunday Afternoon Fever, Triple J live to air 15th November 1992 and I’m heavily celebrating International Village People Day.
We had original Village People members David Hodo (Construction Worker) and Felipe Rose (Native American) live in the studio to take listeners’ questions and take some Polaroid photos with me … which were the prizes later in the show for Maynard’s Mastermind, we were that cheap.
The people at home are sitting there thinking – “Tonight, I want to see something cheap and vulgar.”
David Hodo -Village People
Some of the questions for David and Felipe included:
John (Adelaide) – Why a construction worker?
James (Sydney) – Why is David’s nickname “Scar”?
Caroline (Perth) – Is Glenn Hughes’ (Leatherman) back as hairy as his chest?
Marissa (Sydney) – Do they have any costumes to wear in front of their friends?
Caroline (Melbourne) – “Village People are the best band in the world ever!”
Elvis (Gold Coast) – Remake Blue Hawaii with Village People.
Mrs Fred Sinatra has gone missing at the Sands Casino buffet in Las Vegas, so I call them to see if I can find her.
This show featured a lot of technical trouble with the new Poul Kirk digital audio desks that were installed throughout the Ultimo ABC at that time. We had to reboot (which took between 5-7 minutes) two or three times during the live broadcast, which meant moving to another studio briefly, then back again to maintain continuity. I really did miss broadcasting from Triple J’s William St Sydney studios. We rarely experienced technical issues as often there. Except when Micheal Tunn spilt cola into the desk. But that only happened once…
Lance and The Hollywood Kids dish the very 1992 Tinsel Town gossip (Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Alladdin, Jack Nicholson, U2 & the Madonna Sex book).
While listeners Michelle (North Ryde), Julian (Newcastle) & Peter Young a current Patreon supporter (Castle Hill) play Maynard’s Mastermind. This week it was top to bottom Village People questions.
Movie man Peter Castaldi reviews Can’t Stop The Music and the 1992 releases Honeymoon In Vegas and the final ever Carry On movie with Julian Clary, Carry On Columbus.
Village People live at Hordern Pavillion in Sydney 1980 (actually recorded by Triple J)
Lene Lovich live in Sydney, 1985 (recorded by Triple J)
Listen to all of What’s Rangoon To You Is Grafton To Me
But what did you play on the show Maynard? Here is a list for ya!.
Village People – Macho Man (Live)
Def Fx – Surfers Of The Mind
Cure – Friday I’m In Love
Lene Lovich – Lucky Number (Recorded live 1983 by Triple J)
Single Gun Theory – From A Million Miles (Recorded live by Triple j)
Ratcat – Holiday (Recorded live by Triple J)
The Rutles – Goosestep Mama
Shonen Knife – Goosestep Mama
L7 – Pretend We’re Dead
Hoodoo Gurus – Come Anytime
Divinyls – I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
Shamen – Boss Drum (Beatmasters Mix)
Big Tuna – Normie Vs Casey (Demo)
Swing Out Sister – Am I The Same Girl?
Soft Hard – Take A Walk On The Wild Side (Cantonese)
Baby Animals – Impossible To Fly
Stray Cats – Elvis On Velvet
Custard – Bedford
Village People – YMCA (Live)
The Sharp – Talking Shy
Was (Not Was) – Shake Your Head
A.L.T. & The Lost Civilization – Tequila
Bananarama – Movin’ On
Sultans Of Ping – Where’s Me Jumper?
Betty Boo – I’m On My Way
Madonna – Fever
Stereo MC’s – Connected
Village People – Can’t Stop The Music
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Utah Saints -Something Good
Duran Duran – Rio
Village People – Spend The Night (partial)
Village People – Diet (partial)
Village People – Milkshake
Village People – Spare My Balls (live)
Village People – Trash Disco (live)
Four Seasons – Oh, What A Night
The Popinjays – Too Jung
Frente! – Accidentally Kelly Street
May May – Life’s A Test
Fantastic Planet – Carry On Columbus
Dwight Yoakam – Suspicious Minds
Utah Saints – Something Good
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
Village People – San Fransisco (You Got Me)
Top tunes on International Village People Day, or anytime for that matter.
Special thanks to the work of Anne Marie my Producer and all Triple J in 1992.
More Sunday Afternoon Fever – Sunday Afternoon Fever – The Death of The Reels
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Sunday Afternoon Fever, Triple J live to air on 14 November 1993 and what a line up! Dannii Minogue is back in Australia, engaged to Julian McMahon, and she has a new album to play us. Denis Leary is chuffed with the success of his No Cure For Cancer album and his song Asshole, which SAF was the first to play in Australia. I’m especially proud of that one.
Dannii Minogue
“When people say to me ‘I don’t like Kylie’s music’, I think, I’m her sister you know.”
Mrs Sinatra in Las Vegas has a new cordless speaker phone. Micheal Idato at the Mirror newspaper wanted to know who gave Ann-Maree Cooksley her job at Channel 9, so I rang them and asked. Lance and The Hollywood Kids share some very 1993 gossip about Heather Locklear and Johnny Depp.
More about Dannii Minogue’s Get Into You album.
We announce the 9 runners up and the winner of Sit Next To Maynard at Madonna Contest and play the Madonna soundalike entries we received. Thanks to Jaynie Edwards (Perth), Carolyn Hull (Bassendean, Perth), Lewis Payton and Rachael Wood (Subiaco, Perth), Kay Richards (Gorokan, NSW), Vivian and Rosie (Pascoe Vale, Melbourne), Caitlin Yeo (Earlwood, Sydney), runner up Nick Yankovic (Marino, Adelaide) for his polka rendition of Like a Virgin and the winner Eirinn Johnson (Northbridge, Perth) for his high Baroque interpretation of Erotic.
Richard Kingsmill drops by to spin some Revolting Cocks.
Listeners Ainsley (Melbourne), Kirren (Kardinya, Perth) and Jason (Brisbane) play Maynard’s Mastermind testing their Minogue family knowledge. Questions were prepared by the researcher for the show, Justine.
Crappy New Releases feature Desi Arnaz and The Muppets.
We even hear the start of the film show that followed Sunday Afternoon Fever at 6pm, Creatures Of The Spotlight with Peter Castaldi and Lawrie Zion.
But what tracks will we hear from the show Maynard? Here’s a list smarty bum.
Salt-N-Pepa – Shoop
The Wonder Stuff – Caught In My Shadow
The Models – Preacher From The Black Lagoon
The Cure – Hello, I Love You
Urge Overkill – Positive Bleeding
Die Screaming Lederhosens – Dog Pound Hop (Ren & Stimpy Theme)
Weird Al Yankovic – Bedrock Anthem
Captain Coco – The Three Little Bops
The Beloved – Outer Space Girl
M People – Movin’ On Up
Denis Leary – Asshole
Denis Leary – Voices In My Head
New Order – Regret
Barefoot (Rowan Smith) – Baby (You Got in the Way)
Madonna – Hanky Panky
Kate Bush – Eat The Music
Dannii Minogue – Be Careful
Dannii Minogue – Get Into You
Kylie Minogue – Shocked (DNA Mix)
Rage Against The Machine – Killing In The Name
Pet Shop Boys – Go West
The Revolting Cocks – Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? (Rod Stewart cover)
Jenny Morris – Price I Pay (Billy Bragg cover)
The Other Two (Gillian and Stephen from New Order) – Selfish
Dennis Walter – The Ship Song (Nick Cave cover)
Caligula – Tears Of A Clown
ABBA – Lay All Your Love On Me (Ben Liebrand remix)
Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
Every song a winner!
Special thanks to the work of Anne Marie as Producer, Justine Lynch and all Triple J in 1993.
More Sunday Afternoon Fever – Sunday Afternoon Fever – Caligula 21.3.1993
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Triple J live to air 18th April 1993 and despite the ARIA awards being on the Wednesday, it seemed the Australian music industry was still missing in action on Sunday Afternoon Fever as I brought to Australia everyone that would talk to me on the night, from the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
Multiple interviews from artists and audience members during the 1993 ARIA after party. (no recorders allowed during the actual show, remember when that was a thing?)
Hear from Ash from Caligula, Andy Glitre, Boom Crash Opera, Glen A Baker, Elle McFeast, D-Gen, Mick Molloy, Jane Kennedy, The Rockmelons, Ray Medhurst, Johnny Diesel, Kate Cebrano, Crowded House and more…
Lance and The Hollywood Kids dish the very 1993 Tinsel Town gossip (Johnny Depp has bought a nightclub). While listeners Matt (Perth), Amy (Adelaide) & Jason Strong (Wannaroo, WA) play Maynard’s Mastermind. This week it was random music clip questions prepared by the newly promoted senior researcher for the show Justine.
Crappy New Releases from Kim Carnes and Eddie Murphy.
But what tunes did you play on the show Maynard? Here is a list I still stand by.
Utah Saints – New Gold Dream
Shaggy – Oh Carolina
Tom Jones – Help Yourself (Live in Las Vegas)
Hummingbirds – If A Vow
Def Fx – Feels Good
Snow – Informer
Tlot Tlot – Mothers Fluid
Yothu Yindi – Sunset Dreaming (Reckless Kelly soundtrack remix)
Barry Manilow – Copacabana (1993 remix)
Belly – Feed The Tree
The Church – Under The Milky Way
Rob Clarkson – The Sphinx, The Parthenon & Me
Headless Chickens – Juice
Nits – Soap Bubble Box
Mixed Relations – Aboriginal Woman
Steven Wright – Bizarre Airways
Heaven 17 – Penthouse & Pavement
Boom crash Opera – In The Morning
Pee Wee Herman – The Girl On The Flying Trapeze
Single Gun Theory – From a Million Miles
Right Said Fred – Stick It Out (Red Nose Day single)
Digable Planets – Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
Caligula – I.C.U
Rockmelons – Form One Planet (1993 remix)
James Taylor Quartet – Love The Life (1993 remix)
The Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything
Cleopatra Wong – Baby For You
Ween – Push The Little Daises
St Etienne – Your In A Bad Way
Swamp Zombies – Creeps
Elektric Music – Baby Come Back
Clip Clop Club – Rabbit Shootin’
Just A Gigolo – David Lee Roth
Top tunes!
Special thanks to the work of Anne Marie the Producer, Justine Lynch and all Triple J in 1993.
More Sunday Afternoon Fever – Sunday Afternoon Fever, Melbourne Comedy Festival 1993.
With the tragic passing of James Valentine, I thought it was time to finally get the reel of video tape he gave me in 1987 digitised.
The Australian Television Archive did a great job on the 39 year old tape. Brought to life in (1987) broadcast quality.
Turns out James put 7 segments of “Mayhem With Maynard” on this open reel 1 inch video tape.
The Planet Maynard Patreons paid for the digitisation, so they get first look at the segments over the next month. Then I’ll put them up here or on my YouTube channel.
James Valentine was certainly the consummate professional here. Always holding the show together no matter what was going on.
“Mayhem With Maynard” was on across James’s tenure hosting The Afternoon Show (1987-1990) with even a “Dare Maynard” segment that usually resulted in me getting messy or hurt.
Sorry, I don’t know where those tapes are.
You’ll see them turn up on this page over the next month sometime.
With the tragic passing of James Valentine, I thought it was time to finally get the reel of video tape he gave me in 1987 digitised.
The Australian Television Archive did a great job on the 39 year old tape. Brought to life in (1987) broadcast quality.
Turns out James put 7 segments of “Mayhem With Maynard” on this open reel 1 inch video tape, for which few players remain around Australia.
The Planet Maynard Patreons paid for the digitisation, so they get first look at the segments over the next month. Then I’ll put them up for all to see either here or on my Youtube channel.
James Valentine was certainly the consummate professional here. Always holding the show together no matter what was going on.
“Mayhem With Maynard” was on across James’s tenure hosting The Afternoon Show (1987-1990) with even a “Dare Maynard” segment that usually resulted in me getting messy or hurt.
Sorry, I don’t know where those tapes are.
Patreons enjoy! Everyone else, you’ll see them next month sometime.
