If you’re new to this type of post: it’s plenty of different topic slices on the plate that usually add up to a full meal (or in this case full length post.) Today we celebrate the streaming show Rake, a live concert I wish I’d been in the crowd for and something something millennials and OnlyFans.
Previously, on One Man Many Plans Bits N Pizzas..
Episode 1 – The price of coffee, missing cars and people trying to break into this very blog
Episode 2 – Bitcoin, car shows and the Google Algorithm.
Episode 3 – Mazdas, missing scripts and living choices
But today we start with Rake.
No not a rake for raking things up, but Richard Roxburghs truly exceptional portrayal of a dodgy criminal lawyer going completely off the rails and all the crazy adventures along the way. And like The Moodys, Upper Middle Bogan and Aftertaste, here’s another fantastic Australian production that I’ve managed to sleep on, well and truly missing the party where I’ve turned up long after everyone celebrating it when it aired has now moved onto other shows.
Yes I struggle to recall exactly what I was up to back in 2010 when Rake first aired on the ABC (I may have seen a promo for an episode from one of the seasons and completely glossed over it? Not sure) but I can remember not sitting down to give it a go back then which is a shame, because I’m loving it now.
But thanks to whoever in camp Netflix’s acquisition department decided to give it a run, now I have all seasons and episodes at my finger tips ready to catch up on what I’ve been missing out on. Which at this point in time is roughly an episode a night as a treat before bed.
And this truly is a show where it’s a sum of its parts – Richard is phenomenal as main character Cleaver Greene and just about steals every scene as soon as he opens his mouth to speak or uses a quirky mannerism to react to something said. He’s quick, he’s sharp, he’s a million miles an hour when coke is involved, he’s dodgy, slimy and self centred but he’s also caring in his unique way. There’s plenty to loathe but the bits to love get stronger as his crazy world gets crazier (and occasionally darker.)
But it’s the brilliant supporting Rake cast caught up in his world of chaos that makes him a such a killer character and this show really shine. The adventures of Melissa/Missy, Scarlett and Barny, his ex wife Wendy and son Fuzz, his opponent David Potter and assorted slime balls and their mishaps all add up to incredible tales. I watched boring Barny find himself finally and come alive only to continually fall foul to Cleavers chaos, Fuzz and his various girlfriend made me chuckle like an idiot (when he turned into his dad was equally hilarious), you also come to appreciate Potter and what he goes through even though he wants to make Cleaver’s life a misery – they’re all played so incredibly well.
And then there’s the familiar faces that pop up, a veritable who’s who of Australian TV. Damien Garvey is terrific as the uber slimy Cal McGregor. Robyn Malcolm (who was incredible in the NZ After the Party) is a hoot as gangster Kristy. I cheered when I saw the once Terry Moody (Darren Gilshenan sans moustache) pop up in an episode, Lisa McCune was awesome in her spot as was Magda Szubanski and Roy Billing (how good was he in Jack Irish!!)
I may be late here, but I’m loving it so it really is a case of better late than never!
Rake is currently streaming on Netflix. I’m talking about the Australian version and given how good it is, I don’t think the US version could hold a candle to it.
Build me a time machine..
…and take me back to 2012. More specifically, take me back to that year and the time that group Hooverphonic created absolute magic performing live at Queen Elizabeth Hall in Belgium, accompanied with an orchestra. Because like episodes of Rake above, I’ve been consuming the excellent work of this brilliant Belgian group at an absolute rapid rate.
I’ve got their live songs on my phone (is there a Hooverphonic concert coming soon to Australia? Count me in!), I’ve been blowing up their work on Spotify and now I’m at the point where YouTube has witnessed me watching so much of this Hooverphonic concert on repeat, it’s recommending absolutely anything and everything HP related (no not Harry Potter) every time I log in.
There’s just something about this live groove that sucks me right in (and obviously the crowd) each and every time I hit play. Maybe it’s Noemie’s captivating and so sultry delivery in everything she croons (she’s absolutely fascinating and I can’t get enough of her voice), maybe it’s the enthralled audience getting right into each and every song, perhaps it’s Alex Callier making the bass look like the coolest instrument on the planet.
Hell, it could be the worlds happiest orchestra conductor having living his best life ever with this jam:
Seriously, if I could wake up half as happy as he looks here, I’d be dominating this world in a heartbeat. The man truly loves his job.
Previously I was love the live Hooverphonic tracks One Two Three, the classic Mad About You and The World is Mine but now that I’ve delved a little deeper and certainly appreciating the thumping bass line and captivating grooves of Jackie Cain and the emotional cover of Massive Attack’s Unfinished Symphony.
So much to love and appreciate here – sigh, if only there was a Belgium bound time machine with 2012 set on the clock…
Finally if I had a dollar…
…for every time I’ve seen a clickbait headline this year alone along the lines of ‘Millennial buys house in innovative way’ or ‘Find out how she built her property portfolio..’ and instantly thought the answer is probably Onlyfans then I’d have roughly five bucks. Not enough for a decent take away coffee but hey, five bucks is five bucks and I’m happy I’m correct at least five times this year.
Oh and in case you’re thinking I have a problem with Milennials making money this way to earn the staggering amounts needed to buy a house currently in Australia? Absolutely not. Normal jobs are pushing poo up hill with cost of living at the moment. They’re now catering to a market that obviously enjoys the content they’re producing so much, they’re throwing truckloads of money at it. Everybody needs a hobby or I guess in this aspect, an outlet.
If only my non nude content creation paid half as much. Or even a little bit.
What I’m completely over seeing is articles on sites such as news.com.au where they’re pretending that selling sex is something new and ground breaking and that good golly miss molly, can you believe this is happening?
Hello journo and welcome to 2024. Are you new here to the internet by chance? A lack of clothing with the odd bit of horizontal polka has been a corner of the internet ever since we plugged in a 56k modem and counted down the beeps before the computer internet handshake.
What I’d like to see instead are more articles revealing how many millennials are having to turn to flashing their bits on OnlyFans to be able to afford the astronomical house prices at the moment because that should be where any particular outrage here should be directed. Not at the fact they’re doing it, more why they’re having to do it.
Hell I’m 44 with my clothes still on, making more money than ever before in my media career and still I wouldn’t be close to landing a home loan that would net my family of four a comfortable enough home with current prices. So it’s back to renting currently until:
- This country sorts itself out (before my kids move out would be ideal)
- We win Powerball. Unlikely but still
- My own OnlyFans takes off. One Man Many Fans? It’s a work in progress.
Sigh. Back to Hooverphonic and Rake then while I wait. Thanks for reading though.
EDIT: IT’S STILL HAPPENING
I’m really starting to wonder if News.com.au is getting some kind of kickback every time they run an article about OnlyFans? Because a few days later after publishing this latest Bits N Pizzas..
