Catalyst Article, June 2000
(RMIT Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Student Magazine)
Transcript:
Ode to... It's a Knockout -- that's the name of my game!
by Catherine Davis
"It's a Knockout" stands out in my mind as one of the definitive stages in my childhood. Without a doubt, the simplicity of sitting in the loungeroom watching IAK with my family, is such a warming , wholesome image to me and reminds me of all that was good with the world in the eighties.
As I've said before, albeit tongue in cheek, "It's a Knockout brought my family together." But it literally did!
Yes, my enthusiasm sounds over the top at first really, I was about 6 or 7 years old at the time, the youngest and I was dubbed 'your twerpship'. My statud within the family unit may not have been high, but at least when Sunday night came around, (at a time when TV was the be all and end all of my social calendar and the viewing schedule was cemented from 'Who's the Boss' Mondays to 'Growing Pains' Wednesdays, and throw in the standard 'Degrassi High'), I was accepted into the united Davis support team for all that was VICTORIA!
The family spirit was cherished and nurtured my IAK until one fateful night when my rebellious brother (who'd already defected from Sydney Swans to Carlton) unexpectedly began to barrack for Queensland! After that night it was never really the same, people developing soft spots for other States in certain episodes.
And the united VICTORIA front was tainted forever once the legendary "Super Frog" from South Australia burst onto the scene with such brilliance, agility and flare that he had to be admired, even adored by the Davis'.
Lovers of IAK will always have their own favourite games and celebrities. What I like to remember is often the small things.
How the water was always have tinted with food dye according to each state's colour and how it was measured in non specific units of measurement.
The red foam balls on the ends of Billy J. Smith's and Fiona MacDonald's microphones.
The perfectly moulded loaves that ended up floating in the pool after "Bet Your Loaf".
The many pontoons.
And the piercing noise of the hooters.
As for my favourite games, I honestly can't distinguish between many, because memory fails me and I truly loved them all. But for arguments' sake, it was the Frankenstein chasing Alice in Wonderland game that put me on edge and involved me the most. Squealing with excitement when Frankenstein bore down on the contestant, gettin gcloser and closer and closer until falling over his feet to lay the tackle. It was the same with Head Hunter and waiting for the carboard knives to pop the balloon heads. Watching the Dogs scramble to find their bone in the hay stacks amused my no end also!
When they took "It's a Knockout" off the air they killed some of my childhood spirit, something Sunday nights with Larry Emdur and "The Main Event" could never replace! So, when 13 years later we at the Catalyst office found an internet site devoted to the good ol' "IAK", part of me was reborn, and the thrill of the late Ricky May's bubbly skat singing will now never again fade from my mind. Channel Ten may never put IAK back on air but it shall forever live on in the wierd and wonderful World Wide Web. Three cheers Andrew Gray!
IT'S A KNOCKOUT On the Web
that's the name of my game!
http://www.geocities.com/its_a_knockout
Andrew Gray's brilliant invention -- He tells CATALYST why...
Why an IT'S A KNOCKOUT web site and what's on it?
It's a Knockout was an exciting, non-threatening show, universal in its appeal for families and was very very wacky! The novelty of ordinary people doing extraordinarily weird events was certainly engaging as a kid. Being able to barrack for Victoria was also a highlight. It was a favourite show of my brother Thomas and I at the time, (he was 6, I was 9) and together we amassed a great memory of the show's details -- we were great enthusiasts like Eddie McGuire is to football!
Initially I wanted to learn how to create a web page but wanted to make sure I came up with something original and worthwhile and not just the same net garbage. The net seemed to have everything, except It's a Knockout. IAK has a lot of fans out there and the potential to not waste time on something unoriginal appealed to me. Plus of course a web site was a great way for me to start a push to put It's a Knockout back on television!
The site is basically a tribute site containing information on IAK's past events, competitors, archives of results, records of others' memories of IAK, photo galleries; plus a lot of commentary. I've actually only seen about 20-30% of the hundred odd episodes, so my info is enhanced by helpful fellow surfers' contributions of results and favourite events, that I constantly update the site with.
What was IT'S A KNOCKOUT?
"It's a Knockout" was an Australian game show during the 1980's in which competitors (members of the public) participated in wacky games. The idea for the show was based on the European show "Jeux Sans Frontiers". Legend has it that the original was founded by Charles De Gaulle as a medium for reolving international disputes without resorting to wars. The wackiness of the events made for greatly entertaining viewing. Filmed in NSW at Dural, West Sydney from 1985-1987, IAK was hosted by Billy J. Smith and Fiona MacDonald, accompanied by Combat the dog. Lots of games were based in pools or involved obstacle courses, water bombs, foam, pontoons, ropes, bizarre costumes, and many broken bones. Importantly, IAK raised money for charities and life saving clubs, which provided the competitors. A few past competitors have seen the site and e-mailed their approval and fond memories. There is hope that an interview with Billy J. Smith is on the cards for the site too.
Favourites...
As I barracked for Victoria, which consisted of many rural and suburban teams, (as did the other states that competed against each other) my favourite team was Portland though I have a soft spot for Nareen and Melbourne City. Frankston was one of the worst teams to grace the screens of IAK though!
Of the hundreds of events shown, I have to say that two stand out as my favourite, Telephone Call and Roman Wreckers. Telephone Call was a basic obstacle event involving paddling boats, climbing over hay bales and sudsy hills, up ropes and under hoops all to answer the phone to win. In Roman Wreckers the competitors had to build a temple from building blocks while the opposition catapaulted balls to knock it down. Such entertaining and exciting events had my family captivated, while cheering for the Vics and waiting for the best bits -- incidents of falling off pontoons, slipping on suds and heads of costumes falling off. Really, dressed in flippers and a penguin costume on a turntable trying to fill buckets of water you're asking for trouble!
For any fan of It's a Knockout you MUST check out this site and help put the brilliant show back on television for further generations to enjoy!
Back to IAK and The It's a Knockout Web in the Media
