Andy Lee is happy to admit he's riding on Bluey's coat tails
His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week.
Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off.
Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing.
In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show?
The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie.
The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan.
"I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing.
"I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today.
"It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting."
Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago.
"It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains.
"I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure.
"The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation."
Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions.
"I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says.
"I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!'
"The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it."
I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child.
"Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly.
"Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it.
"But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program."
We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her").
There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s.
"When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says.
"One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons.
"But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things."
The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs.
"That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great."
Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry.
"People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says.
"The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes.
Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason.
His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week.
Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off.
Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing.
In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show?
The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie.
The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan.
"I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing.
"I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today.
"It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting."
Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago.
"It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains.
"I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure.
"The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation."
Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions.
"I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says.
"I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!'
"The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it."
I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child.
"Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly.
"Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it.
"But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program."
We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her").
There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s.
"When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says.
"One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons.
"But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things."
The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs.
"That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great."
Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry.
"People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says.
"The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes.
Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason.
His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week.
Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off.
Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing.
In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show?
The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie.
The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan.
"I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing.
"I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today.
"It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting."
Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago.
"It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains.
"I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure.
"The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation."
Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions.
"I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says.
"I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!'
"The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it."
I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child.
"Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly.
"Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it.
"But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program."
We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her").
There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s.
"When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says.
"One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons.
"But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things."
The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs.
"That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great."
Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry.
"People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says.
"The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes.
Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason.
His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week.
Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off.
Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing.
In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show?
The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie.
The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan.
"I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing.
"I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today.
"It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting."
Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago.
"It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains.
"I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure.
"The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation."
Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions.
"I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says.
"I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!'
"The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it."
I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child.
"Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly.
"Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it.
"But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program."
We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her").
There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s.
"When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says.
"One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons.
"But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things."
The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs.
"That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great."
Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry.
"People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says.
"The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Channel Ten considered replacing The Project with new version of comedy show The Cheap Seats before settling on 10 News+
Channel Ten was considering replacing The Project with a comedy show called The Cheap Seats before abruptly pivoting and launching a revamped current affairs program instead. The Project's final episode, which ran for 90 minutes, aired on June 27 with panellists Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton, and Georgie Tunny signing off for the last time following years of declining ratings. However its replacement 10 News+ debuted last Monday with an underwhelming average national broadcast audience of 291,000 viewers. Promising "extended context and deeper reporting on the day's biggest stories", 10 News+ is anchored by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace from Sunday to Thursday, with Ursula Heger and Hugh Riminton on Friday. Viewership declined rapidly throughout the show's first week before plummeting to a low of 152,000 viewers by Friday. This represents a significant decrease of 139,000 viewers compared to Monday and, perhaps most worryingly for Ten, stands in stark contrast to the 478,000 people who tuned in to The Project's final episode. The network's top executives could well be kicking themselves for launching The Project's successor now after letting go of the alternative option, a trimmed-down, five-nights-a-week version of The Cheap Seats. The Cheap Seats is helmed by Ten's own Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald, who feature selected clips of the week's news and TV show accompanied by humorous commentary reminiscent of The Project. Ten's top brass, who favoured a new version of the comedy show, agreed it would inject some lightheartedness and levity into Ten's programs while still retaining viewers' familiarity with The Project. Yet, the decision flipped the other way, and Ten ultimately launched 10 News+ with a more serious news feel. The show inherited the first half of The Project's 6:30pm–7:30pm slot, but still, not everyone agrees. "They screwed that probably wasn't the right foundation for what was needed to triumph in that time slot," a Ten insider told Daily Mail Australia on Monday. "Everyone felt rushed. "It was clear the format wasn't ready, but they needed something fast to replace and justify the budget cuts." The Project's former panellists, Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar, left the show in 2022 amid reported budget cuts, criticism over the show's perceived "woke" left-wing bias, and declining viewership at Network Ten. The series' most well-known lineup was arguably Bickmore, Helliar, Waleed Aly and Hamish McDonald. In the end, the regular presenters included Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton, and Georgie Tunny, from Sunday through Friday. Bickmore since reprised her TV career by lending her voice to comedian Andy Lee's new children's series Do Not Watch This Show on ABC. Tunny meanwhile revealed she's staying with Network 10 as part of the new current affairs show.
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Andy Lee is happy to admit he's riding on Bluey's coat tails
Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason. His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week. Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off. Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing. In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show? The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie. The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan. "I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing. "I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today. "It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting." Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago. "It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains. "I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure. "The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation." Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions. "I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says. "I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!' "The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it." I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child. "Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly. "Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it. "But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program." We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her"). There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s. "When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says. "One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons. "But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things." The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs. "That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great." Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry. "People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says. "The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes. Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason. His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week. Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off. Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing. In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show? The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie. The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan. "I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing. "I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today. "It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting." Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago. "It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains. "I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure. "The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation." Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions. "I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says. "I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!' "The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it." I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child. "Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly. "Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it. "But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program." We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her"). There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s. "When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says. "One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons. "But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things." The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs. "That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great." Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry. "People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says. "The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes. Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason. His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week. Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off. Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing. In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show? The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie. The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan. "I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing. "I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today. "It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting." Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago. "It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains. "I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure. "The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation." Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions. "I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says. "I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!' "The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it." I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child. "Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly. "Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it. "But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program." We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her"). There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s. "When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says. "One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons. "But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things." The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs. "That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great." Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry. "People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says. "The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes. Andy Lee is chirpy, chatty and excited, and for good reason. His new animation series, based on a 10-year-old book he never intended to publish, premieres on ABC iview next week. Do Not Watch This Show is based on his best-selling book series Do Not Open This Book and stars Wizz, a blue monster who refuses to accept that he is the star of a television show and is desperate for kids to switch it off. Wizz, voiced by Lee, goes to hilarious lengths to deter his audience, which only makes him more appealing. In each of the 12 episodes, the audience is desperate to know - why doesn't Wizz want us to watch the show? The all-star cast features Denise Scott, Joel Creasey, Kura Forrester and Dave Hughes, with art direction by the book's illustrator Heath McKenzie. The series also features cameos from Hamish Blake, Glenn Robbins, Carrie Bickmore, Tony Armstrong, Pete Smith, Broden Kelly, Jack Post, Rebecca Harding, Mick Molloy, Ben Fordham and Chrissie Swan. "I sound chirpy? I think I'm always chirpy, it's my natural disposition. I'm probably very annoying to work with," Lee says, laughing. "I'm so stoked to be able to finally talk about this, that's what's put an extra spring in my step today. "It's been a long time coming ... we started entertaining the idea of the animation in 2019, so that's six years of trying to get the project to where it is now. And now it's out in the world, it's really exciting." Lee wrote the original version of Do Not Open This Book on a plane for his nephew George, then aged one. That was 10 years ago. "It took me 40 minutes to write and it was meant to be a singular, private book for George, who we used to call Gee Wizz," Lee explains. "I didn't expect it to be an animation, I didn't expect it to be anything. And then my mate, who's a publisher, asked if he could publish it and I said no. We argued about it for a while and I eventually said yes and I'm glad I did, it's been such an adventure. "The illustrator sent me through a picture of what the character could look like, and I sent him back an egg with legs and arms, badly drawn on the back of a napkin or a card, I can't remember, but that scribble became the basis of the animation." Bringing Wizz to life through animation involved a lot of teamwork. It's based on the vision in Lee's own mind, however, he's not at all precious when it comes to suggestions. "I love having the time to ponder the process, the good ideas and the bad ideas, and we've had that with this project," he says. "I love working in teams, and what's great about this team is that I'll have something in my head and someone will go, 'What about this?' and I'll be, like, 'Yep, that's better!' "The reverse psychology of the title is our biggest asset, I reckon. If you're flicking through ABC iview and it says do not watch this show, hopefully it entices people to click on it." I tell Lee it reminds me of the 1980s Canadian sketch comedy series for children, You Can't Do That on Television, which I watched religiously as a child. "Yes! You are the first person to make the link," Lee replies, excitedly. "Everyone has been asking me in interviews what kids' show I watched the most, and I said You Can't Do That on Television and no one had heard of it, so I've just stopped talking about it. "But that was the show that I loved, because it was constantly looking at the camera and it was constantly saying 'you shouldn't be doing this', or 'we can't be doing this on television'. I loved the cheekiness and the vibe, and it lends itself to my program." We reminisce about the characters and the green slime and I mention that Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette was a cast member. Lee quickly looks it up online ("She was! I'm looking at it now. Incredible, I had no idea it was her"). There are several clever elements underscoring Do Not Watch This Show, in addition to the reverse psychology of the title. One that Lee hadn't considered was the extent to which children are now wrapped in cotton wool compared to, say, the 1980s. "When we were first doing the development of the show, I was working with one of the big animation studios in the US, and their analysis was quite profound compared to what I was thinking," he says. "One thing they mentioned was that there's not many opportunities for children to take risks these days. We helicopter-parent more than we ever did, and for good reasons. "But to have an outlet for kids to take risks and to defy authority is a good thing. We're teaching kids that we don't want complete anarchy, but it is important that we have the courage to question things." The series is also educational, without children realising they are being educated. I liken it to hiding vegetables in their spaghetti bolognese, and Lee laughs. "That's a good way of putting it! I'm gonna borrow that, that's great." Lee is also open - and appreciative - about the way award-winning and internationally adored Australian animated series Bluey has blazed a trail for others in the industry. "People often ask me if I am taking on Bluey and I'm, like, absolutely not, but I'm keen to ride his coat tails because it's paved the way for people like me, particularly in the meetings I've had internationally over the last few years," he says. "The way that people talk about Australian children's television, it's very different these days because we've had that hero to point to. It's opened a lot more doors. And being able to keep the Australian accent is pretty incredible, and being able to portray an Australian identity and share Australian themes.
Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
Kyle MacLachlan would consider 'fun' Desperate Housewives return
Kyle MacLachlan is open to a Desperate Housewives return. The 66-year-old actor portrayed the character of Orson Hodge in the ABC series between 2006 and 2012 and revealed that he would consider taking a role in the revival of the hit show that is in development. Kyle told People: "That'd be fun. I mean, Wisteria Lane still exists on the Universal back lot. It's part of the tour!" The Blue Velvet star explained that he would consider a potential role as a brand new opportunity in his career. He said: "If for Desperate Housewives, if that were to come back - and if they would even want me to come back - I'd have to look at the role and kind of get a sense of what they're thinking about for the character. "So I would approach it like if it were something completely new and weigh how I feel about the role, and the character, and the process of everything, you know? I would treat it like it were, you know something else (new) that had come to me and make my judgement on that." Kyle explained that he was faced with a similar choice when he decided to return as Special Agent Dale Cooper in the late David Lynch's cult series Twin Peaks - which aired for two seasons in the early 1990s before being revived in 2017. He said: "The thing about returning to Twin Peaks was that David decided not to really pick it up from where we left off and to create a completely different journey for the character. "And I got to do a couple (of) different characters in the reboot." Although Kyle is enthusiastic about the prospect, Eva Longoria is unsure if a Desperate Housewives reboot would be successful. The 50-year-old star found fame as Gabrielle 'Gaby' Solis on the show but isn't sure what bosses could do with her alter ego in terms of storylines if she did return. Eva told Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in April: "I can't sleep with any more people on that street. I have slept with every person on the street, as did Nicolette Sheridan (who played Edie Britt)." The For Greater Glory actress explained that creator Marc Cherry would require "the most convincing" to join the reboot as he felt the programme had run its course when it ended in 2012. Longoria said: "He feels like we've exhausted the characters."
