First Aussie comedy award winners announced

Dame Edna Everage creator Barry Humphries has been acclaimed as the outstanding live stand-up in the first Australian comedy awards.

The veteran comic won the accolade for his Back To My Roots tour, a music hall-style extravaganza starring the housewife superstar.

The sitcom Kath and Kim, which has been screened in the UK by digital channel FTN, won outstanding character-based TV comedy while its creators Jane Turner and Gina Riley were honoured for their writing and production.

Glenn Robbins won the outstanding comic performance on TV award for his work in the show, and others

John Safran's Musical Jamboree won the personality-based TV comedy award while Roy Slaven and HG Nelson won two awards for their spoof sports comentators John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver.

The team behind satirical newspaper The Chaser and TV programme CNNNN won three awards: outstanding humorous book, outstanding comedy website and outstanding television newcomer for Andrew Hansen.

The people's choice award went to musical trio Tripod, while veteran Bert Newton was honoured with a Love Ya Work gong.

The awards were voted for by performers, writers and other industry follk, and run by Melbourne Comedy Festival supremo Susan Provan.

Published: 27 Nov 2003