The Age March 16 1987

Sir Les squashes rumors and Cook discovers Melbourne.

AUSTRALIA'S CULTURAL Ambassador and Patron of the Yartz, Sir Les Patterson, has quashed rumors that the Bicentennial will have to be post-poned until 1989 because of his patronage of Melbourne's Comedy Festival.

Sir Les is an adviser to the Bicentennial and it was feared his absence at a crucial stage would set back plans for celebrating Captain Cook's discovery of this wide brown land.

As it was, Sir Les was able to team up with a Mr Cook who was in the act of discovering Melbourne.

The risible duo kicked off the Comedy Festival at a jam-packed press conference in Melbourne last week.

Highlights of the Comedy Festival - apart from the appearance of Sir Les and Peter Cook in double harness - include: Los Trios Ringbarkus at the Dallas Brooks Hall on Saturday 21 March; Gerry Connolly with his show Men and Women of Australia at the Athenaeum 11 nightly from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 and 5 pm Saturday 21 and Sunday 22; the UK comedy troupe Ra Ra Zoo nightly Tuesday to Saturday at the Last laugh; and another UK team, Roger McGough, a poet, and Peter McCarthy, a stand up comic, nightly from
Tuesday to Saturday at the Troubador at 7.15pm

© "The Age" March 16 1987

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