How to Talk Australians

{{Infobox television

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| genre = Comedy

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| writer = Rob Hibbert and Tony Rogers{{cite web |url=http://www.campaignbrief.com/2014/08/tony-rogers-and-rob-hibberts-h.html |title=Tony Rogers and Rob Hibbert's 'How to Talk Australians' reaches over 750k views on YouTube |publisher=Campaign Brief |date=22 August 2014 |accessdate=19 December 2014 |archive-date=19 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219152734/http://www.campaignbrief.com/2014/08/tony-rogers-and-rob-hibberts-h.html |url-status=live }}

| director = Tony Rogers

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| country = Australia

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 8

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| producer = Jason Byrne

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| runtime = ≥ 4 minutes

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How to Talk Australians is an eight-part online miniseries released in 2014. The series looks at Australian culture and language through the eyes of the teachers and students of the fictional Delhi College of Linguistics.{{cite web |url=http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/whats-hot/hot-and-viral-news/2014/8/gday-knackers-comedy-web-series-how-to-talk-australians-hits-home-/ |title='How to Talk Australians' Comedy Series Hits Home |publisher=Southern Cross Austereo |date=25 August 2014 |accessdate=19 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219153406/http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/whats-hot/hot-and-viral-news/2014/8/gday-knackers-comedy-web-series-how-to-talk-australians-hits-home-/ |archivedate=19 December 2014 }}{{cite web |url=http://mashable.com/2014/08/27/how-to-talk-australians-8-things-we-learned-from-the-parody-web-series/ |last=Ryall |first=Jenni |title='How to Talk Australians': 8 Things We Learned From The Parody Web Series |publisher=Mashable |date=27 August 2014 |accessdate=25 December 2014 |archive-date=25 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225235448/http://mashable.com/2014/08/27/how-to-talk-australians-8-things-we-learned-from-the-parody-web-series/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://bourne.au.timeout.com/2014/08/18/how-to-talk-australians/ |last=Houlihan |first=Finn |title=How to Talk Australians – new web series |publisher=Time Out Melbourne |date=18 August 2014 |accessdate=25 December 2014 |archive-date=25 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225233422/http://bourne.au.timeout.com/2014/08/18/how-to-talk-australians/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertain/pages/entertainment/humour/funny-viral-videos/how-to-talk-australians.htm |title=How to Talk Australians : Viral Videos |publisher=Web Wombat |accessdate=25 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20141225205840/http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertain/pages/entertainment/humour/funny-viral-videos/how-to-talk-australians.htm |archivedate=25 December 2014 }}

Synopsis

At the Delhi College of Linguistics in India, students of linguistics and aspiring migrants to Australia are taught about elements of Australian culture such as Australian lingo, rhyming slang, grub, local celebrities, how to 'chuck a sickie', and how to pass the citizenship test. The show features a foul-mouthed cockatoo known as Chopper, an impersonation of Pauline Hanson, and a re-enactment of a Ned Kelly hold-up.{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/talking-australian-parody-web-series-tackles-racism-20140819-105owj.html |last=Puvanenthiran |first=Bhakthi |title=Talking Australian parody web series tackles racism |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=19 August 2014 |accessdate=19 December 2014 |archive-date=5 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105192548/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/talking-australian-parody-web-series-tackles-racism-20140819-105owj.html |url-status=live }}

Production

The series was originally created as a television pilot that was to be pitched to Australian television networks; however, Screen Australia's Multiplatform Drama Production program, aiming to support and increase online storytelling, provided funds for it to be presented as an online series.{{cite web |url=http://www.killyourdarlingsjournal.com/2014/10/how-talk-australians-rise-web-series/ |last=Van Schilt |first=Stephanie |title=How To Talk Australians and the rise of web series |publisher=KYD Journal |date=3 October 2014 |accessdate=19 December 2014 |archive-date=19 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219152053/http://www.killyourdarlingsjournal.com/2014/10/how-talk-australians-rise-web-series/ |url-status=live }}

When asked why the concept for the show was chosen, producer Jason Byrne stated:

{{Blockquote|text=We chose it because it resonated with us as a commentary on Australian culture. A look at cultural clash and interpretation. How nations see one another in a heightened realism. Realism is often funnier than fiction and fantasy. It allows Australians to look at themselves through a different set of glasses, and those glasses are a call-back centre in India.|sign=Jason Byrne|source=Sydney Morning Herald.{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-zone-interview-filmmakers-tony-rogers-and-jason-byrne-talk-with-michael-short-20141017-117qft.html |last=Short |first=Michael |title=The Zone interview: Filmmakers Tony Rogers and Jason Byrne talk with Michael Short |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=17 October 2014 |accessdate=19 December 2014 |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004095828/https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-zone-interview-filmmakers-tony-rogers-and-jason-byrne-talk-with-michael-short-20141021-117qft.html |url-status=live }} }}

Episodes

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scope="col" style="background:#006600; color:#fff;" \| No. in series ! scope="col" style="background:#006600; color:#fff;" \| Title
{{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 1 \| Title = G'day Knackers \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 2 \| Title = Grub \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 3 \| Title = Rhyming Slang \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 4 \| Title = Famous Australians \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 5 \| Title = Nicknames - Hello Chopper \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 6 \| Title = The Slackarse Country \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 7 \| Title = Dunny Budgies & Budgie Smugglers \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 8 \| Title = Citizenship Test \| ShortSummary = \| LineColor = 006600 }}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:40%;"

scope="col" style="background:#006600; color:#fff;" | No. in
series

! scope="col" style="background:#006600; color:#fff;" | Title

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| Title = G'day Knackers

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| Title = Grub

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| Title = Rhyming Slang

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| Title = Famous Australians

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| Title = Nicknames - Hello Chopper

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| Title = The Slackarse Country

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| Title = Dunny Budgies & Budgie Smugglers

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| Title = Citizenship Test

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 006600

}}

Cast

Vishal Kotak
Jeffrey Dsouza
Chum Ehelepola
Vikrant Narain
Sybil Quadros
Ananth Gopal
Kamla Chandar
Robert Santiago as Professor Dillop{{Cite web |title=How to Talk Australians – Comedy series |url=https://howtotalkaustralians.com.au/ |access-date=31 March 2024}}
Paul Denny as Dan Kelly

Film adaptation

A feature film based on the series, titled How to Talk Australians: Highway to Hell, began production on 8 May 2023{{Cite web |date=16 May 2023 |title=Production has commenced on positive ape's feature film adaptation of the hit web-series "How to Talk Australians" |url=https://www.filmink.com.au/public-notice/production-has-commenced-on-positive-apes-feature-film-adaptation-of-the-hit-web-series-how-to-talk-australians/ |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=FilmInk}} and is scheduled to complete in 2024.{{Cite web |title=How to Talk Australians: Highway to Hell (2024) – The Screen Guide |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/how-to-talk-australians--highway-to-hell-2024/41396/ |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=Screen Australia}} Rob Hibbert and Tony Rogers were announced to be returning as writers, with Rogers as director. The film will feature the original cast alongside new characters played by Australian actors Shane Jacobson, Dave Lawson, Stephen Curry, and Richard Davies, among others. It will be distributed by Umbrella Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand.{{Cite web |last=Keast |first=Jackie |date=16 May 2023 |title='How to Talk Australians' is heading to the big screen |url=https://if.com.au/how-to-talk-australians-is-heading-to-the-big-screen/ |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=IF Magazine}}

The film will follow a group of students and teachers from the fictional Delhi College of Linguistics on a trip to Australia as their plane is diverted to the country town of Dubbo.