Libbi Gorr
{{short description|Australian broadcaster}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Libbi Gorr
| image = Libbi.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Gorr in 2015
| birth_name = Lisbeth Joanne Gorr
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|03|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| nationality =
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| education = Methodist Ladies College, Melbourne
| alma_mater = University of Melbourne
| occupation = {{hlist|TV personality|radio broadcaster|author|actress|voice artist}}
| years_active = 1988−present
| known_for = Character Elle McFeast
| notable_works =
| television =
| partner = Stewart Burchmore
| children = Che, Dali
| honours = Victorian Honour Roll of Women (2024){{Cite web |date= 16 October 2024|title=Libbi Gorr |url=https://www.vic.gov.au/libbi-gorr |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=State Government of Victoria |language=en-au}}
}}
Lisbeth Joanne "Libbi" Gorr (born 24 March 1965){{Cite web |url=https://sis.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/awards.pl |title=Student Information System |last=Systems |first=Student Management |date=28 June 2006 |website=sis.unimelb.edu.au |language=en |access-date=16 September 2018}} is an Australian broadcaster working in both TV and radio. Gorr is also an author, voice artist, writer and performer. She first came to prominence with the satirical television character that she created called "Elle McFeast".
Early life
Gorr was born in Melbourne into a Jewish Australian family [https://chaser.com.au/podcasts/extreme-vetting-podcast-episode-23-libbi-gorr/] [https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2012/07/11/essay-libbi-gorr] grew up in Murrumbeena and was educated at the Methodist Ladies' College. She began working in comedy while she was an arts and law student at the University of Melbourne. Gorr graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 1988. After graduation she became an articled clerk with the Melbourne law firm Phillips Fox.{{Cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/to-elle-and-back-20030221-gdgb0l.html |title=To Elle and back |date=21 February 2003 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |access-date=28 August 2018}} Gorr had her first regular media job as the voice of the Sportsgirl fashion chain when she was asked to "sound" like a photo of supermodel Elle Macpherson.{{Cite news |title=Wildchild backs our AFL push |last=Brown |first=Damien |date=16 May 2009 |work=The Mercury |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|352895289}}}}
She also performed with the Hot Bagels, an all-women cabaret group.{{Cite news |title=An Elle of a Year |last=Enker |first=Debi |date=28 December 1997 |work=Sunday Age |id={{ProQuest|367083786}}}}
Television
As the character Elle McFeast, Gorr performed in a number of award-winning television shows, including Andrew Denton's Live and Sweaty.{ On Denton's departure, Libbi created TV history when she took over as the host of Live and Sweaty in seasons three and four, the first female late night Tonight show host in Australia. After Live and Sweaty ended, Libbi then created and hosted McFeast:: Live From The Bowels of Parliament House, a weekly satirical politics program which ran on ABCTV Monday nights. The theme song was the Easybeats hit, She's So Fine and featured politicians miming the song whilst Gorr as McFeast danced on their desks at Parliament House.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/shows/thelatesession/cast/detail/id/846 |title=Libbi Gorr {{!}} Guests {{!}} The Late Session on SBS |website=sbs |access-date=16 August 2018}}{{Cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127259941?searchTerm=elle%20mcfeast%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits=sortby=dateDesc |title=The angel said no Elle |last=Leedham |first=Nicole |date=12 December 1994 |work=The Canberra Times |access-date=16 August 2018 |page=40}} She hosted Live and Sweaty for another two years after Denton's retirement from the show in 1993, becoming the first woman to host a sports/comedy show in Australia.
In 1995, Libbi Gorr created McFeast: Live from the Bowels of Parliament House. This was a 30 minute weekly political satire/comedy show. The final credits featured Gorr dancing on the desks of Australian parliamentarians to "She's So Fine", by the Easybeats. It ran for two seasons.
As McFeast, Gorr also created 14 TV specials, including Breasts, Sex, Guys and Videotape,{{Cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118172670/13357231 |title=I saw- Sex, Guys and Size |last=Warden |first=Ian |date=20 June 1994 |work=The Canberra Times |access-date=16 August 2018}} Portrait of a Power Pussy and the television show Elle McFeast Live. Gorr made the transition to appearing as herself on camera hosting the Marie Claire "What Women Want" forums, and the televised IF awards for film in Australia. In 2001 a portrait of her, entitled "Excelle – Libbi Gorr", by painter Margarita Georgiadis, was entered in the Archibald Prize for portraiture. The painting was hung as a finalist. A photographic portrait by Petrea Hicks was also hung the following year.{{Cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/gossip-20120310-1uql9.html |title=Gossip |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=16 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816164504/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/gossip-20120310-1uql9.html |archive-date=16 August 2018}}
In 2003 she performed a live show "Dirty Sweet Cherry on Top!" at the Sydney Opera House
In 2007 Gorr hosted the short-lived Channel Nine show The Catch Up.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/libbi-gorr-leaves-mcfeast-behind-20070222-ge49xn.html |title=Libbi Gorr leaves McFeast behind |date=21 February 2007 |website=The Age |language=en |access-date=17 August 2018}} The program, a revised version of the American program The View, ran for only four months before being cancelled due to poor ratings.{{cite news |first=Marcus |last=Casey |title=The Catch-Up cut loose by Nine |url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,21898315-10229,00.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=13 June 2007 |access-date=14 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616005149/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0%2C23663%2C21898315-10229%2C00.html |archive-date=16 June 2007}} Gorr, however, received positive reviews.Idato, Michael (10 May 2007) [http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/the-catchup-left-chasing-ratings/2007/05/09/1178390320853.html The Catch-up left chasing ratings]. The Age
Gorr has contributed to Studio 10 on Network Ten as a studio panellist and Melbourne correspondent.{{Cite news |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/why-was-ita-buttrose-the-only-one-not-wearing-a-beanie-on-studio-10/news-story/bc2849f1bea0ca8ef16893ae18f8aa7d |title=Why was Ita the only one not wearing a beanie? |date=4 May 2015 |work=NewsComAu |access-date=28 August 2018}}
In 2016, Gorr began presenting stories as a guest reporter for the ABC flagship current affairs program 7.30.
Radio and journalism
In January 2012, Gorr joined ABC Radio Melbourne{{Cite news |url=https://www.domain.com.au/news/libbi-gorr-sells-her-north-bondi-house-for-32-million-355000-above-reserve-20170513-gw481n/ |title=Libbi Gorr's North Bondi house sells for $355,000 above reserve |date=13 May 2017 |work=Domain |access-date=16 August 2018 |language=en-US}} as host of the Sunday morning program.{{Cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/comedy/libbi-gorr-has-a-crack-at-a-onewoman-stage-show-20150827-gj8j8b.html |title=Libbi Gorr has a crack at a one-woman stage show |last=Webb |first=Carolyn |date=28 August 2015 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |access-date=17 August 2018}} She also regularly hosted Breakfast when Red Symons was the main presenter and on leave.{{Cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/libbi-gorr-the-gift-of-negative-feedback-20170728-gxl1gx.html |title=The Gift of Negative Feedback |last=Gorr |first=Libbi |date=29 July 2017 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |access-date=16 August 2018}}
In December 2021, Gorr announced her resignation from ABC Radio Melbourne to pursue her creative interests.{{Cite web |date=11 December 2021 |title=Libbi leaves ABC with love |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/thisweekendlife/libbi-gorr-leaves-announcement/13673108 |access-date=11 December 2021 |website=ABC Radio |language=en-AU}} Her last show on ABC Radio Melbourne was on 19 December 2021.
Books
Gorr has authored two books for Harper Collins, The A–Z of Mummy Manners: An Etiquette Guide for Managing Other Children's Mothers and Assorted Mummy Dilemmas (2011){{Cite news |url=https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/art/words-worth-ng-ya-173365 |title=Word's worth |last=Yeoman |first=William |date=12 April 2011 |work=The West Australian |access-date=17 August 2018 |language=en-GB}} and The Bedtime Poem For Edible Children illustrated by Bradley Trevor Greive (2012).{{Cite journal |last=Brophy |first=Kevin |date=May 2013 |title=The Bedtime Poem for Edible Children |journal=The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=16 |issn=0155-218X}}
Personal life
Gorr's partner is freelance producer and director Stewart Burchmore (brother of actor Rhonda Burchmore). They have two children and live in Melbourne.{{cite web |url=https://northern.starweekly.com.au/uncategorized/291679-libbi-gorr-to-elle-and-back/ |title=Libbi Gorr: To Elle and back |work=Northern Star Weekly |date=14 March 2012 |accessdate=27 June 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/new-idea/20200309/283747021189546 |title=The story of us |publisher=New Idea |date=9 March 2020 |accessdate=27 June 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.libbigorr.com.au}}
- [http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/content/s2109354.htm?site=melbourne?site=melbourne 774 ABC Melbourne: Libbi Gorr profile]
{{774 ABC Melbourne}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorr, Libbi}}
Category:Australian women comedians
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:Australian television personalities
Category:Australian women television personalities
Category:Journalists from Melbourne
Category:Actresses from Melbourne
Category:Jewish Australian writers
Category:Jewish Australian actresses
Category:Jewish Australian comedians
Category:People educated at Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne
Category:University of Melbourne alumni
Category:People from Murrumbeena, Victoria
Category:Australian women radio presenters
Category:Radio personalities from Melbourne