Nine’s comeback (so it hopes) starts tonight with the first of the 7pm episodes of The Block.
Columns / Daily Proposition
Bored? Crikey presents something to do tonight.
Daily Proposition: unbelievably good Aussie TV
Lawrence Leung’s Unbelievable sees the Australian comedian and self-admitted sceptic investigate the impossible. It will challenge your misconceptions and beliefs, says Matt Smith. And it’s bloody funny.
A mysterious mockumentary
You can be forgiven if, for a moment, you mistake Leigh Hart’s Mysterious Planet — airing tonight on ABC2 — as a serious documentary. But host Leigh Hart is taking the piss, says Matthew Smith. And it’s very funny.
Read something ‘Australian’
What is “Australian” writing? In the inaugural Miles Franklin award oration on Tuesday, Peter Temple gave the question a red-hot go. It poses some interesting examples to read, says Siobhan Argent.
Listen up, cool cats … just listen
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival kicked off on Saturday. Tonight’s highlights include New York’s hip-hop inspired Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, drummer Jim Black’s AlasNoAxis, and traffic. Yes, traffic. Iona Salter explains.
A night of shifty women and dirty rats
We can never really have enough historical Australian documentaries, writes Matt Smith of Crikey comedy blog Laugh Track.
Let them eat (banana) cake
As the months become progressively colder, it’s time to rug up in your winter woollies and hibernate. That means cranking up the oven and baking a cake to Crikey intern Esther Ooi.
Afghani food, a world away from war
It’s a country we mainly hear about in bleak ABC news crosses to Sally Sara. But Afghani food in Australia is a wondrous world away from roadside bombs and terror groups, says Crikey intern Esther Ooi.
Strap in for Helicopter Sunday
It’s a two-horse race plagued by financial woes, sectarianism and creeping irrelevance, dwarfed as it is by one of the world’s biggest sporting competitions. But heck, the Scottish Premier League’s “Helicopter Sunday” is exciting, says Jim Forbes.
Live by the stars (like Rihanna)
Shunning the religious ceremony of Easter, Alexandra Patrikios sought out the only modern force powerful enough to deliver a messianic muse — the top 40 charts. What would Rihanna do?
How to watch the royal wedding
Which channel deserves your attention when choosing who your preferred broadcaster for tonight’s Royal Wedding? White Noise blogger Dan Barrett is here to help…
Read a scintillating debut novel
The cover of Adam Ross’ first novel is swathed in praise from no lesser lights than Stephen King and Michiko Kakutani. And Mr Peanut is indeed a disturbing book, says Alice Grundy.
Watch the battle of Kong
Seth Gordon’s 2007 debut documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters? follows Steve Wiebe’s struggle to be recognised as the world Donkey Kong highest score holder. It’s a fascinating insight to men’s self-perception and self-worth, says Laura Griffin.
The best from Melbourne’s giggle-fest
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is in full and funny swing. So which comedians are drawing the biggest laughs? Crikey’s festival blog Laugh Track has been reviewing the shows and talking to the stars. Here’s their two picks so far…
Make brownies, not war
My family has refined this brownie recipe since, many soggy Victorian Easters ago, mum found it in a 1960s American children’s cookbook, explains Crikey intern Laura Griffin.
Read Sloane Crosley’s essays
American writer Sloane Crosley’s personal essays are original, funny and observant, says Laura Griffin. Before the HBO miniseries, read her two bestselling collections.
Daily Proposition: go to war, in 3D
Every day somewhere in the world millions of people, many older than 35, log into World of Warcraft and lose themselves for hours, writes Crikey reader Dave Sag.
Learn from Experience
Trawling through The Guardian’s website one afternoon, Laura Griffin found a series called “Experience”, where people are invited to share their unique (read: weird, and often wonderful) stories. It’s a kaleidescope of human experience.
Daily Proposition: see Barney’s bitter-sweet biopic
The sad, sweet, enormously moving biopic of TV producer Barney Panofsky, Barney’s Version, features front and centre a career-best performance from Paul Giamatti.
Read a thorny fantasy before its TV debut
The next big thing from US blockbuster TV network HBO premieres next month in the US, based on the best-selling epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. The books are worth visiting, says William Fettes.
A hearty and portable Vietnamese snack
Banh Mi — a simple construction of a baguette, pate, mayonaise, picked carrots, coriander and grilled pork — is a giant of the Vietnamese culinary scene. It’s a hearty and portable snack, says Mike Stuchberry.
A new play that will bowl you over
What starts out and continues apace as jaw-breaking hard toffee turns out to be a bit of a 30-something peppermint cream by journey’s end.
Get ready to laugh, Melbourne
The city of Melbourne will soon be alive to the sound of laughter. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is an annual highlight for Victoria, says Matt Smith of Crikey’s new blog Laugh Track.
