MX Edition 1 - Melbourne FRI 30 JAN 2009, Page 005 Weeding out stars By Anna Brain FALL GUYS Tall poppies are under fire in this year's underground entertainment awards, the Australian Tumbleweeds. Perennial favourites Hamish Blake and Andy Lee copped a blast from online voters, as did high-profile success story Chris Lilley. Blake, Lee and Lilley shared the undesirable title of Most Unnecessarily Overexposed. The Fox FM duo's year of tireless promotion across radio and TV was described as "the least-balanced talent-to-exposure ratio". "While they're packaged and sold as comedy, their appeal comes from the fact that they're two relatively attractive young men who seem to be decent enough guys in their personal lives," was the verdict. The boys won Most Overrated Comedy, edging out The Gruen Transfer and Spicks and Specks. And despite worldwide acclaim for his mockumentaries Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes, Lilley was voted Worst Export, with voters saying "just because the rest of the world are exporting their piss-poor mockumentaries doesn't mean we have to". Wil Anderson also copped a significant flogging. Voted Worst Entertainment Personality by a large margin, The Gruen Transfer's critical success didn't stop net boffins having a rant. "I'm not sure Wil Anderson has any personality, but if he wins this award, he gets the worst one in entertainment. Good for him," said a voter known as "biscuitsandtea". The Gruen Transfer won Worst Game or Panel Show, while the now-defunct Wil & Lehmo won Worst Podcast. Voters hit Mick Molloy with the Most Disappointing Comedian award, saying: "Watching Mick sink further and further into oblivion is just depressing." Few programs escaped the awards unscathed, but Shaun Micallef's SBS news spoof Newstopia won a rare accolade, being voted Best Comedy. TAKING A TUMBLE MOST UNNECESSARILY OVER-EXPOSED Joint Winners: Hamish & Andy, below left - 41.67% Chris Lilley, below right - 41.67% Nominee: Gina Riley & Jane Turner - 16.67% "As hard as it is for his comedy mates to believe, Hamish Blake isn't the love-child of Graham Kennedy and Jesus Christ." "Chris Lilley, on the other hand, doesn't even have to get out of bed to grab headlines. Let's not forget: he produced NOTHING in 2008." THE 'PISSING ON THEIR LEGACY' AWARD Winner: Working Dog, below- 40.91% Nominees: Ed Kavalee - 31.82% Mick Molloy - 27.27% "Working Dog are about as much piss as they are legacy by now." WORST ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITY Winner: Wil Anderson, above - 66.67% Nominees: Shane Jacobson - 22.22% Andrew Denton - 11.11% "Somehow manages to scream 'Don't worry, Australia, I'm not really going to rock the boat - I'm just a cheeky chappy golden boy of comedy with no real opinions on anything' through hair gel use alone." WORST ACTOR Winner: Shane Jacobson, right (Kenny's World) - 38.1% Nominees: Jason Gann (Mark Loves Sharon/Rats & Cats) - 33.33% Paul Fenech (Swift & Shift Couriers) - 28.57% "Yep, Shane, we get it. Poo comes out of bums and goes into toilets. Har!" WORST ACTRESS Winner: Rebel Wilson, above (Bogan Pride) - 52.38% Nominees: Felicity Ward (The Comedy Hour) - 28.57% Amanda Keller (Swift & Shift Couriers) - 19.05% "Rebel Wilson is pretty much playing a 'fat chick' character in every single appearance she makes on television, which would be fine if there was anything even remotely funny taking place around her." Caption: HAMISH & ANDY CHRIS LILLEY WIL ANDERSON SHANE JACOBSON REBEL WILSON SANTO CILAURO, ROB SITCH, MICHAEL HIRSH AND TOM GLEISNER Illus: Photo Section: NEWS