Most decent comedians "die" a few times in their career. But the following died so badly in 2008 the only place they can get bookings now is a morgue.

   Most Disappointing Comedian
Winner:
Mick Molloy - 52%

Nominees
Ed Kavalee - 24%
Working Dog - 24%

Last Year's Winner
Mick Molloy

Voter comments

I was never that huge on Mick Molloy, but he really has stomped on his own legacy, and much worse than that - on someone ELSE's. I haven't heard what Ed's up to (some shite morning show thing?), but I never actually expected he'd have enough freedom to move on to good stuff (...and I slightly preferred Richard anyway. Ahh Richard...). Working Dog showed their "final form" some time around '98; after 10 years, I'm not hoping for miracles.
- samadriel

Watching Mick sink further and further in oblivion is just depressing.
- Bean Is A Carrot

Before the Game was so depressing in part because it saw Mick Molloy - who, whatever you might think of him now, was once more than capable of writing funny sketches and monologues - forced to sink to Dave Hughes' level.
- 13 schoolyards

Compared to 2007, Mick Molloy had a relatively good 2008. Sure he didn't release Boytown Confidential, but he didn't star in any The Nation-style flops either. Instead he got back into stand-up, did a few charity gigs and was the best thing on Before The Game (not that that was particularly hard). In 2009 he'll probably do much the same, excecpt he'll also working on a new film set during Schoolies Week.

But Molloy's win in this award is not an expression of pre-emptive horror at the thought of him playing a "toolie". It's because he's become irrelevant. And for a comedian who had the world at his feet in the mid 90s, and is fondly remembered for his work in that period, that's pretty sad. Still, there are worse things than being forced to make a crust by appearing on Before The Game - there's being forced to make a crust by appearing on The Footy Show, and after his notorious two-time failure at Nine, Mick won't be doing that.

Another man forced into appearing in rubbish purely through financial necessity was Ed Kavalee. He was never the star of Get This, but after two years of intensive training at the school of Tony Martin, people seem to have expected him to do something more than play third banana in the kind of programme he used to rail against. Sadly, Kavalee didn't have a lot of choice if he wanted to keep feeding himself those multiple breakfasts. At least he looked like he was having fun being wheeled around in a pusher by Dylan Lewis.

Working Dog have been disappointing their fans for years, but looked to be making up for things when they announced The Hollowmen. Sadly, audience expectations far exceeded the quality of the show. But could a group of people who now seem to rank Thank God You're Here with their best work really have been expected to pull off a new Frontline? As it turned out, no. But at least it was an improvement. All they need to do now is to deliver another gradually improving series of The Hollowmen and they'll have something which is almost as good as Funky Squad. And given their recent form, that'll look like gold.

The 'Pissing On Their Legacy' Award >>