Summer Heights High, We Can Be Heroes, Ja'mie Private School Girl, is there anything that our Aussie icon can't do?
On the eve of Lilley's highly anticipated 'Jonah from Tonga' premiere, I thought it was only fitting to pay homage to the man that is Chris Lilley.
For those of you who don't know Chris Lilley, perhaps you know Ja'mie, Jonah or Mr G? If none of those names ring a bell I think it is time to declare retirement and slowly walk off into the sunset. The importance I place on Chris Lilley, is huge. In fact, he has been instrumental in my high school life.
Without We Can Be Heroes, I would have never learnt that rolling to Perth on my side could earn me a nomination for Australian of the year. Without Summer Height's High, there would be no Mr G. No song for every time someone walks into my room. No dramatic turn and pause to a friend, who hates you forevermore when you whisper "thank god you're here. Grandma's been raped." Without Mr G, I would not have the confidence to walk around school professing my disdain for the whole establishment whilst yelling "I'm better than all of you." Without Angry Boys, well actually we would probably all be a little bit better off.
Lilley as Mr G
Photo found at: The Brag
However, without Ja'mie Private School Girl, my VCE year would mean nothing. Ja'mie highlighted to every adult the drama, sarcasm and bitchiness that most teenage girls fall victim to everyday. Private School Girl, stressed the pressures in which every budding VCE female student suffers- I can't tell you the amount of times I've asked to be picked up at 3:10 and in rolls mum in her mercedes at 3:07- the audacity of people these days. Over the three series that we have had to grow with Ja'mie, she has only gotten better with time. At first, I was very reluctant to like her and the way she threatened, with no hesitation, to smash her mum's doll collection with a hammer, but Ja'mie has taught us all a life lesson, in which years of education have failed thus far to do. Just because we have dreams, like a 99.99 ATAR, it doesn't mean that we are going to achieve them. Let's not build our whole lives around the dream of an unattainable goal, a score in which will only matter for one year, because like Ja'mie showed us, there are always stepping stones. Although, let's not use the stepping stones which see us repeat our year 12.
Lilley has been thrown to the slaughter over his portrayal of teenage girls and the effects it may have on the highly influential young girls of society. However his satirical representation of Ja'mie highlights to me something more than what is on the surface. While Lilley is obviously a genius, a true master of his task, isn't he really showing us what not to be like? Who would want to be a girl that throws strawberry milk at boarders, embarrasses themselves in front of boys and has no real friends despite the prefects assigned to be her friends.
Ja'mie, Lilley's private school girl
Photo found at: Popsugar
Lilley has been thrown to the slaughter over his portrayal of teenage girls and the effects it may have on the highly influential young girls of society. However his satirical representation of Ja'mie highlights to me something more than what is on the surface. While Lilley is obviously a genius, a true master of his task, isn't he really showing us what not to be like? Who would want to be a girl that throws strawberry milk at boarders, embarrasses themselves in front of boys and has no real friends despite the prefects assigned to be her friends. Ja'mie, Lilley's private school girl
Whilst the trials and tribulations of Ja'mie obviously provide for good entertainment, Lilley is sending a message to the modern girl of what not to be like.
As I eagerly await the premiere of 'Jonah from Tonga' I cannot help but wonder what the big idea will be on Jonah's second turn at the small screen. There is no doubt in my mind that Lilley is an artist genius. His portrayals of islanders, teenage girls, middle aged women and the twins from Dunt, leave me speechless every.damn.time. Lilley's ability to transform into someone depicting the people we see around us everyday, is a true talent. His intellect exceeds the power of words on a page, the literal meaning of the last sentences in the Great Gatsby and the ability of Zac Efron to melt hearts as soon as he appears in the first scene of a movie.
I shudder at the thought of what Lilley has newly created, yet I await with open arms the return of the boy banished to Tonga after saying "puck you"- thats with a 'p'- one too many times.
Until the next entertainment news drops...
Maddy
Jonah From Tonga, Lilley's latest creation
Photo found at: The Wireless
Comments