Vale John Clarke

Australian Book Review is saddened by the loss of satirist John Clarke, who died of natural causes while hiking in the Grampians on 9 April 2017.

Clarke was celebrated for his witty and astute observations on Australian culture and politics, and all its absurdities. He began his career in New Zealand in the 1970s, as the laconic farmer Fred Dagg (who had numerous sons and associates, all named ‘Trev’). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Clarke co-wrote several films and television shows.

John Clarke (image courtesy of the ABC)

He and comedy partner Bryan Dawe, entertained audiences for more than twenty-five years with their political satire skit show, Clarke and Dawe on ABC. Most recently, John Clarke appeared as Henry in the comedy series The Ex-PM, and wrote ‘Commonplace’, a column in the Autumn 2017 issue of Meanjin.

Editor of Meanjin, Jonathan Green commented on his friend’s comedic perspicacity: ‘… he could never settle for rough spontaneity, would never churn something out just to please … Find me a dead spot, find me an idea of John Clarke's that fell a little short of the mark. I dare you.’