Richard John Sinclair Laws
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(born 8 August 1935) is a Papua New Guinean-born Australian radio announcer. For 50 years, until 2007, he was the host of an Australian morning radio program combining music with interviews, opinion, live advertising readings and listener talkback. His distinctive voice earned him the nickname "the Golden Tonsils". Although officially retired between 2007–2011, he returned in February 2011 to host a morning program on
2SM
2SM is an Australian radio station, licensed to and serving Sydney, broadcasting on 1269 kilohertz on the AM band. It is owned and operated by Broadcast Operations Group.
The SM call sign is taken from the initials of Saint Mary's.
2SM's progra ...
and the
Super Radio Network.
Career
Best known as a talkback radio broadcaster, Laws is one of Australia's highest-paid radio personalities and has been involved with Australian talkback radio broadcasting much longer than any other presenter. Although regularly commentating on topical news, Laws did not regard himself a journalist but as an entertainer and salesman. He is nonetheless one of the few commercial radio personalities whose interviews with state and federal political leaders are considered to have a significant influence of the course of politics in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
especially, and Australia in general. He has also often appeared as a television show host and enjoyed a long recording career.
Laws' radio show was syndicated throughout Australia for many years and was consistently one of the most popular and influential programs in the Australian media. Laws is also a familiar voice for generations of Australians through his large and varied body of work as a voice-over artist for commercials, and as a celebrity endorser of commercial products, notably
Valvoline
Valvoline Inc. is an American manufacturer and distributor of Valvoline-brand automotive oil, additives, and lubricants. It also owns the Valvoline Instant Oil Change and Valvoline Express Care chains of car repair centers. , it is the second ...
motor oil
Motor oil, engine oil, or engine lubricant is any one of various substances used for the lubrication of internal combustion engines. They typically consist of base oils enhanced with various additives, particularly antiwear additives, deterg ...
, with his popular catchphrase "Valvoline, you know what I mean" and
Oral-B
Oral-B is an American brand of oral hygiene products, including toothpastes, toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes, and mouthwashes. The brand has been in business since the invention of the Hutson toothbrush in 1950 and in Redwood City, Califo ...
toothbrushes (the slogan "Oral-B, the toothbrush more dentists use.")
Biography
Early life
Born in
Wau, Papua New Guinea
Wau is a town in Papua New Guinea, in the province of Morobe. It has a population of approx 5,000 and is situated at an altitude of around 1100 metres. Wau was the site of a gold rush during the 1920s and 30s when prospective gold diggers arrived ...
, to Australian parents, Laws contracted
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
twice – once as a child, and again as a young man. He was educated at
Mosman Preparatory School and
Knox Grammar School
, motto_translation = The Manly Thing Is Being Done
, established =
, founder = John Gilmore, William McIlrath, Robert Gillespie and Andrew Reid
, type = Independent, day & boarding ...
in Sydney, Australia.
Early career
He began his radio career in 1953 at 3BO in
Bendigo
Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital.
As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...
before working at several rural radio stations and joining
2UE in 1957, the first of four terms at that Sydney radio station, during which time he became one of the first Australian disc jockeys to play rock 'n' roll music (along with
Bob Rogers, Tony Withers and
Stan Rofe
Stanley Rofe (30 May 193316 May 2003) was an Australian rock'n'roll disc jockey and music news reporter. Often referred to as Stan the Man, he presented the first rock and roll music on Melbourne radio from 1956, on 3KZ, and was a champion of A ...
).
Laws pioneered the practice (soon taken up by Rofe) of using contacts in the airline industry to supply him with the latest international pop releases, giving him an edge at a time when Australian releases of many British and American pop records might be delayed for months.
Laws left 2UE in 1959, and moved to the
Hunter Region
The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and so ...
, where he ran a farm. In 1962 he moved back to Sydney, where he joined
2GB
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by parent company Nine Radio, a division of Nine Entertainment Co., who also own sister station 2UE.
2GB broadcasts on 873 kHz, AM.
In 2010, 2GB held 14.7% of the total rad ...
, remaining with the station for two years before he rejoined 2UE in 1964. His stint at 2UE continued until 1969, at which point he contracted to
2UW
KIIS 1065 (call sign: 2WFM) is a commercial broadcasting, commercial FM radio station in Sydney, Australia, on a frequency of 106.5 MHz. KIIS 1065 is one of the flagship stations on Australian Radio Network, ARN's KIIS Network. The station's ...
, where he was to remain for almost 10 years. He returned to 2UE in 1979, this time for another five years. He then moved to 2GB after a highly publicized bid for his services, but returned to the 2UE fold when the station was number eight in the ratings.
The return of Laws was the primary cause of the station becoming number one in Sydney for many years. Laws' radio program was syndicated nationwide, and was especially popular in rural areas. Capital city stations taking Laws include
4BC in Brisbane,
2CC in Canberra, 101.7 HOFM in Hobart and Mix 1049 in Darwin.
In 1983, Communications lecturer Glen Lewis wrote of Laws:
He sets the agenda by complaining vigorously about something, lays down the line for the day, then accepts calls which mostly reflect his own viewpoint... he mostly gets the restatement of cliched views rom callers.. Technically, he foregrounds minority group negative stereotyping in his show. Informally, he specialises in moral crusades against the unrespectable weak - the unemployed, prisoners, homosexuals, anti-nuclear demonstrators - in the name of the upright citizen and honest taxpayer.
Television
Though best known as a radio host, Laws has often worked as a television host and panelist. His early 1960s show ''
Startime'' assisted in introducing mainstream Australia to
Edna Everage
Dame Edna Everage, often known simply as Dame Edna, is a character created and performed by Australian comedian Barry Humphries, known for her lilac-coloured ("wisteria hue") hair and cat eye glasses ("face furniture"); her favourite flower, th ...
at which time Laws claimed Everage was "a very close friend of mine". Laws told columnist Valda Marshall in 1970 that he was 'not basically a TV star' and didn't 'feel altogether happy with the medium'.
[Valda Marshall, "John the Beast is a Poet at Heart" Sydney ''Sun-Herald'' 30 August 1970 p. 114] He was a judge on ''Australia's
New Faces
''New Faces'' is a British television talent show that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been hosted by Leslie Crowther, Derek Hobson and Marti Caine. It was produced for the ITV network by ATV, and later by Central.
Original series: 197 ...
'' in 1969 and took over as host from
Noel Ferrier
Noel Ferrier AM (20 December 193016 October 1997) was an Australian television personality, comedian, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He was a regular panelist in Graham Kennedy's popular game show '' Blankety Blanks ( ...
on the panel advice show ''
Beauty and the Beast
''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' ( ...
'' in 1970. Laws quit in 1971; a spokesman for the station which produced the show, Channel 7, claimed Laws had asked for a higher salary. He also appeared on television in 1970 in an acting role in the children's drama ''
Skippy''. In May 1971, he began hosting a daytime show called ''
His and Hers''. In 1982, he hosted a revived ''Beauty and the Beast'' for
Network 10
Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
. In 1998, ''John Laws – In One Lifetime'' premiered on
Network Ten
Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
and ''LAWS'' on
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was establi ...
.
While ''LAWS'' continued until 2000, ''John Laws – In One Lifetime'' was dropped after two episodes, although the remaining five episodes that were commissioned by Network 10 were aired later that year.
21st century
In 2002, station colleague and arch-rival
Alan Jones moved from 2UE to 2GB, and soon took that station to the top talk position in Sydney. Laws announced on 25 June 2007 that after 55 years on the air he would retire at the end of the year. However, he was pre-empted by other media agencies, who broke the story at 9:00 am. Laws made the announcement at about 9:10 am, saying that he had planned to make the announcement at about 9:45 am.Laws' last broadcast was on 30 November 2007, one week after the
federal election. He began as always, "Hello world, I'm John Laws" and signed off with his usual quote, "you...be kind to each other." He then left the 2UE building in Sydney in his Rolls-Royce Phantom surrounded by hordes of cameramen.
In 2004 Laws and rival talk-back host Alan Jones were accused of taking payment to make favourable comments on products and services under the guise of merely expressing personal opinion, after entering into deals with
Telstra
Telstra Group Limited is an Australian telecommunications company that builds and operates telecommunications networks and markets voice, mobile, internet access, pay television and other products and services. It is a member of the S&P/ASX 20 ...
. The ABA subsequently found that Laws' deal constituted cash for comment but Jones' did not. Laws, apparently angered by what he saw as inequitable treatment, launched stinging attacks on Jones and the ABA's head,
David Flint
David Edward Flint (born 1938) is an Australian legal academic, known for his leadership of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and for his tenure as head of the Australian Broadcasting Authority.
Early life and education
David Flint was bo ...
. In an appearance on the
ABC's ''
Enough Rope
''Enough Rope with Andrew Denton'' (often shortened to ''Enough Rope'') is a television interview show originally broadcast on ABC1 in Australia. The title of the show came from the phrase " give someone enough rope and they'll hang themselves ...
'', Laws accused Jones of placing pressure on Prime Minister
John Howard
John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the s ...
to keep Flint as head of the ABA, and made comments that many viewers took to imply a sexual relationship between Jones and Flint, and broadly hinted that Jones, like Flint, was homosexual.
On 7 May 2009 Laws made a statement on the 20th anniversary special edition of the ABC's ''Media Watch'' program, in which he exhibited no remorse for his role in the Cash-for-Comment scandal, instead implying that the whistleblower (''Media Watch'') was the wrongdoer and that the people involved were only jealous of his success.
In November 2004, Laws and 2UE colleague
Steve Price were found guilty of vilifying homosexuals after an on-air discussion about a gay couple appearing in the reality TV show ''
The Block''. They described the couple as "young poofs". Laws had previously apologised for another incident in which he called gay TV personality
Carson Kressley
Carson Kressley (born November 11, 1969) is an American television personality, actor, and designer. Beginning in 2003, he appeared in the Bravo series '' Queer Eye for the Straight Guy''. He was also the motivational host of the TV show ''How t ...
, of ''
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
''Queer Eye'' is an American reality television series that premiered on the cable television network Bravo in July 2003. Originally ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'', the title was later shortened to broaden the overall scope. The series was cr ...
'' fame, a "pillow-biter" and a "pompous little pansy prig".
In October 2007,
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are a professional Australian rules football club based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 as one of two expansion teams in the Australian Football League (AFL), then known as the Victorian Football ...
player
Adam Selwood commenced legal proceedings against Laws over comments made about him regarding a mid-year incident involving
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Dockers, is a professional Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. The team was founded in 1994 to represent the port city of ...
player
Des Headland
Desmond Edmond Headland, Jr (born 21 January 1981) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for Subiaco in the West Australian Football League, and a conservative political candidate. He plays as a half-forward flanker or midfield ...
.
On 17 July 2007 Laws' gold-plated microphone was stolen. The
Sennheiser
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG (, ) is a German privately held audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephone accessories and aviation headse ...
was presented to him by his radio station 2UE management in 2003 to commemorate his 50 years on the air and is said to be worth $10,000. "I'm very upset about it – it's been a part of my life" he told the ''Daily Telegraph''. Laws subsequently switched to another gold plated microphone; a
Rode Rode may refer to:
People
*Ajmer Rode, Canadian writer
*Bernd Michael Rode (born 1946), Austrian chemistry professor
*Bernhard Rode (1725–1797), German painter
*Ebbe Rode (1910–1998), Danish stage and film actor
*Franc Rode (born 1934), Slove ...
NT2-A presented to him for his 40th anniversary. He promised charges would not be laid if the Sennheiser was returned.
In December 2007, during a long lunch at Sydney's Otto Ristorante to farewell his former personal assistant, Laws was informed of the presence of rival broadcasters
Derryn Hinch
Derryn Nigel Hinch (born 9 February 1944) is a New Zealand-born media personality, politician, actor, journalist and published author. He is best known for his career in Australia, on Melbourne radio and television. He served as a Senator for V ...
and
Bob Rogers at another table nearby. He went over to their table and immediately spouted forth a tirade of invective, calling them 'the two most despicable cunts' he'd ever met in the industry. Hinch and Rogers traded insults with Laws, insisting Hinch was a 'hypocrite' and a 'failed alcoholic'. Hinch replied that that must mean Laws was a 'successful one' and that if Laws was not in fact an alcoholic then he was a 'bloody good actor'. Eventually 2UE colleague
Mike Carlton
Michael James Carlton, (born 31 January 1946) is an Australian former media commentator, radio host, television journalist, author and newspaper columnist. He formerly co-hosted the daily breakfast program on Sydney radio station 2UE with Peter ...
convinced Laws to return to his table and Hinch and Rogers were left to laugh off the altercation.
In August 2009, Laws revealed on
Vega
Vega is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra. It has the Bayer designation α Lyrae, which is Latinised to Alpha Lyrae and abbreviated Alpha Lyr or α Lyr. This star is relatively close at only from the Sun, an ...
(now known as
Smooth FM) that he missed radio and that he was interested in returning to the airwaves.
This was followed five months later by an announcement by Laws' manager, revealing that Laws had entered into negotiations with a number of radio stations, including
2SM
2SM is an Australian radio station, licensed to and serving Sydney, broadcasting on 1269 kilohertz on the AM band. It is owned and operated by Broadcast Operations Group.
The SM call sign is taken from the initials of Saint Mary's.
2SM's progra ...
.
Nevertheless, the suggestions that Laws would be returning from retirement in 2010 ended shortly thereafter, when 2UE management revealed that their contract with Laws precluded him from competing with their station until December 2010.
Laws' management confirmed in November 2010 that he would be returning to radio, following the expiry of the no-compete clause that prevented him from signing with a new network.
On 19 March 2013 Laws interviewed a female listener, who described a history of sexual abuse between the ages of six and sixteen. Laws proceeded to ask the woman if the abuse was in some way her fault and whether she had been provocative. The following day Laws said on air that women who dressed provocatively were once viewed as "rape bait".
In 2015, Laws referred to a male victim of child sexual assault as a "wet blanket" and told him to "brighten up".
In March 2020, Laws addressed on air an email received from a listener which was critical of both Laws and various items of content broadcast on the show. In his response, Laws told the listener "for goodness sake, say something constructive, like you’re going to kill yourself." The incident was later investigated by the
Australian Communications and Media Authority, who in March 2021 released a report finding Laws had breached two provisions of the Commercial Radio Code of Practice in broadcasting this statement. It also found
2HD (licensee of 2SM) had breached a provision of the same code relating to complaints handling.
He currently presents the
John Laws Morning Show on
2SM
2SM is an Australian radio station, licensed to and serving Sydney, broadcasting on 1269 kilohertz on the AM band. It is owned and operated by Broadcast Operations Group.
The SM call sign is taken from the initials of Saint Mary's.
2SM's progra ...
and the
Super Radio Network.
Cultural influence
In 1996 a portrait of John Laws by artist Paul Newton won the Packing Room award at the
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, J. F. Archib ...
. The portrait was hung in Laws' production office at 2UE.
Former
Australian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is also accountable to federal parliament under the principl ...
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously serv ...
called him the "broadcaster of the century" at Laws 40th anniversary dinner. At the
ARIA Music Awards of 2008
The 22nd annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) took place on 19 October 2008. The nominees for all categories were announced on 10 September, while the winners of ...
he was presented with a
Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions.
Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include:
A
* A.C. ...
.
He is mentioned in the song "Who Can Stand in the Way?" by Australian group
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by ...
on their album ''
Red Sails in the Sunset''
and the song "This Train Will be Taking No Passengers" from
Augie March
Augie (sometimes spelled Auggie) is a nickname for variations of the name August, which derives from the Latin name Augustus. It may refer to:
People
* Augie Auer (1940–2007), meteorologist
* Augie Galan (1912–1993), Major League Baseball p ...
's second album
Strange Bird
''Strange Bird'' is the second studio album by the Australian indie rock band Augie March. It was first released on 14 October 2002 in Australia by BMG and was re-released in the United States on 14 September 2004 by spinART.
''Strange Bird'' ...
.
Poetry and non-fiction
Laws has authored numerous books, many of them poetry collections. He claimed in 1970 that he had been reading
Rod McKuen
Rodney Marvin McKuen (; April 29, 1933 – January 29, 2015) was an American poet, singer-songwriter, and actor. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range ...
's poems on air but at one point, realising he had left his copy of McKuen's book at home, he instead read a poem of his own and "it seemed to go over pretty well." The working title for his first book was ''Poems that Came to Me in the Night When No-one Else Would.''
HIs ''Book of Irreverent Logic'' and his ''Book of Uncommon Sense'' were republished together in 1996 as ''A John Laws Limited Edition''. His most recent work is a memoir.
His books include:
* ''In love is an expensive place to die : poems'' (Paul Hamlyn, 1971)
* ''Results of Love'' (Hamlyn, 1972)
* ''Calendar Collection'' (Summit, 1978)
* ''Just You and Me Together, Love: Poems'' (Hamlyn, 1978)
* ''Somewhere Remembering'' (Angus and Robertson, 1984)
* ''John Laws' Book of Irreverent Logic'' (Pan Australia, 1994)
* ''John Laws' Book of Uncommon Sense'' (Pan Macmillan, 1995)
* ''John Laws' Barbecue Cook Book'' (Pan Macmillan, 1996)
* ''It Doesn't End There: Great Australian Stories With a Twist'' (with Christopher Stewart) (Pan Macmillan, 2006)
* ''There's Always More to the Story'' (with Christopher Stewart) (Pan Macmillan, 2006)
* ''Lawsie : well ... you wanted to know'' (New Holland, 2017)
Filmography
*''
Ned Kelly
Edward Kelly (December 1854 – 11 November 1880) was an Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader and convicted police-murderer. One of the last bushrangers, he is known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armour during his final shootout wi ...
'' (1970) – Kennedy
*''
Nickel Queen
''Nickel Queen'' is a 1971 Australian comedy film starring Googie Withers and directed by her husband John McCallum. The story was loosely based on the Poseidon bubble, a nickel boom in Western Australia in the late 1960s, and tells of an outback ...
'' (1971) – Claude Fitzherbert
*''
The Magic Pudding
''The Magic Pudding: Being The Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and his friends Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff'' is a 1918 Australian children's book written and illustrated by Norman Lindsay. It is a comic fantasy, and a classic of Australian childr ...
'' (2000) – Rumpus Bumpus
Discography
Laws recorded nine singles between 1959–62, including many songs he wrote himself. He recorded eight solo albums in the 1970s. His first three LPs and the seventh, ''You've Never Been Trucked Like This Before'', are primarily covers of country and middle of the road hits; the fourth, ''The Mind and the Music'', was made up of original Laws songs. ''In Love is an Expensive Place to Die'' is an album of Laws' poetry set to music. ''You Must Remember This'' is a collection of standards from the forties with one song co-written by Laws.
Additionally, Laws appears recorded as part of the cast of ''
Side By Side By Sondheim
''Side by Side by Sondheim'' is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from '' Company''.
History
The musical had its origins when David ...
'' (RCA Red Seal, 1977) and reading his poems to accompaniment by the
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini, ; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flautist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Award ...
Orchestra on an album entitled ''Just You and Me Together, Love'' (RCA, 1977). ''A Tribute to the ANZACS'' (Southland, 2000) is a 'musical documentary' narrated by Laws.
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Charting singles
Awards
Australian Record Awards
, -
, 1975
, ''Let Him Roll''
, Country Music Album of the Year
,
Mo Awards
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the
Mo Awards
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, that where established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were l ...
), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016.
(wins only)
, -
, 1998
, John Laws
, John Campbell Fellowship Award
,
, -
References
External links
Radio 2UE's archive of John Laws' retirement announcement and noteworthy tributes*
ttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s1095125.htm Media Watch on the Telstra dealsSydney Morning Herald report on vilification finding
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laws, John
ARIA Award winners
Australian radio presenters
Australian talk radio hosts
Australian television presenters
People from Sydney
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Network 10
Shock jocks
People educated at Knox Grammar School
People from Morobe Province
1935 births
Living people
People with polio
Australian car collectors
Australian male singers
Australian country singers
Former 2GB presenters