John Safran (born 13 August 1972) is an Australian documentarian and media personality, well known for pranks and indelicate handling of controversial issues. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt in one fashion or another to " Document " reality A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience primarily by making them laugh A radio personality (also known as a radio host or a radio presenter) is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting John Safran's Music Jamboree (or just Music Jamboree) was a light-hearted Australian Music documentary Television series John Safran vs God is an 8 part Television documentary series by John Safran which was broadcast on SBS TV of Australia Race Around the World was an Australian documentary series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1997 and 1998. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt in one fashion or another to " Document " reality A prank is defined as "acting like a clown or buffoon" or "dressing showily" or alternatively "a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement" A controversy or dispute is a commencement of a conflict between statements of accepted fact and a new or unaccepted proposal that disagrees with argues against He is known for his outlandish stunts such as rummaging through Australian television personality Ray Martin's rubbish in John Safran: Media Tycoon (an early pilot for a TV series), placing a temporary fatwa on the life of Rove McManus, and sneaking nine young men into an exclusive Melbourne nightclub by disguising them as members of American nu-metal band Slipknot. Ray Martin (born 20 December 1944, in Richmond, New South Wales) is a well known Australian Television Journalist A fatwā (فتوى plural fatāwā فتاوى in the Islamic faith is a religious opinion on Islamic law issued by an Rove McManus (born John McManus II Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Slipknot is an American band from Des Moines Iowa. Slipknot consists of nine members the current band members are Sid

Biography

Early life

Safran was born in Melbourne, Victoria. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 After attending North Balwyn Primary School, Safran was sent to Yeshivah College, an Orthodox Jewish high school in Melbourne. This article is about the high school in Melbourne. For other schools of the same name see Yeshiva College. When Safran was 9, he embarked on a trip to Cambodia with his uncle which would leave a dramatic and everlasting effect on Safran's life. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East

In Year 12, he formed the hip-hop group Raspberry Cordial with his friend Chris Lumsden. Raspberry Cordial were a hip-hop group from Melbourne, Australia, made up of John Safran They played to some success, receiving high rotation airplay on the city's community radio, playing many gigs in Melbourne, and coming second in the RMIT Battle of the Bands competition. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology ( RMIT) is an Australian University and Vocational education provider in Melbourne Battle of the Bands is a generic term for a contest in which many bands, usually rock/guitar bands but often from a range of different styles compete for the Their debut album was Melbourne Tram, of which Safran apparently has hundreds of unsold cassettes in his bedroom to this day.

After winning a government youth music initiative, they followed up with Taste Test, of which 500 copies were pressed. Of those, only 93 sold, so the remaining 407 had to be crushed. A song from Taste Test, "University Elevator Music", is legally downloadable from the Triple J website. Triple J is a nationally-networked government-funded Australian radio station (a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) mainly aimed Interviewed on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope show in 2003, he said that Raspberry Cordial "broke down the wall that Eminem's been able to walk through". Andrew Christopher Denton (born 4 May 1960 is an Australian Comedian and Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17 1972 known as Slim Shady and his primary Stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award -winning

Safran attended RMIT to study journalism, a career he tried for a while but eventually dropped, without completing his degree. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology ( RMIT) is an Australian University and Vocational education provider in Melbourne Journalism is the profession of writing or communicating formally employed by publications and broadcasters for the benefit of a particular Community of people He then began work in advertising for Clemenger Harvie. Clemenger Communications Limited is the holding company of a group of companies involved in advertising and marketing communications services throughout Australia and New Zealand During this time he wrote jingles for Mazda, Village Roadshow and Sea World. A jingle is a memorable Slogan, set to an engaging Melody, mainly broadcast on Radio and sometimes on Television commercials. ( is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan. Village Roadshow Limited is an Australian media company with interests in cinema, Theme parks film production and distribution Sea World is a Marine mammal park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Launch to fame with Race Around the World

Safran's first taste of national fame came via Race Around the World, a television competition for young documentarians run by the ABC. Race Around the World was an Australian documentary series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1997 and 1998. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt in one fashion or another to " Document " reality The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly abbreviated to the 'ABC' is Australia's national public broadcaster. Safran's segments scored well with both the judges and the public audience, Safran topped the viewer poll. An opinion poll is a survey of Public opinion from a particular sample. However, Safran was disqualified for a segment taped in a confessional booth (the program forbade hidden camera footage), the disqualification of the segment and loss of points because of it meant that Safran finished last in the first season of Race Around the World. A confessional is a small enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called Confession, or Reconciliation A hidden camera is a still or Video camera used to film people without their knowledge

Safran started the race off timid and tame, being locked inside an Osaka subway station in his first entry. is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū A metro station is a railway station for a Rapid transit system often known by names such as "metro" "underground" and "subway" He soon however broke what he called the "fear barrier" to film his now infamous segments. These included: streaking naked through the streets of Jerusalem wearing only the scarf and beanie of his favourite football club, St Kilda; being baptised in Africa; placing a Voodoo curse on his ex-girlfriend; sneaking into Disneyland via a work area and attaching information plaques he made about founder Walt Disney to a display (highlighting little known Disney "facts" such as Walt Disney's alleged early support for Adolf Hitler); and getting a Catholic priest to review death metal music. Streaking is the act of taking off one's clothes and running naked through a public place Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian Football League club based in Melbourne Victoria Australia Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs fast tempos heavily distorted guitars deep growling vocals morbid lyrics

Regular judge Tony Squires labelled him as "mischievous", whereas Idiot Box director David Caesar called Safran a "smart-arse westerner taking the piss out of a soft subject" and his work "shithouse". Tony Squires is an Australian media personality He is best known as the presenter of the comic sport news show The Fat, which ran on ABC television between Idiot Box is an Australian movie starring Ben Mendelsohn and Jeremy Sims David Caeser is an Australian Television and Film director and writer.

After the race

After this brush with fame the ABC commissioned two 30 minute TV pilots from Safran. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly abbreviated to the 'ABC' is Australia's national public broadcaster.

One pilot called John Safran: Media Tycoon focused on the media industry. It became infamous for a segment where Safran turned up to Ray Martin's home, then host of A Current Affair, and harassed him in the tabloid style characteristic of A Current Affair and its peers. Ray Martin (born 20 December 1944, in Richmond, New South Wales) is a well known Australian Television Journalist A Current Affair (or " ACA " is a nightly tabloid current affairs programme broadcast on the Nine Network every week night hosted Ray was in contact with the ABC and specifically warns Safran in the segment that he's spoken to Roger Grant the then Head of Corporate Affairs at the ABC. Martin's connection with this executive at the ABC is suspected to be a reason the series never made it to air. The Ray Martin segment was later played on Media Watch on the ABC and on Enough Rope. Media Watch is an Australian television program broadcast by ABC1 and ABC2. Enough Rope with Andrew Denton (often shortened to Enough Rope) is a television Talk show broadcast on ABC1 in Australia

The second pilot was titled John Safran: Master Chef. This pilot focused on the food industry. Notably it featured a cooking segment where Safran prepared a beef dish. The twist comes when he arrives in an abattoir and shows detailed footage of cows being slaughtered to complete the dish. ^[1]

Though all unsuccessful, the pilots became hits via the Internet among university students. ^[2] Safran also recorded a parody of Baz Luhrmann's motivational song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" entitled "Not the Sunscreen Song" which includes lines such as "Never live in Adelaide, it's a hole" and "Remember, you can't get pregnant the first time you have sex". Baz Luhrmann (born Mark Anthony Luhrmann on 17 September 1962 is an Oscar and Golden Globe -nominated Australian Film director, Screenwriter Wear Sunscreen or Sunscreen Speech are the common names of an essay actually called "Advice like youth probably just wasted on the young" written by Mary Schmich Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia with a It peaked at #20 in 1998 and was nominated for an ARIA. The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known as ARIA Music Awards or ARIA Awards) is an annual awards night celebrating the Australian In Triple M's 2005 Greatest Songs Ever Written and Performed Since the Beginning of Time poll, "Not the Sunscreen Song" came in at #706 - one spot above "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. Triple M is a network of radio stations owned by the Austereo Radio Network. " Superstition " is a popular song written produced arranged and performed by Stevie Wonder for Motown Records in 1972 when Wonder was twenty-two years Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13 1950 name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris) is an ^[3]

Safran also presented segments for the Seven Network's now defunct Late Report, some were also screened in the United Kingdom with Channel 4's Disinformation program. The Seven Network is an Australian television network, owned by the Seven Media Group. The Late Report was a short-lived news Satire show on Australia's Seven Network during 1999 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began Never escaping his wild side, Safran attained infamy and police attention for a stunt to try and coerce cricketer Shane Warne into breaking a "no smoking" clause in an advertising contract with a nicotine gum manufacturer. Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Shane Keith Warne (born 13 September 1969 is a former Australian international Cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the Safran drove a remote controlled seagull with a cigarette onto the pitch during a match. A remote control is an electronic device used for the remote operation of a Machine. Gulls (often informally Seagulls) are birds in the family Laridae A cigarette ( French "small Cigar " from cigar + -ette) is a product consumed through Smoking and manufactured He was arrested for "pitch invasion", but the charges were dropped. A pitch invasion, known as rushing the field in the United States occurs when a crowd of people who are watching a sports game run onto the field to celebrate or protest about

As of 2002 Safran had been a regular host of Melbourne community radio station 3RRR (Triple R) on its morning show "Breakfasters" but now is no longer one of the main team. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Community radio is a type of Radio service that caters to the interests of a certain area broadcasting material that is popular to a local audience but is overlooked by more 3RRR (pronounced "Three Triple R" or simply "Triple R" is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. Additionally he currently co-hosts the weekly radio show Sunday Night Safran on national youth radio station Triple J with Father Bob Maguire. Triple J is a nationally-networked government-funded Australian radio station (a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) mainly aimed

The era of SBS documentaries

In 2002, Safran launched his documentary series John Safran's Music Jamboree. John Safran's Music Jamboree (or just Music Jamboree) was a light-hearted Australian Music documentary Television series The show was a novel approach to documentary genre, combining Safran's comedic talent, personal passions, and typically outlandish stunts with solid information and interesting trivia. He at times raised the ire of his former high school principal. On one occasion Safran and his crew stormed the courtyard of his former school and amid shocked religious students and teachers, he and his crew began to dance to the song "Footloose". " Footloose " is a single by Kenny Loggins which spent three weeks at number one March 31 - April 14 1984 on the U Screened on SBS on Saturday nights, it opened Safran's work to a whole new generation who had not seen the original Race Around the World material. The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS is one of two government-funded Australian Public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the The show impressed the Australian Film Institute so much that it won two AFI awards in 2002; "Best Comedy Series" and "Most Innovative Program Concept". The Australian Film Institute (AFI established in 1958 is an organisation that promotes Australian film and television through the annual AFI Awards, a membership The Australian Film Institute Awards (often abbreviated to AFI Awards) are awards of merit presented annually by the Australian Film Institute.

In August 2004, he debuted his new show John Safran vs God, also on the SBS television network. John Safran vs God is an 8 part Television documentary series by John Safran which was broadcast on SBS TV of Australia The first seven episodes were typical Safran informative satire, but the series' finale was something else. It featured Safran being exorcised of demons which had allegedly possessed him during his dabblings with world religions. Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure is the practice of evicting Demons or other evil Demonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by Satan himself or one of his assigned advocates The exorcism was performed by well known Christian fundamentalist Bob Larson. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Fundamentalism refers to a "deep and totalistic commitment" to a belief in and strict adherence to a set of basic principles (often Religious in nature a reaction Bob Larson (born 1944 in McCook Nebraska) is a radio and television evangelist, currently based in Scottsdale Arizona It has been claimed that it was all faked for cameras, but Safran has neither confirmed or denied these rumours. However, in an interview with an Australian radio personality, Safran did say that he "felt something was going on", and that "there was something about the expression on my face". For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In an interview on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope program, he claimed that he had no memory of the events during the exorcism, and stated that the footage shown on the show was merely the most interesting from hours of footage. Andrew Christopher Denton (born 4 May 1960 is an Australian Comedian and Enough Rope with Andrew Denton (often shortened to Enough Rope) is a television Talk show broadcast on ABC1 in Australia John Safran vs God won an award in the 2005 AFI Awards for "Best Comedy Series".

Before the exorcism, Safran had gone to Mozambique to have a curse, previously placed on the Socceroos by a now-deceased witch doctor, lifted. Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa The Australian national football team represents Australia in international association football competitions He was covered in chicken's blood in the process. The chicken ( Gallus gallus, sometimes G gallus domesticus) is a domesticated Fowl which is traditionally believed to have descended from Coincidentally, on 16 November 2005, Australia qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football ^[4]

In 2005–06, Safran co-hosted a television talk show entitled Speaking in Tongues with his collaborator Father Bob Maguire, a Catholic Priest who Safran met during the filming of John Safran vs God. Speaking in Tongues is an Australian television program broadcast on SBS Television. The 12-part series broadcast on SBS Television and began 7 November 2005. The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS is one of two government-funded Australian Public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[5]

John Safran Saves America

Safran spent portions of 2007 in Los Angeles shooting a pilot John Safran Saves America for American MTV in which he tried to convince emos to fight in Iraq, hit the couch with therapists who claim they can cure people of racism, and attempted to become gay to increase his standing in Hollywood. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. Emo (ˈiːmoʊ is a genre of music that originated from Hardcore punk early on and adopted Pop-punk influences later on in the 2000s when ^[6] Safran stated in an interview that he hasn't heard back from the production company Reveille Productions whether the program has been purchased for production or not but as the months go on, "the answer isn't getting any yesser". Reveille Productions is an independently-owned television and motion picture studio and production company based in Los Angeles. ^[7]

References

External links

• The Official John Safran website (written by his ex-girlfriend)
• John Safran at the Internet Movie Database
• John's Safran's Music Jamboree website
• John Safran vs God website
• Speaking in Tongues website
• Enough Rope with Andrew Denton Interview with John Safran
• Interview with John Safran conducted after Speaking in Tongues
• Watch TV pilots made for ABC
• Sunday Night Safran Safran's Triple J radio show homepage
• World Screen Article about John's deal with Reveille