Housos

A show about one of the most feared and hated elements of Australian society... bogans. In fact, Housos is something of an affectionate portrayal of Australia's working-class bludgers (i.e. the working-class who don't work). The title comes from Australian slang for those who live in the government's Housing Commission's public housing. Created by Paul Fenech, it has his hallmark tendency to take ethnic or class stereotypes and send them hurtling through the roof. Despite its heavy basis in outrageous satire and parody, two current affairs programs aired 'exposés' on this offensive new "Reality Show".

Started airing October 2011 on SBS.


 * Black Comedy
 * Cluster F-Bomb: Every. Episode. Ever.
 * Dead Baby Comedy
 * Poe's Law: Actually granted the show massive publicity when the Nine Network and Seven Network's current affairs programs both ran hard-hitting "shockers" about how the SBS program was using tax-payers' money to ridicule real people. Of course, the people were all actors, and the show was funded from revenue SBS raised itself. Both networks promptly backpedalled furiously and ran pieces where they asked people about their thoughts on the "hot new upcoming show". Fenech credited this publicity to helping the show find a larger audience.
 * Reality Show: Not one, but got free publicity as this, referenced in one of its online promos.
 * Refuge in Audacity: The first episode involves Franky setting his friend's house on fire so he can steal the fire-truck and drive to hospital, culminating in his buddies from a Lebanese gang shooting up the fire station. It Makes Sense in Context. If you're as screwed-up as Franky, anyway.
 * Satire: Most of Fenech's work satirises racial stereotypes.
 * Token Trio: The main blokes are Franky (Maltese-Australian), Dazza (Anglo-Australian), and Kev (Maori-Australian). However, the main blokes aren't the main characters as such, and the core cast is not a Token Band.
 * Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist - Franky. He spends part of the first episode tormenting an old man in an automated wheelchair. This later comes back to bite him.