WITH self-confessed ‘bogan roots’, comedian Dave O’Neil is well qualified to speak about the B-word at next month’s Williamstown Literary Festival.
O’Neil will join the creators of Things Bogans Like and the anti-bogan author of The Bogan Delusion to debate a word often used to label people living in the western suburbs.
The Great Bogan Literary Debate, moderated by Kim Gyngell, will open the festival.
“Someone called me a bogan at a gig recently, but I’m proud to be a bogan. People use it as an insult, but you can take it as bogan pride and don’t worry about it,” O’Neil says.
Before moving to Clifton Hill, O’Neil lived in Footscray for 10 years so is pretty comfortable with the label.
“I’ve got bogan roots … I grew up in Ringwood; as far as I’m concerned, that’s bogan heartland. It used to be bogans were from the outer suburbs – a younger person with a mullet who drove a fast car. Now it could include men with short hair, wearing sunglasses on their head or baseball caps and T-shirts with images and words that don’t mean anything.”
Having once been described as a cashed-up bogan, or CUB, because of his apparent success, O’Neil responded that “in my heart I still like ACDC”. “It’s a working-class attitude. You can be rich or middle-class and still be a bogan.” According to O’Neil, bogan traits may include owning a jet ski, having a love of vouchers, and men wearing three-quarter-length pants.
Although his comedy show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival was called You don’t really have a job, do you Dad?, O’Neil is actually quite busy.
As well as being the father of three, O’Neil appears with Adam Hills and Andrew Denton in two television series and has a regular gig on ABC radio 774.
And although he won’t be contributing to events at the festival, O’Neil has written two books and has an idea to do a memoir in future – perhaps with the title Bogan Tales.
Writers and artists at the festival include George Megalogenis, Shaun Micallef, Kerry Greenwood, John Harms and Gideon Haigh, with local guests Vin Maskell, Catherine Harris and Claire Saxby.
The program includes panels, interviews, workshops, film, storytelling and games.
Williamstown Literary Festival’s founding president, Angela Altair, says a humble idea has grown into one of the country’s most respected literary festivals.
It’s at Williamstown Town Hall, Ferguson Street, May 4-6. Details: willylitfest.org.au.
