Andrew Hansen

Infobox Comedian
name = Andrew Hansen

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imagesize = 200px
caption = Andrew Hansen
pseudonym =
birth_name = Andrew John Hansen
birth_date = birth date and age|1974|9|18|df=y
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
medium = Print, Television, Radio & Stage
nationality = Australian
active = 1999-present
genre = Satirical Comedy
subject =
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spouse =
notable_work = The Chaser
"The Chaser Decides" (2001, 2004, 2007)
"CNNNN" (2002-2003)
"Cirque du Chaser" (2005)
"The Chaser's War On Everything" (2006-2007)
"The Chaser's Age Of Terror Variety Hour" (2008)


website = [http://www.chaser.com.au www.chaser.com.au]
footnotes =
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baftaawards =
cesarawards =
goyaawards =
afiawards = Best Performance In Television Comedy (2006)
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grammyawards =
americancomedyawards =
britishcomedyawards =

Andrew John Hansen (born 18 September 1974Fact|date=July 2008) is an Australian comedian and musician, best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser. As a member of The Chaser, Hansen's television work includes co-writing and appearing in ABC television shows "CNNNN" (2002-2003), "The Chaser Decides" (2004, 2007), "Chaser News Alert" (2005), and "The Chaser's War On Everything" (2006-2007). He has also co-written and performed in The Chaser's stage shows, "Cirque du Chaser" (2005) and "The Chaser's Age of Terror Variety Hour" (2008).

Early life

Hansen attended The Hills Grammar School in Kenthurst, New South Wales and is a graduate of the University of Sydney with honours in Australian literature [citeweb|title=Andrew Hansen - The Fantastic Leslie Official Site|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20010415103330/fantasticleslie.com/band/andrew.htm] and Australian history. [cite web | url=http://www.abc.net.au/abccontentsales/s1177201.htm | title=Uni | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation]

In 1995 he appeared as a subject in Simon Target's documentary "Uni" about three students studying at the University of Sydney (Hansen later satirised Target in "CNNNN" where he played the network's British correspondent who was also called Simon Target). Soon-to-be fellow Chaser member Charles Firth was one of the other two students featured. [cite web | url=http://www.abc.net.au/programsales/s1122425.htm | title=Radio, TV, and Online Sales - Uni | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation] During the documentary it was revealed that Hansen suffered from clinical depression while attending the university. [cite web | title=University life in the '90s | url=http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/1997/296/296p21.htm | publisher=Green Left.org.au]

Personal life

Until 2007 Andrew dated Cal who also featured in Simon Target's documentary "Uni". He is now dating Jessica Roberts. [cite web | url=http://leishblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/a-trip-to-the-arias-the-golden-table-and-hideous-hangovers/ | title=A trip to the ARIAS, the golden table and hideous hangovers]

The Chaser

CNNNN

Hansen starred in The Chaser's satirical American news show "CNNNN" as the leader of the "newsband". He was also characters Rudi J Blass, director of "Newstainment", and Simon Target, an English reporter. Hansen's performance in the first season of "CNNNN" earned him the Australian Comedy Award for Outstanding Television Newcomer. [cite web
title=The Australian Comedy Awards
url=http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/austcomedyawards/award-recipients.html]

The Chaser's War on Everything

Hansen has been a regular writer and performer on "The Chaser's War on Everything" since the pilot episode. He is particularly known for composing and performing songs on the program. He is also known for his character pieces, which include "Scenes from the Life of the Crazy Warehouse Guy", "The Surprise Spruiker", "Clive the Slightly Too-Loud Commuter", and "Mr. Ten Questions". In the second part of the first season and the whole of the second, Andrew sported a different hairstyle every week. He has said that he likes to look entertaining with his clothes and his hair.

From the show it is seen that Hansen is a pianist, and from the 13th Episode of Season 2, he can speak fluent French.

In addition to his songwriting, Hansen composed the show's theme music, which received the APRA-AGSC Screen Music Award for Best Television Theme (2006). [cite web
title=APRA-AGSC Screen Music Award Winners 2006
url=http://www.amcos.com.au/awards/screen/media_releases/061106_Screen_Awards_Winners.pdf] In the show's credits, Hansen is credited for being the person responsible for "Original Music", although in the show's DVD commentary it is stated that fellow Chaser member Chris Taylor is responsible for writing the lyrics for the majority of songs performed on the show.

In "The Chaser's War on Everything" DVD Volume 2's commentary, Hansen revealed that he is a fan of computer games and "Doctor Who". This may have sparked the inspiration for one of his songs sung on "The Chaser's War on Everything" Season 1, about "Doctor Who". It is also stated on the commentary that about 3/4 of the "Doctor Who" props in the video clip were supplied by Andrew himself. On the Season 2 Volume 1 commentary, it was revealed jokingly that Hansen is a huge fan of U2, which is why he chose not to imitate lead singer Bono during a sketch.

For Season 1 of the program, he received the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Performance in Television Comedy (2006).

The Eulogy Song

The most controversial song that Hansen has performed was "The Eulogy Song", which was originally written for Chris Taylor's play "Dead Caesar", with music by Hansen and lyrics by Taylor. On the 17 October 2007 episode of "The War", Hansen performed the song which satirised the lives of several deceased celebrities, including Peter Brock, Stan Zemanek, Princess Diana, Donald Bradman, Steve Irwin, John Lennon, Jeff Buckley and Kerry Packer, expressing the view that people with flaws during life are often disproportionately hailed as "top blokes" after death. The song became the target of significant media attention, [cite web|url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=306835|title=Chaser's war on good taste|publisher=NineMSN] with several radio and television personalities saying the song was in "bad taste", and both then Prime Minister of Australia John Howard and then Leader of the Opposition Kevin Rudd expressing negative views. [cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22607098-2,00.html|title=Howard, Rudd lash out at Chaser song|publisher=News.com.au]

tage Shows

Hansen co-wrote and appeared in the live show "Cirque du Chaser", which toured Australia in 2005.

Hansen composed and performed the music for the Sydney Theatre Company's 2007 musical comedy "Dead Caesar", which was written by Chaser colleague Chris Taylor. He also played the roles of Marc Antony and Lucius. [cite web|url=http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/performance.asp?pID=224|title=Sydney Theatre Company - Dead Caesar|accessdate=2007-01-23] "The Eulogy Song" was originally written for and performed during this play.

In 2008, Hansen toured Australia with The Chaser's second stage show, "The Chaser's Age of Terror Variety Hour". [cite web|title=The Chaser - Live in Sydney 4-6 July|url=http://www.chaser.com.au/content/view/3471/72/|publisher=The Chaser]

Other productions

Hansen was the guitarist and one of the vocalists for independent Sydney band The Fantastic Leslie. The Fantastic Leslie was comprised of Cameron Bruce, Tom Gleeson, James Fletcher and Hansen. In July 1999 the band released their 6-track EP "A Tiny Mark" which was distributed through MGM Distribution. [cite web
title=Message: The Fantastic Leslie CD Launch: 1 July 1999, Hopetoun Hotel
url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/leslie/message/10] [cite web | url=http://www.mp3.com.au/artist.asp?ID=346 | title=The Fantastic Leslie | publisher=mp3.com.au] He was also a member of independent alternative band Mending. [cite web | url=http://www.mp3.com.au/artist.asp?ID=7538 | title=Mending | publisher=mp3.com.au]

Hansen co-wrote the short film "Garbage Man" with Charles Firth and British comedian Henry Naylor. It was a Tropfest finalist in 2005 and a prizewinner at Germany's Ohne Kohle festival. [cite web | url=http://www.poolbar.at/public/text.php?aid=703 | title=Sie kamen, wussten und gewannen | language=German | publisher=Poolbar festival | accessdate=2007-10-19] Hansen has also been known to feature on the musical comedy circuit, including a recorded performance of one of his more famous songs, 'I Wish I Was A Scottish Stand-Up Comedian', for the "Laugh-A-Poolooza" 2006 DVD release.

Hansen has had writer/performer contributions to the Nine Network's "Comedy Inc." and the ABC's "My Favourite Album". He also does the voice-over for the ABC's "First Tuesday Book Club". [cite web
title=First Tuesday Book Club, narrated by Andrew Hansen
url=http://idents.tv/blog/2006/08/02/first-tuesday-book-club-narrated-by-andrew-hansen/ ] He composed the music for Nickelodeon's "Sarvo" and "Napman", and songs for the "Sesame Street" character Ollie.Fact|date=December 2007. Hansen appeared and presented at the 2008 MTV Australia Awards and the 2008 ARIA Music Awards. More recently, he is set to appear in an episode of the Australian gaming TV show "Good Game", challenging the hosts to a 'Roffle Cup'.

References

External links

*
* [http://last.fm/music/Andrew+Hansen Andrew Hansen on Last.fm]
* [http://www.tv.com/andrew-hansen/person/161818/summary.html Andrew Hansen at TV.com]