10 things that are funny in Australia but not in Edinburgh

Antipodean sketch trio Aunty Donna don their ripple pants...

1. The Jim-Jam-aroo Hour

One of the most popular shows on Australian television in the Nineties; you couldn’t find a single Aussie between the ages of 15 to 25 that didn’t have a favourite character. Whether it’s the crazy Dr Oinkelburger or the coy Miss Diggy-Dog-Magoo, we all have a soft spot for this crazy kids show. Any reference to the Jim-Jam-aroo Hour brings waves of laughter and nostalgia to our audience in Australia. No such luck in Edinburgh.

2. Scraw Bats

Most Aussies will tell you they’re afraid of Scraw Bats. They’ll also tell you how funny it is when someone ELSE is attacked by a Scraw Bat. Although relatively harmless, when a Scraw Bat comes a swoopin’ most people go pretty crazy. Unfortunately, the only place you’ll find a Scraw Bat in the UK is at a zoo, so the idea of a ‘Swoopin’ Scraw’ doesn’t really read here in Edinburgh.

3. ‘That flip-flop ain’t a thong, and that thong ain’t yeller!’

This is a very popular phrase in Australia, and a warmly humorous one. It basically means ‘Be true to yourself, because someone needs to look after the kids when I’m gone' - but funny. There’s no real phrase like it in the UK, and any approximation doesn’t seem to capture the humour.

4. Flippy Joe’s Pancake Palace

Oh boy! You tell me where you can get a Double-up Choc-Cheese™ Short Stack for $25.99 anywhere in the world except for Flippy Joe’s. Not the UK, that’s where! This Aussie institution, with its hilarious uniforms and funny hats, is a reference that always falls flat in the UK.

5. Chips Mcee

Oh Chips McGee! How could anyone not find Chips McGee hilarious! Well, anyone from outside of Australia who’s never heard of him! That’s who!

6. Ripple Pants

We all have an embarrassing item of clothing in our wardrobe, but you’d be hard pressed to find an item more embarrassing for an Aussie than an old pair of Ripple Pants. Tight in all the wrong places and just a little too green, thank god this silly 90s look never made it anywhere else!

7. Puge

‘Ew gross!’ That’s what you’ll hear from most Aussie’s when you start talking about a puge. Everyone’s got one, but only Aussie’s call it a puge.

8. Timmy Tyson II

Sure, Tyson can sing. But those dance moves mean he’s the funniest pop star in Australia. Unfortunately, his hit track Dooby Wop A Doo never really made the charts outside of Australia.

9. Ol’ Jimmy Jack

Ol’ Jim is just about the funniest politician in the world – usually unintentionally. He always says the craziest things and is an instant laugh point for Australian audiences that own less than 1,000 acres of land. There is no real equivalent to Ol’ Jim in the UK - he’s that crazy!

10. Wipity Wopity Woo

Every kid in Australia had a Wipity Wopity Woo. With it’s extra large pilly-polly, everyone had a great time. Don’t try and make a joke about one anywhere other than Australia though, or else they’ll be saying ‘Willy Wolly “What?”’