Biographies - In Wollongong Tonight

The man in the host chair of In Wollongong Tonight - the main reason for him even starting the show. Pat is the self proclaimed Face Of Wollongong and a regular in the social pages of the papers due to his tendency to attend the opening of an envelope.

Pat has always wanted to be on TV and the centre of attention. This started at a young age when, due to his large family, he had to compete for screen time on home videos. Pat learned quickly how to draw attention to himself. This upbringing has served him well in the cut throat world of the entertainment business. An often temperamental star, some would say diva like, there are many stories of the demands he has made to the IWT cast. Pat sees the show as a launching pad to the bright network lights and his goal in life is to become the record holder of the most Gold Logies. “Wins, not nominations like that John Wood fool.”

Pat and Dan Stawanski first worked together in sixth grade when the two presented what many claim was ‘the speech of the century’ for a science project.

Known for: Common Sense Man, Sooty, Billy Ray, Matty.

Attending comedy school by DVD correspondence Dan was taught under the masters: John Belushi, Lorne Michaels, Harold Ramis and Professor’s Larry, Curly and Moe. Dan is responsible for interviewing potential Popcorn employees and is often seen with up and coming starlets in the social pages.

Dan has always wanted to be Hollywood and likes to think he could hang with the ‘indie cool’ set, with their obsessive movie references and knowledge of film - a practice he annoys most of the Popcorn cast with at every opportunity. This, along with his sleazy writing technique of putting himself in scenes where he has his arm around female cast members, may serve him well if IWT can get him to Hollywood. Dan is well prepared when America does call as he already wears a Boston Redsox baseball cap and movie t-shirt to most shoots and around the Popcorn offices.

Dan was the guy who came up with the names Pass the Popcorn Productions, In Wollongong Tonight and bought Tucker the Chihuahua.

Known for: Trav, Salvadore, TNT, Aubergine, Billy Bob, Sammy.

Hailing from the ‘big smoke’ of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, In Wollongong Tonight is Dan’s first Pass the Popcorn Production. Unpredictable at the best of times Dan rarely reads the scripts before filming. This ‘Loose Cannon’ reputation often finds Dan in trouble and putting Popcorn in the papers for the wrong reasons - battling addictions, getting into fights, streaking - luckily the producers think there is no such thing as bad publicity and he has stayed with the show.

Like Pat and Dan S, Auldy doesn’t have time for the little people and often turns up late to creative meetings. Not knowing any of the cast when first starting IWT, Dan feels he has no need to bother learning anything but their names. He has a very real love for kebabs and is not really sure where IWT will take him as long as it’s nowhere near Wollongong ever again.

Dan thinks he’s the funniest on the show due to his latest hobby - appearing on stage at open mic nights.

Known for: Father Dick, A Currently Today anchor Dan

A long suffering cast member of Pass The Popcorn Productions, Bonco - as his licence states - is what people in the biz call a ‘Method Actor.’ He’s been preparing to appear on IWT all his life, going so far as to befriend most of the cast in primary school and high school as well as working in a real office environment all so he could prepare for his roles on show.

Trent’s real life animosity with Dan Auld has been put to good use in the Reporter Wars on A Currently Today.

Known for: Reporter Trent, Mr. Gadros.

Despite popular belief, Popcorn did not ‘talent raid’ Downstairs Studios and Frank is on loan from the rival production company. Besides if we had, there were more talented people on the books to raid. In saying that, Frank’s history segment has been instrumental in winning Pass the Popcorn two film festival awards so he can’t be that bad.

Frank is called upon to become Boom Boy for many IWT sketches.

Known for: The Way Wollongong Was, killing the Crazy Frog with his car.

After deciding that they needed a ‘marquee name’ Pass the Popcorn scouted for local talent. Watching ‘Home And Away’ they noticed that ‘Diner Customer #3’ was just the sort of star IWT needed. After checking out Lara’s IMDB page they were sure. After numerous phone calls, pleading, wheelin’ and dealin’, Lara took the job. She regrets her decision to this day.

Lara believes she’s better than the rest of the cast since she’s appeared on network TV.

Known for: Bree, Amanda the Floor Manager, Jennifer Love Interest.

Signed on after ‘being in the wrong place at the right time’ and originally brought in to ‘sex up’ the image of Pass The Popcorn Productions, Suz has never once complained of harassment in the workplace making her ‘the favourite’ amongst the Producers.

Suz went to primary school with most of the cast where she constantly led her Gold House to wins over the Pat-led Red House.

Known for: Trace Monaro, Faye Martin.

Kamuran claims to have been trained under comic legends Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller. In truth ‘trained’ meant watching ‘Anchorman’ and ‘Dodgeball’ in a movie marathon. Kam is told he is a valuable member of the IWT creative team which he foolishly believes. As a member of the creative team Kam claims to have “a boot full of cock and kebab scripts.”

Kam once appeared on ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ without the consent of Pass the Popcorn.

Known for: Scott Sheppard, Dr. Reckless.

Was voted ‘most likely to appear in a local community access show called In Wollongong Tonight as a sports reporter with anger management issues, being part of the Steelers Crusade and receiving a few complaint letters’ in his high school yearbook. This proved to be scarily accurate.

Much like his character, Payney enjoys beer, sports, swearing and patchwork.

Known for: Payney’s Sports Rant, Officer Emmany.

One of the biggest IWT fans around, Luke is often called upon for one line here, two lines there and after the coke has been delivered he usually appears in a few sketches. You could call Luke the star of the ‘B Team.’ We don’t, because that would feed his ego and he might want to moved up from Featured Player, but you can.

Luke is never referred to as ‘Bonco’ on set because that would just be confusing for everybody.

Known for: Nothing. Goddamnit Luke get a character!

Having two blondes on the show wasn’t good enough for IWT producers and this problem was solved when Anna auditioned for the show. Claiming to be good friends with Suz and having seen some of the Season 2 DVD helped her land the internship. Telling us she had completed a short course at NIDA and had seen ‘Caddyshack’ also helped.

Anna is bordering on becoming a full cast member after filling in for Suz in many scenes.

Known for: Tanya.

After seasons of occasionally appearing in IWT sketches Josh finally found a hit character. Attaching himself to star Trent Boncompagni’s ‘Captain Lampshade Man’ Josh became life of the party ‘General Goodtimes’ even creating his “Just Dig It” catchphrase from his own real life experience.

Josh is often mistaken for Ben Affleck and Pat Rafter - usually by blind drunk people.

Known for: General Goodtimes.

Jane was hired after Dan S decided he ‘didn’t want another blonde’ and Pat wanted someone that ‘knew how he liked his coffee.’ Once offered a modelling job by a guy holding a camera, her new career didn’t take off and with nowhere else to turn besides community access Jane was successful in her audition. It also helps to have a Williamson last name.

Jane’s contract also states she is the chauffer of the Pass the Popcorn Barina.

Known for: Shandy.

Once only known as ‘that IWT fan that hangs around the studio,’ Mark was asked to appear in a show segment. He was so well received as ‘kid’ that he was asked to stay on, appearing in varied roles as ‘poor kid’ and ‘school kid.’

Mark appeared in Pass the Popcorn’s unofficial first project. The never completed ‘Tales of the Rolex’ short film.