Page 22 - Melbourne Observer Magazine - Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Overnighters Souvenir
‘IT WAS LIKE 15 ROUNDS WITH MUHAMMAD ALI’ ‘National treasure’
● Di Rolle ■ “Keith McGowan is a stalwart when it comes to radio. How many of us have fallen asleep listening to Keith and his Overnighters program? “ There is something comforting about Keith’s voice. I was privileged to be part of his program for over a year. “We always enjoyed a laugh together no matter what the subject. A huge supporter of mine, I thank him for his friendship and his wonderful repartee we had on air. “I wish him well on his future. A great lover of this wonderful land of ours. A true Aussie spirit. “Keith, you are a national treasure. - Di Rolle
● Alan Armsden ■ “Keith McGowan gave Old Master (as he is now). me my first taste of radio “’Just pretend you’re talkexposure back in the late ing to a friend. Forget about 70’s when I was writing a the audience, forget about television column for the the mike,’ was Keith’s sage first iteration of the Sunday advice. Observer, in the hazy, crazy “This stood me in good days of the mercurial Max stead for a variety of other Newton. work I did on radio in ensu“The first live broadcast I ing years, having been addid (on 3DB from memory) vised very early on that “you was a morning phoner and I have a good head for radio.” agonised over it all night. “I even ended up hosting “I had appeared in quite a interview/talkback show few amateur theatrical pro- an years later for Radio Televiductions and never had any sion Hong Kong and was trouble with stage fright but London correspondent for this was a different gig. “There were no script or another station. “I always remembered stage positions and cues to learn, the mike went on and Keith’s advice.So, thanks for the lessons Keith, and thanks you were there. “McGowan bounced off for a lifetime of entertainme like a rubber ball, stole ment on the airwaves. “Of course, anyone who the segment with his quick wit and cutting repartee and thinks the lack of a mike or a when it was all over I felt like radio audience will take the I had done 15 rounds with edge off Keith’s propensity to provide a point of view on Muhammad Ali. “It was a baptism of fire anything and everything has but as the months rolled by I another think coming. learned a great deal from the - Alan Armsden