Paul McDermott

Paul Anthony Michael McDermott was born on May 13, 1962, in Adelaide, South Australia, one of six children in a Catholic family. His family later moved to Canberra when he was three. He attended Marist College Canberra and Dickson College before studying art for four years at the Canberra School of Art at the Australian National University. Painting was his original passion, and he only began performing at age 25 to fund his art supplies. His initial venture into performing started with busking in 1985, an experience that provided him with practical skills and adaptability for various performance settings.

McDermott’s career took a significant turn when he joined the musical comedy group the Doug Anthony All Stars (DAAS). The group, which also included Tim Ferguson and Richard Fidler, started by busking and performing in Canberra clubs. McDermott became a member when Robert Piper left. DAAS gained recognition at the 1986 Adelaide Fringe Festival and subsequently at the Edinburgh Fringe, where they were nominated for the Perrier Award. They toured nationally and internationally, appearing on British television and at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Their distinct and often provocative style was showcased on ABC TV’s ‘The Big Gig’ from 1989 and later in their own series, ‘DAAS Kapital,’ which ran for two seasons. McDermott was primarily responsible for writing much of DAAS’s material and songs.

The group disbanded in 1995, and McDermott transitioned into television hosting. In 1996, he began hosting ‘Good News Week,’ a satirical news-based quiz show on the ABC, which later moved to Channel Ten. His role involved delivering an introductory comedic monologue, notable for its direct criticism and willingness to push boundaries. He also hosted spin-offs like ‘Good News Weekend’ and ‘GNW Night Lite.’ After the show’s cancellation in 2000, McDermott explored live comedy, music with the trio GUD, and writing children’s books. He also directed short animated films, with ‘The Scree’ (2004) winning Best Film at Flickerfest and ‘The Girl Who Swallowed Bees’ (2007) winning an AFI Award for Best Short Animation. ‘Good News Week’ was relaunched in 2008 with McDermott as host, and he was nominated for a Gold Logie Award in 2010. He has continued to perform live, reunite with DAAS, and host other television programs like SBS’s ‘Room 101’ and ABC’s ‘Think Tank,’ maintaining a diverse and impactful career in entertainment.