Chris Lilley’s comeback: Australian comedian launches Ja’mie podcast

Chris Lilley is bringing back one of his most iconic characters.

The comedian, 46, has launched a podcast based around Ja’mie King, the bratty private schoolgirl he portrayed in We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High and Ja’mie: Private School Girl.

The series, titled Ja’miezing, will see Lilley – in character as Ja’mie – offering ‘life advice from Sydney’s own Gen-Z icon and banter queen’.

Comeback: Chris Lilley is bringing back one of his most iconic characters. The comedian, 46, has launched a podcast based around Ja’mie King, the bratty private schoolgirl he portrayed in We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High and Ja’mie: Private School Girl 

According to the podcast’s official Apple bio, Ja’mie has evolved from a humble schoolgirl into an ‘influencer who everyone wants as their best friend’. 

‘She’s quiche, she’s wise, she’s unapologetic, and no offence but she’s literally Ja’miezing,’ it adds.

In the first episode, Ja’mie explains she took a gap year after finishing school and is now in her last year of university studying public relations.

‘I’m so over the world right now, it’s like, I’m in like the hardest phase of my life and the world’s literally falling apart,’ she says. 

Humourous: The series, titled Ja’miezing, will see Lilley – in character as Ja’mie – offering ‘life advice from Sydney’s own Gen-Z icon and banter queen’ 

Ja’mie still has a private-school attitude, making the coronavirus pandemic all about her after her European summer holiday was cancelled. 

‘I’m so over checking into venues too. It kills my entrance vibe,’ she adds.

The revived character will see Lilley parodying performative activism, as Ja’mie – who is hardly known for being politically correct – tells listeners she’s ‘really woke now’.

She’s woke now! The revived character will see Lilley parodying performative activism, as Ja’mie – who is hardly known for being politically correct – tells listeners she’s ‘really woke now’

In June last year, four of Lilley’s shows – Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes – were removed from Netflix in Australia and New Zealand. 

The programs raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed with Lilley in blackface and brownface.

On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****.

Cancelled: In June last year, four of Lilley’s shows – Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes – were removed from Netflix in Australia and New Zealand

Controversial: The programs shows raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed with Lilley in blackface and brownface. On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****

In Jonah from Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua.

In We Can Be Heroes, Lilley played Chinese physics student Ricky Wong.

Despite having four of his shows removed, Lilley still has two series available on Netflix: Ja’mie: Private School Girl and Lunatics.

Raising questions: For Jonah from Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua (centre)

Chris has previously defended his style of comedy.

In April 2019, he told The Weekend Australian: ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment.’ 

The award-winning comedian went on to say he would continue making ‘clever, layered’ characters.

Still available: Despite having four of his shows removed, Lilley still has two series available on Netflix: Ja’mie: Private School Girl and Lunatics. Pictured: Lilley as South African ‘dog whisperer’ Jana Melhoopen-Jonks in Lunatics

Defending his controversial portrayals, he added: ‘When you meet them, you think “I know that type of person”, but then there is a twist, something crazy.

‘[In] the end you think, “Actually, I kind of relate to this, she just did that thing that I do every day.”‘ 

You can listen to Ja’miezing here

Story telling: Chris has previously defended his style of comedy. In April 2019, he told The Weekend Australian, ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment’