Hysterically, side-achingly, call-an-ambulance-ly, funny.
Founded in 2014, The Betoota Advocate has become Australia’s most popular satirical news site. Leaving no sacred cow unmolested, The Advocate embraces Australian humour and colloquialisms, whilst creating new ones of its own.
Betoota-isms rounds up some of the best of these terms, giving definitions for such monikers as brickie’s laptop (poker machine), bachelor’s handbag (a cooked chicken from the supermarket) and Scomo showbag (the governments coronavirus supplement).
Mythically based in the Queensland country town of Betoota, The Advocate has a penchant for the rural and the Queenslandish. The book opens with a tribute to Lady Diamantina Bowen, Ionian-born wife of Queensland’s first Governor. Or as they put it, “one of the first Greeks to make the big time in Australia”. Betoota-isms is divided into sections including The Swamp Things (names for politicians), Australian Archetypes, Liquor & Gaming, and Automotive. Each section has its own very funny introduction, within which is contained a bog-load of common sense, and an insight into the Australian way of thinking. For example, this from the intro to Celebrity Sobriquet:
“If you become famous in this country, whether it be for shooting people or scoring a lot of points in some kind of sports match, odds are you’ll get a nickname.”
Some of those nicknames include Keith’s Arrow (Nicole Kidman, coz she keeps Keith on the straight and narrow), and Silverhair (Silverchair … needs no explanation), and my personal favourite Korea (Dean Waugh): “Sure there was Mark and Steve, but no one ever remembers Korea …”
Betoota-isms is hysterically funny. I don’t normally personalise my reviews, but seriously, I was laughing so hard reading this in bed that I nearly a) had a stroke, b) fell out of said bed, and c) caused the neighbours to bang on the window and tell me to shut-up.
As the authors themselves state in their intro, “Most people who are reading this for the first time are doing so on Christmas Day, after what’s been another miserable year of economic and social ruin.”
They are probably correct in that assumption. This is a perfect Christmas present for anyone who enjoys humour, current events, Australianism, and just damn fine writing. And make sure you buy a copy for yourself as well.
Just have a defibrillator handy.
Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
Twitter: @TraceyKorsten
Distributed by: Pan Macmillan Australia
Released: October 2021
RRP: $29.99
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