#russ the newsreader

[newsatsix1986]

A sombre shot of Sam Reid and John Leary as Dale Jennings and Murray Gallagher from No More Lies, as well as some others ❤️

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Next Thursday, it will have been three years since No More Lies first went to air on the ABC. It’s a funny feeling, seeing all these Season One episodes reach their third year anniversaries, as I have such strong vivid memories of watching this show as it first aired, whilst we were in lockdown. It truly doesn’t feel like that long ago, but according to time and mathematics, it is.

No More Lies really did strike a nerve. It’s brilliantly brave and searing storytelling around the plight of HIV and AIDS affected people and how the media represented - or rather, misrepresented - their stories and circumstances. This is why I love The Newsreader so dearly. It hasn’t portrayed the 1980s through rose-coloured glasses, and has sought to elevate the stories and perspectives that were either misrepresented or not represented at all during the time. It also demonstrates how easy it is to fall for misinformation, and I genuinely believe that this episode is a great lesson in media literacy. The whole show itself, but in particular this episode, should be used in schools and universities.

A part of my paternal family history is my Dad’s younger brother, who was a young gay man who contracted HIV during the 1990s. This was the decade in which medical treatment and antiretroviral therapies became available to significantly prolong the progression of the virus to AIDS in HIV-affected patients. He was thankfully able to benefit from these therapies and medications, which bought him two decades of life, longer than our Russ and Caroline would have lived for.

We sadly lost my paternal uncle Christmas 2012, when he was only forty years old. Through watching this episode with my Dad, it gave me the courage and the instigator for a discussion about my uncle’s condition, how people responded to it, and how it impacted his life. I’ll forever be grateful to No More Lies, and especially to Michael Lucas and Kim Ho, for giving me the opportunity to have this discussion with my Dad, which I had been hesitant to have for at that point nine years. Never underestimate the power of good media and the conversations and connections it can bring about. 💖🌟

[grahamkennedy]

Oh man can we talk about the fact that The Newsreader does everything in its power to dispel the myth that monogamy is morally superior. The way in season one Helen is so affronted by the fact that Geoff implies Russ deserved AIDS because he was non-monogamous. The way the show tells the audience that you should be disgusted by the way Geoff treats promiscuous gay men.

And that when Gerry is introduced in season 2 as someone whose main role as a character is to counsel Dale as a fellow bisexual man, his open marriage with Carla is not only treated with respect, but their whole love story is an almost sickeningly sweet traditional romance (boy meets girl, moves halfway across the world to be with her, sings her love songs, is head over heels in love with her). He sleeps with men and he loves his wife with his whole heart. These things are not disparate, and Carla is ready to advocate for her husband against the homophobia and biphobia he faces.

It's so extremely respectful to ethical non-monogamy, which is an important part of a lot of queer lives, and it makes me so incredibly happy.

[blackberryjqm]

okay. um. episode five was a doozy. they have a lot to cover in the series finale next week.

[newsatsix1986]

Happy Pride Month to these four gorgeous fictional blokes, as well as all the queer creatives behind The Newsreader and all the show’s fans who fall under the rainbow umbrella!

How lucky we are to have the stories of Dale, Tim, Adam and Russ on our screen, perfectly written by a wonderful set of diverse writers, and directed by an incredible creative eye. They were told with such heart and empathy, and there is so much we are able to take away from them.

Remember, dear fellow fans - you are all loved just the way you are. 💖🏳️‍🌈🌟

[newsatsix1986]

“I heard you might be putting me on the telly.”

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Adam Lindell and Russell’s love story is one for the ages. In 1982, the two worked for a university together, and they happened to lock eyes at a faculty drinks. It was love at first sight. At the time, Adam hadn’t come out yet, so the whole relationship between them was kept very secretive, almost as if it was some sort of thrilling affair.

When Russ started having a run of bad colds, part of him knew why this was so, and when he got that diagnosis of cancer and AIDS by his doctor, his suspicions were proven to be true. For Adam, the wait for his personal results was agony. Whatever the outcome was, life as he knew it had ended. He felt as though he could never explore this side of him ever again, and now he was a full-time carer for Russ. Watching the love of his life become more and more gaunt by the day, you could only imagine how hard this was. Especially when greater society gave them little to no empathy for the situation they’ve found themselves in.

When Helen Norville of News At Six gave them the opportunity to tell their story live on air, they were sceptical, but hiding away who they are was not an option. Adam had done that for many years, and it was soul crushing. Denying the truth of who he was had been the biggest agony of all. They were each other’s greatest supports, and no matter what questions or accusations or fabrications were thrown their way, they would stand by each other. They used this platform to endorse safety, and staying true to who they were. This would be their legacy.

Helen had the best of intentions, but her bosses and her costar Geoff Walters did not, and the evening had fallen short of the mark. Helen, darling, they had heard far worse, and would continue to do so. Her “sorry” would be best reserved for the storm that would be coming the network’s way again, but Adam used their parting to say sorry himself. An apology to that Bendigo Boy, which none of them could have predicted would be the greatest storm of all.

[newsatsix1986]

The beautiful, gentle and vivacious Russ, and his beloved Adam 💖🏳️‍🌈

The heartbreaking truth is that Russ would no longer be with us today, as well as the real men he represents from that era that contracted that cruel disease, and the final days of their lives weren't filled with the love that they should have had. Although Australia had a swifter approach to tackling AIDS than some other nations worldwide, the hate and stigma towards sufferers still unfortunately existed. Russ would have been very lucky that Adam was there until the very end, and it breaks my heart thinking of an older Adam today still nursing that grief from losing his best friend and most cherished lover. Thank goodness they had each other. The love they had for one another is so apparent.

Russ, you were a superstar. 💖🌟🏳️‍🌈🤴🏻

[newsatsix1986]

Helen Norville brings so much empathy and understanding to her work, and looks to share stories of marginalised and underrepresented people with her audiences. She uses her position and platform for good, and brings a very special human quality to News At Six! The network would really be lost without her.

She treats Adam and Russ with a lovely air of normalcy - asking them how they met, never once doubting the legitimacy of their relationship and love, and listening to every word they said with consideration and care.

Russ was so vibrant and an incredibly endearing man. It’s horrible to think that AIDS would’ve taken this light from this world not long after the interview. He really wasn’t well here at all. A cruel and insidious disease to have, and the treatment of patients with it by society at large was reprehensible. Russ was perfectly and skilfully played by Mark Leonard Winter, who also shared the lead role with Anna in her episode of the devastating series ‘Fires’.

What an extraordinary and moving episode ‘No More Lies’ is. I’m glad Michael Lucas and Kim Ho won an award for writing it. As someone who had a gay relative with HIV who is no longer with us, this episode hit very close to home for my dad and I. 💔

[grahamkennedy]

One thing that The Newsreader does better than Succession imho is actually utilising their characters in interesting ways. Like however brief, they all seem useful, it never feels like the writers ever got sick of a writing a character or anything like there’s no character where I feel like they had too much useless screen time where they overstayed their welcome, a la Greg Hirsch. And while there are characters where I think they deserved more screen time (like Adam, Russ, Lynus, Carla, Tim in S2 (though that was mostly a scheduling conflict with Chai) it didn’t feel like these characters were put on a bus or under-utilised with the same disrespect that characters like Stewy or Jess or Marcia or Naomi or Tabs etc etc etc etc. It just feels like the writers like the characters more equally in this show, like it doesn’t feel like it plays favourites the same way Succession does.

[newsatsix1986]

It kinda makes me feel sad that The Newsreader was 35 years ago! Like, all the characters would be so much older and different now?

Helen, Dale, Noelene, Rob, Tim, Ross, Cheryl and Adam would all be retired or very close to doing so and in their 60s and 70s, which is insane to think about. I bet Helen is one very intelligent and pretty old lady now, and gosh I hope her and Dale, and Noelene and Rob ended up getting married and maybe having at least one child each. I can imagine that Helen and Dale had very long careers, and perhaps had a daughter who Helen brought up to be as strong and intelligent as she is. But Dale would be that quiet and nurturing force in both his wife and daughter's lives, and he would be at peace with his bisexuality and he and Helen would support their child no matter what. That daughter may be working in the media right now! I'm also imagining that Rob is teaching his grandkids footy in the backyard and Noelene taught her children and grandchildren to be very resourceful and clever. I also hope Tim found himself a cute little boyfriend who is entirely dedicated to him. Timmo deserves that! And Cheryl would be such a stylish older lady - very eccentric! I'm hoping too that Adam found his peace after Russ' passing - maybe he and Tim end up crossing paths! Ross would still be a funny bloke!

There's a possibility that Val and Jean might still be with us - although they would be in their late 80s now.

I'd say almost safely that Geoff, Evelyn and Lindsay have all passed on now - especially with how Geoff and Lindsay's health was in the 1980s. Geoff turned 60 in January 1986 so that means he'd be 95 now. Maybe Evvy is still holding on in her upper class nursing home! She's strong willed, that woman!

How do you envisage The Newsreader characters in 2021?

[newsatsix1986]

I am a bit obsessed with this beautiful retro home!

The Mad House in the Victorian suburb of Beaumaris is drop dead gorgeous - and very familiar.

Did you recognise it? It's Adam and Russ' house from The Newsreader! And what a stunner it is! Absolutely breathtaking! This show has now got me obsessed with mid-century Australian architecture!

Follow the awesome family who own the house on Instagram!

[newsatsix1986]

Well if this is not an easter egg in The Newsreader, I have no idea what is!

Each scene in the show is set on an exact date, every new day being marked by a screen of text. The show takes place from Friday 24th of January to Tuesday 29th of April 1986.

Helen visits Adam and Russ' house on the 24th of April (the day before ANZAC Day), and they have this A Concert for Nuclear Disarmament poster on their walls. Just four days later (29th of April), she is breaking the news of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to the state of Victoria.

Although a concert with the exact name 'A Concert for Nuclear Disarmament' did not exist, there was one called 'Stop The Drop' held on Sunday 13th February 1983 at Melbourne's Myer Music Bowl. The headliners were Midnight Oil, INXS, Goanna and Redgum (very on brand for all of them).

Props and art department, I salute you!

This easter egg was CLEVER. This is why I adore this show with every bone in my body!

Edited to Add: I find the choice of the 29th of April 1986 as the ending date also really fascinating. That day, Helen and Dale and their merry troop of mates are reporting on the slithers of information they have on Chernobyl. A decade later on that very same date, a massive Australian story would be very aware to the public - the Port Arthur massacre, which occured on the 28th and 29th of April 1996. I wonder if Dale and Helen would have been flown to Tasmania to cover that? We'll never know because the show is unlikely to have ten seasons, so perhaps that's an idea for a fanfiction (as if I have not written enough of those already).