For thousands of New Zealanders, John Clarke was, and will always be, the typical Kiwi, Fred Dagg. Photo: Supplied
Well-known New Zealand satirist, comedian and writer John Clarke has died, aged 68.
For thousands of New Zealanders, John Clarke was, and will always be, the typical Kiwi, Fred Dagg.
Born in Palmerston North, he was educated in Wellington. He began his comic career at Victoria University in the late 1960s with a talented group including Sam Neill, Paul Holmes and Ginette McDonald.
His alter ego Fred Dagg - resplendant in black singlet, shorts and gumboots, made his first appearance on New Zealand TV in 1973 and quickly captured the public imagination.
He regularly appeared on Australian television from the late 1970s onwards - becoming a household name with his colleague Bryan Dawe, as they lampooned public figures including Paul Keating and George Bush.
Cartoonist and writer Tom Scott was a close friend of John Clarke.
He pays tribute to a true legend.
Jesse spoke to John Clarke back in 2015 about his career - you can listen back to that interview here
