This week Australian comedian, Chris Lilley, announced the return of his most notable character, Jamie King, a Sydney private school student turned influencer. Lilley has launched weekly 15-minute podcasts in the character of Ja’mie, now a 20-year old university student studying media.
A Facebook page has been created for the podcast, which appears to be in the character of Ja’mie as the biography reads: ‘A weekly podcast from Sydney’s own Gen Z icon and unapologetic banter queen Ja’mie King. Star of several documentary series, the private school girl turned influencer talks wellness, fashion, beauty, relationship advice, and more’. The page also contains regular status updates from Ja’mie herself, documenting her experiences as a university student, in between the weekly episodes.
Although Lilley has been condemned for his controversy in the past, which in the last year has included the removal of his shows We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High, Angry Boys and Jonah From Tonga from Netflix and BBC iPlayer, Lilley’s interpretation of his character has not changed and Ja’mie remains as blatant c as ever, stating in the first episode: ‘Sorry if anyone’s offended. I’m trying hard to be woke but like no offence if I offend you”, as she proceeds to recount details of her sexuality, past relationships, her history prior to the podcast whilst revealing she has nude photos on the internet all over the internet.
The podcast is Lilley’s first project after his past controversies regarding his portrayals of mental disabilities, homosexuality, sexual abuse and racism in his previous shows. This involved feedback and fears from parents and teachers who, after the release of Summer Heights High, complained to the Herald Sun regarding the influence of the show which was prompting bullying and inappropriate behaviour in schools.
The first episode of the podcast sees Ja’mie introduce herself having “move[d] into the influencer space” and discusses her inhibitions about being “cancelled” which is surprising considering the unapologetic nature of her opinions and the explicit content within the episode. Meanwhile, Ja’mie discusses the future of the podcast which she states will see her “navigating life as a Gen Z woman and future kick-ass girl boss”.
Despite Ja’mie’s controversial nature, the podcast has received several 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts with users commenting their praise for the hilarity of the podcast: ‘Have been and always will be obsessed with jamie!’ , ‘Hope there are loads more!’, ‘Legendary’. The podcast appears to be recognised as an early success with 356 ratings and a current overall 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
New ‘Ja’miezing’ episodes are available weekly on Apple Podcasts.
For more social media news, check out this article regarding a recent success on TikTok.
