Comedian Henry Bretz, who has gained viral fame for his satirical videos impersonating former Today host Karl Stefanovic, says Stefanovic “doesn’t scare me” after being blocked on social media. Bretz, a Queenslander and co-host of the drive program on Sunshine Coast’s 92.7 Mix FM, began impersonating Stefanovic months after he launched his independent podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, in January. Since April, Bretz has posted more than 30 parody videos, with titles ranging from “Karl Stefanovic when it rains” to “Karl Stefanovic solves the Middle East.”
No personal vendetta, but concern over rightward shift
Bretz says he has no “personal vendetta” against Stefanovic but was troubled by his political pivot. Stefanovic was dropped from his $2.8 million contract with Nine last month after embracing far-right activist Tommy Robinson. “I definitely hadn’t focused that much on Karl during the mainstream Today Show era. I just saw him as a relatively lovable larrikin,” Bretz said. “Then when I saw him put his podcast out, to me, it was pretty obvious that he was following a blueprint that has been successful – albeit, pretty dangerous – in the United States. I was like, ‘Oh, this is definitely following the rhythms of a Joe Rogan’, which he savvily and cleverly identified as a gap in Australia.”
Stefanovic’s podcast and the parody inspiration
The first episode of Stefanovic’s podcast featured an interview with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, followed by defector Barnaby Joyce and vaccine sceptic Gerard Rennick. Bretz had his eye on the program but was inspired to parody after viewing a nostalgic video created for Stefanovic by content creator Sammy Thompson. In the video, Stefanovic narrates a sepia-tinged AI-generated footage of Brisbane in the 1970s and 80s, saying, “I went to school barefoot with whole salamis and cheese for morning tea. We also had a Nissan Urvan, no air-con. How we cooked on the way to the Goldie.” Bretz found it disingenuous, noting Stefanovic attended a private school. “I was like bro, you went to a private school in Brisbane, you went to Churchy, it’s one of the most expensive schools in the city,” he said with a laugh. “Without a political agenda I just was like ‘This is ripe for parody’, the idea of a guy who’s sort of cosplaying a conservative trying his best to say what he thinks the audience wants to hear.”
Initial likes, then a block
Stefanovic initially liked Bretz’s first video, which garnered 18,000 likes and included lines like “Mum was a jar of Vegemite” and “Dad bought five houses in one afternoon with a $20 note.” Stefanovic followed Bretz the same day. Former Today co-host Lisa Wilkinson also appreciated the parody, liking and sharing a video where Bretz joked about being fired for speaking his mind. “This is hilarious,” Wilkinson wrote. “Hey, hang on, I WAS fired for going on about all that ‘women shit’.” However, as Bretz continued, Stefanovic changed his stance. After Bretz posted a pointed criticism of Stefanovic’s claim that his wife threw a sausage sandwich at the TV during Anthony Albanese’s national address, Stefanovic blocked him. Bretz noted, “I posted a video about that being like, we don’t honestly think that happened, do we? The Stefanovics are sitting in their $3m mansion throwing sausage sandwiches at their TV?”
Bretz unfazed by the block
Bretz was not bothered by being blocked. He said he was “happy he wasn’t loving it,” as being in on the joke can “ruin it a bit.” When asked if he would appear on Stefanovic’s podcast, Bretz expressed uncertainty. “I don’t really want to be seen to endorse what he’s doing with the podcast because I do think there’s some fairly scary forces he’s trying to tap into,” he said. “I think he looks a little like he’s playing in a space that maybe he hasn’t fully appreciated yet. And I think the proof is in the pudding with that in the fallout around the Tommy Robinson chat.” Stefanovic has framed his departure from Nine as a matter of free speech, saying his podcast “is about” that. He stated, “You don’t have to listen to my show. You have the power. You are smart enough to make up your own mind.” Bretz countered that “freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequence.” He added, “He doesn’t scare me. He’s done to me what Channel Nine did to him. It’s ironic that there’s almost symmetry between him saying he’s a victim and how he approaches something as small and silly as a nobody comedian.” Stefanovic was approached for comment.
