The Scomo Diaries

by Tosh Greenslade

Just how good is Scomo? Our nation's great leader tells all in this captivating (and completely unofficial) diary, as told to Mad as Hell's Tosh Greenslade and award-winning cartoonist Andrew Weldon. All aboard the Scomo Express as our hero pulls back the lid on the life and times of one of history's great leaders and humbly serves up -a steaming meat pie of everyman wisdom for the hungering masses. These are the unofficial chronicles of Scotty's first 18 months in his new role as head honcho of the largest marketing firm in the country - the Australian Federal Government - as it unfolded, completely devoid of any self-aggrandisement, double-speak, sleight-of-hand or other dirty shenanigans played by the Opposition. Thrill as the man who put the Scotty into Marketing tells how he honed his Sharkies lovin', beer drinkin', God fearin', cap wearin', Daggy Dad alter ego and used it to such miraculous effect. Marvel at how he developed such classic slogans as 'The Bill Australia can't afford', 'I'm listening. I'm hearing. I'm doing', and the immortal 'If you have a go, you'll get a go'. Like an egg to the back of your head, you will be blindsided by the rush of adrenaline as the Boy from Bronte waltzes from the boardroom to the world stage, becoming besties with The Donald, all while keeping the Lucky Country lucky, the Newspolls honest and the Prince of Darkness from reanimating himself in the form of backstabbing Coalition aspirants. From the inner-workings of BORDERFORCE!., to what really happened at the Engadine Maccas, this candid, compelling and completely unofficial diary is your backdoor access to the halls of power. With all that sweat, blood and cheers, who wouldn't deserve a tropical holiday?

Genres: Fiction, Politics, Audiobook, Humor

250 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2020

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny satire - lampoons both ScoMo's bigotry and his use of bigotry in others for political gain. Have to admit though, my favourite parts were the descriptions of Peter Dutton and Christopher Pyne, absolutely brilliant

[Jason McCracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scotty from PR is such an easy target that the jokes pretty much write themselves but if mocking the Liberal Party is something you enjoy you'll find more than a few laughs here. Hopefully they release Dutton's diaries next.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny! I really hope there is a sequel - would love to see how the pandemic is covered in this satire style.

[Tom J · Rating 4 out of 5]

there are two types of jokes in this book:
1: vicious, biting satire
2: betoota advocate style cheap laughs

when the book is actually going after morrison (and there's a lot to go after) it's fantastic. seemingly able to land savage blows at will, greenslade delivers more coherent and relatable commentary on morrison than labor has since his ascension to the prime ministership. this is the stuff that gets the book to 4 stars

when the book doesn't have enough on morrison or just wants to settle for a cheap gag, it essentially becomes a betoota advocate article that equates repeatedly hammering the same joke as satire. the idea that morrison's marriage is failing because he's an unthinking oaf is funny a few times, by the end of the book it's on most pages. you don't need to invent some problem with a man at the resort he went to during the bushfires because that in itself should be the catalyst for the satire. it's lazy, and frustratingly common.

i think i find the weaker bits annoying because when the book really goes for it, it's absolutely fantastic. i'd recommend this to anyone who has an interest in australian politics and a healthy disdain for the major parties

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The trouble with this book is that, sadly, one is left with the firm opinion that most of it could be true. Beginning it the week of March 4 Justice and finishing it today when Scomo managed to dig himself in even deeper, these diaries are a painful reminder of the vacuous, oafish blokism, casual misogyny and moral turpitude of the failed adman who represents us on the international stage.

I give you pg. 129 " . . how effective tactical ignorance can be when facing a potential scandal. After all, I can't cover up what I don't care enough about to understand."

Hooray for Tosh Greenslade. Deepest sympathies to Jen and the girls.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was going to dislike this a lot more than I did. I don't agree with the politics of Greenslade, or any of his accomplices in the comedy industry. I'm not a fan of Mad as Hell but I did like Shaun Micallef circa late-2000s. All things considered, I actually refuse to hate Morrison as much as the majority of the country seems to, under what seems almost a dogmatic principle. I think the whole thing about secretly assigning himself multiple cabinets during the pandemic, though befuddling for their secrecy, really isn't the outrage everyone wants to make it. Under different circumstances, and probably with a Labor leader, I doubt this breaking of protocol would have upset everyone to the same extent. People just hated Morrison anyway, and this was the perfect way to kick him when he was down, having lost to Albanese.

So I did find some of the cheaper shots taken in this book a little unnecessary and typically hypocritical - fat shaming and making fun of foreign names is an unspeakable evil unless the recipient is a conservative, as always - and the depictions of him being a bad husband and father, however satirical and hyperbolic, were a bit below the belt.

But aside from these occasional things - surprisingly, it goes fairly gentle on Morrison's "most offensive and despicable" Christian faith - the book is undeniably funny.

I had a good laugh a number of times, which is enough to earn it three stars, however annoying I might have found it at the same time.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a big fan of Scotty from Marketing and /or you love Mad as Hell then this is the book for you. Somehow Tosh has infiltrated the PM’s inner sanctum to bring you this real life glimpse of life as our nation’s chief marketing man.

Tosh maintains his book is not true but is a work of satire and if so it’s amazing how good a job he’s done of getting into Scotty’s mind. The results are hilarious / terrifying depending upon your outlook on life.

Either way, this book is a must read and will make a great Xmas present. Highly recommended.

[Scott Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skewering Scomo

Tosh Greenslade, this time without a wig and glasses, has done a good job of slipping into the skin of the Prime Marketer of Oz and channeling his (for want of a better word) mind. Pyne, Dutton and that deputy fellow among others are well skewered in the resulting tome. Just a bit of fun!

[Tanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great trip down memory lane of how absolutely idiotic this man is.

Some highlights:
- saying nihao to a random Asian woman to show that he is multicultural and not a racist
- the time he had his shoes photoshopped in some official photos
- shitting himself at Engadine Macca's

[Kanako Okiron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better to read this after the election. I need to read more prime ministerial diaries from Tosh Greenslade, he’s awesome. It hurt to hear that he said something along the lines of “Mad As Hell is the only show that will give me a job as a writer”. Like what kind of world are we living in? This guy is a comedic genius! Mad As Hell is also ending this season too, I hope he can continue writing for a funny ABC show out there. And not to mention Andrew Weldon’s drawings are great.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third time I've written this review. Apparently I'm turning into a technophobe or maybe, shudder, a ScoMo clone.
Read this. It's funny!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny, albeit disturbing at the reality level. Hope there's a sequel.

[Cyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous. Walks a line between parody and horror. Covid sequel??

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilariously funny.

[Charity Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between 3 and 4 stars. A little up and down, but it held up in the places I needed it to, especially leading up to a certain holiday. A fun time. I would read another book by Tosh.

[Trinity Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me laugh. Some great jokes but still a satire.

[Sarah McCallan · Rating 4 out of 5]

V funny

[Amandapanda59 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so funny.... I read it twice