3 Sep 2023

Lorin Clarke: Would that be funny? Growing up with John Clarke

From Sunday Morning, 8:14 am on 3 September 2023

Fred Dagg burst onto the scene and into our lives in 1974. The fictional character, created by John Clarke, epitomised the blokey, pioneering, Kiwi male. He was so beloved, that when Clarke died in 2017, his loss was felt acutely – both in Aotearoa and across the ditch. For many, it was they had lost a family member, for Clarke’s daughter, Lorin, that was reality.  

John and Lorin Clarke

Photo: Lorin Clarke

In a new memoir, ‘Would that be funny?’ Lorin tells the Clarke family story from the inside and reveals what it was like growing up with her famous father, the private man behind the satirist, and above all, the gift of being able to laugh at yourself. 

John and Lorin Clarke

Photo: Lorin Clarke