Norman Gunston at Gough Whitlam's dismissal

Inserting himself among the throng of politicians gathered outside Parliament House as events unfolded, TV personality Norman Gunston – the satirical alter ego of Australian actor and comedian Garry McDonald – added an element of the surreal to the tumultuous proceedings as he attempted to elicit comments from Labor personalities including Bob Hawke – who waved him away with a dismissive ‘ah look, it’s a bit too serious for that’ – and a befuddled Bill Hayden. Within earshot of the deposed Prime Minister, Gunston turned to the large crowd gathered and, staying in character, improvised a mock-serious question that took the pulse of a nation: “…is this an affront to the Constitution of this country or…just a stroke of good luck for Mr Fraser?”.