In the 90s, Australia's cultural industries became dominated by extreme left-wingers who were intent on replacing any iconic celebration of Paul Hogan characters with that of homosexuals men. Even though homosexual men comprise roughly 2 per cent of the population, they were overrepresented in movies to the extent that almost all of Australia's best male actors took homosexual roles. These actors included Geoffrey Rush, Eric Bana, Hugh Jackman, Heath Ledger, Russel Crowe, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce. Two other actors, Paul Hogan and Michael Caton, took phoney homosexual roles; perhaps to push their creditials to influential gays.
In addition to promoting homosexual culture, there was a concious attempt to demean any celebration of Australian ocker, bush or working class culture. Most notable of this demonizing mind was Stephan Elliot's Welcome to Woop Woop.
As well as trying to make icons out of groups that were not representative of Australia, the cultural industries were also extremely negative and insulting. This negativity polarised Australian society, and created a demand for a warrior from the right that could counter the left-wing extremism. That warrior came in the form of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Reid.
Describing his political beliefs as "to the right of Genghis Khan", Chopper only spent 13 months out of prison between the ages of 20 to 38. After he was released, he wrote stories about his life of crime and went on to become Australia's largest selling author; selling in excess of 500,000 books. He appeared on television, wrote columns for men's magazines, created a board game, and starred in a stage show.
In 2000, a movie was made about his life. In the movie, Chopper ignites a power struggle to become the leader of his division. It is a ploy that makes him more enemies than admirers and his gang turns on him. After being released, he goes on a criminal spree; claiming that the police have given him a "green light" to exterminate scum. Eventually, he ends up back in prison.
Since the release of the movie, Chopper's star has continued to rise. He has allowed his name to be used on "Chopper Heavy"; Australia's heaviest alcoholic lager. in addition, a Chopper Reid character repeatedly appears on the comedy series, The Ronnie Burns Half Hour. The character is extreme in his views and mocks modern art, homosexuals, people called "Stefan", and drinkers of soy milk. The character tells Australians to harden the fuck up and stop being whingers.
Chopper's appeal stems from market demand for a counter to let-wing ideology. As a man who has spent a lifetime dealing with ice-picks and death threats, Chopper doesn't find effeminate gays flapping their wrists about racism, homophobia, or un-sophistication to be as intimidating as do other members of society. Consequently, Chopper has always been one to say whatever he wants, how he wants, and where he wants. Ironically, his criminal history had made him bullet proof. Calling a confessed murderer a racist or homophobe is like chastising an athiest prostitute for not saying grace before every meal. For a population that has cowed in fear as one insult has been thrown upon them after another, Chopper represents some kind of modern day Ned Kelly fighting back. His characters, both true and fictional, say what others feel, but are too scared to admit.
For Australians concerned about the image that Chopper shows to the world, a finger of blame can be pointed at some of the comments that followed the release of Crocodile Dundee in 1986. For Geoffrey Barker of the Melbourne Herald, Crocodile Dundee reinforced negative international perceptions that "Australians are gauche, provincial and philistine". It was due to such comments that the Australian industry started making movies that were intent on criticising the Australian character. As a consequence of people like Mr Barker expressing their prejudices, and directors like Stephan Elliot creating movies to appeal to such prejudices, 20 years later the stereotypes that Australia is showing to the world is an eclectic mix of ex-cons, serial killers and homosexual transvestites. In comparison, a good natured crocodile wrestler doesn't look so bad after all.
