Back to Index

Stepmates - Making Australia Funny Again

Jordan Michaelides

Sebastian Peart ( @sebpeart ) and Mark Nicholson ( @themarknicholson ) are co-creators of the satirical cartoon brand Stepmates ( @stepmates ). Along with composer and sound/engineer Peter Corrigan, these champions of low-brow “bottom of the barrel” humour are creating hilariously animated satire.

What I love about the Stepmates boys is that like comedians such as Friendlyjordies, they’re able to cut through the bullshit, reducing an, oftentimes, critically overthought topic to a key statement or point. In a world where being politically moderate is somehow radical, these two gentlemen are able to sound out what we’re all really thinking, with a brilliantly simple animation. Giving a shining light to a world that is slowly eating itself due to poor political discourse.

This was an incredibly funny episode where we covered:

Friendlyjordies & breaking down PC bullshit
No Nut November & productivity
What they wanted to be growing up
The Stepmates business, moving into animation and their creative process
Life-changing moments, viral videos
The “Jim’s Mowing” drama
Being politically centrist

Listen to the episode

Watch the episode:

SHOW NOTES:

02:09 - Introduction
04:30 - Friendlyjordies
06:00 - Breaking down the PC bullshit
09:50 - Top 3 interviewees
11:55 - No Nut November & productivity
15:25 - What they wanted to be growing up
18:40 - War, history and comedy
21:00 - Books, LOTR, Star Wars
23:16 - Western suburbs frat house
27:00 - Stepmates career timeline
35:25 - Life-changing moments, viral videos
39:30 - Moving into animation
44:20 - Making a meme
47:00 - Social media, mental health
54:02 - The “Jim’s Mowing” drama
01:03:20 - Stepmates as a business
01:09:20 - Unbrandable
01:13:03 - Their creative process
01:22:26 - Origin of the characters
01:24:03 - Being politically centrist
01:27:38 - Seb’s illustration style
01:29:00 - Inspired by Rick & Morty
01:32:06 - Mark and Seb’s routines
01:35:54 - Decompressing & hobbies
01:36:55 - Best purchase under $200
01:37:49 - If they could have a billboard anywhere

Links:

‍

Will Gibb, Comedian & Creator