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That's ACA

That's ACA

Before they were The Wiggles

Jul 5, 2026 · 28 min · 6 segments

'Wake-up Jeff' It's a phrase as iconic as the man himself. The OG purple Wiggle Jeff. This year The Wiggles are celebrating 35 years of entertaining kids right around the world. Generations of…

'Wake-up Jeff' It's a phrase as iconic as the man himself. The OG purple Wiggle Jeff. This year The Wiggles are celebrating 35 years of entertaining kids right around the world. Generations of children have grown up with 'Hot Potato' and 'Fruit Salad'. We wind the clock back and ask 'who were they before they were four famous men in colourful skivvies?' Lizzie caught up with original band members Purple Wiggle Jeff and Blue Wiggle Anthony. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Wake-up Jeff' It's a phrase as iconic as the man himself. The OG purple Wiggle Jeff. This year The Wiggles are celebrating 35 years of entertaining kids right around the world. Generations of…

Speakers: Anthony FieldGuestLizzie PearlHostJeff FattGuest

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Top entities: The Wiggles×52 Lizzie Pearl×7 Greg Page×5 Australia×6 Murray Cook×6

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasLeans rightAudience≈833k followers

Mini-Documentary: Origins of The Wiggles1:41 – 3:27

Lizzie PearlHost

1:41

So let's take a look at the story we've put together and also a longer extended version of those interviews with Geoff and Anthony.

Anthony FieldGuest

1:49

Geoffrey, wake up, wake up, Geoffrey.

Lizzie PearlHost

1:51

Original Wiggles, Anthony and Geoff... on Countdown in the 80s.

Anthony FieldGuest

1:56

Up there, arguably the greatest rock and roll.

Lizzie PearlHost

1:59

Pub rock band, The Cockroaches.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:06

The Cockies were so much fun.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:09

We were playing all up and down the east coast.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:12

We went over to Western Australia and the pub scene was incredible in the 80s.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:16

A family tragedy would change everything for the cockroaches.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:20

The sort of joy and the fun fell out of what we were doing.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:24

It became a bit more serious and I thought to myself, well, I'd better get a trade.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:31

So I became a preschool teacher.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:33

Also studying early childhood education, Greg Page and Murray Cook.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:42

And The Wiggles was born.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:44

Before the coloured skivvies, it was loud shirts and small children's parties.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:50

Success was a slow burn.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:53

Hello, everybody.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:54

Their idea for a TV show.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:56

Cold spaghetti.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:57

Oh, look at it.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:58

And it's all wiggly.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:59

Rejected by the ABC.

Lizzie PearlHost

3:01

Yes,

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

3:01

there's some bananas here to be mashed up.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

3:03

They

The WigglesMusic GroupMusical group
98%52 mentions
Lizzie PearlPerson
93%7 mentions
Greg PagePersonAustralian singer and musician
88%5 mentions
AustraliaCountryCountry in Oceania
83%6 mentions
Murray CookPersonAustralian musician and actor
79%6 mentions
The CockroachesMusic GroupRock band
74%2 mentions
Wests TigersSports TeamRugby league team
69%3 mentions
Anthony FieldPersonAustralian musician and actor
64%3 mentions
Jeff FattPersonAustralian musician and actor
60%2 mentions
Steve MarshallPersonTV producer
55%2 mentions
Australian Broadcasting CorporationCompanyRadio and television broadcasting company
50%2 mentions
Fruit SaladEntitySong by The Wiggles
45%1 mention
Sesame StreetTV SeriesAmerican television series
40%2 mentions
Disney ChannelCompanyTelevision channel
36%1 mention
A Current AffairTV SeriesAustralian television program
31%1 mention
QueenslandAdministrative AreaAustralian State
26%1 mention
Double BayPlaceSuburb in Australia
21%1 mention
Kylie MinoguePersonAustralian singer-songwriter and actress
17%1 mention
Play SchoolTV SeriesAustralian television series
12%2 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
7%1 mention
Madison Square GardenMusic VenueArena in New York
2%1 mention

Society
Cultural InstitutionsSociety
Children's MusicEntertainment > Music
Early Childhood EducationEducation
Australian MusicHistory > Music History
Children's EntertainersCelebrities > Musicians
MusiciansCelebrities
Music HistoryHistory
Teaching MethodsEducation > Early Childhood Education
The WigglesEntertainment > Music > Children's Music
History
Education
Entertainment
MusicEntertainment
Celebrities
Cultural ImpactEntertainment > Music > Children's Music > The Wiggles
Music in EducationEducation > Early Childhood Education > Teaching Methods
Child DevelopmentEducation > Early Childhood Education > Teaching Methods > Music in Education
Children's EntertainmentSociety > Cultural Institutions
Media InfluenceSociety > Cultural Institutions > Children's Entertainment
Public PerceptionSociety > Cultural Institutions > Children's Entertainment > Media Influence
1980s Music SceneHistory > Music History > Australian Music
The CockroachesHistory > Music History > Australian Music > 1980s Music Scene
The Wiggles MembersCelebrities > Musicians > Children's Entertainers
Anthony FieldCelebrities > Musicians > Children's Entertainers > The Wiggles Members

Mini-Documentary: Origins of The Wiggles1:41 – 3:27

Lizzie PearlHost

1:41

So let's take a look at the story we've put together and also a longer extended version of those interviews with Geoff and Anthony.

Anthony FieldGuest

1:49

Geoffrey, wake up, wake up, Geoffrey.

Lizzie PearlHost

1:51

Original Wiggles, Anthony and Geoff... on Countdown in the 80s.

Anthony FieldGuest

1:56

Up there, arguably the greatest rock and roll.

Lizzie PearlHost

1:59

Pub rock band, The Cockroaches.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:06

The Cockies were so much fun.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:09

We were playing all up and down the east coast.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:12

We went over to Western Australia and the pub scene was incredible in the 80s.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:16

A family tragedy would change everything for the cockroaches.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:20

The sort of joy and the fun fell out of what we were doing.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:24

It became a bit more serious and I thought to myself, well, I'd better get a trade.

Anthony FieldGuest

2:31

So I became a preschool teacher.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:33

Also studying early childhood education, Greg Page and Murray Cook.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:42

And The Wiggles was born.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:44

Before the coloured skivvies, it was loud shirts and small children's parties.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:50

Success was a slow burn.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:53

Hello, everybody.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:54

Their idea for a TV show.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:56

Cold spaghetti.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:57

Oh, look at it.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

2:58

And it's all wiggly.

Lizzie PearlHost

2:59

Rejected by the ABC.

Lizzie PearlHost

3:01

Yes,

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

3:01

there's some bananas here to be mashed up.

S

Soundbite SpeakerSoundbite Speaker

3:03

They

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