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Chris Lilley recognised at AFI awards
news.com.au | December 7, 2008

ABC funny man Chris Lilley was recognised at the AFI Awards for his outstanding creative enterprise in the television industry, but he says he just created "two weird shows".

His most recent series, Summer Heights High, was named the best television comedy series of 2008, while Lilley took out the AFI award for best performance in a television comedy.

He was also honoured with the Byron Kennedy Award, for an actor early in their career who demonstrates innovation, vision and the relentless pursuit of excellence, for Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes.

Lilley, who said he got a lot of cries of 'puck you' as he walks down the street, declared that the characters he played in the hit series, including the colourful Mr G, were something he "just made up''.

Among them, the irreverent Year 8 student Jonah got the most feedback from schools, Lilley told reporters.

''(Schools) often want me to come and talk about that... it's just meant to be funny but they take it quite seriously.'' He has also been invited to his protagonist Ja'mie's private school Hillford Grammar for a fashion parade.

Summer Heights High has reached international acclaim, although it was always intended to be "this little Australian thing'', he says.

"I was driving down Sunset Boulevard because I had to go over and do promotion in LA and there's this giant massive billboard of Mr G and Ja'mie... it was just quite bizarre thinking that they'd made it over there,'' he said.

"Mr G would be very happy.'' he said.

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