Business mogul Christopher Skase's glitzy displays of wealth elevated him to celebrity status in the 1980s, before his empire crashed and he became one of Australia's most wanted fugitives. By 1991, Skase owed $1.5 billion to investors, was accused of fraud, and was facing five years in jail – fleeing to the Spanish island of Mallorca, Skase successfully dodged extradition until his death in 2001.

Fury over the lack of justice was strong. Television presenter Andrew Denton draws on this national mood for comedy in this 1995 clip from his late-night show. A montage of Skase walking his dog in sunny Mallorca is played both for laughs and for outrage, before Denton outlines his fundraising campaign to hire a bounty hunter from Tombstone, Arizona, to kidnap Skase and return him to Australia.

The conceit toes the line between absurdity and commitment, which is reflected in the format. Denton includes a clip from his television interview with the bounty hunter (who sets his fee at $200,000) and a radio excerpt from presenter John Laws, who can barely describe the campaign without laughing. Denton also reveals the amount pledged for 'The Chase For Skase' campaign after only one week. The live audience may be giggling, but a potential pool of $118,580 is no joke.

The Australian Government dissuaded Denton from pursuing this scheme because its blatant illegality would jeopardise the prosecution's case. Though it amounted to no more than an elaborate prank, the clip captures the surreal yet timely spirit of Denton's scheme: the TV stunt provided an outlet for public frustrations with Skase and the authorities who were unable to apprehend him. As John Laws commented on his radio show, 'it was an outrageous response to an outrageous situation'.