Launched in 1989, the cult late-night show Eat Carpet was a one-hour program showcasing short films by students and amateur filmmakers worldwide. Intentionally eclectic and innovative, the selection included works that didn’t fit into Australia’s mainstream programming. Beyond a short run-time, form and medium were no boundary, with examples spanning art films, dance videos, interviews, experimental documentaries, recorded stage acts, animation and erotica.

Eat Carpet was originally produced for SBS by Terry Toaldo and Annette Shun Wah (who was also the original host). It was later helmed by Executive Producer Pauline Webber and producers Joy Toma and Debbie Lee. This excerpt from the 1995 episode Sex, Love and the In Between reflects the series’ bold sensibility: the slick, hyperactive visuals of the opening sequence invoke the popular cyber fixations of the late ‘90s, and the television set is framed as a portal into a surreal dimension for the two curious youths.

Eat Carpet’s provocative curation was designed for discovery of the unknown and the broadening of perspective – but there was also an underlying sensibility of fun and cheekiness, as seen here in the playful glimpse of one of the hosts. While introducing a sex-themed episode, he grooves along to Bryan Ferry’s ‘Let’s Stick Together’ in a campy ‘70s outfit. Transgressive kitsch and cultural cool collide in this out-of-bounds programming space, which deliberately sought a more niche and adventurous audience.

Eat Carpet aired for 16 years, concluding in 2005.

Read our interview with Eat Carpet host and commissioning editor, Annette Shun Wah.