More than 800 mourners gathered at Sydney's St Andrews Cathedral to pay their final respects to radio icon John Laws during his state funeral on Wednesday. The legendary broadcaster, known affectionately as 'the Golden Tonsils', passed away on 9 November at the age of 90 after a remarkable seven-decade career.
A Celebrity Farewell
The solemn occasion attracted prominent figures from across Australian public life, including former prime minister John Howard, trucking billionaire Lindsay Fox, Olympian Dawn Fraser, and broadcasters Ben Fordham and Richard Wilkins. Among the elderly listeners who came to honour their favourite broadcaster, one tribute stood out for its heartfelt irreverence.
Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe, who had been Laws' neighbour in Woolloomooloo for 23 years, delivered a eulogy that captured both the broadcaster's public persona and private warmth. Crowe revealed an unusual gift Laws had given his son at his first birthday party: 'The card read: 'To Charlie from John'. I opened it. It was a bottle of Wild Turkey.'
The Man Behind the Microphone
Laws' famous golden microphone rested on his coffin during the service, symbolising the voice that had captivated Australian audiences for generations. In his eulogy, friend Paul Warren highlighted Laws' extraordinary versatility beyond broadcasting. 'He could do just about anything,' Warren said. 'He wrote songs, he sang them, he made albums, he appeared in films, and he even popped up on Skippy.'
Warren noted Laws' incredible reach during his peak, with over 2 million listeners and 92 consecutive radio survey wins. His interview roster included 16 prime ministers and numerous premiers, testament to his significant influence in Australian media and politics.
Reverend Michael Jensen shared how he had encouraged Laws to read the Bible after his wife Caroline's death in 2020. Despite his wealth and celebrity status, Jensen emphasised that Laws never lost his common touch, noting: 'It's a long way from Woolloomooloo to Walgett. But John spoke Walgett fluently.'
Contradictions and Kindness
Crowe addressed the apparent contradiction between Laws' sometimes controversial on-air persona and his personal kindness. Though they rarely agreed politically, Crowe said their different perspectives never hindered their friendship. 'We did agree that we liked each other's company and our different perspectives never stopped us from making each other laugh,' he recalled.
The actor teased that Laws had asked him long ago to participate in his funeral, joking that he would pretend his remarks were 'off the top of his head' and comparing it to 'cash for comment, but less obvious' - a reference to the 1999 scandal that had touched Laws' career.
Crowe explained that despite broadcasting 'invective laden opinion', Laws consistently ended his shows with the words 'be kind to each other'. To Crowe, this wasn't a contradiction but part of the performance. 'The performance for today was at a close. The show was done. Be kind to each other,' Crowe said. 'My good friend was a very kind man.'
The service included a performance of 'True Blue' by singer John Williamson, completing the farewell to one of Australia's most distinctive broadcasting voices.
