Birthday cakes have become the new battleground for fathers. I blame Hamish Blake
I know this because I attend them regularly, the consequence of having a toddler in daycare. Too many weekends spent singing Happy Birthday to children whose names I struggle to remember. Happy birthday … I want to say, Hazel? No, wait, Maisie?
The one thing all these parties have in common, aside from being held at places with names such as FunZone or InflatableWorld, is elaborate birthday cakes made by smug fathers.
Last weekend, at a nondescript bowling club in the suburbs, I watched a man loudly announce, 'Cake coming through', before presenting a perfect recreation of the Heeler house from Bluey, complete with Bluey and Bingo playing on the front porch (which was made from fondant).
Everyone congratulated him on a job well done, while he assured us all it was 'No big deal! A piece of cake, literally! Haha!' Admittedly, his daughter (I want to say Stella? No, wait, Ella) looked impressed, playing with the edible front door while her father posed for photos next to his handiwork.
If this were an isolated incident, it wouldn't bother me, but over the past couple of years, birthday cakes have become the new battleground for fathers to prove their worth as parents – a uniquely modern problem for which there is one person to blame: Hamish Blake.
Now, before we proceed, a disclaimer. Hamish Blake belongs to that select group of famous Australians whom everyone universally loves, right up there alongside Hugh Jackman (pre-divorce) and Cathy Freeman (post-Olympics). He's funny, smart and most importantly, he seems like a regular guy.
Sure, he might be a three-time Gold Logie winner and married to the phenomenally successful Zoe Foster Blake, who sold her 51.5 per cent stake of beauty brand Go-To to the ASX-listed beauty conglomerate BWX for $89 million in 2021, but besides that, he's just like you and me!
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Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Birthday cakes have become the new battleground for fathers. I blame Hamish Blake
Nobody has fun at children's birthday parties. Not the guests forced to attend, not the parents forced to host and definitely not the child whose birthday it is. From start to finish, they are an obligation to be met and a box to be ticked, the only saving grace being the promise of a lolly bag before leaving. I know this because I attend them regularly, the consequence of having a toddler in daycare. Too many weekends spent singing Happy Birthday to children whose names I struggle to remember. Happy birthday … I want to say, Hazel? No, wait, Maisie? The one thing all these parties have in common, aside from being held at places with names such as FunZone or InflatableWorld, is elaborate birthday cakes made by smug fathers. Last weekend, at a nondescript bowling club in the suburbs, I watched a man loudly announce, 'Cake coming through', before presenting a perfect recreation of the Heeler house from Bluey, complete with Bluey and Bingo playing on the front porch (which was made from fondant). Everyone congratulated him on a job well done, while he assured us all it was 'No big deal! A piece of cake, literally! Haha!' Admittedly, his daughter (I want to say Stella? No, wait, Ella) looked impressed, playing with the edible front door while her father posed for photos next to his handiwork. If this were an isolated incident, it wouldn't bother me, but over the past couple of years, birthday cakes have become the new battleground for fathers to prove their worth as parents – a uniquely modern problem for which there is one person to blame: Hamish Blake. Now, before we proceed, a disclaimer. Hamish Blake belongs to that select group of famous Australians whom everyone universally loves, right up there alongside Hugh Jackman (pre-divorce) and Cathy Freeman (post-Olympics). He's funny, smart and most importantly, he seems like a regular guy. Sure, he might be a three-time Gold Logie winner and married to the phenomenally successful Zoe Foster Blake, who sold her 51.5 per cent stake of beauty brand Go-To to the ASX-listed beauty conglomerate BWX for $89 million in 2021, but besides that, he's just like you and me!
The Age
11 hours ago
- The Age
Birthday cakes have become the new battleground for fathers. I blame Hamish Blake
Nobody has fun at children's birthday parties. Not the guests forced to attend, not the parents forced to host and definitely not the child whose birthday it is. From start to finish, they are an obligation to be met and a box to be ticked, the only saving grace being the promise of a lolly bag before leaving. I know this because I attend them regularly, the consequence of having a toddler in daycare. Too many weekends spent singing Happy Birthday to children whose names I struggle to remember. Happy birthday … I want to say, Hazel? No, wait, Maisie? The one thing all these parties have in common, aside from being held at places with names such as FunZone or InflatableWorld, is elaborate birthday cakes made by smug fathers. Last weekend, at a nondescript bowling club in the suburbs, I watched a man loudly announce, 'Cake coming through', before presenting a perfect recreation of the Heeler house from Bluey, complete with Bluey and Bingo playing on the front porch (which was made from fondant). Everyone congratulated him on a job well done, while he assured us all it was 'No big deal! A piece of cake, literally! Haha!' Admittedly, his daughter (I want to say Stella? No, wait, Ella) looked impressed, playing with the edible front door while her father posed for photos next to his handiwork. If this were an isolated incident, it wouldn't bother me, but over the past couple of years, birthday cakes have become the new battleground for fathers to prove their worth as parents – a uniquely modern problem for which there is one person to blame: Hamish Blake. Now, before we proceed, a disclaimer. Hamish Blake belongs to that select group of famous Australians whom everyone universally loves, right up there alongside Hugh Jackman (pre-divorce) and Cathy Freeman (post-Olympics). He's funny, smart and most importantly, he seems like a regular guy. Sure, he might be a three-time Gold Logie winner and married to the phenomenally successful Zoe Foster Blake, who sold her 51.5 per cent stake of beauty brand Go-To to the ASX-listed beauty conglomerate BWX for $89 million in 2021, but besides that, he's just like you and me!
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Influencer's stupid croc act has Aussies rolling their eyes
A Canadian influencer has left Australians shocked over a video of him snatching a crocodile out of the water and holding it in front of the camera. In the clip, Colton Macaulay can be seen holding a medium-sized crocodile which when pulled out of the water begins to thrash about and opens its jaws — clearly not happy with being disturbed. The video Catching Crocodiles In Australia was reported on and has since been deleted off Macaulay's social media accounts where he has more than 15 million followers combined. The 27-year-old from Nova Scotia, Canada, has videos with him handling what appear to be dangerous insects and exotic animals and boasting about it to his fans. Colton Macaulay's video of him handling a crocodile while in Australia has since been deleted Credit: Facebook Other videos on his social media accounts show him getting bitten by snakes, having spiders crawl across his face and small insects all over his hands. But it was the influencer's antics Down Under that earnt him backlash from Aussie viewers shocked that he not only disturbed native animals but seemingly had no regard for the danger he had put himself in. The video amassed nearly half a million views until it was removed, with many comments condemning his actions. 'How stupid are you?' asked one user, while others called him a 'moron' and an 'idiot'. It's not the first time an influencer has caused backlash for tampering with Australian wildlife. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Earlier this year, American influencer Sam Jones was condemned for picking up a baby wombat on the side of the road so she could pose for a picture with it. It was clearly in distress after being snatched from its mother, with the footage sparking mass condemnation. Jones later aplologised in another video. Authorisation is needed to handle crocodiles in Australia, with permits handled by the individual States. It is not clear whether the influencer was familiar with the relevant laws. 'No random person can obtain a permit to catch crocodiles unless it is specifically for research purposes,' crocodile expert and conservationist Paul Bowen told
