When we think of Aussie icons our minds generally drift to Shane Waurne or Hugh Jackman… But there is one man who clearly takes the No. 1 spot.
I’m of course talking about the legendary ‘Barking Dog Man’.
Not that AC/DC or Michael Hutchence aren’t notable enough to take the top spot, but Barking Dog Man is a presence on the internet that just doesn’t seem to disappear.
The secret identity of Barking Dog Man is actually Ray Graham from Marsfield, NSW.
12 Years ago, Graham appeared on A Current Affair alongside his wife Kerry to explain the attitude of aggressive dogs in his neighborhood.
Understandably, Current Affair journalists were a bit shocked at the theatrical (Yet, deeply moving) reenactment of these terrifying mutts.
Over the course of the next decade Graham’s performance went viral. Naturally, the internet was quick to create countless parodies and remixes from auto-tuned songs to an edit of the iconic MGM intro.
Back in 2019, A Current Affair managed to relocate the legend to see how life’s been since becoming an Aussie icon.
“In some ways, I’ve been defined by it,” says Barking Dog Man. “We often get stopped in shopping centres and places like that. People always want a photo and sometimes they want a video… And sometimes I just bark at them”
Though his partner in crime Kerry Graham does not appear in the sequel, he reassures his fans that on that unforgettable day she was more concerned about her hair than his theatrics.
And then the man, the myth, the legend graces us with one more favour… A reenactment of his barking.
My question is: What happened to the dogs? And more importantly, why isn’t Ray Graham on our money?
Here’s to hoping we get another performance from Barking Dog Man in the future.
