Doing satire decades before it was cool, PROSH turns 86 tomorrow and "Nobody is safe"

Tomorrow will see the Perth streets once again flooded with (most likely somewhat inebriated) University of Western Australia kids, running around selling issues of its soon-to-be 86 years young flagship satirical newspaper, PROSH. Thousands of students will be roaming the streets of Perth to sell the paper and collect donations for charity. This year's theme is Star Wars AKA PROSH Wars - The Farce Awakens, and we caught up with the no doubt under-the-pump editors to find out what's instore for PROSH 2017:

Happy 86th Birthday PROSH fam – for the uninitiated out there, what exactly is Prosh?

PROSH is a satirical newspaper that UWA students write and subsequently inundated Perth in costumes to sell and raise money for beneficiaries. It’s been kicking since 1931 and is the biggest day on campus and one of the biggest charity events in the southern hemisphere.

Which charities are you are you working with this year, and why those ones?

We have three charities this year – Ronald McDonald House, Millennium Kids and CARAD (Centre for Asylum Seekers, Refugees & Detainees) because they’re all causes we care a lot about and we know our money will go to a lot of awesome local causes that will help a lot of people. Late in the game, we also included SARC (Sexual Assault Resource Centre) as a part beneficiary to directly support survivors and fund educational programs to destroy rape culture.

How long have you guys been working on the 86th edition?

We hole up together for a weekend, party and somehow with the culmination of booze and sleep deprivation, put out a paper by the end. Then, the editors have five days to lay it out with the graphic designer and to finesse everything.

The theme this year is PROSH Wars – The Farce Awakens: what can we expect?

A very interesting sculpture should be leading the PROSHcession this year – fans of Episode V should be hyped.

Obviously the current team hasn’t been around for 86 years, but what have been som highlights in your time working on PROSH, or any notable memories over the years?

Having someone shit onto 2016 PROSH so we could publish a photo of it in 2017 PROSH.

We live in a time of “Fake News” and Satire, something PROSH pre-dates by decades, what kinda journalistic integrity can we expect this year, and how are you going show the satire pretenders how it’s done in 2017?

Imagine us chain smoking in the office and sobbing over our laptops. We have heard every joke possible and nothing impresses us anymore. We haven’t laughed in years. Please help us.

PROSH hasn’t been without its controversy over the years, is that something that just comes with the territory of running such a hard-hitting newspaper?

Hard-hitting?

Without giving too much away, who are some targets for PROSH this year, it seems like there’s plenty of fodder out there?

Nobody is safe.

What esteemed publications have some of the PROSH writers gone on to since their involvement with the paper?

We heard a rumour that a federal MP was involved back in the day.

If people want to get involved in PROSH tomorrow, what can they do?

Come down to Oak Lawn at UWA at 5am in costume if you want to come party and sell papers. Otherwise, come buy a PROSH from anyone in costume. We’ll be spread about the CBD and inner suburbs.

Thanks guys, and good luck tomorrow!

Thanks heaps!