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Posted: 2014-12-11 06:47:57

After a decade on air Triple J's endearingly oddball drive presenter Lindsay "The Doctor" McDougall wants to depart the network so quietly this week that the listeners won't know he's gone.

But there is one message he'd like heard: the Abbott government has behaved like a school bully over the $254 million worth of ABC cuts, and it deserves 'the bird' - even if doing so won't change anything.

"Some of my good friends lost their jobs, which sucks a lot," he said. 

Signing off: Triple J's Lindsay McDougall, right, with fellow presenter Zan Rowe.

Signing off: Triple J's Lindsay McDougall, right, with fellow presenter Zan Rowe. Photo: James Brickwood

"But when the school bully knocks over the sandcastle he's gonna bury some of your favourite matchbox cars. All you can do is clean them up as best you can. And stick your finger up at him when he's not looking."

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McDougall isn't leaving because of the cuts - in fact Triple J is expected to emerge unscathed from the cuts, which will, according to Media Watch, cost up to 500 jobs. McDougall plans to focus on making more music with his band Frenzal Rhomb and plans to get married, among other things.

His best memories of working at JJJ will be writing last year's Christmas Number One - which briefly topped the iTunes chart exactly a year ago and raised just under $19,500 for the Red Cross. He also enjoyed singing Walking in Memphis with British comedian Noel Fielding (aka Vince Noir from The Mighty Boosh).

His low point came in 2011 after nominating Josh Homme, from Queens of the Stone Age, for the station's "Friday f---wit" award live on air in a cross to Soundwave at Melbourne - because Homme had stood up the breakfast show's presenters. "I'm not too excited about [this award] to be honest with you," Homme said, then apparently let rip at a Triple J staffer off air. "He made my friend Amelia cry," McDougall says.

How has Triple J changed since he joined in 2005? "Australian music has grown stronger," he says. 

"Eight out of 10 albums listeners voted for in 2014 were Australian albums. That never would have happened 10 years ago."

What's also changed is that McDougall is now 36 - and as such is no longer in the station's target demographic. These days he's mellower. Before he worked for Triple J he was thrown out of the studio by then presenter Jane Gazzo (now with MTV) after an interview with his band went wrong, and he was banned for a year. 

"Now our drummer Gordy calls me 'Johnny radio guy'." 

For many, McDougall is arguably the most recognisable voice on Triple J these days. Fittingly, the network will give him two farewells: the first an on-air party from the Giant Dwarf theatre in Sydney on Thursday, with guests including Andy Bull, Art v Science, Jay Whalley (Frenzal Rhomb's singer, with whom McDougall initially hosted the breakfast show) and other unannounced guests. Then he has one final drive show on Friday afternoon.

Has McDougall thought how he'll sign off? "I don't seem to get very sentimental but it will hit me afterwards.

"I've been trying to work out what to say. I guess you do all your thank yous, but I want to have a whole bunch of people talking and I just stop being there, disappear and hand over to Tom Tilley or Veronica and Lewis ... Triple J keeps on rolling and the next time you hear from me I'll be the guy calling in to be interviewed."

The Doctor's Great Big F---ing Off Party is on Thursday, December 11, from 3pm and the final drive show with The Doctor is from 3pm to 5.30pm on Friday.

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