Hollywood star Russell Crowe was among the prominent Australians who gathered to farewell esteemed broadcaster John Laws and celebrate his ability to connect with the ordinary person.
Laws, one of Australia's most influential and controversial radio hosts, whose career spanned seven decades, was farewelled at a state funeral after dying peacefully on November 9, aged 90.
His close friend Crowe headlined an impressive list of mourners, with prominent leaders including former prime minister John Howard, renegade former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and NSW Premier Chris Minns among those at St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney.
Fellow broadcasters Richard Wilkins and Ben Fordham, singer Marcia Hines and Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser also attended.
Crowe, who was a neighbour of Laws' and delivered a eulogy at the funeral, said the broadcaster's famous show-ending tagline - "be kind to each other" - summed up his true priorities.
"We hardly ever agreed on anything," Crowe said.
"From bike lanes to politics, we were quite often on opposite sides of any issues.
"However, we did agree that we liked each other's company, and our different perspectives never stopped us from making each other laugh."
The actor couldn't resist a gag about Laws' most infamous scandal, in which he was found to have been taking cash for favourable coverage from certain brands.
Crowe joked he would deliver his pre-written eulogy like he was "just telling stories off the top of my head".
"It's kind of like cash-for-comment, but less obvious," he said.
Laws' famed golden microphone, given to him by 2UE management in an effort to woo the ratings juggernaut, held pride of place in the cathedral alongside his coffin.
The service began with the song that introduced his famed program - El Presidente by Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - while country music icon John Williamson, a regular program guest, performed True Blue.
Laws launched his radio career in Bendigo in 1953, before he joined 2UE and worked four separate stints at the Sydney station, becoming one of the kings of talkback radio.
He also worked for 2GB, 2UW and 2SM and had short periods at Network Ten and Foxtel.
"Millions of Australians welcomed him to their lives every single morning," fellow neighbour Paul Warren said.
"He was charming, witty, full of insightful input about the world."
Mr Warren noted Laws had interviewed 16 prime ministers on radio.
Reverend Michael Jensen described him as "extraordinary in the way he spoke ordinary".
That ordinary speaking helped propel the cash-for-comment scandal, which broke in 1999 and again in 2004, when it was revealed Laws and fellow broadcaster Alan Jones received sponsorship from clients, including Optus, Qantas and major Australian banks, without disclosing the links to listeners.
One contract with the banking lobby earned him $500,000.
He also faced controversy in 2013 when almost 40,000 people demanded he undergo training as he defended an interview in which he asked a 44-year-old victim of child sex abuse whether it was "in any way your fault".
But the scandals didn't stem the tide of tributes flowing since his death.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelled the broadcaster "an iconic Australian" while the NSW premier dubbed him a towering figure in Australian radio.
"His legacy lies not only in the thousands of hours on air, but in the connection he forged with millions of Australians," Mr Minns said.
