Trademark Pending: KIIS FM’s Intern Pete is almost famous

He’s the childish and lovable third wheel on Australia’s top-rated Kyle & Jakie O show, often the butt of jokes and never one to miss his moments in the spotlight.

Fun fact: After logging onto kiis1065.com.au each morning, Intern Pete admits only to checking one other website every day.

Which website might that be? “Radio Today, to see if I have made a headline,” he wrote in a short Q&A on the KIIS FM website.

Well, Pete. Today is your lucky day, mate!

To listeners at least, little is known about the true identity of Intern Pete – a boyish, awkward and openly gay radio devotee. Real name, Peter Deppeler.

So important is Deppeler’s character to the Australian Radio Network-owned KIIS FM that a trademark application for ‘Intern Pete’ – filed in May this year – is pending approval from IP Australia in five classes.

If approved, ARN will have the rights to exploit the brand for men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, stationery (including pens) and even non-downloadable or pre-recorded music.

Intern Pete is fast becoming a brand in his own right. It’s a side effect of reporting from red carpets, interviewing some of the world’s biggest stars and even covering for Sandilands on the most listened to radio show in the country.

So popular is Intern Pete that gatekeeps for ARN declined both a telephone and face to face interview request by Radio Today. We wanted to quiz Pete about another extraordinary year atop the Sydney ratings and get his unique take on the magic of breakfast radio. No such luck.

In its place, only a controlled and written interview via PR reps was on the table. We declined.

You can, however, read the already written Q&A here. Enjoy.