At the 2026 Raw Comedy National Finals in Melbourne on April 12, two of the final 13 performers were musical. Both Brandon Duff of NSW and Mae McCubbin of Victoria performed musical numbers as part of their sets. And while they didn’t take home the coveted prize, they still outperformed more than 900 competitors in Australia’s largest amateur stand-up comedy competition.
So yeah, it seems that musical stand-up comedy is back!
And that’s exactly why this May, the Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School is thrilled to welcome the return of Rusty Berther, one half of the iconic duo The Scared Weird Little Guys, as guest comedian for our upcoming May comedy course in Melbourne.
Rusty began his his musical comedy career in 1986, moving from Queensland to Melbourne in search of a career in entertainment. His early days saw him performing in a barbershop quartet, Four Chairs No Waiting, entertaining crowds at festivals, shopping centres, and even during a four-month stint at Expo 88 in Brisbane.
It was through this musical pathway that Rusty met John Fleming, eventually leading to the creation of The Scared Weird Little Guys in 1990. What followed was a phenomenal career, over 4,500 shows across the globe, spanning comedy clubs, festivals, theatres, universities, TV, radio, and everything in between. Their farewell tour proved just how beloved they were, finishing on a high and leaving fans wanting more.
More recently, Rusty has been part of The Grats, an Australian supergroup of musical comedians, consisting of Rusty, Gatesy from Tripod, Andrew Hansen from The Chaser, Sammy J, and Tom Gleeson. This year the group has performed at Adelaide Fringe and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Now, Rusty brings that wealth of experience into the classroom. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, ukulele, banjo, harmonica, and double bass, Rusty’s not just a performer but a storyteller, writer, and seasoned entertainer who has handled everything from chaotic street shows to high-pressure live television and even packed stadiums.
And that’s what makes this upcoming course so exciting.
Learn stand-up comedy in Melbourne over five evenings from Sunday to Thursday, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, from May 24 to 28, 2026. You’ll receive the Hard Knock Knocks comedy manual, a complementary online course, video footage of your graduation performance, professional headshots for marketing, and loads of one-on-one coaching. Guiding you through the process will be resident coach Brad Oakes, returning alumna Jorgia Rice, and of course, Rusty Berther himself.
With over 20 years touring the world and thousands of gigs under his belt, Rusty has seen it all, the good, the bad, and the downright disastrous. Few comedians are better equipped to share the kinds of stories usually reserved for backstage or long van rides between shows.
So whether you’re inspired by the rise of musical comedy or just keen to finally give stand-up a crack, this is your chance to learn from one of the best.