Australia is home to some stellar dark comedians. Before we get into our top five however, let’s answer the question, “What is dark comedy?” As a somewhat controversial topic, it is often misunderstood.
What is dark comedy?
Mental health struggles, addiction, divorce, death, you name it. If’s clearly not reminding you of rainbows and unicorns, then it’s most likely ‘dark’. And it’s not about being offensive, although that is often the case for some ‘snowflakes’, who, let’s face it, shouldn’t be watching stand-up comedy in the first place. Most importantly ‘dark comedy’ is NOT defined by tasteless rape jokes, although that topic is definitely dark. With that being said, award winning comedian, Christopher Wainhouse says, “there’s no taboo topics. The darker the joke, the funnier the punchline.”
Why do comedians use dark comedy?
Answering this question takes us back to the purpose and benefits of comedy in general – to make light of the absurdities in the world; whether from the comedian’s own life experiences or from observations about the state of the world, comedians pull apart and break down the contradictions in life. It can bring people together, through a feeling of “we’re in this together, and despite the challenges of life, we’re ok.”
Dark comedy can do the same, only with darker subjects. Some dark comedians make light of their own struggles with death or addiction or other problems, which can help them cope. Others make light of dark news events like mass shootings, uncovering a hard truth. Comedy has been shown to increase resilience by lowering stress. At its best, dark comedy can help people cope and get through the toughest of times.
For example, stand-up comedy can help mental health. By analysing dark situations from new angles, comedy lets people view issues in a healthier, more balanced way, without getting sucked into looking at things out of proportion. This naturally links to the argument that humour, especially dark humour, is linked to intelligence. But that’s a whole other story.
So who are our favourite five Australian comedians making waves in the field of dark comedy?
Katie Wainhouse
Formerly known as Katie Burch until marrying fellow comedian Chris Wainhouse, Katie is one of the darkest comedians on the Australian circuit. With her, at times, expressionless delivery, Katie’s jokes are doubly sharp, but not for the slow witted.
Check out our interview with Katie here, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Matt O’Neill
British-born, but raised in Melbourne, Matt O’Neill gets away with some of the darkest comedy. This is mostly thanks to his nerdy demeanour and cuddly appearance. Matt has a surprisingly large collection of daggy jumpers and assorted English tracksuit tops, which have become his trademark. He’s also hilarious.
Check out our interview with Matt here, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
Johnny Kats
Johnny Kats loves a philosophical rant. His unique style has led to plenty of success in his over 15+ years in comedy so far. He’s made the state finals of RAW Comedy competition in 2002 and won the So You Think You’re Funny? competition at The Comic’s Lounge. Kats has also performed in London and alongside Dave Chappelle in New York. He’s even been on radio (although he had to keep it clean). In short, Johnny Kats has done it all.
Listen to our interview with Johnny, and follow him on Instagram here.
Brendon Burns
Edinburgh Fringe Festival ‘Best Comedy Show’ winner, Brendon Burns, is well known in the UK for his ability to touch on, nay, sledgehammer touchy topics. His award-winning UK show, ‘So I suppose this is offensive now’ launched his global comedy career, and now he has appeared in Hollywood movies, alongside Ricky Gervais.
Follow Brendon on Facebook and Instagram.
Jim Jefferies
Australian Jim Jefferies is possibly more famous in the US than Australia; he most certainly is more successful. And part of that success is Jim’s comfortableness with making his US audience feel uncomfortable – whether that’s gun control, prostitution or what the Sydney Morning Herald has labelled as plain and simple misogyny.
Check out Jim on Facebook and Instagram.
Dark comedy isn’t for everyone. For some, it can be triggering. But for others it can be empowering. What we can all agree on, however, is that comedy is subjective. As one anonymous internet meme states, “Getting offended by something posted on the internet is like choosing to step in dog shit instead of walking around it.”