British comedian Jimmy Carr hasn’t minced his words when he told interviewer Chris Williamson that stand-up comedy should be taught in schools AND that it’s more relevant than music! Carr emphasised that stand-up comedy isn’t just about making people laugh, but rather it is a powerful tool for developing important life skills. “Think about what it’s about. It’s about verbal …
The live performance industry is getting disrupted by a technology. And this tech is called Gigme! Mobile first, and available on Apple ioS and Android, Gigme helps live performers get paid. It removes the hassle of chasing invoices, negotiating contracts, and managing payments. With an automated escrow system, performers can lock in gigs with confidence and get paid on time—every …
It’s almost that time of year when Melbourne gets funnier. And to that end, this year the Hard Knock Knocks comedy school is producing 14 shows: The Best of Hard Knock Knocks, Dark Comedy Special, and Punter’s Politics with Punter Konrad. The Best of: A celebration of the comedy community Since 2018, the Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School has been …
Laughter is universal, but what makes a joke truly great? What is the world’s funniest joke? Humour blends science and art, and few jokes exemplify this better than Bradford Oakes’ ‘James Cameron’s Fish‘ joke. Curious? Watch Brad’s joke, published on Instagram, below: Watch on Instagram Looking for the funny in science Wendy Zukerman’s podcast Science Vs: The Funniest Jokes in …
The fastest way to book a stand-up comedian in Melbourne is through the mobile app, Gigme. Available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play for Android phones, Gigme allows you to find, book and pay for a comedian directly – with no middleman. You can even chat with the comedian directly and negotiate the fee. Some of Australia’s funniest comedian …
One of the most common questions asked by Hard Knock Knocks comedy students is “How much do stand-up comedians make?” It’s a valid question, but unfortunately one that is hard to answer. Firstly, the industry is not regulated by an Award rate, unlike other jobs within The Arts. While the Australian Government’s Fair Work Ombudsman’s ‘Pay Guide – Live Performance …
Each year close to 1000 amateur comedians compete in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Raw Comedy competition. Getting past a heat is an accomplishment, but winning a State Final to get into Raw Comedy National Final is incredible. And Hard Knock Knocks graduates have done just that. Six times! Stella Wu – Graduated May 2023 Stella Wu graduated from the …
Two of the 12 finalists of Australia’s Funniest Boomer were Hard Knock Knocks alumni. But this should come as no surprise. After all, the comedy school, which has over 700 graduates across the country, had three alumni reach the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Raw Comedy national final this year. That’s an impressive record, and one reason the Hard Knock Knocks …
(Updated 23 April, 2025) We’re going to go with 175. But answering how many stand-up comedians there are in Australia is tricky, given the transient nature of this performing art. Comedians often take a break from ‘gigging’ to jump on jobs in theatre, radio, TV and even writing books. Here’s our ‘living document’ our ‘Stand-up comedian list’ of current list …
