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 Hard Knock Knocks comedy course in May 2023. Ten months later she was competing in the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Raw Comedy National Final.
Stella’s comedy style is cheeky and a little bit rude. But she gets away with it easily, because of her loveable personality and infectious laughter. Based in Sydney, Stella is a regular performer on both the open mic and professional comedy circuit, performing alongside Neel Kolhatkar and Marty Bright.
Nathan Chin – Graduated November 2022
Nathan’s comedy style can be described as dark and intellectual, combining politics and self deprecating humour. Nathan has since gone semi-professional, performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Perth, London and even Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. He regularly performs alongside professional comedians including Tom Siegert, Joe White, and Nazeem Hussain.
Cameron Muratore – Graduated October 2022
Cameron Muratore completed the Hard Knock Knocks comedy course in October 2022, and joined Stella and Nathan in the 2024 Raw Comedy final.
As you will see from his Raw Comedy performance, Cameron leans heavily into ‘one of the boys’ style, that is both playful and occasionally innocent, making him a loveable act.
Cameron is the Returning Alumni for the February 2025 stand-up comedy course in Melbourne.
Ginny Hollands – Graduated June 2022
Ginny Hollands, a remarkable talent from Victoria, made her mark in 2023 when she secured a place in the Raw Comedy state final. Her exceptional performance earned her a wild card entry into the National Final, underscoring the calibre of comedians produced by the Hard Knock Knocks comedy school.
Ginny has a pretty sick sense of humour. She was born blind and finds it pretty funny. Whether crashing bikes or cheating on eye exams, she’ll try anything once – even if it kills her. Gleefully cynical and self-deprecating, she’s taken this perspective to comedy stages across Australia. She’s also the returning alumni for the September 2024 comedy course in Melbourne.
Chetan Singh (aka Delhi Buoy) – Graduated September 2018
Chetan Singh, known by his stage name Delhi Buoy, is another standout from the Hard Knock Knocks alumni. Born in India and living in Adelaide, Singh honed his comedic talents through the Hard Knock Knocks’ program, winning the South Australian state final in 2022. His sharp wit and insightful cultural commentary resonated with audiences, earning him a spot in the Raw Comedy national final and cementing his reputation as a comedic force.
Today Delhi is semi-pro, producing and performing at Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He’s collaborated with another Hard Knock Knocks alumni, Aditya Singh to run Multicultural Comedy Australia.
Gavin Sempel – Graduated March 2016
Gavin Sempel was only 17 years old when he won a spot in the inaugural Hard Knock Knocks course held in Melbourne. By 2018, he had won the Victoria Raw Comedy heat and advanced to the national Raw Comedy final. And while he didn’t win, this exposure paved the way for appearances on Australia’s Got Talent and Deadly Funny, further establishing his comedy career. Today, Gavin is a regular face on the open mic and curated comedy circuit.
As the comedy landscape continues to evolve, Hard Knock Knocks remains a crucial part of the journey for aspiring comedians. In 2025, the school is set to field at least 30 graduates from across Australia in the Raw Comedy competition, further demonstrating its influence and commitment to nurturing the next generation of stand-up comedians.