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Episode 42 of This Week in Comedy brings together Stig Wemyss and Morry Morgan for a loose, joke-heavy conversation with special guest Barry Morgan, the flamboyant organ salesman and comedy character best known for turning the home organ into an unlikely show business weapon. Barry arrives with his trademark enthusiasm, a portable organ and plenty of double entendres, while Stig and Morry immediately speculate about whether Barry and Morry might actually be related. The Morgan family jokes continue throughout the episode, alongside discussion of Barry’s missing moustache, his roadie Stretch and his upcoming appearance at the Geelong Comedy Festival on 25 October. Barry explains that he will be bringing his beloved Hammond Aurora Classic and Leslie rotating speaker system, while repeatedly reminding listeners that, ultimately, he is still trying to sell organs. Barry also recalls his breakthrough appearances on Spicks and Specks, remote travels through central Australia, and the simple joy of making audiences smile through live music. The episode also moves through the week’s comedy news. Daniel Connell has released his new special, Box Headed Man Baby, while the Darwin Comedy Festival is discussed ahead of its 2027 return. Dan Ilic’s move to become CEO of GetUp is covered, with Morry reflecting on Ilic’s appearance at the Business of Comedy Conference and the role satire can play in public life. There is also time for a beer break, with the team cracking open Stomping Ground Pale Ale from Collingwood. Morry recalls serving Stomping Ground at the old Rubber Chicken venue, while Barry joins the tasting and provides suitably upbeat organ music. The group discusses the beer’s passionfruit notes, its 5.2% alcohol content and even takes issue with the 355 mL can being smaller than the traditional Australian 375 mL. The team also discusses Ronny Chieng and Hasan Minhaj bringing Hasan Hates Ronny, Ronny Hates Hasan to Melbourne’s Palais Theatre in December, with Morry pointing to Chieng’s career as an example of persistence in comedy. Elsewhere, the show remembers illustrator Terry Denton, celebrates entertainment birthdays, and lets Barry provide impromptu musical stings throughout. The episode closes with Stig discussing Christmas House Wars, Morry preparing the latest Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School students for their graduation gig, and Barry doing what Barry does best: playing, promoting and attempting to sell his beloved organ. Links:Barry Morgan Website: Click here Book tickets for Barry Morgan at the Geelong Comedy Festival: Click here Business of Comedy voice-over presentation and networking event: Click here Stomping Ground Pale Ale: Click here Mezzanine Films: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 41 of This Week in Comedy welcomes acclaimed Australian actor, comedian, writer and educator Roz Hammond for a lively conversation spanning Mad As Hell, comic performance, anxiety, television, sport and the week’s strangest comedy news. Roz reflects on her ten seasons working alongside Shaun Micallef on Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, describing the joy, discipline and generosity behind one of Australia’s most respected comedy programs. She revisits the wonderfully eccentric characters, outrageous wigs and inspired names that defined the series, including her favourite creation, Dolly Norman. Originally introduced as Jacqui Lambie’s adviser and a former Burnie fish-and-chip-shop owner, Dolly became unforgettable for her innocence, warmth and ability to say almost anything. Roz even slips back into character to offer Dolly’s perspective on a Chinese comedian reportedly punished for altering a patriotic song. With hosts Morry Morgan, Stig Wemyss and Anthony Littlechild, Roz also discusses the craft of comic acting. Whether performing comedy or drama, she says the key is playing the truth, embracing vulnerability and finding the humanity inside even the most exaggerated character. She shares her passion for teaching, her Anxiety Toolkit workshops, and how her own experience with stage anxiety led her to help other performers. Elsewhere, the team considers John Mulaney’s possible Get Smart reimagining, a satirical Fremantle football video that fooled Sky News, international comedy tours, the Berlin improv scene and whether Morry’s “Funny in the Moment” segment deserves to survive. Beerfarm’s Hazy Pale gets the customary taste test, complete with another overenthusiastic opening from Stig. Along the way, they celebrate Sam Campbell and debate German humour. Anthony then reports from the NFL spectacular at the MCG, where the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams. The group examines the Rams’ whirlwind visit, the 49ers’ longer Melbourne preparation, Netflix’s distinctive coverage and the huge festival atmosphere surrounding the game. Could Australian sport learn something from the Americans about turning a match into a citywide event? Stig also previews his new Channel 7 reality series Christmas House Wars, while Morry announces an upcoming Business of Comedy event for aspiring voice-over artists. Finally, Roz reveals the topic for next week’s joke-writing challenge: AI and the singularity. It is a packed episode full of backstage stories, sharp observations, affectionate chaos and a welcome return from Dolly Norman. Links:Roz Hammond's official website: Click here Business of Comedy voice-over presentation and networking event: Click here Beerfarm Hazy Pale: Click here Mezzanine Films: Click here Creative Head Rentals: Click here Anthony Littlechild Productions: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 40 of This Week in Comedy celebrates a milestone with hosts Morry Morgan, Stig Wemyss and Anthony Littlechild, joined by special guest Felix Toohey. Tired of being ghosted by creative agencies, Felix began creating “unhinged resumes” designed to make employers take notice. After conventional applications went nowhere, he abandoned the standard resume and started building elaborate physical creations instead. His applications have included a detective evidence file featuring covert photographs, a resume hidden inside a handmade rock, a working clock, a pack of sandwiches and even a gravestone. Each creation demonstrated Felix’s skills in graphic design, storytelling and just as importantly humour, while making it almost impossible for a potential employer to forget him. In this episode Felix Toohey explains how he transformed a bottle of mustard into an application for Mustard Creative in Cremorne, complete with a customised label, presentation box, QR code and cooking video. He also unveils an application that was never delivered: a handcrafted bottle of ketchup, aka “catch up”, created as a clever invitation to reconnect with the agency. The wonderfully ridiculous campaign earned Felix meetings, attracted attention from major brands such as Canva and ultimately helped him secure a new role with The Taboo Group in Cremorne. Now that he has busted ghosting and found employment, Felix faces the next challenge: creating a second season about how not to get fired. The team also dives into the week’s comedy news, including Chris Cantrill’s Edinburgh Comedy Award win, the campaign for government recognition of grassroots live comedy in the UK, Aaron Chen’s Australasian tour and the arrival of the Raw Comedy National Final on SBS On Demand. Morry celebrates three Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School alumni making the national final, while the team looks ahead to the 2027 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Anthony then takes listeners behind the scenes at the MCG as Melbourne prepares to host the NFL. He reveals the extraordinary lengths the American teams have gone to in recreating the experience of a US game, including shipping their own water, Gatorade, peanut butter, field-marking paint and specialist equipment to Australia. Anthony also explains his role filming an NFL documentary, capturing everything from player arrivals and change-room preparations to cheerleaders and game-day action. This week’s beer comes from Ballarat’s Corella Brewery. The team samples Annie, a 6.5 per cent NEIPA named after the brewery owner’s dog and double dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy. It is strong, juicy and apparently perfect for generating wildly ambitious creative ideas. Meanwhile, Stig reveals more about the newly announced Channel 7 series Christmas House Wars, which he created and will direct, with Anthony serving as director of photography. They also reflect on the latest Business of Comedy event, where filmmakers and creatives discussed how to take an idea through development, production and distribution. Add comedy history, questionable celebrity stories, Charlie Chaplin lookalike folklore, births, deaths and marriages, and another instalment of “Funny in the Moment”, and Episode 40 delivers exactly the sort of intelligent chaos regular listeners have come to expect. Links:Felix Toohey Ghosting Busters: Click here Cornella Brewery Annie NEIPA: Click here Mezzanine Films: Click here Creative Head Rentals: Click here Anthony Littlechild Productions: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 39 of This Week in Comedy goes behind the wonderfully unhinged world of Aunty Donna with Georgia Mappin, Managing Director and Executive Producer at Haven’t You Done Well and Grouse House TV. Georgia joins Morry Morgan, Stig Wemyss and Anthony Littlechild for a lively chat about what it takes to turn creative chaos into a functioning comedy business. She explains how Aunty Donna has built an entire ecosystem around Broden, Mark and Zach, spanning live tours, Patreon, YouTube, podcasts, books, merchandise, television, film and the Grouse House streaming platform. Georgia also looks back at landing her first commission at 20, creating a children’s show that pitted kids against baby goats, and later taking comedy projects global through Netflix. The big lesson? Never build your house in somebody else’s backyard. Rather than tying Aunty Donna’s future to YouTube or any single medium, Georgia and the team have created a platform-agnostic brand that can follow its audience wherever they want to watch, listen or buy something ridiculous. Anthony also reveals that he worked with Broden and Zach back in 2009, long before Aunty Donna conquered Australian comedy. Even then, Broden confidently pulled him aside and declared that he would be on television one day. Annoyingly, he was right. Georgia shares the less glamorous truth about screen production: whether you are making a tiny commercial, a television series or a multimillion-dollar feature film, there is never enough money or time. She discusses Aunty Donna’s forthcoming movie, the backing of Bluey producers Ludo Studio and the constant roller-coaster of finance, schedules and people dropping in and out. Meanwhile, Broden has created a fresh logistical nightmare by promising personalised fatherly advice to new Grouse House subscribers. The team expected perhaps 100 responses. They received 506, leaving Broden to record hundreds of personal “dad” videos. There is also comedy news involving Tyson Popplestone, Randy Feltface, Jimmy Carr, Top Gear, Ali G and the Dublin Fringe Festival, plus a detour through classic Australian advertising, risk-averse brands and Georgia’s two victories on Gruen. Keeping everyone refreshed is Episode 39’s beer sponsor, Coldstream Brewery, born in the Yarra Valley. Georgia, Morry, Stig and Anthony crack open four different beers from this brewer. Links:Grouse House TV: Click here Coldstream Brewery: Click here Mezzanine Films: Click here Creative Head Rentals: Click here Anthony Littlechild Productions: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 38 of This Week in Comedy, Morry Morgan and Stig Wemyss are joined at The Rubber Chicken Podcast Studio by character comedian and social media star Nick White, whose videos have attracted more than 800,000 followers and over 40 million likes across TikTok and Instagram. Nick discusses his journey from architecture to comedy, explaining how a childhood love of drawing, creating characters and playing SimCity and The Sims eventually led him towards designing people rather than buildings. He also introduces the inspiration behind his best-known character, Carli Furplam, and reveals why his deliberately abrasive characters keep audiences watching, even when they are almost too uncomfortable to endure. The conversation follows Nick’s early stand-up career in Brisbane, his three years performing in New York and the controversial “bringer show” model, where comedians must supply audience members before they are allowed on stage. Nick also explains why crowd work has become such an important part of his live performances and how years of observing people help him build detailed worlds around his characters. Nick then shares his excitement and nerves about joining the Australian production of Monty Python’s Spamalot. Performing alongside Stephen Curry, he will take on several roles, including the infamous French Taunter. It is Nick’s first musical and his first major theatre production, meaning he has had to tackle singing, choreography, ensemble performance and an intense rehearsal schedule. Elsewhere, Morry and Stig examine Originate Comedy, the new development incubator created by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and VicScreen to help Victorian comedy storytellers turn original concepts into screen projects. They also celebrate the tenth anniversary of American comedy media company 800 Pound Gorilla, which has reportedly generated more than US$45 million for 700 comedians while releasing 1,500 hours of comedy content. Episode 38 also covers the week’s comedy news, Australian acts at the Edinburgh Fringe, touring comedians, the value of comedy as an industry and Stig’s search for an actor to lead a quirky new short film involving grief, cancer, a midlife crisis and a talking snail. Finally, the Morry and Stig taste Hop Nation’s Melbourne Black, a locally brewed nitro pub stout inspired by Melbourne’s historic drinking culture. Is it a Guinness replacement, a lighter stout or simply the liquid equivalent of a ham-and-cheese sandwich cut into little squares? Links:Monty Python's Spamalot Tickets: Click here Hop Nation's Melbourne Black: Click here Mezzanine Films: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week in Comedy breaks new ground with its first filmed episode, as host Morry Morgan welcomes returning co-host Stig Wemyss, new co-host Anthony Littlechild and special guest Amanda Spagnolo from Princess Bento. Together, they explore Australian comedy news and modern animation today. Amanda, an Emmy-nominated writer and producer, shares her journey from Canada’s Sinking Ship Entertainment to Melbourne’s Princess Bento. Her credits include Ginger and the Vegesaurs, Monster Beach, Space Chickens in Space and Michael Cusack projects. She explains how Princess Bento combines the local experience of Princess Pictures with its partnership with America’s Bento Box, and discusses the opportunities and pressures facing Australian animation. The team examines Sam Pang’s Gold Logie win, Anthony’s memorable encounter with Pang at an awards afterparty, Celia Pacquola’s comedy success and the ABC’s continuing support for Australian comedy. They also celebrate Caper Crew heading to Netflix globally, Superwog entering the National Film and Sound Archive, Nate Bargatze’s record-breaking ticket sales, Jimmy Carr’s forthcoming book about joke mechanics and touring news. Animation returns to centre stage as Amanda gives her professional take on the upcoming Bluey movie and its shift towards a 3D visual style. She explains why Bluey connects so powerfully with children and adults through play, humour, recognisable family relationships and simple storytelling. Amanda also reveals what Princess Bento has in production, including Dad’s House for Netflix, Universal Basic Guys Season 3 and new children’s projects based on Australian intellectual property. Stig reflects on voicing Little Elvis in the groundbreaking Australian series Little Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers, his early stand-up days, giving Dave Hughes stage time and his television adventures with Alan Fletcher on Photo Number 6. Anthony leads This Week in History, revisiting Andy Samberg, Denis Leary, Groucho Marx, Jerry Lewis and Russell Peters. The four also sample White Bay Brewery’s limited-release Hop Gun American IPA, a Top Gun-inspired beer with plenty of kick and a label filled with playful redactions. Morry contributes a scientifically informed look at when tragedy becomes funny, then tests his latest Funny in the Moment encounter involving Luna, South Melbourne Market, potato cakes and the risk of accidentally starting an interstate food argument. Links:Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Princess Bento Studios: Click here White Bay Brewery's Hop Gun IPA: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 36 of This Week in Comedy sees veteran entertainer Marty Fields join hosts Morry Morgan and Lily Geddes for a packed conversation covering Australian comedy, showbusiness, Melbourne’s underworld and a dangerous Albert Park bike ride. With a career spanning more than five decades, Marty shares stories from stand-up, television, radio and musical theatre. He remembers playing five different characters on Blue Heelers, appearing opposite Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider and spending seven years on Hey Hey It’s Saturday. Marty also explains how he began playing piano in Melbourne pubs at just 14, performing among the colourful characters of St Kilda's Fitzroy St and South Melbourne before touring Australia and moving into stand-up comedy. Marty credits his versatility to his father, legendary comedian Maurie Fields, who advised him to learn as many skills as possible so he would never be out of work. Maurie’s connections produced some extraordinary stories involving Melbourne’s criminal underworld. These include a murder weapon travelling in the boot of the family car and a young Mark “Chopper” Read arriving to collect the troublesome firearm. The discussion turns to Eric Bana, from his early comedy career to his acclaimed portrayal of Chopper. Marty, who knew Chopper personally, agrees that most impressions of the notorious criminal are really impressions of Eric Bana playing him. Marty also explains his theory that audiences prefer to “laugh downhill”, why comedians need to show vulnerability and the difference between comedians who say funny things and comics who say things funny. He discusses meeting Robin Williams, working alongside Australian entertainment legends and using humour to brighten the days of strangers. Morry and Lily guide Marty through comedy news, tours, festivals and milestones involving Lucille Ball, Candid Camera, Daryl Somers, Acropolis Now and Robin Williams. The episode also includes the remarkable story of Australian athlete Reg Spiers posting himself from London to Perth inside a wooden crate. For the episode’s beer tasting, Bridge Road Brewers provides its Coffee Stout, featuring Genovese Coffee’s Super Brazil blend. Morry and Lily enjoy its coffee, caramel and chocolate flavours, with Lily comparing it to an espresso martini in beer form. Marty is considerably less impressed, delivering a brutally honest review that leaves no uncertainty about his position. Episode 36 concludes with Marty discussing his support for The Lost Dogs’ Home and Animals Asia, before Morry recounts seeing him charge through schoolchildren on the Albert Park bike path, loudly ordering everyone to move. Links:Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Bridge Road Brewers Coffee Stout: Click here The Lost Dogs Home: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 35 of This Week in Comedy is served with something suitably special: a 500 ml Mountain Goat Brewery Rare Breed Bract 2, cracked open alongside a big conversation about comedy, creativity, cricket and Australian animation. With Lily Geddes stepping away from this episode, hosts Morry Morgan and Stig Wemyss take over the microphones for a fast moving and entertaining chat with Ken Cantrill, founder of Bigtoon Animation Studio. As the Rare Breed Bract 2 from Mountain Goat Brewery makes its way around the table, Ken talks about building original animation from the ground up, leaving Xentrix Studios after six years, and putting his energy behind his own creative projects through Bigtoon Animation Studio. Front and centre is Snick and Willow, Ken’s kids' cricket animation, Snick and Willow, inspired by his time in India, where cricket is more than just a sport. Ken explains how the idea came together, where the title originated, and why humour is essential when creating animation for younger audiences. He also opens up about the realities behind the finished product, from costly pilots and creative missteps to recognising when an idea needs more work. It is a candid look at the persistence, risk and constant refinement involved in getting an animated series right. The conversation then turns to Peggy and Molly, Ken’s animated project centred on the unlikely friendship between a magpie and a Staffy. With comedians lending their voices to the production and Stig himself involved, the discussion quickly moves into behind the scenes stories, self promotion and classic This Week in Comedy chaos. Morry and Stig also tackle comedy news, industry opportunities and the usual collection of unexpected tangents, all while enjoying the featured 500 ml Mountain Goat Brewery Rare Breed Bract 2. If you love comedy, animation, cricket, creative war stories, Australian entertainment and a quality beer to go with the conversation, this episode delivers all of it. Links:Mountain Goat Rare Breed Bract 2 IPA: Click here Snick and Willow animation: Click here Peggy and Molly animation: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 34 of This Week in Comedy welcomes veteran comedian Lehmo for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from world records and television history to strange trivia, Australian comedy and everyday attempts to make strangers laugh. Lehmo begins by recalling his decade as a chartered accountant and joking that creative accounting allowed the years 1991 to 1997 to somehow equal ten. He then explains how his childhood obsession with the Guinness Book of Records inspired a fringe show and several publicity stunts involving the record for most jokes told in an hour. After unofficial attempts in Adelaide and Melbourne, including one linked to Rove Live and Damian Cullinan, he completed an official attempt at Adelaide’s Rhino Room, telling 549 jokes in sixty minutes. Guinness later changed the rules and restored Tim Vine’s record, but Lehmo remains delighted that his name appeared in the book and that he still owns the certificate. The discussion opens into memories of famous record holders including Robert Wadlow, Sridhar Chalal, Billy and Benny McCreary, and Lehmo’s childhood hero Peter Knights, who later launched Lehmo’s own book at the MCG. The news section pays tribute to The Goodies’ Bill Oddie, who died aged 85. The hosts reflect on how Oddie, Graham Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor became shared television icons through The Goodies before Oddie developed a second career presenting wildlife programs. Other comedy news covers the return of Glenn Robbins and Mick Molloy’s Celebrity Intervention, the second season of Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey, Andy Lee’s animated Do Not Watch This Show, and Working Dog’s stage adaptation of The Castle. The episode also pauses for a beer tasting of Rocky Ridge’s Cali IPA, a 5.8 per cent West Coast IPA from Western Australia. The group praises its bright pink and teal can, fruity aroma and pronounced hoppiness, imagining it as an ideal drink for a warm afternoon despite Melbourne’s cold weather. A comedy-history segment marks the birth of Burt Newton, an early Barry Humphries television special, the death of Peter Sellers, the release of Tony Martin’s Bad Eggs, and the brief run of The Comedy Sale. The episode also recounts the bizarre 1973 Michigan funeral for 29,188 frozen pizzas recalled during a botulism scare, before closing with “Funny in the Moment” observations about South Melbourne and spontaneous public comedy. Links:Rocky Ridge Cali IPA: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 33, hosts Morry Morgan and Lily Geddes welcome Sarah Maree Cameron, known as SMC, a broadcaster, comedian and presenter whose career spans community radio, commercial stations, sports hosting, acting and wellness broadcasting. Cameron reflects on beginning radio as a child with a Talk Girl recorder and homemade shows, then joining community radio around age eleven before moving into professional broadcasting. She discusses hosting for Richmond since 2013, working across tennis, football, cricket and other sports, and balancing those commitments with holidays, comedy and media work. She also explains why she resists gatekeeping in sport and comedy, preferring to remain an enthusiastic fan and versatile performer rather than an obsessive statistician. The hosts cover comedy news, including the closure of Sydney queer arts venue Divine Playhouse after protests, Dylan Cole’s appointment as CEO and Festival Director of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and record festival attendance alongside concerns about artists receiving a smaller share of ticket revenue. They celebrate Australians Elouise Eftos and Tom Cardy joining the 2026 Just For Laughs New Faces showcases, revisit a bizarre Dave Hughes backstage story involving Melanie Bracewell’s stage glass, and note Shane Gillis’s record setting Philadelphia stadium show, which sold 77,000 tickets. Conversation turns to Cameron’s acting role in the Australian Chinese film At Last, her improv training, and the value of improvisation for radio, stand up and business. She describes improv as “playtime for your brain,” a discipline that demands presence, collaboration, memory and the willingness to accept an offer rather than overthink it. The group also revisits comedy history, from Weird Al Yankovic’s UHF and ABC’s The Big Gig to Clueless, considering how older comedies can be appreciated within their era while still being viewed critically today. The episode finishes with lighter recurring segments, including birthdays, deaths and marriages in comedy, the extraordinary 1876 Kentucky meat shower, and a Funny in the Moment pub exchange about filling a glass or bucket from a beer tanker. Morry and Lily also review The Woodsman, an amber ale from Wolf of the Willows, describing its strong carbonation and fruity, slightly tangerine flavour. Cameron closes by promoting The House of Wellness, where she combines humour with serious health conversations, and hints that another live comedy show may arrive in 2027. Links:Wolf of the Willows - The Woodsman: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 32 of This Week in Comedy brings hosts Lily Geddes and Morry Morgan together with guest Tony Rogers for a lively conversation about Australian comedy, filmmaking and the strange paths that turn small ideas into enduring screen projects. Rogers discusses How to Talk Australians: The Movie, explaining how the project grew from an earlier pilot and web series set around a fictional language college in Delhi. Tony Rogers was the writer and director of How to Talk Australians Movie, as well as the creator, writer and director of Wilfred. He also reflects on Rats and Cats, the award-winning convict comedy Bruce, his advertising work, and the long-running development of Fun TV, a satirical project about an analogue network attempting to compete with streaming platforms. The discussion explores Rogers’ preference for carefully written comedy, while still leaving room for performers such as Rohan Ganju to contribute sharp improvised lines. He praises the acting ability of comedians, including Shane Jacobson, Ben Knight, Nick Capper, Stuart Daulman, Rohan Ganju and the Nelson twins, and shares behind-the-scenes stories about casting, accents, props and practical effects. One memorable detail concerns the realistic kangaroo prop built by Rogers’ partner Carol Van Rees, using altered toy fur, stitching, sand and extra weight to make the carcass move convincingly on camera. Rogers also talks about the challenge of getting Australian films into cinemas, noting the enthusiasm surrounding limited screenings and festival appearances for How to Talk Australians. Beyond the interview, Lily and Morry cover comedy news, upcoming productions and tours, including The Fox, Taskmaster Australia, Adam Kay and the development of a fourth season of Fisk. They sample a Sailors Grave Vienna lager, revisit comedy history through Mick Molloy, A Fish Called Wanda and The Hollow Men, and trade observations about karaoke, science fiction and everyday Australian behaviour. The episode retains the show’s relaxed, irreverent rhythm, moving easily between industry insight, cultural satire and spontaneous jokes. Rogers’ stories reveal a filmmaker drawn to modest, recognisable moments, collaborative performers and handmade movie magic, while the hosts keep the conversation grounded in South Melbourne connections and playful tangents. It is an energetic portrait of a distinctive Australian comedy career, capped by practical advice, affectionate teasing and excitement for Rogers’ current and future projects across film, television and advertising. Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 31, hosted by Lily Geddes and Morry Morgan, welcomes veteran comedian Jack Levi, better known as the deadpan character Elliot Goblet. The conversation mixes career history, comedy news, personal anecdotes and spontaneous observational humour. From the opening exchange, the episode feels strongly influenced by Curb Your Enthusiasm: ordinary social encounters are examined for their awkwardness, petty logic and unexpected comic consequences. Morry’s stories about gym memberships, covered cars and interactions with strangers especially echo Larry David’s habit of turning minor inconveniences into elaborate moral debates and uncomfortable misunderstandings that somehow become matters of principle instantly. Levi reflects on the rise of Elliot Goblet, recalling sixty national television stand-up appearances, including twenty-nine programs with Daryl Somers. He discusses the character’s trademark contradiction: grandiose stories delivered with almost no facial expression. What once seemed like an acting weakness became his greatest comic asset, helped by nerves and a teacher who told him he lacked expression. Levi also revisits his ARIA nomination, American touring, Montreal, working at Telecom (pre-Telstra), and the double life of maintaining an office job while becoming famous. His calm recollections create another Curb-like contrast between extraordinary success and mundane practicality. The hosts move through comedy anniversaries and industry news, celebrating Mel Brooks at one hundred, Jim Owen’s tour, Richard Watts’s departure from ArtsHub, and birthdays connected to Sammy J, Larry David and Peter Kay. The Larry David segment reinforces the episode’s flavour, with the hosts praising Curb Your Enthusiasm and its ability to make social discomfort hilarious. Elsewhere, they discuss Bob Franklin, Lawrence Mooney, Glynn Nicholas, Jeff Dunham, Kevin Bloody Wilson, Rodney Rude and other comedy figures. Even serious memories of 1987, including the Queen Street massacre, are handled with care before returning to levity. A beer tasting featuring Love Shack Aotearoa IPA opens further tangents about Vegemite, coriander, New Zealand and South Melbourne. Levi shares stories about audience recognition, ageing in comedy, famous colleagues and using humour to escape conversations. Morry’s “Funny in the Moment” story, involving a covered Honda mistaken for a Ferrari, could almost be a lost Curb scene: a harmless remark becomes a miniature negotiation about status, taste and social pride. The episode closes with Levi promoting upcoming performances with Lawrence Mooney at the Ballarat Mechanics' Institute. Links:Love Shack Aotearoa IPA : Click here Lawrence Mooney, Elliot Goblet and friends at the Ballarat Mechanics' Institute: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click her Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 30 of This Week in Comedy is a milestone episode, and Lily Geddes and Morry Morgan celebrate it by welcoming Australian comedy favourite Hung Le into the studio. The result is an unfiltered, big-hearted conversation that leaps from couch distancing to football loyalties, early mornings and the survival instincts of a performer who has spent 45 years onstage. Hung brings effortless warmth, sharp timing and a seemingly endless supply of stories, while Lily and Morry make sure every tangent gets the attention it deserves. They talk comedy news, theatre, festivals and the peculiar thrill of being connected to almost everyone in Australian entertainment by one degree of separation. There are reflections on auditions that went nowhere, jobs that arrived when they were least expected, life on cruise ships, and the challenge of keeping material fresh in front of demanding audiences. Hung also shares memories of arriving in Australia as a child, and the colourful mix of music, acting, television and stand-up that has shaped his career. The beer taste-test for this episode of This Week in Comedy is Slow Lane Brewing’s “Before Dawn”, a Munich Dunkel Dark Lager at 5% ABV. And importantly it gets a great review, both on taste, and the hosts' pet-peeve, size of the can (It's gotta be 375 ml). A key part of the conversation is Hung Le’s book, The Crappiest Refugee. With characteristic humour and honesty, Hung discusses the personal history behind the title, his family’s journey from Vietnam to Australia, and why finding laughter in difficult experiences has always been central to his work. Lily and Morry recommend the book as a moving, funny and revealing extension of the stories Hung tells onstage. One of the episode’s highlights is Hung’s connection to Nick Giannopoulos and the enduring cultural footprint of Wog Boy, the movie. He revisits his memorable lines from the film, talks about joining Giannopoulos’s orbit after appearing on New Faces, and recounts the wild touring years of Wogarama. The conversation also examines how Australian comedy, casting and identity have evolved, always through the lens of personal experience rather than a lecture. Along the way, Hung pitches the roles he still wishes he had landed, including a very specific Wog Boy sequel appearance in Mykonos, and an embarrassing experience auditioning for Miss Saigon. Elsewhere, the trio cover Shaun Micallef’s new game show, Spamalot, comedy roadshows, clown burlesque, a dark lager tasting, Ricky Gervais, Airplane (aka Flying High), and the kind of accidental public comedy that makes the show feel so local. It is a generous, rambunctious episode full of old-school showbiz insight and present-day comedy gossip, with plenty of room for Hung’s generosity and mischief. Whether you know him from stand-up, television, Wog Boy or The Crappiest Refugee, this is a chance to hear a true original in relaxed, hilarious form. Plus, Hung invites aspiring comics to join him at the August Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School course in Melbourne. Links:Slow Lane Brewing Before Dawn Munich Dunkel Dark Lager: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 29 of This Week in Comedy, hosts Lily Geddes and Morry Morgan welcome filmmaker Nick Kozakis, who arrives straight from a Sooshi Mango pre-production meeting, for a lively conversation spanning film, comedy, Australian culture and the strange moments that become stories. Nick discusses his work with Sooshi Mango, music videos, commercials, short films and feature projects. He shares the excitement and pressure of helping expand the group’s comedy world into a feature film, with production scheduled from August through September and a future call-out for extras. The centrepiece is Dilemma, Nick’s darkly comic short selected for the 2026 St Kilda Film Festival. Written by Duncan Samarsinghe and made with Anthony Littlechild and Nick’s wife Carlia, the film poses a provocative time-travel question: would you kill Hitler as a child? Nick reflects on why the compact, one-day shoot was too good to refuse, and praises performers Jackson Tozer and Eliza Matengu for their chemistry, comic timing and ability to balance a heavy premise with unsettling humour. Nick also opens up about stunt work, armourers, safety teams, fake blood and practical horror effects. He argues that physical effects give horror a depth that audiences feel more immediately than heavily computer-generated imagery. For emerging filmmakers, he stresses networking, generosity and making concise, contained short films that festival programmers can easily schedule. He credits mentors and peers including the Cairnes brothers of Late Night with the Devil and the Philippou brothers for helping shape his filmmaking path. The episode’s beer break features Field Trip, a 7% West Coast IPA with grapefruit, pine and “dank resin” notes. Its weed-themed can gives Lily the perfect opening to expand on her cannabis expertise, explaining trichomes, THC-rich resin and why “dank” is a useful descriptor in both beer and marijuana culture. That leads naturally into a cannabis-fuelled Funny in the Moment story involving Lily, her Hilux canopy, a hotbox experiment and a supposedly suspicious stranger who ultimately turns out to be a pole. Elsewhere, Lily and Morry cover Kyle Sandilands’ settlement with ARN Media, Jackie O’s legal action, Multicultural Arts Victoria’s response to Pauline Hanson, Gold Logie nominees Sam Pang and Julia Morris, and Melbourne’s Defrost Festival. Comedy history brings in Moe Howard, Brian Brown, The Ed Sullivan Show, Garfield and Josh Thomas. The episode closes with Nick teasing an unannounced feature, Dilemma’s festival run in Perth, and the chance for local performers to appear as extras in the upcoming Sooshi Mango movie. Links:Boatrocker Field Trip West Coast IPA: Click here Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here Nick Kozakis' IMDB account: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 28 of This Week in Comedy, hosts Morry Morgan and Lily Geddes welcome comedian Danny McGinlay for a loose, wide-ranging conversation about stand up, sport, television and Australian culture. Danny reflects on writing the Western Bulldogs’ famous AFL banners, especially the 2016 preliminary final line about the club being formed in “blood and boots, not in AFL focus groups.” The group joke that AFL banners might be the peak of Australian culture. The news section begins with Monty Python’s Spamalot returning to Australian stages, prompting riffs on Eric Idle, John Cleese, punchline suburbs, musical theatre and Danny’s love of The Holy Grail. They also discuss How to Talk Australians, Only Murders in the Building and Aaron Chen’s new Technology tour, with Danny praising Chen’s quiet, hypnotic comic presence after working with him on Fisk and Have You Been Paying Attention (HYBPA). A major thread is television comedy. Danny talks about his warm-up work while highlighting Sam Pang's behind-the-scenes work as a writer, producer and warm-up figure. Danny praises Pang as generous, hard-working and ruthlessly efficient with jokes, comparing his style to classic roasters like Don Rickles. He also highlights Ed Kavalee and Tom Gleisner’s skill in keeping Have You Been Paying Attention sharp and generous. The beer review features Love Shack IPA, a 6.8 percent, 375 ml can described as citrusy, tropical, stone-fruity and “subtly boozy,” though the hosts joke that two standard drinks hardly feels subtle. Danny sits out because he has a gig later, explaining that one beer tells his brain the workday is over. The history segment marks Stan Laurel’s birthday, leading to talk of Laurel and Hardy, silent comedy and Danny’s belief that Buster Keaton was funnier than Charlie Chaplin. Carl Barron, Ross Noble and Flight of the Conchords also get mentioned before Lily’s bizarre fact about daredevil Bobby Leach, Morry’s Bunnings sausage story, and Danny promoting his upcoming recorded comedy specials. Links:Love Shack IPA: Click here Be in the audience of Danny McGinlay's recorded special: Click here Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.