Merry Christmas

Hey all,

Thanks for the support this year. I’ll be on the Comedy Christmas Cracker tonight at 10.55pm on TV2, and then taking a break over the New Year period until mid January. Its been a fun month, have had gigs for accountants, gym instructors and insurance salesmen as well as a few spots at Fringe Bar. Also had Mayfair Cafe in Upper Hutt, where we hosted 2011 Billy T Award nominee Nick Rado.

The Humorous Arts Trust that was started in June has run over 50 gigs. We raised $1500 for the Argo Trust at the ‘Laugh-Able’ comedy night fundraiser in October, and we raised enough money at the ‘Wellington Debate: Is The Ruru Noblest of New Zealand’s Birds’ to become corporate silver sponsors of Forest and Bird. We got a certificate and everything. We’ve created over 150 spots for new comedians and new material at our Raw Meat comedy nights as well as hosting Michele A’Court, Jeremy Elwood, James Nokise, Mark Scott and whole range of established and up and coming performers. The number of performers in Wellington at all levels of experience has risen to around 40-50.

2011 is going to continue to grow, I’ll be busy with my new show the Motivational Conversationalists with TJ McDonald and Sarah Harpur in the 2011 Fringe Festival in Wellington and with the Comedy Festival show ‘Sex, Politics and Religion’ with Jim Stanton and TJ McDonald in Auckland. More details to follow.

If you’d like to keep in touch with what I’m up to please check back here, or post a message in the contact me section. Someone posted a message saying they saw me on the Christmas Cracker show and thought I was very funny. I like it when people tell me I’m funny.

James Nokise

Taking James Nokise out to Mayfair Cafe Saturday 6 November. James opened comedy at BoileRoom back in October 2009 so good to have him back there again. Tickets can be purchased online here. James will be joined by newcomer Li’i Alaimoana.

The Humorous Arts Trust has finally received official charitable trust status from the Charities Commission and we have our very own bank account too,

Humorous Arts

Kiwi Bank

38-9011-0067973-00

IRD number to follow. How very grown up of us.

The Wellington Debate

A most excellent debate last night, thank you to all involved: Sarah with her damning powerpoint presentation, Jim Stanton who’s incredibly accurate Sounds of Stanton stunned even the hardened Forest and Bird crowd along with her impressive costume skills, the pukeko for his emotional defence of the noble owl and Ross Norman co-leader of the Greens Party, who put up with me consistently calling him Ross Norman. Also to our increasingly drunk adjudicator TJ McDonald, and barman Dan in pukeko hat.

The overall winners (apart from the negating team) were Forest and Bird, who now have another $500 to help look after forests and birds, and the Humorous Arts Trust which raised enough to become a Forest and Bird Corporate Silver Sponsor. We even get a certificate! I shall have it framed and put up at Fringe Bar for all to see.

Great night team!

Bizarre

What a crazy day. Had a TVC audition, then a meeting with a youth worker, two meetings with comedians and I got shortlisted for a grant for a show for next year. Morepork got wasted in the Bird of the Year poll, but lost graciously to the berry eater kakariki.

Interesting day

Had an interview with TV3, then a meeting with Geraldine Brophy and now off to host out at the Strathmore Local. All my opinions about Wellington actors were reaffirmed at the meeting last night. That may be a compliment, or an insult.

Noble Morepork

I will be defending the honour of the Noble Morepork against kokako fancier Greens Party co-leader Russel Norman on Friday 15th October at Fringe Bar at the Wellington Debate.

I will also be mediating the Wellington Actors’ Meeting on Monday 11 October at the Tararua Tramping Club in Mt Vic.

DomPost front page 2 September

Off comedy for a moment, was just curious about the front page article on the Dominion Post this morning: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/4081534/US-billionaire-in-deal-to-buy-a-big-slice-of-Kiwi-paradise

Maybe I’m a little cynical but I got the impression that the DomPost were trying to stir some sort of controversy, Americans coming over here, taking our land. However I wonder, without that foreign investment coming in, where was the money supposed to come from to develop that resort? And without that resort, who would be employing the (presumably) New Zealand helicopter pilot, and who would pay for the produce for the meals, or pay the landscapers and gardeners? Also I imagine most of the building materials would have been sourced locally as well as most of the builders, electricians, plumbers etc. I’ve probably missed something somewhere, anyone know more about this?

Raw Meat

Was great last night, mainly thanks to ‘good times’ girl Jim Stanton. It was really what I feel Raw Meat Mondays at Fringe Bar is all about, the audience were relaxed, the comedians chilled out and everyone just got a chance to test things out. If something didn’t work they acknowledged it and moved on. Great audience. I really feel that 20-30 is the right size for a gig of that type. We had Jen O’Sullivan, Gabe Page, Nicolai l’Estrange, Indigo days flashback Simon McCarthy, Natalie Britten and myself. Pop down next week for Nathan Winter’s MC debut.

Rock and Roll

Heading out to Lower Hutt tonight. First time in way too long. Jav Jarquin, Bea Joblin and myself. We have flyered, postered, ads in the newspaper and I’ve lost count of emails sent out. All we have to do is hit the stage.
Rock and roll.

Dave Fane

Oh dear, read about this in the Herald. But it seems like the speed and sincerity of the apology should mitigate things somewhat. I hope he keeps his job.
And credit to the Jewish Council president for calling it a stupid act instead of an anti-semitic one.

In happier news, just had a film shoot for a neat project by Chaz Harris and Sarah Harpur. 101 Dates is set to be released on the web in August. Well written and with some great actors too. Also, professional crew. No mucking about, loved it.

Raw Meat tonight at Fringe Bar. We sold out last week, 101 people in total (90 is capacity but 10 people left at half time so we let through another 10 who had been waiting (yes yes I know, an extra 1 person must have snuck past)).