Hello.

As a comedian, I am no fan of being taken seriously. But today is an exception. This is an extremely difficult statement for me to write, but it’s necessary.

Over the past six months I have become aware of a claim being made about me. It involves an allegation of sexual assault: an allegation that I completely deny in the strongest terms possible. It fundamentally goes against who I am as a person and everything I believe in. Today that claim was aired publicly.

Four years ago I had a consensual sexual experience with someone. I had absolutely no idea he believed it wasn’t consensual until six months ago. His version of that experience as described on social media is simply not what happened.

This false claim has been spread via social media, text messages and gossip. It has been deeply distressing for me, my friends and my family. It has affected my work and my mental health.

I abhor sexual assault and sexual violence. I absolutely support the philosophy of the #MeToo movement: I believe in supporting victims and ensuring those who have done wrong face justice. But I have not done anything wrong. Any suggestion otherwise is false, deeply distressing and unhelpful.

Thank you for reading this.

Tom

(According to Miranda Devine. And Greg Larsen.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwRBQ3Gmikk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g36JLPbWCFg&t=1s

I am doing just two shows at the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. They will feature me and a bunch of very very funny friends telling jokes to raise money for youth homelessness.

They’re happening Saturdays April 14th & 21st at the Melbourne Town Hall at 5:15pm. 

THE SHOWS ARE ON SALE NOW PLEASE BUY TICKETS HERE BUY BUY BUY

Thanks.

Want to laugh AND help? Now you can!

Join the host of the “hit” show Tonightly with Tom Ballard as he gets the finest acts in town together to tell lots of very very funny jokes and raise cash for at-risk young people.

These gigs happen when other people are nice enough to help Tom organise them and then he can take all the credit. Previous shows have raised thousands of dollars for Refugee Legal and the Human Rights Centre and have featured the likes of Judith Lucy, Daniel Kitson, Tom Gleeson, David O’Doherty, Cal Wilson, Nick Cody, Dilruk Jayasinha and many other legends of that calibre.

Who KNOWS who will join Tom onstage in 2018!

(At time of writing, Tom does not know. He’ll get onto sorting that out.)

All the proceeds raised will go towards Youth Projects, a brilliant charity dedicated to helping young people in Melbourne who are experiencing homelessness and disadvantage.

Each show will feature a different line-up so yes you can come to both and you won’t get bored and you’ll be very cool because you’ll be chipping in even more dosh for such a great cause.

These shows will sell out and will be the only Ballard-y appearances at this year’s MICF, so please do get onto it ASAP. Thank you. Goodbye.

youthprojects.org.au