I’ve been a fan of this brilliant podcast for years and was stoked to sit down with Stuart Goldsmith for an episode. We covered my start in comedy, my crippling need for affirmation, awards, politics and the state of my bedroom.
Author Archives: Tom
Comedy For Good
I’m organising this super dooper show as part of Refugee Week 2017.
You will not find a better line up at a cheaper price for such a brilliant cause.
Please come along! Book your tickets here now now now.
106 – Jack Latimore
Jack Latimore is a Goori man of the Birpai nation. He’s a journalist and researcher who covers indigenous affairs, media, culture and politics and his work has appeared in The Guardian, Indigenous X, Koori Mail, The Citizen, medium, SBS and Overland.
In the past week we’ve marked Sorry Day and the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and witnessed 300 Indigenous leaders gather in Uluru for a summit on what constitutional recognition for Australia’s First Peoples might look like. Here I ask Jack what he made of the summit’s Statement from the Heart, how recognition and/or treaty could work and media representations of Indigenous peoples, from First Contact to Stan Grant to Bill Leak’s cartoons.
Problematic is coming to Edinburgh Fringe 2017
Jack’s writing for The Guardian
Article: Noel Pearson’s model for recognition wins support
Article: Five factors that will shape the outcome for Recognise at Uluru
Article: Indigenous Leaders Call For A Treaty In The Landmark “Uluru Statement From The Heart”
Article: Uluru forum to pursue Makaratta instead of symbolic recognition
Jack’s piece on the ABC’s Recognition: Yes Or No
Jack’s piece on Bill Leak’s cartoon
Nyunggai Warren Mundine’s piece on Bill Leak’s cartoon
This week’s Q&A: 1967 and Mabo – Moving Forward
Cause of the Week: Indigenous X (indigenousx.com.au), Seed Mob (seedmob.org.au) & Koorie Youth Council (yacvic.org.au)
Stand Up For Venezuela
105 – John Safran
John Safran is one of the most interesting writers/comedians/filmmakers/broadcasters/provocateurs/social commentators Australia has ever produced. He’s fascinated by issues surrounding religion and race and the Illuminati and he’s very funny when exploring them.
John’s latest book, Depends What You Mean By Extremist, sees him hanging out with far right extremists like the United Patriots Front and Reclaim Australia, Islamic fundamentalists and far left anarchists. It’s brilliant, challenging and very relevant to the INTENSE political moment we’re living through. Here John and I talk about patriotism, extremism, Australia’s reluctance to accept radicalism in any form and geese and ganders.
Please help out Refugee Legal because Peter Dutton is being awful again
Problematic is coming to Edinburgh Fringe 2017
Depends What You Mean By Extremist is out now
Article: John Safran – ‘In Australia we don’t get religion’
Cause of the Week: The Make A Wish Foundation (makeawish.org.au)
104 – Wil Anderson
One of the biggest and best comedians in Australia, Wil Anderson is super funny, super smart and super nice. Wil is a world-renowned stand up, the host of the ABC hit Gruen, former host of weekly satire show The Glass House and serial podcaster. He’s been thinking and telling jokes about the news for a long time and he’s pretty bloody good at it.
This chat covers a lot of ground, from Wil’s thoughts on the size of government to the state of journalism and the ABC to his approach to political comedy. We also eat some cheese and laugh about Mark Latham.
Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
Gay and Bi men are being persecuted in Chechnya – you can help:
Buy William Elm’s song “One”; all proceeds going to the Russia LGBT Network
Find out more in this New York Times article
Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent
My chat with Wil on his show Wilosophy
Article: Is The World A Laughing Matter? One Night Stan Comics on Why Comedy Has A Vital Role
Cause of the week: UNHCR (unrefugees.org.au), support independent media please
103 – Sara Saleh
Sara Saleh is a self-identifying “radical” poet and human rights activist. She works in refugee resettlement, is a GetUp! board member, co-founded the Dubai Poetry Slam and has worked with organisations like Amnesty International and WestWORDS.
At a time of heightened Islamophobic debate raging in the public sphere in Australia, Sara and I talk about what it’s like to have your faith and community constantly being scrutinised and demonised by politicians and commentators. From the plight of Yassmin Abdel-Magied to Palestine to Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the intersection of Islam and feminism, this is a really enlightening discussion about uncomfortable things.
Problematic is coming to the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Pleasance Courtyard
Wasting The Milk In Summer on Facebook
Article: Australia’s grand mufti wins defamation case over News Corp articles
Sara and Maajid Nawaz on ABC’s The Drum
Article: Why are fighting Islamophobia at the expense of Indigenous Australians? by Sara Saleh
Article: How did Maajid Nawaz end up on a list of ‘Anti-Muslim Extremists’?
Article: “You are not our ally” – Video campaigned launched as Ayaan Hirsi Ali cancels Australian tour
Article: Getup! Director backs Israeli boycott
Article: Fighting Hislam: Susan Carland on what it means to be a Muslim feminist
Cause of the Week: GetUp! (getup.org.au)
102 – Chris Berg
Chris Berg is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs and a Postdoctoral Fellow at RMIT. He’s passionate about civil liberties, defending freedom, shrinking the size of government and general libertarian good times.
Here Chris and I cover a lot: “ideology” not being a dirty word, the pitfalls of politics, the role of the State, prosecuting radical ideas, human flourishing, adapting to (rather than taxing) climate change, the Nanny State, partying in Amsterdam and why the Commonwealth Games are a rort.
Problematic is on at the Sydney Comedy Festival this week for 4 shows only
Problematic is coming to the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Pleasance Courtyard
Listen to Alice Fraser and me on The Bugle live at the Melbourne Comedy Festival
Sam Wallman’s piece on the minimum wage
Chris’ writing on ABC’s The Drum
Be Like Gough: 75 Radical Ideas To Transform Australia
Chris’ speech at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas on the “Nanny State”
The Libertarian Alternative published by MUP
Cause of the Week: The Human Capital Project (humancapitalproject.com.au)
The Bugle Live Recording
This was so much fun! Andy Zaltzman hosting and punning up a storm and Alice Fraser and I doing the topical funnies.
101 – Tim Lo Surdo
This guy is a gun. At just 22 years old, Tim Lo Surdo has advised federal senators and worked at everywhere from the Oaktree Foundation to the Australian Youth Climate Change Coalition to UN Youth to the United Voice union.
He’s now set up an advocacy group called Democracy in Colour: an advocacy group dedicated to combating racism in Australian politics. It’s a fascinating project, and here Tim outlines his personal experiences of racism, the realities of racism and the politics of fear in Australia today, the Left’s failures to combat such racism and how white allies can help (in the right way).
Problematic is coming to Sydney for 4 shows only at the Sydney Comedy Festival
And it’s now on sale for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017
Cause of the Week: Democracy In Colour (on Facebook; @democracycolour)