Author Archives: Tom

Moosehead Award 2016

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Exciting news, pals! I’ve been announced as a recipient for a Moosehead Grant for 2016.

The Mooseheads help fund shows at the Melbourne Comedy Festival that are in some way different and ambitious. They’ve very kindly gone with my idea of a comedy lecture about Australia’s fucked up immigration policies, Boundless Plains To Share.

I’m stoked and terrified about taking on this challenge and hope to make it something really special. The brilliant Scott Edgar of Tripod fame will be my director and I’m hoping to collaborate with refugees, detainees and advocacy groups from far and wide to make sure it’s all legit.

I’ll be keeping folks updated on the progress of the show via my podcast and you can also follow along via the Mooseheads facebook page.

BPTS is only slated for the 2016 Melbourne Comedy Festival at this stage, but I’ll also be touring a brand new stand up show, The World Keeps Happening around the country in the first half of next year. Watch this here website for further details. DON’T WORRY EVERYONE YOU’LL ALL GET YOUR BALLARD FIX.

 

 

Chloe Escott Stands Up And Comes Out

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Last night I headlined at Clubhouse Comedy in Hobart and my friend Chloe Escott was one of the support acts. Chloe has recently come out as a proud transwoman and it was pretty amazing to see her absolutely own her experience in this stand up set.

Stand up comedy is hard. Being openly trans is hard. This lady did both at the same time and made a room full of Tasmanians laugh. Enjoy.

34 – Freya Newman

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It’s been almost a year since a magistrate gave whistleblower Freya Newman a two-year good behaviour bond for “unauthorized access to information” under the NSW Crimes Act. Her leaking of private information about Frances Abbott, the prime minister’s daughter, receiving a $60,000 undeclared scholarship at the Whitehouse Institute, a private design school, ignited a furious public debate about privacy, privilege and the public’s right to know.

At the National Young Writer’s Festival in Newcastle, I got to sit down with Freya and asked her to reflect on exactly how it all happened, what it’s like to be in the centre of a media shitstorm, the failings of the media’s handling of the issue, gaps in the law and whether or not she holds any regrets about the whole episode.

RJ Mitte event at the Athenaeum Theatre  

My shows at the Republic Bar in Hobart, Fresh Comedy in Launceston

Rally for Refugees this Sunday October 11th

@freyanewmn

Article on Freya: The Whistleblower

Cause of the Week: Students Support The Aboriginal Communities (on FB), Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation (dumbartungaboriginalcorporation.org), Kyol Blakeney for Cleo Bachelor of the Year

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In Conversation with RJ Mitte

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RJ “Walt Jr./Flynn White” Mitte is coming to speak in Melbourne and I’m going to do my best to facilitate his Q&A without blushing too much.

RJ is not only an actor but an activist and champion for people living with disabilities and I’m really excited to hear what he’s going to talk about.

The event’s happening at 7:30pm on Wednesday 14th October at the Athenaeum Theatre. You can book tickets here.

33 – Erik Jensen

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After another bit of a delay and SOME JOLLY CRAZY HAPPENINGS in Australian politics, we’re back. Hello.

Erik Jensen is the definition of “precocious”. He’s in his mid-twenties and he’s already won a Walkley Award and he’s responsible for the launch and editing the highly-respected Saturday Paper – a weekly, centrist newspaper dedicated to long-form narrative journalism.

Plus he’s written a critically-acclaimed biography of artist Adam Cullen, he likes cool music and is very funny. What an arsehole.

In this chat Erik tells me about his beginnings in and passion for journalism, the over-arching philosophy behind TSP, the media and bias, the Abbott government’s “paucity of ideas”, leaks and opinion polls and just where things might go with Malcolm Turnbull as our new Prime Minister.

My upcoming stand-up gigs

My blog on Just For Laughs & Edinburgh Festival Fringe

@erikojensen

@satpaper

TSP Editorial: Kicking The Abbott

TSP Editorial: Close Nauru

TSP Editorial: Dutton For Punishment

Cause of the Week: The Refugee & Immigration Legal Centre (rilc.org.au)

Direct download         iTunes          libsyn