Author Archives: Tom

MyTunes

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In this great new series from Giant Dwarf theatre, music nerdlings get to sit down with their musical heroes and gush their love for them and request them to play their favourite songs and gush some more, all in front of a live audience.

On Wednesday November 18th, I’ll be sitting down with the master of twee wordplay himself, Darren “Dazza Hazza” Hanlon.

I’m so excited for this and hope that if you’re a Hanlonian like me, you’ll be able to make it. Tickets are on sale here and do get in quick: the first instalment with Zan Rowe and Paul Dempsey completely sold out.

 

Q&A live from Toowoomba

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On Monday night I hosted Q&A live from Toowoomba in Queensland. I was joined on the panel by Rural Health Minister Fiona Nash, Shadow Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southern Queensland Jan Thomas, Mayor of Toowomba Paul Antonio and singer-songwriter Katie Noonan.

Things got pretty PASSIONATE as we covered everything from CSG extraction, resettling refugees in rural areas, medical marijuana, obesity and daylight savings.

You can watch back the whole thing here if you like.

Walk Together 2015

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I believe in all of those things and am happy to be saying welcome at the Melbourne Walk Together on Saturday October 31st.

There are walks happening all over the country; find out if there’s one near you here.

 

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35 – Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

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At just 33, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young already has eight years of experience serving as a Greens Senator for South Australia in the federal parliament. Once a protégé of Bob Brown’s, Sarah now holds the portfolios of Immigration & Citizenship, LGBTI rights and Youth, Early Childhood Education & Childcare for the Greens.

In this chat, recorded just before Sarah took to the stage at a Rally for Refugees in Melbourne, we discuss the future of her party, her path from student politician to youthful senate candidate, the 2009 CTRS decision, party donations and the horrible shit she’s seen in her visits to offshore detention centres.

The Sydney Just For Laughs Stand Up Series

Danny Bhoy at the State Theatre In Sydney

@sarahinthesen8

sarahhansonyoung.com

Article: Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young partied at Mardis Gras with taxpayer money

Sarah on The Chaser’s The Hamster Decides

Cause of the Week: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (asrc.org.au), No Business In Abuse (nobusinessinabuse.org)

 

Direct download        iTunes        libsyn

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

Direct download        iTunes        libsyn

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.