Episode 7: Raw Comedy, Censorship and Speaking Freely

Episode seven of This Week in Comedy hits the “magic number” (apparently the average podcast only makes it to 7 episodes) and Morry and Lily celebrate by diving into big comedy news, bigger opinions, and an even bigger beer - an 8 per cent Garage Project “Pernicious Weed” that tastes like intense bitter melon and threatens to end the podcast early.

The episode opens with a field trip to Raw Comedy at the Esplanade Hotel’s Gershwin Room in St Kilda, one of Australia’s biggest amateur stand up competitions. The hosts catch up with two Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School alumna, Jorgia Rice and Kiara Ariza, before and after their heats. Jorgia, less than a year into comedy and already around 40 gigs deep, talks about the thrill of performing for her biggest crowd yet, and shares how she's leaned into her now signature “rice” material. Kiara shares her own pre-show nerves, festival plans, and a background in performance work that is clearly paying off. Both comedians end the day on a high: they are announced as heat winners and progress to the next round.

From there, the conversation turns serious: censorship and free speech in the arts, sparked by the recent Adelaide Writers Festival controversies and the broader tension around political viewpoints, particularly those influenced from abroad. The hosts argue that debate and creative expression cannot be selectively allowed. It is either all on the table or none of it is.

Another scandal follows: Brisbane comedian Craig Quartermaine receives an arts grant rejection stating stand up comedy is not supported as an eligible performing art form, a line the hosts call equal parts absurd and illuminating, and a rallying point for better recognition of comedy as a legitimate art.

The episode wraps with a quick “funny in the moment” Aldi encounter and a nod to comedy pioneer Phyllis Diller and her data driven comedy approach. Finally, Morry shares an interview with Bob Stevenson and the upcoming Hard Knocks Comedy Course in Sydney, from 1 to 5 February in Newtown.

Raw Comedy entry: Click here

Craig Quartermaine original Reel regarding Queensland grant rejection: Click here

Sydney Hard Knock Knocks Comedy Course Sign-up: Click here

Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au

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