It’s certainly not uncommon for modern comedians to rely on personal anecdotes and brute honesty as a way of better relating to their audiences.
We see it from prolific comedy icons like Ricky Gervais, Jerry Seinfeld and Louis C.K., with the latter only reaching success after he got older, fatter and had a couple of kids to complain about. Australian humour has always had blunt, genuine and somewhat self-deprecating undertones, and Perth’s Joel Creasey, who has recently found himself to be a staple of Australia’s ever-growing comedy scene, has carved an unfaltering and unashamedly honest identity on both home soil and internationally. Now he brings his latest show, The Crown Prince, to this year’s Sydney Comedy Festival.
“I’ve always been brutally honest,” says Creasey. “I don’t have the time to be nice to people. It just sounds exhausting.”
Nothing is a taboo topic to this young comedian, and he uses this approach to brilliant effect. “To me, fame equals money, equals hot boyfriend,” says Creasey of his wish to become mega-famous. “It’s simple science really.”
With previous shows in the US, UK and a recent set in South Africa, Creasey is certainly getting closer to having his name immortalised on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While his comedy has taken him to different corners of the globe, he has found that laughter seems to transcend any perceived cultural barriers.
“Humour doesn’t really differ all that much around the world. Funny is funny. I’ve had some of my best audiences in random parts of Asia or Africa – you just never know. As long as you give the audience some content, they’re on board.”
However, Creasey admits that there are some jokes that are just a little too specific to Australia to tell overseas. “The odd Cosima De Vito or Shelley Craft joke is lost on an international crowd,” he laughs.
It’s easy to find yourself feeling envious of the comic. He entered the Raw Comedy competition at the age of 17, and has achieved so much in the past eight years. Still, it hasn’t been an easy ride for Creasey, who went out on a limb to pursue his love of laughter – dropping out of his political science degree to concentrate solely on his comedic endeavours. He advises young creatives in the same stressful situation to trust their instinct. “If it feels right to drop out of your accounting degree and go paint murals in Tanzania, then do it,” he says. “You only live once.
“I’ve really grown into the comedian I am today,” he adds. “This has developed with my brilliant audiences.” As for the content of The Crown Prince itself, Creasey offers a neat rundown of what to expect: “A truckload of sass, some naughty stories and some pretty scandalous gossip.”
Joel Creasey’sThe Crown Prince is onFriday May 13 at Enmore Theatre.
