Let's Talk Funny

Nick Rado is a multi-award winning writer, MC and clean stand-up comedian. In 2022, Nick became the first kiwi comic to record a US comedy special for Drybar (over 7.7 million followers). Nick is preparing for his 2023 Comedy Festival coming back back with his new world-class stand-up hour, Radology, a comedy CT scan into Rado’s Māori-Croatian heritage to source the root cause of his ridiculous life. Nick joins us today to talk his brand, clean comedy, AI being used in comedy and how to win awards by making audiences cry.

Neil Thornton is a fierce and funny comedian who has performed all over the world: New York City comedy clubs, the Edinburgh Fringe, and once at a gay nudist resort. In New Zealand he's headlined at The Classic Comedy Club and performed in hamlets in the middle of nowhere South Island for confused sheep farmers. Our conversation today includes Neil talking about how as a young man in the 80s, trying to figure out his sexuality, feeling isolated in a theatre listening to Eddie Murphy doing stand-up blasting the 'F' word and having his dad sitting next to him, not knowing what Neil was feeling, but laughing at the jokes. TRIGGER WARNING FOR LANGUAGE AND THEMES IN THIS PODCAST

A meteoric act in the NZ comedy scene, David Correos won the 2016 Billy T James award. David grew up in Christchurch and after deciding stand-up comedy and performing arts was the career he wanted to pursue, David moved to Auckland in 2014 and has been making big strides since the move including being given the "Comic Originality" award at the 2015 Comedy Guild Awards. His style of comedy can be described as a big ball of manic energy that even his body can't keep up with. David joins us today to talk comedy and gives a master class to any young comedian starting off as to how to have an amazing career.

Donna Brookbanks is a founding member of the incredibly successful improv comedy group 'Snort', a 2018 and 2019 Billy T Award nominee and is fast becoming an absolute legend in the industry with her performing, acting and of course stand up comedy. Her previous shows, 'Cat Lady In Waiting' and 'You Do You Babes' have been sell out successes at the NZ International Comedy Festival, and she's taken shows everywhere from Dunedin to Melbourne. She's appeared on screen on THREE's 7Days, and TVNZ's Best Foods Christmas Comedy Gala, along with loads of comedy acting credits from Funny Girls to The Breaker Upperers.

Robbie Nicol combined his love of politics and comedy when he presented a run of YouTube videos under the title White Man Behind a Desk. He also turned it into a traveling stage show, which netted him an award for Best Newcomer from Wellington at the 2017 NZ International Comedy Festival. In 2020 Nicol turned his attention to educating Kiwis about New Zealand's past and present with The Citizen's Handbook. Nicol presents the web series and podcast on Radio New Zealand, while a who's who of Kiwi comedy appear in sketches. Nicol has also collaborated with The Candle Wasters on a number of youth-orientated web series. Visit https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-citizens-handbookhttps://www.youtube.com/@WhiteManBehindADesk Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @robbie nicol

Originally trained as a journalist in 1979 and with a degree from Victoria University in English Literature & Drama, Michèle has been part of New Zealand’s entertainment industry since she first appeared on television in 1987 as a children’s TV presenter. In the years since she has worked in radio, theatre and television, and was an original member of the team of comedians who brought the hit TV show, “7 Days” to our screens. She performs live in pubs and clubs everywhere from the Laugh Factory in Las Vegas to the Mangawhai Tavern in Northland. Michèle won “NZ Female Comedian of the Decade” in 2010. Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @MicheleACourt Visit http://micheleacourt.com/

Te Radar is a sought-after conference and awards MC, keynote speaker, moderator, and dinner party guest. Over the years he’s spent a lot of time on stage, made a bit of TV, and won some awards including New Zealand’s highest accolades for television and comedy. Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @teradar Visit https://www.radarswebsite.com/

Jeremy is one of New Zealand’s favourite stand-up comics with his unique brand of insightful, intelligent and irreverent comedy. He has the ability to get any crowd laughing be it a corporate hosting or a pub in Timaru. A regular guest on TV3’s award winning 7Days, Jeremy has also appeared on our screens on several Comedy Galas, Aotearohas, A Night at the Classic, Funny Roots to name but a few. Having performed numerous shows at the NZ International Comedy Festival and regularly touring around New Zealand, Jeremy has also performed around the world including Australia, Scotland, England, his native Canada and America. Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @jeremyelwood Visit https://www.jeremyelwood.com/

Urzila Carlson had an accidental beginning in stand-up which led to an incredibly successful career in comedy, with regular gigs on television as well as sell-out shows in comedy festivals across New Zealand and Australia. Urzila joins us today to talk comedy and when she knew she was funny, hecklers, living next door to a national park in South Africa and how her mother used to hide local indigenous people during apartheid, so they didn't have to leave town before dark. Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @urzilacarlson Visit https://www.urzilacarlson.com/ Subscribe to the channel www.youtube.com/DOCNZStudios

Dai Henwood has been on our screens for two decades with an amazing broadcast CV including panel show 7Days, TVNZ's Have You Been Paying Attention, as previous host of Dancing With The Stars, Family Feud, and in 2022 Lego Masters New Zealand, Dai has been a fixture on our screens since he was tearing it up on Insert Video Here on C4 back in the day. While he has been in our living rooms, he has continued his prolific stage work as one of NZ's most recognisable stand-up comedians. He has had international success also, notably being invited to the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. This coupled with consistent sell-out success at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival and winning all of the awards; The Billy T Award, The Fred Award (twice), NZCG Best Male Comedian, Dai one of our most accomplished, and favourite, comedians. Dai joins us today to talk comedy, but as is always the way when Pat and Dai get together, there is also lots of chat about life, the universe and everything Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @daihemwood Visit https://www.ncomedy.com/ Subscribe to the channel www.youtube.com/DOCNZStudios

One of the funniest men in NZ with one of the most recognisable character voices in history. He's in your homes and cars everyday as 'Stickman" but his origins into comedy and performance came from being bullied onto stage by his sister-in-law and the rest, as they say, is history. Paul Ego has an incredibly wide range of work from sign writer to radio to TV....back to radio...to live gigs and more and we're lucky enough to launch the new series with one of the nicest guys in NZ comedy Follow on Twitter @patbrittenden @thepaulego Visit https://www.paulego.com/ Subscribe to the channel www.youtube.com/DOCNZStudios

Check out the brand new podcast where international award winning broadcaster Pat Brittenden talks comedy...with comedians. Every Tuesday. #LTF #LTFNZ #MakeNZLaughAgain #MNZLA