PODCAST · comedy
Hard Knock Knocks
by School Of Hard Knock Knocks
Learning stand-up comedy? Hitting the open mic circuit, but improving your skills way too slowly? Are you looking for that edge to improve your stand-up comedy skills to fast track your comedy career? If so, then this is the comedy podcast for you. The Hard Knock Knocks (HKK) podcast interviews some of Australia’s most experienced stand-up comedians, and finds out why, how, and where they began their careers. We also draw out career advancing advice, so you don’t have to make all the same mistakes they did!
Episodes
-
102: Lisa Gatenby - Never Growing Up
Lisa Gatenby is the Peter Pan of stand-up comedy. Having worked in the business of children's toys for many years, Lisa admits she's never grown up, and loves to add a level of silliness to her performance. In this interview, you'll learn how Lisa has developed her stand-up comedy skills since...
-
101: Tom Siegert - Fighting for Comedy
Comedian Tom Siegert got his comedy spark at the Gershwin Room in St Kilda. His muse was the legendary comedian Greg Fleet. Today, Tom’s an established comedian in his own right, having performed on TV and at comedy festivals around Australia, as well as hosting his own podcast, Good Banter, with...
-
100: Katie Burch – Avoiding the waffle and being cruel
Comedian Katie Burch didn't want to work at NASA or work towards world peace. She wanted to be a comedian, and a dark comedian at that. In this 100th episode of the School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast, host Steve Davis chats with former National Raw Comedy Finalist Katie Burch about what it takes...
-
099: Ashley Fils-Aime – Reinventing yourself in comedy
Haitian-American comedian Ashley Fils-Aime had it all. International tours, sold out shows, and supporting a mega comedian for 11 years. But he stepped away, for love. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast episode you'll learn how Ashley had to reinvent himself throughout life. First…
more -
098: Wayne Deakin – Overcoming the wilful ignorance in comedy
When you start out in comedy, you're looking for stuff that is funny. When you get good, you find stuff you want to talk about, and make that funny. So says comedian Wayne Deakin, a 20 plus year veteran of stand-up comedy who has performed in London, New York, Las Vegas, Montreal, all over...
-
097: Lewis Spears – The consummate professional behind the 'Spears' brand
By dying, Prince Phillip helped sell out comedian Lewis Spears' last week of his Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show. Morbid, yes. But also, totally on brand. And totally orchestrated. Yes, mainstream media, like the Daily Mail who called Spears a monster, was played by this true...
-
096: Charles Firth – Exposing truths and undermining power structures with satire
Six and a half million people a month consume The Chaser's content. That's some seriously sought-after satire! In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast episode, host and Chaser fanboy, Steve Davis, chats with The Chaser's, Charles Firth, about creating headlines and the editorial process,...
-
095: Ian McFadyen – Creating an Australian sketch comedy national treasure
In 1988 The Comedy Company changed the face of Australian sketch comedy. Kylie Mole, Uncle Arthur, Con the Fruiterer, and Colin Carpenter became part of the Australian lexicon. So too their creators - Mary-Anne Faye, Glenn Robbins, Mark Mitchell and Kym Gyngell, as well as Russell Gilbert, Tim...
-
094: Simon Kennedy – Crossing the line and the Art of Happiness
In comedy timing is everything. But when you're a radio host, you manage time like a fine art. So says Sydney based comedian Simon Kennedy, a former radio host and 20 year veteran of stand-up comedy. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast episode, host Steve Davis talks to comedian Simon...
-
093: Daniel Muggleton – Comedy during Covid and Three Stripes
Comedian Daniel Muggleton is known for the three stripe Adidas tracksuit and big moustache. For the past two years Daniel has been based in the UK and, no-thanks to Covid-19, he's back in Australia. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast episode host Steve Davis and Daniel Muggleton, also...
-
092: Stig Wemyss – Is This Thing On?
Stig Wemyss is the director and co-producer of 'Is This Thing On?', a six-episode comedy drama that follows 10 comedy newbies undertaking a souped-up stand-up comedy course, as they get coached and challenged by some of Australia's most iconic stand-up comedians. In this School of Hard Knock…
more -
091: Scott Dikkers - Pointing out stupidity with The Onion
"When you've got someone laughing, you've got them agreeing with you, whether they know it or not." So says Scott Dikkers, founder of The Onion, quite possibly the world's most famous satirical publication. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast, host Steve Davis chats with Scott Dikkers…
more -
090: Morry Morgan - Coronavirus and comedy
Morry Morgan likes to be the centre of attention. The co-founder of the the School of Hard Knock Knocks, and former host of this very podcast, he has now placed himself into the centre of the Coronavirus crisis, trapping himself in Beijing, China. At least that's how we see it. In this School of...
-
089: Jason Chong - Discipline, game shows and Tarago Tests
You probably didn't know that Adelaide Comic of the Year, Jason Chong, kick started his own stand-up comedy career by attending a stand-up comedy course. That was twenty years ago. Since then he's become a regular face of Adelaide comedy, on stage, TV and radio. In this School of Hard Knock…
more -
088: Marty Bright – Optimism and being easy to work with
Marty Bright is an optimistic, childish 'silly-billy', which makes him a rarity in stand-up - often the domain of the cynic. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast host Steve Davis probes Marty about performing at the Comedy Store in LA, the Comic Strip in New York, and even at a room as…
more -
087: Fady Kassab - Winning Raw Comedy from the back of his head
Fady Kassab has a secret to winning Raw Comedy. The 2019 Raw Comedy winner used advice from John Lennon and George Carlin, even though he thought he'd be disqualified in the first heat. He spoke from the 'back of his head', and performed what he wanted to say, rather than thinking what people…
more -
086: Lee Ton – Where are you from from?
What does it take to create a one-man comedy show? In this podcast episode, graduate of the School of Hard Knock Knocks, Lee Ton, shares how he harnessed peer group pressure and advice from successful comedians to take the plunge, with his up coming Melbourne Fringe show, “Where are you from...
-
085: Mickey D – Pain is just an emotion
Mickey D, aka Mick Dwyer, was a broke 17 year old when he stepped up on stage at Raw Comedy. Since then, he's toured the world, conquering the UK, and been trained by the SAS. Mick is one dangerous comedian. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast, host Steve Davis talks to Mick about how he...
-
084: Viet Bui – Vietnam to VB
Alumnus Viet Bui, or 'VB' as he's known on the comedy circuit, is one of the School of Hard Knock Knocks most active comedy graduates, performing constantly in his home city of Adelaide, and also at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast host…
more -
083: Steven Oliver – Comedy scripts, sketch, and sluts
Comedy writer and performer Steven Oliver is best known for his characters on ABC's 'Black Comedy', particularly his catch phrase, 'Hello Slut!'. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast, host Steve Davis talks to Steven Oliver about how he got his start in performance, writing poems, songs,...
-
082: Cam Knight – Wistful wisdom and pissing in dishwashers
What are the ingredients to become a stand-up comedian? For Cam Knight it was larrikinism, peer group pressure, and The Life of Brian. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast, host Steve Davis talks to comedian and actor Cam Knight about his city-hopping comedy career, butterfly gags, and...
-
081: Matt O'Neill – Being delightfully dark
Matt O'Neill just supported the legendary Steve Hughes. How'd it happen? Like all things great in comedy, luck, a friend of a friend, and humility. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks interview with our new host, Steve Davis, we learn how Matt O'Neill's bad experience with a comedian delayed his...
-
080: Joe Wong - No straight line to comedy success
There's no straight line in building a stand-up comedy career. And this fact is highlighted in my interview with Korean Chinese comedian, now an American citizen, Joe Wong. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast interview, you'll learn how Joe moved from Jilin Province in China, became a...
-
079: Julia Clarke - From Adelaide Raw to Edinburgh Fringe
Julia Clarke has achieved much in her eight years of stand-up comedy. A two time winner of South Australia Raw Comedy, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival performer, Julia is also one of the nicest stand-up comedians on the Adelaide comedy scene. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast episode,...
-
078: Seizure Kaiser - Overcoming the politics of stand-up comedy
Sydney based Seizure Kaiser (no, that's not his given name) is not afraid to broach edgy topics in his comedy. And performing stand-up is only one of his talents. He's also a comedy producer and promoter. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast episode Seizure Kaiser and I discuss the...
-
077: Chris Franklin - Laughs of Launnie and Aussie comedy festivals
Chris Franklin is a stalwart of Australian comedy. A 21 year comic veteran, Chris has not only witnessed the comedy industry grow, but has been instrumental in that growth. And so it should come to no surprise that Chris is behind the latest Australian comedy festival, 'Laughs of Launnie'. From...
-
076: Gabe Hogan - Raw comedy, radio and cliques
Comedian Gabe Hogan has been a Raw Comedy state finalists twice. She's also built a solid comedy career that has extended into commercial radio. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast interview, Gabe talks about that initial comedic journey, advice for Raw Comedy competitors, and the...
-
075: Lehmo - The comedic journey from balls to sails
Lehmo is one of Australia's favourite comedians - both on stage and on TV. Star on Utopia, That's Not My Dog, and a regular on The Project, Lehmo's comedy naturally dabbles in satire, showmanship, and current affairs. He's also one of my favourite Aussie comedians, making this last show of 2018…
more -
074: Julia Wilson - Combative comedy
It's fair to say that Julia Wilson is not afraid of conflict - both verbal and physical. Prior to her 17 year career as a stand-up comedian, Julia was a truckie, a bouncer and bodyguard. More recently, she's also got into NFL, American Football, and in a big way too! She's quite possibly the...
-
073: Mick Meredith - From The Footy Show to Comedy Cruises
It was a stand-up comedy course, and a dare from a mate, that got Mick Meredith started in comedy. One moment a Sydney muso playing bass, the next Mick was a successful stand-up comedian, and soon after striking it big with a regular spot on Nine Network's The Footy Show. In this School of Hard...
-
072: Marc Ryan - Bogans and Raw Comedy
Adelaide comedian, Marc Ryan is a self diagnosed bogan. He's also a state winner, and national finalist of Raw Comedy, and through his success has been able to go full time - although not without some serious thought. In this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast, we discuss Raw, building a comedy...
-
071: Michael Connell - The intellectual's comedian
You can't say a bad thing about comedian Michael Connell. He's quite possibly the nicest guy in stand-up comedy, if not the world. He's also got an incredible intellect, which makes him a formidable comedian. In this podcast Michael talks about his achievements in Class Clowns, Australia's Got...
-
070: Kim Le - Complex cognitive comedy
Adelaide-based Kim Le is one of those annoying high achievers. A qualified psychiatrist, Kim is also a blackbelt, speaks multiple languages, is an awarded keynote speaker, and now he's excelling in stand-up comedy. He's also a graduate of the School of Hard Knock Knocks and was the middle bracket...
-
069: Jeff Green - Building a comedy career, twice
If there's a single take away message from this interview, then it's about embracing change. British born comedian, Jeff Green was at the top of his game in the UK, performing as an equal with comedy greats, featuring on TV and radio, and even living next door to Ricky Gervais. His career, fame,...
-
068: Dave O'Neil - Producing 'Dave' for Pilot Week
Dave O'Neil has been performing stand-up comedy for an incredible 29 years. It was only fitting that a TV show about his life should be made, and in this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast Dave and I talk about producing 'Dave' - the show about 'Dave'. We discuss the politics of the TV world,...
-
067: Gerry Masi - Character comedy with Mad Dog Malcolm
A wig, flairs, and a fake moustache, and Mad Dog Malcolm Cummins was born. The creation of Adelaide comedian and musician, Gerry Masi, Mad Dog is part crooner, part playboy, with a light splattering of sleaze. Together, he's a hilarious 1970s character, that is all too familiar. In this interview...
-
066: Simon Hughes - The new king of comedy
Simon Hughes runs Kings of Comedy, a comedy room in the heart of Melbourne. He's also an up and coming stand-up comedian. A class clown at school, Simon was naturally drawn to entertainment - until drug addiction turned his world upside down. But Simon has bounced back, and even turned his...
-
065: Rik Roberts - Comedy under Christian constraints
Rik Roberts runs the School of Laughs. But not in Australia. Rik is Kentucky born and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, which will explain our two contrasting accents. As you can guess, like the School of Hard Knock Knocks, the School of Laughs is a stand-up comedy school. That's where the...
-
064: Kieran Butler - The life of a satirist, antagonist and contrarian comedian
Kieran Butler is a political satirist, comedic antagonist, and a general contrarian. Heavily influenced by the Aussie alternative rock band, TISM, Kieran Butler is not afraid of speaking his mind and challenging the status quo. But many of you already know this. For those that aren't familiar…
more -
063: Chris Wainhouse - Dark humour and the importance of taboos
New Zealand born, Brisbane raised, and globally travelled, Chris Wainhouse, has been in the comedy game for over 20 years. The son of a fundamental Christian mother, it should come as no surprise for those that know Chris's material, that his views are somewhat different - after all, he called…
more -
062: Nadine Sparks - From improv to stand-up comedy
Nadine Sparks loves learning comedy. At aged 12 she began learning improvisation comedy, including a course at 18 at the highly respected NIDA, then performing with Improv Conspiracy, before travelling to the US to learn the Chicago method. And then seven years ago Nadine did a stand-up comedy...
-
061: Lee Ton - Persistence pays for a comedy career
Lee Ton first tried his hand at stand-up comedy in 2008. Ten years later, and with a couple of comedy courses under his belt, Lee has found himself performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF), headlining with Richard Stubbs, and being specially cast for a reality stand-up...
-
060: Khaled Khalafalla - How comedy killed the radio star
Khaled Khalafalla has had a meteoric rise in comedy. But it could have turned out very different. Born into a medical family of surgeons and dentists, and growing up in Saudi Arabia and New Zealand, comedy's call must have been strong. Now calling Melbourne home, Khaled has well and truly put his...
-
059: David Tulk - 'No Filter' but still lovable
David Tulk has been performing stand-up comedy for the past 15 years, and today he's a regular feature at comedy rooms around Australia. A straight talker, Tulk's rough edges are emphasised by the titles of his productions, namely his upcoming stand-up show 'David Tulk has No Filter' and his...
-
058: Marty Wilson - More Funny, More Money
Marty Wilson is an award winning comedian. He's also an author, and in this School of Hard Knocks podcast we talk about his new book ON comedy - More Funny, More Money. Originally an online course, also called More Funny, More Money, the book was the obvious evolution, and in the interview Marty...
-
057: Paul Sharplin - Jumping in the deep end of comedy
Paul Sharplin has only been in the comedy game for 15 months. But that hasn't stopped him from competing at Raw Comedy twice, and running a comedy room - Guerilla, in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. But as you'll learn from this School of Hard Knock Knocks podcast interview, Paul just likes to...
-
056: Ross Voss - Building the Adelaide comedy community
Ross Voss is an Adelaide based comedian and room runner. With over 10 years in comedy, and experience producing shows at the Adelaide Fringe, as well as Cranker Comedy, Ross knows comedy - and Adelaide. In this interview Ross sheds light on the Adelaide comedy scene, provides advice for newbie...
-
055: Nikki Osborne - Go hard or go home
In her very first Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show, Nikki Osborne not only sold out, but also managed to attract over 100,000 dollars of free, or 'earned', publicity for her show "On the Spectrum". That was the good news. The bad news was she also endured an emotional onslaught...
-
054: Cameron James – Building a comedy brand with your own hands
Sometimes anonymity can give you the courage to try something scary. That was the case for Cameron James, the Newcastle born comedian whose first open mic was at Comedy on Edge in Sydney, where he knew no one – intentionally. Today, Cameron is well known, having made the national final of Raw...
-
053: Gavin Sempel – The hard road to Raw Comedy
Gavin Sempel is one of the hardest working new comedians in Australia. At the age of 18, in March 2016, Gavin began his stand-up comedy career by enrolling in the very first School of Hard Knock Knocks course. Two years later, almost to this day, he’s done close to 300 open mic, curated, and paid...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Learning stand-up comedy? Hitting the open mic circuit, but improving your skills way too slowly? Are you looking for that edge to improve your stand-up comedy skills to fast track your comedy career? If so, then this is the comedy podcast for you. The Hard Knock Knocks (HKK) podcast interviews some of Australia’s most experienced stand-up comedians, and finds out why, how, and where they began their careers. We also draw out career advancing advice, so you don’t have to make all the same mistakes they did!
HOSTED BY
School Of Hard Knock Knocks
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hard Knock Knocks have?
Hard Knock Knocks currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hard Knock Knocks about?
Learning stand-up comedy? Hitting the open mic circuit, but improving your skills way too slowly? Are you looking for that edge to improve your stand-up comedy skills to fast track your comedy career? If so, then this is the comedy podcast for you. The Hard Knock Knocks (HKK) podcast interviews...
How often does Hard Knock Knocks release new episodes?
Hard Knock Knocks has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Hard Knock Knocks?
You can listen to Hard Knock Knocks on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Hard Knock Knocks?
Hard Knock Knocks is created and hosted by School Of Hard Knock Knocks.
URL copied to clipboard!