The Comedy Writers Group

This week I'm joined by comedian, actor, and author, Steph Tisdell (Bump, Class of 07, Total Control) for the first in a series of episodes where I will be directing her new show Steph Tisdell is Fat coming to Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Across this EPIC special episode, you'll be a fly-on-the-wall to our first meeting. You will hear everything that Steph wants to pour into her new show, her...

Adam Bloom, author of Finding Your Comic Genius (now in audiobook form) returns to the podcast to answer questions submitted by the CWG community. We chat about his time in Australia, boom-mic moments, recording the book, and workshop one of my new jokes. Become a member to access the bonus episode where Adam and I dig deeper into persona. Thanks to Amy, Huw, Jeremy, and Reegan for their questions...

This week I'm alone in the studio answering YOUR questions! Alice wants to know about starting a podcast, Lily asks about being married to an actor / comedian, Sarah wants to know about marketing strategies, Marnie is keen to hear about directing, and Beray has a question about accents. I also listen back to one of my recent sets and try and assess myself in real time. Let's get stuck into it! Hos...

This week I'm joined by the fabulous Steph Crothers! Steph is an improviser, stand-up, and voice actor. We chat about her career as a stripper, children's entertainer, and how she's combining both experiences into her new MICF show Daddy Day Care . We also get into how AI is coming for the Voice Actor jobs. Check out this week's bonus episode on Thursday for even more Steph! Follow Steph . Follow...

This week I'm joined by the brilliant Sweeney Preston. You might know Sweeney from his work in In Pour Taste, Late Nite Powerpoint Showcase , or seeing his stand-up shows around the world. We chat about his experience taking his wine-tasting comedy show that he co-created with his counterpart Ethan Cavanagh to Las Vegas. We also dig into his experience writing for Spicks & Specks , his solo sh...

It's the return of the IS THIS ANYTHING? format where I workshop new bits and pieces with a special guest. This week I'm joined by Leigh Qurban. We started out in Adelaide together and we catch up on fourteen years of stand-up, starting out in a small pond, moving to the big smoke, and what it's like to be a new parent doing comedy. Follow Leigh . Follow your host, Marcel Blanch-de Wilt . Follow T...

It's that time again! We're looking back on the year that was with my special guest co-host (as always) Freya Morton and our guest, Jeremy Dooley! We chat about our comedy highlights in TV, movies, and comedy specials. In Part 2 (available Thursday in the BONUS feed) we chat personal comedy highlights, favourite books, and we announce The CWG Comedian of the Year! Follow your host, Marcel Blanch-d...

It's our most epic episode yet! I've invited everyone from the Christmas Party for a Marathon Podcast. Recorded at the CWG Christmas Party. I hope it makes you feel like you were there! Featuring Ben Volchok, Brad Shean, Alice Jones, Lukas Opasinov, Marnie Mills, Louis Nicoll, RJ Carey, Sowmya Hiremath, Tamara Absalom, Dean Gallagher, Noni Field, Jason Roche, Laura Bruce, Roisin McAlinden, Belinda...

This week on the podcast I'm joined by actor, comedian, and content-creator, Charlotte Grimmer. Charlotte boasts over 200K followers across her platforms and has hit millions of views. We chat about graduating NIDA, her first video, performing her solo show in Edinburgh, sponsored-content, the creative process, and her upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival season. Follow Charlotte here...

This week on the podcast I'm joined by the Director of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Susan Provan. Susan is an icon of the Australian comedy scene and it was great to get to chat with her. It's my first guest with an Order of Australia! Susan and I talk about the history of the Comedy Festival, how it's evolved over the years, programming, scouting, judging Raw Comedy, marketing, AI...

NYC comedian Myq Kaplan returns to the podcast this week to talk all about his new special RINI now available on Youtube . Myq Kaplan is an absolutely profilic comedian boasting more than 20 years of experiences and with appearances on Conan, Letterman, and Last Comic Standing (just to name a few.) We have a great chat about co-authoring a special, creating the perfect title for a show, promotion...

I'm joined by the brilliant Dave Thornton. Dave has been crushing it in comedy for more than twenty years. You might know Dave from stand-up stages around the world, and all the iconic shows over the years from Rove Live to The Project . We chat about what motivated Dave to get into stand-up, the challenges of self-promotion, celebrating the wins, and his new stand-up special Nothing's Unpossible...

This week I'm joined by the brilliant Claire Robin from the multi-award winning show, Nun Slut. I chat to Claire about the development of the show, her relationship with clowning, acting school, keeping the show fresh, and what it's like to get recognition in the form of AWARDS! We also discuss the value of The Comedy Writers Group and the upcoming Comedy Writers Group Retreat coming up in January...

This week we're talking web-series with the creators of 'Til You Make It which has recently dropped on Youtube. I'm joined by actor Emma Choy, writer / actor Phillip Hayden, and producer Riley Sugars. We chat about how the show emerged, evolved, and how satisfying it is to put it out into the world. We also discuss the challenges of juggling work and parent life, and the hopes for the future of th...

This week I'm joined by actor, writer, producer, director, Casey Feigh all the way from LA. We chat about his hit show Holy Shit Improv and it's upcoming Australian tour. We get into Casey's surprising comedy origins, his passion for improv, his relationship with feedback, and what motivates him to produce shows. Follow Holy Shit Improv and get tickets to upcoming shows. Follow Casey . Follow your...

My guest this week is the brilliant Tim Batt. Tim is a comedian, podcaster, and producer. Podcast fans will know him from his cult-hit podcast The Worst Idea of All Time that he co-hosts alongside Guy Montgomery. We discuss making stuff for money versus making stuff for fun, the origins of his podcast, shooting a pilot in a sewer, and the preciousness of time as parent. Follow Tim Batt . Follow yo...

It's time for another Group Workshop episode! I'm joined by Comedy Writers Group members: Mema, Phil, and Christopher to workshop some new material and tackle some challenging scenarios. We chat about how to approach performing outside, turning sandwiches into a story, and how boring sobriety can be. We also discuss the pre-show ritual and how we prepare for a show. Follow Mema . Follow Phil . Fo...

This week I'm joined by the great Ray O'Leary (Thank God You're Here, Have You Been Paying Attention, Taskmaster NZ). We chat about how things changed when Ray put on the suit, starting out in Wellington, being stopped in the street, the value of setting goals, and the importance of persona. Follow Ray . Follow your host, Marcel Blanch-de Wilt . Follow The Comedy Writers Group on instagram and joi...

This week I'm joined by John Glover who you might know from the Sydney comedy scene, or from the world-wide phenomenon, Breaking The Musical . We chat about John leaving his full-time job for comedy, explore the Japanese philosophy of ikigai (the reason for being), his stand-up special , and how he plans to make the most of the next twelve months in his comedy career. Follow John . Follow your hos...

This week I'm joined by the iconic Roz Hammond. You might know Roz from every brilliant Australian comedy from the past thirty years like The Dish, Muriel's Wedding, Mad as Hell, The Librarians, Full Frontal, or The Eric Bana Sketch Show. We chat about Roz's career, how she got started, how she persevered, and what led her to running public speaking workshops . I also gather the courage to tell Ro...

This week I'm joined by comedian, musician, actor, Blake Everett. We chat about his latest project The Wham Bam Thankyou Jam, his children's theatre company, meeting his comedy heroes, and the value of having fun. Follow Blake . Follow The Wham Bam Thankyou Jam . Follow your host, Marcel Blanch-de Wilt . Follow The Comedy Writers Group on instagram and join the patreon to get weekly bonus episodes...

This week I'm joined by the brilliant Gen Fricker! We chat about Gen's return to stand-up, her love for Maria Bamford, her first directing experience, and what she has learned (and unlearned) from her fifteen years in comedy. It's a fantastic chat. Follow Gen . Follow your host, Marcel Blanch-de Wilt . Follow The Comedy Writers Group on instagram and join the patreon to get weekly bonus episodes,...

It's time for a Group Workshop episode! I'm joined by up-and-coming comedians (and CWG members) Maggie Baker, Marnie Mills, and Freya Morton for a comedy roundtable. We swap jokes, stories, and advice. We cover a lot of ground in this episode from how to end a story, dealing with heavy subject matter, structuring a show, and a whole lot of ADULTS ONLY content that will sound too strange outside of...

On this week's bonus episode I'm joined by Chris McAllister AKA The Trans Comedian (boasting 49.1K followers on instagram!) to chat about going into comedy full-time. We talk about the first gig, making stuff for the internet, we workshop a new joke, and more. Chris is a member of the CWG and I always love platforming our members. Catch Chris and a line-up of gender-diverse comedians at the Sydney...

This week I'm joined by the brilliant Daniel Connell (Have You Been Paying Attention, MICF Gala) to chat about his latest special Little Aussie Battler available to watch now on Youtube . We chat about Dan's fifteen years in stand-up, his relationship with bells and whistles, the value of management, and how he approaches filming his work. Follow Dan here . Follow your host, Marcel Blanch-de Wilt...