In episode 24 of This Week in Comedy, hosts Lily Geddes and Morry Morgan are joined in the studio by Melbourne comedy and radio legend Richard Stubbs for a fast-moving chat through comedy news, festival politics, television history, beer tasting and wonderfully strange historical detours. This episode that beer is Sailor's Grave Brewing Czech Pilsner.
The episode opens with Richard reflecting on his decades in Australian entertainment, from starting stand-up at The Last Laugh in 1983 to filling in for Steve Vizard on Tonight Live and hosting Hey Hey It’s Saturday. His stories give the episode a warm industry-insider feel, balancing sharp comedy observations with genuine affection for Australian broadcasting and live performance.
The team then turns to the latest comedy news, including the Sydney Comedy Festival awards, where Reuben Kaye and Frankie McNair jointly won Best of the Fest. This sparks a broader conversation about how comedy festivals have changed, especially with overlapping festival calendars and the increasing cost and pressure of doing full runs.
A major focus is Adelaide Fringe, following the appointment of Canadian arts leader Marc Carnes as its new CEO. The discussion expands into festival leadership more broadly, including the search for the new CEO of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, with the role now open and prompting debate about whether a comedian, administrator, or comedy-loving arts professional would be best suited to lead such a major institution.
Lily also interviews Lukas Meintjes, founder of A Fair Cut, a new initiative pushing for fairer venue deals for artists. Lukas explains how confusing and expensive venue contracts can make it almost impossible for performers to break even, even when they sell well. He outlines A Fair Cut’s push for clearer contracts, no double-dipping on fees, and a suggested 30% cap on venue revenue share, with venues beginning to sign up for accreditation.
The episode also covers Sam Pang stepping away from hosting the Logies, Stephen Colbert’s final week on The Late Show, and comedy history moments including Seinfeld, Andy Kaufman and Kath & Kim. Along the way, Richard reveals his love of history, gaming and reading every label in sight, while the hosts keep things loose with beer tasting, crematorium facts and Morry’s Bunnings dog story.
Oh, and if you enjoyed Richard Stubbs on this episode be sure to subscribe to his podcast, The Mess Around.
A Fair Cut: Click here
Sailor's Grave Brewing Czech Pilsner: Click here
Richard Stubb's podcast, The Mess Around: Click here