What does it take to quit a perfectly good job and become a stand-up comedian before you've even tried stand-up? This week, Morry Morgan and Stig Wemyss welcome comedian Laura Johnston, whose extraordinary career choices, infectious optimism and willingness to fail spectacularly make for a fascinating conversation.
Laura reveals how she abandoned her beloved job as a tour guide at Canberra's Royal Australian Mint to pursue comedy, despite having virtually no experience. Along the way, she shares stories about university sketch comedy, performing at Edinburgh Fringe, winning the notoriously unpredictable Beat the Frog competition and spending six months solo camping around Britain.
The conversation takes a serious turn when Laura recounts a frightening roadside assistance encounter in rural New South Wales. Stranded alone at night, she faced an aggressive subcontractor who refused to provide identification. Her subsequent safety campaign attracted more than 41,000 petition signatures and helped encourage roadside assistance organisations across Australia to introduce better verification procedures.
Back in comedy territory, Laura explains her self-imposed ten-year apprenticeship, why she's stepping away from solo festival shows until 2028 and how she's determined to master crowd work, improvisation and joke writing. Her forthcoming filmed special, That's... Brave, promises to reveal the personal motivation behind her unconventional career change
Meanwhile, the comedy news includes Monty Python legend Eric Idle cancelling Australian performances, Just For Laughs Sydney announcing international heavyweights, and Saturday Night Live expanding into France. The trio also tracks touring comedians Greg Davies and Shane Todd, alongside Australian exports Sam Campbell and Georgie Carroll.
Naturally, there's beer. This week's refreshment is Mornington Peninsula Brewery Pale Ale, a 4.7% brew in a generously proper 375ml can. Stig applauds its crisp, fruity, hoppy character, while Laura somehow connects brewing beer to the computer game Stardew Valley.
There's also Laura's gloriously impossible musical guessing game, questionable pig jokes, an unlikely Royal Australian Mint heist proposal and a new joke-writing challenge involving the humble Hills Hoist.
Stig shares news about his upcoming Channel Seven television project Christmas House Wars, while Morry champions the importance of persistence in comedy and previews another Hard Knock Knocks graduation performance.
It's an episode celebrating creative ambition, resilience and the peculiar rewards of throwing yourself into something completely unprepared. As Laura demonstrates, sometimes the bravest career decision is simply having a go.
Laura Johnston (The Comedian) Instagram page: Click here
Sign Laura's petition requiring identification methods for Roadside Assist contractors: Click here
Sketch writing and performing workshop with Roz Hammond: Click here
Mezzanine Films: Click here
Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here
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