Over 100 interviews completed

The project has filmed over a hundred interviews with key comedians, writers, producers and academics in Australia.

In 2025 the Comedy Country project held interview film shoots at RMIT University, the University of Sydney and the University of Adelaide. Chief Investigators Tony Moore, Steve Vizard, Anne Pender, Mark Carroll and Research Fellows Angelina Hurley and Peter Beaglehole were the interviewers.

The project interviewed a fantastic range of people, including: Adam Hills, Akmal Saleh, Alexis West, Andrew Knight, Andrew Mercado, Andy Nehl, Aunty Betty Sumner, Aunty Jo Wilmott, Aunty June Mills, Benjamin Law, Bev Killick, Brian Nankervis, Cheryle Moore, Corinne Grant, Craig Egan, Daizy Maan, Don Watson, Eddie McGuire, Gary Foley, Gary Reilly & Tony Sattler, Gerry Connelly, Grahame Bond, Jason Chong, Jean Kittson, Jessica Milner Davis, Jo Coventry, Jo O'Callaghan, Joel Creasey, Julia Zemiro, Kalah Lovegrove, Kamarra Bell-Wykes & Carly Sheppard, Kel Balnaves, Leela Varghese, Lehmo, Lizzy Hoo, Marty Fields, Maurice Murphy, Max Miller, Mick Krieg, Mujahid Ahmed, Murray Bramwell, Noeline Brown, Patrick Cook, Peter Kirkpatrick, Reg Mombassa, Richard Fidler, Richard Stubbs, Robyn Archer, Robyn Butler & Wayne Hope, Simon Hunt, Sooshi Mango, Stella Kappos, Stephen Hall, Steve Sheehan, Sue Flanagan, Tim Minchin, Tom Ballard, Tom Gleisner, Trevor Marmalade, Vince Sorrenti and Wendy Harmer.

This is in addition to the interviews completed in 2024 at the Victorian College of the Arts and the University of Sydney, which were with: Alan Pentland, Andy Lee, Barry Crocker, Catharine Lumby, Charlie Pickering, Chris Mead, Coodabeens (Jeff Richardson & Ian Cover), Eddie Perfect, Geoffrey Robertson, Geraldine Hickey, Glenn Robbins, Greig Pickhaver, Guy Rundle, Hamish Blake, Ian Maxwell, Ian McFadyen, Jim Sharman, John Doyle, John Safran, Jonathan Biggins & Mandy Bishop, Julian Morrow, Kate Langbroek, Lawrence Mooney, Libbi Gorr, Mark Fitzgerald, Mark Samuel Bonanno, Mark Trevorrow, Mary Coustas, Max Gillies, Michael Veitch, Mikey Robins, Nick Giannopoulos, Pauly Fenech, Peter Herbert, Ralph Kerle, Ross Stevenson, Rove McManus, Sammy J, Sandy Gutman, Shane Jacobson, Shaun Micallef, Steve Bedwell, Tim Ferguson, Tom Gleeson and Tony Rickards.

Prior to this, Mike McColl Jones was interviewed by Steve Vizard in 2023 in Camberwell.

Many thanks to all participants for so generously sharing their experiences, thoughts and insights. The project is made all the more richer through your participation. A big thank you to the Roar Film team of Steve Thomas, Aaron Luke Wilson and Sam Bell for all their hard work. Finally, thank you to the Theatre Department at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney and their School of Art, Communication and English, RMIT University and their Technical Coordination Team based in the TV Studios Media Precinct, and the University of Adelaide and Elder Conservatorium of Music for hosting the shoots.

Contact: Daisy Bailey

Email: Daisy.Bailey@monash.edu