Wil Anderson to discuss plane arrest at 2021 Wagga Comedy Festival

A lawyer said he could sue but the comedian had ‘another idea’ to make money from the ordeal.

Comedian Wil Anderson is returning to Wagga Wagga for the first time since his dramatic arrest in 2017.

Anderson will be performing his hit show, Wilegal, this weekend during the Comedy Fest at the Civic Theatre.

The show details what happened on the infamous Qantas flight to the country town, when he was arrested on the airport tarmac after airline staff alleged the he was being disruptive on board the flight.

However it was all a misunderstanding and Anderson was later released to perform that evening. That didn’t stop it being headline news at the time.

Comedian Wil Anderson was arrested four years ago after an incident on a flight to Wagga Wagga.

“After the arrest my lawyer told me I had a case to sue, but I said I had another idea to monetise the experience,” Anderson jokes. “While I couldn’t want to go through it again, it has been an economical way to come up with material.”

“My entire show was born from that 36-hour period.”

Despite being a seasoned performer, the Gruen Transfer host admits to being a “bit nervous” to perform the show in front of a crowd filled with people who were there on the day on the incident.

“One of the police officers text me saying he was coming to the show and asked if I wanted another lift from the airport.”

He adds while he is returning to the scene of the crime, he jokes, “I don’t plan on there being a sequel.”