Comedian Fady Kassab wins RAW Comedy National Grand Final in Melbourne
Some of Australia’s biggest comedians got their start in one comedy contest. And now a new up-and-coming comic is set to follow in their footsteps after taking out top honours this year.
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It’s the comedy contest that has launched the careers of some of Australia’s biggest comedians.
And now up-and-coming talent Fady Kassab is set to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Hannah Gadsby, Celia Pacquola and Ronny Chieng, after taking out top honours in this year’s RAW Comedy National Grand Final.
Kassab, of New South Wales, beat 14 other finalists who went head-to-head in the competition final at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
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The final, hosted by Nath Valvo, was the culmination of 69 RAW Comedy heats and semi-finals across the country.
Now in its 24th year, the event puts the spotlight on the freshest and funniest talent in comedy from across Australia.
Next in Kassab’s sights is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where he will compete in the So You Think You’re Funny? comedy competition.
Kassab follows a series of impressive predessors, with Hannah Gadsby and Josh Thomas among previous RAW Comedy champions.
This year’s runners-up, WA’s Laura Hutchinson and Queensland’s Suraj Kolarkar, join the ranks of an equally impressive list of previous runners-up, including Ronny Chieng, Celia Pacquola, Anne Edmonds, Luke McGregor and comedian-turned-mediocre-rapper Allday.
This is the final week of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which wraps up on Easter Sunay.
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