Melbourne International Comedy Festival comedian Q&A: Jack Gramenz, Is Trying To Win Best Newcomer

Jack Gramenz named his show after the award he’s trying to win. And he plans to do it with some cattiness, some bitterness and lots of punchlines.

Jack Gramenz says comedy is often funniest when it’s ‘a little bit mean’.

What can people expect from your show at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival?

Look, I named my show after the award I’m trying to win so you can expect me to be really putting my back into it.

There will be a lot of cattiness, some bitterness, the occasional good point, but most importantly, lots and lots of punchlines.

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Unfortunately, it’s really just me trying to do the best version of my comedy for around 50 minutes, there’s no arc, there’s no sound cues, I don’t have a power point or anything, sorry.

When I first started working on the show I had all this forced ‘festival show’ material about my experiences working in media and blah blah blah, it was boring and fake and not ‘me’.

I’m just doing jokes now, but they’re very good jokes.

My comedy is really just me saying what I reckon about things, so if you’re interested in hearing what a 23-year-old cishetwhitemale thinks about Australian politics, media, masculinity, society, sex, sport, etc … I promise what I think is a lot more interesting than who I am.

People have said very nice things about the comedy I do and this might very well be your only chance to see me do a festival show, I don’t reckon I’ll be coming back next year.

Tell us what you’ve been up to since last time you were here.

Last year I came to MICF for the first time for the festival-curated Comedy Zone showcase of emerging talent, where I learned a lot about the comedy industry and made some lifelong friends.

It was also the worst month of my life (come to the show to find out why — lol), but I’ve bounced back, don’t worry.

Since then I’ve been working very hard (I get up at like 10am most days) perfecting my craft and honing my skills.

I also wrote and produced a six-part satirical comedy podcast called The Lucas Warmtake Half Hour. I like to think of it as more of an ‘album’ really, but it’s about how Australia’s Big M Media creates and capitalises on divisions in society inspired partially by the 18 months I spent working in talkback radio.

In hindsight it was probably a very catty little project but far less people listen to it than talkback radio so let’s keep our perspective.

Also, I know he gets a bad run, but it was very nice of fellow Brisbanite Peter Dutton to appear as a guest on the final episode, rooting for you in Dickson mate.

Spruik it! Who should see your show, and why?

A reviewer last year said I was on the trajectory to being ‘the next Micallef’ so I guess come if you like Mad As Hell?

I haven’t seen too much of it but my dad likes it and the bits I’ve seen are really good. People who are fans of stand-up comedy will probably enjoy the show as I am generally considered to be quite good at stand-up comedy, even in Brisbane (where it’s harder).

You could also listen to the aforementioned podcast and see if you find that funny.

To be honest, comedy is for the people so I’m not all that fussed on who comes to the show, the important thing is that they come.

I’m like $7000 in the hole and I have 1100 tickets to sell, so please come and fill the 52-seat theatre my show is on in.

What’s your No. 1 tip for people coming to see a show at the comedy festival?

You can’t hear smiles so for the love of god, please laugh if you think something is funny. For some reason people keep coming to comedy shows and sitting there in silence.

It’s especially noticeable at festivals where you’ve often got smaller audiences.

Which other comedians/shows are you keen to see at this year’s festival, and why?

This list is exhaustive, but what can I say? I guess I just love stand-up comedy.

I’m trying to see and support as many of my fellow debutants as possible so them first.

I’m particularly excited to see Blake Freeman’s ‘There’s Something There’.

I don’t wanna put pressure on the boy but he’s who I think will actually win the award I named my show after and I just wanted to get that on record.

Given I’m allergic to talking about my feelings I deeply admire his ability to be vulnerable without it seeming gross and performative.

He has one of my favourite jokes of all time and I hope it makes it into his show.

Melanie Bracewell’s ‘Melodrama’. I’ve seen her perform exactly once and I still think about it … roughly twice a month.

Dan Rath’s ‘Bubble Bath’. Rathie is indescribable, he makes me laugh more than any other comedian, the seats in his room should have seat belts installed so people can strap in.

Nina Oyama’s ‘Needs A Lift’. Read her show description and tell me you don’t wanna see her show, come on, as if.

And Ange Lavoipierre’s ‘Final Form’. I saw Ange do a solo hour at Adelaide Fringe in 2018 after her split-bill partner pulled out unexpectedly and enjoyed it thoroughly.

She’s already picked up an award for this show in Adelaide but I missed out on seeing it due to prior commitments (my own stupid show).

The following people don’t really need my help to sell tickets (neither do the previous tbh) but I’m also trying to see Rhys Nicholson (Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations).

Rhys is my motivation to quit smoking, he’s so quick and he makes me laugh to the point of breathlessness.

Luke Heggie’s ‘Have That’. I identify strongly with his lack of tolerance for dumb bull----.

Mel Buttle’s ‘Welcome Aboard’ — see below for why.

Stuart Daulman’s ‘Masterclass’. I failed to see his show last year and I’ve regretted it immensely, but this show seems like it will be ‘extremely my s---’.

Becky Lucas in ‘Um, Support Me?!’ I’ve pretty much stopped looking at Twitter since they deleted her account for threatening to cut off the Prime Minister’s head, what’s the point? Also, ScumMo famously can’t take a joke and hates comedy. I was running a show in Brunswick Mall in Brisbane when he walked past one night ‘with my local member no less’ and he refused to even stop to chat. Clearly not a man of the people.

Jordan Shanks (‘John Howard Really Sucked’). Jordan is probably the best ‘political comedian’ in the country and none of his detractors have made me laugh with the force and frequency he has.

Steph Tisdell’s The Pyramid. I kept saying I was going to see her show last year and I didn’t end up doing it, so I really have to see this one.

She has one of my favourite jokes at the moment, which I obviously won’t spoil but she’s incredibly smart and I admire her work ethic.

Also, everyone should go see the Comedy Zone showcase so you can plan who you want to see next year.

The aforementioned Blake Freeman and I did it last year along with fellow debutants Zack Dyer (‘Sensitive New Age Bogan’) and Rowan Thambar (‘Disappointed’).

Plus my best friend and former housemate David Woodhead is performing in Zone this year.

What stands out to you about Melbourne and/or its people?

You’ll have to come to my show to hear what I think about Melbourne.

I don’t wanna give the jokes away here, but uh, yeah, all I’ll say is that (#NotAll) Melburnians tend to have a lot of strong opinions about the rest of the country so don’t be surprised if we’re not all that fond of you either.

But if you’re not willing to laugh at yourselves don’t come to comedy, it’s not for you, you don’t deserve it.

Comedy is often funniest when it’s a little bit mean, if you want to do something ‘nice’ stick to ignoring having the best rugby league team in the world for over a decade to watch ‘your suburb Who-Gives-a-S---s’ lose to the next suburb over by 80 points. Maybe go see some live music, I mean we all know how nice musicians are …

Who or what is your comedic inspiration, and why?

Most of my comedy just comes from Australian society, which I find very funny for a lot of reasons, good and bad.

In terms of other comedians who inspire me, it has to be Mel Buttle and Damien Power.

They are two of the best comedians in the country and I get to see them work in Brisbane all the time, what a treat.

I think Mel in particular has also been really supportive of me since I first started comedy, which is one of the most inspiring things you can do.

Anything else you want us to know about you or your show?

Yes! I named the show after the award I’m trying to win because I thought that was hilarious in October and when I went to Melbourne in February it took all of one minute for another comedian to tell me someone from Melbourne who apparently people don’t like, did a similar thing a few years ago, so I just want everyone to know: nothing came up when I googled it, alright? I did google it because an ex-girlfriend tried to warn me but she couldn’t remember the guy’s name and she’s an ex-girlfriend so I wasn’t just gonna take her word for it.

I feel like this anecdote pretty much says everything you need to know about me and my show.

Jack Gramenz, Is Trying To Win Best Newcomer, MARCH 28-APRIL 21, greek centre — aphrodite, 168 lonsdale ST. BOOK TICKETS.