Wil Anderson’s new MICF show probes his Wagga airport arrest

COMEDIAN Wil Anderson knew he had struck stand-up gold as soon as he flew into Wagga Wagga and was arrested for being a “disruptive passenger’’.

WIL Anderson knew he had struck comedy gold as soon as he flew into Wagga Wagga and was arrested for being a “disruptive passenger”.

But the sly, wisecracking comic (Gruen Transfer) never suspected Wilegal, his new show for the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, would turn out to be “my most personal and heartfelt” yet.

WIL FINDS COMEDY IN AIRPORT ARREST

“As a comedian, yeah, a gift,” he said today, recalling the 2017 airport incident.

“As a human, not something I’d want to go through again.’’

Travelling from Sydney to Wagga last June, Anderson had a “misunderstanding’’ with cabin crew arising from his persistent back problem.

Wil Anderson’s new show riffs on being arrested at Wagga Airport on his way to a show. Picture: David Caird

Police arrested him on arrival in the regional NSW city, handcuffing the 43-year-old comedian and placing him in a divisional van.

Anderson was not charged and went on to perform an evening show in Wagga.

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“There’s definitely a range of emotions I went through on the day itself,’’ he said.

Wilegal, at the Comedy Theatre, revisits the drama from different points of view and will be “far and away, the most personal show I’ve ever done”, Anderson said.

The 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, featuring a record breaking 612 shows, starts on March 28.

Look for your free festival program in Saturday’s Herald Sun.