Concetta Caristo’s journey from Raw Comedy failure to grand final host

Raw Comedy changed Triple J breakfast host Concetta Caristo’s life, but not in the way she had planned. When she entered what is Australia’s biggest open mic comedy competition in 2019, it was one of the first gigs Caristo had ever done. She had pinned her hopes on it being a sign whether she should continue pursuing stand-up.

“I entered twice and I didn’t get through – diddly-squat!” says Caristo of her unsuccessful attempts. “But my first heat, you get three judges, usually a comedian and maybe two people from the industry. One [judge] was my current boyfriend – he wasn’t at the time – and another is now my current manager.”

Concetta Caristo hosts the 2024 Raw Comedy final, a stand-up competition she entered twice without success.

Since starting in 1996, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival-run contest has earned something of a crystal ball reputation, unearthing talent such as winners Josh Thomas, Hannah Gadsby, Luke Heggie and Demi Lardner.

Even the finalists include now TV favourites Ronny Chieng, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor and Aaron Chen.

Caristo returned to Raw Comedy this year, not as a contestant, but as the host of the grand final and chief pep-talker to the 12 finalists who were chosen from 953 entrants from all around the country.

“Raw is unbelievable because anyone can do it,” says Caristo, who has also appeared on The Cheap Seats and Question Everything. “There’s no barrier to entry and that’s why it’s so exciting because it unveils talent of all ages, all backgrounds. You can just enter and give it a go.”

This year’s winner of the competition, 27-year-old criminal lawyer Omar Gad from Darwin, was certainly fresh to the art of stand-up. He took part in a comedy workshop for first-timers in an attempt to become more comfortable with public speaking.

Gad enjoyed it so much he sought out an open mic night and when Raw Comedy was the only one he found, he signed up. His first heat was only the second time he’d ever performed stand-up, with the first being at the comedy workshop.

“Raw definitely gives everybody an opportunity,” says Gad. “I pretty much walked off the street and did this. The name is great, it is really raw. People that haven’t been on TV before, they haven’t been in front of such a big audience. There’s definitely a few of us who are just regular average Joes telling jokes in front of 1400 people on TV.”

Caristo says watching the final is a great opportunity for viewers to get bragging rights for spotting potential big-name comedians in the early stages of their careers.

Raw Comedy winner Omar Gad only tried comedy to help with his public speaking.

“How many people love to be like, ‘I loved this person before they were big?’” says Caristo. “These are faces you’ll probably keep seeing. You get to discover the new voices.”

Because the Australian comedy circuit is relatively small compared to the UK and America, Raw Comedy is also a rare opportunity for fledgling stand-ups to showcase their work on television to a national audience.

“It is hard,” says Caristo of gaining traction in the local comedy scene. “We’re a small country and I don’t think comedy is the most popular thing in this country. There are not a billion shows on TV that provide spaces for younger comics. That’s why something like this is really useful and exciting. It’s not clear how you get on TV when you’re new. You’re just gigging lots and on TV it’s always the bankable big faces. There are some opportunities, but I think it is really tough. This kind of event is a huge boost in realising there are marketable young voices.”

While Gad might be the one jetting off to Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Raw Comedy grand prize, in Caristo’s eyes all the finalists are winners. “I said to them all, ‘You’ve already won, it literally doesn’t matter who wins. You get to do your set in front of a giant crowd in one of the best venues in the country and you get to be on TV. Just enjoy it. Whether you win or not, you’ve won just by getting this experience.’”

Raw Comedy 2024 airs on Monday, July 22, at 8.30pm on SBS Viceland.

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