September 21, 2025 • 52 mins
Australian comedian Elena Gabrielle toured 67 countries with the popular storytelling show, Story Party. Now touring the world with her own solo shows, Elena has collected so many stories from all over the world. Host Mohammed Magdi chats with Elena about performing raunchy stories in Egypt, starting in show business as a Disney princess, and meeting new people "organically."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
So I reiterate here, the bill isdead.
The story of this great city is about the years before this
night. Hey everybody, it's a new
(00:23):
episode of Hong Kong. I'm here sitting by myself.
Still not no Co host. Yes to a guest Vivek final time,
final days of recovery. Hopefully he'll be back on in
the next couple of weeks, but until then I have someone much
better looking I'll speak to in a second before I bring her on.
(00:43):
We have had such a great momentum with the shows
recently. Right now, as you're listening
to this, I think we're in the week of of My Tree and Ben's
shows that are both in theaters.If you haven't caught these, I
don't know when you're listeningto this.
If it's before the 21st or 23rd,come to the shows.
It will be a big celebration of all things comedy in Hong Kong.
(01:06):
We have a camera crew filming both shows and we'll be like,
you know, thinking later of likecutting them up and shopping
them around and stuff. It's a whole other ball game to
edit. You know, I think there will be
like 3 or 4 cameras at each showand it's a whole thing.
But very excited to bring our guests on today.
Our guest is someone who I wanted to talk to for a long
time, last a couple of times. She was in Hong Kong.
(01:27):
We, we, we caught up, but we didn't get to record the
podcast. So someone is full of stories,
full of adventure. And it's also like someone who I
look up to as a comic when it comes to, like, how she does
things, you know, producing and touring and stuff like this.
So I'm just really excited to have her on.
Elena Gabriel, thank you so muchfor joining us.
Hi. Of course, thank you for having
(01:48):
me, you and Yara. Yes, so yeah, people have been
listening for the last few weeksso I didn't even tell you like I
have a Co host, usually Vivek who broke both his ankles.
Oh my God, how on the. Streets of Hong Kong, I mean.
A lot of people actually do. No, I think he became too rich.
That's why it's sometimes you like, you're carrying like
(02:08):
actual, well, like bags of money.
Oh. OK, yeah, yeah, Insta letters.
Because I feel like that's really my finger, both ankles.
No, it's just like, actually, you know what what happened is
like we have in the Middle East,we have this concept of like bad
eye. Yeah, I gave him the bad eye,
the evil eye. I gave him the because you can
get the mic closer. Sorry, I should have told.
You, the evil eye, how did you? He bought too many houses in
(02:31):
Hong Kong and at some point I'm like, you know what, fuck you, I
hope something bad happens to you.
And it did. So I'm like, yeah, no, it's
totally me. And that's.
Fine, that's fine. I mean, I was going to wear
heels today and then I was like just as I walked out the door, I
was like, oh, actually like wedge heels.
And then I was like, no, I'm actually going to break both,
both ankles, so I think. There is, there is definitely
this, this whole thing of like we have like those like
(02:53):
cobblestone streets here in central Hong Kong and so common
for people to like sleep on them, like especially girls on
high heels after like a night out.
And it's never not funny. Yeah.
Yeah, it's always going to be fun.
Funny. I was thinking that like today I
was like, it could be funny. But then I was like, no, I like,
I don't know if my health insurance is that gonna cover
that. No.
Also, as your like employer herefor this one day, you're not
(03:16):
allowed to do this until you do the.
Show. I mean, I probably still do the
show, to be fair. Like comics will do that.
I'll broken broken leg. Yeah, I'll go to the hospital
after. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah.
So we have you obviously doing the show tonight.
You know, by the time people listen to this, it's a couple of
weeks already. But you you have had.
Do you know how many countries you have been to during shows in
general? Yeah.
So shows wise, I've done shows in 67 countries.
(03:39):
Yeah, that is insane. I didn't even know there are 67
countries I know. Like 60.
I mean, I feel like I've probably reached the the amount
that I can go to as a white woman, right?
But I feel like that, you know, there's like a lot of jealous.
Like I watch all of these like YouTube clips of like white men
going to like you like all thesecountries.
And I was like, I wish I could go there, but I can't because
(03:59):
I'm not a man, you know, like, yeah, So 67, I haven't done
central like sort of Mexico and down in like South America,
which is next on the bucket listof places to go.
But then I'm also at that point now where I'm just a little
tired. So I'm like, do I have it in me
to do like more countries? But that that'll it'll always be
(04:20):
there. Like I, I definitely.
But yeah, at this point. Well, you found a bit of, I
suppose, like a bit of a solution to this whole like
women going by herself. Because when you're doing Story
Party, you're touring with somebody else.
Yes, exactly. So it was like it was like 2
people. Yeah, and it's like it's more
fun that way as well because you're you're touring with
someone else and like you're just you're both in in it for
like, I don't know, the you're like just on this like mission
(04:43):
almost like it felt like 20, 2018 where we did 350 shows in
65 countries in one year. So that was one year alone.
I did most of the touring and around.
Yeah. And it was like, oh, we're on
this mission to do 300 shows andjust go travel.
And then now post Covad when I went solo, it's like it's just
not as fun to do it solo. And also as a woman as well,
(05:05):
like, you know, you just have tobe that extra little bit more
careful like taking Ubers and not really walking around late
at night and. Especially with the with the
kind of material that you have as well, which can be considered
like raunchy, like kind of like out there.
Yeah. In in some countries, I imagine
that can send the wrong messagesor wrong signals to the
audience. Right.
And I've been lucky, like most of my audiences are always like
(05:26):
90% women and then gay men like,and most of the straight men are
brought by their girlfriends, so.
They're kept in check. Yeah, exactly.
So it's not, I've never really felt unsafe.
I think the most unsafe I would ever feel is probably like kind
of stalkerish kind of people. But for the most part, like, you
know, I think you were saying the other day, like I posted the
(05:46):
video online and I mean, most ofthe sex kind of jokes, it always
just gets reactions, right? Right.
Yeah, we posted on the other dayand yes.
And you're like, Oh my God, guys, like, calm down.
And I was like, that's just normal.
Yeah, so for contacts we to to to promote in the shows, we
posted one of her videos. She has so many.
And we posted one like a collaborative posting on
(06:07):
Instagram. Yeah.
And it was like a sex joke or whatever.
And then immediately everyone just like some guys in the
comments just being absolutely gross.
Yeah. And I had to respond from
backstage account. Goes like you guys the fucking
worst. Yeah, yeah.
It's like I I got like a, you know, and I get them quite
often. And I think because I've just
put up a few reels from India and stuff.
And then like, yeah, a lot of people, like, I mean, like I say
(06:29):
this to Indians, but Indians love a comment section.
Oh yeah. And it's just so crazy, like,
you know, but they drive the engagement.
So shout out to you guys for. Sure.
So what you're saying is like, please keep like, yeah, saying
whatever, it doesn't matter. Good.
Bad. It's just like, so I, I posted a
reel like I think probably, it was probably probably a couple
of months ago now, but it was like basically like my aunt
(06:50):
passed away and my boyfriend who's Indian, yeah, was like,
oh, I'm so sorry she expired. All right, hilarious.
Yeah, hilarious. Like.
But then it's like when they sayI shifted.
Yeah. Exactly.
And you're like, like to me as someone who like, I would like,
I've never, I know it's proper English, but I've never heard
anyone say that about someone who's passed away, right.
(07:10):
And so I just put out a reel andI think it's like 9 million
views now. Like like like thousands of
comments just being. Like offended that you're making
fun of the. World, they're like, white girl
doesn't even know her own language, right?
It's to expire from Latin. And I was like, yeah, I know
that, but we just don't say it to like people.
But that's a kind of good engagement, right?
It's not like it's saying you'renot funny, right?
(07:32):
They're not saying like, oh, women are, whatever.
Yeah. They're like saying, hey,
logically or grammatically, right?
Yeah. You want to encourage this kind
of engagement, right? And I think that's it.
It's like now. And that's why a lot of these
people who rage bait, like online, it just drives
engagement like the end of the day.
Like, comedian Sashi Pereira in in Melbourne is huge now, right?
Mostly from her her comments section.
(07:53):
Yeah. And it's just like, I mean,
she's chilled out now. But for years, she would engage
with every single one of them. Not just that, she'd post a
screenshot of every single interaction in her comments.
And I'm like, you cannot be mentally sane after this.
And then finally, she's like, chilled out.
But like, for a while I was like, Oh my God, how are you
doing this? It's a great way to get started.
(08:13):
Like I, I have a friend who's also a comic, quite new, like 2
years in and exactly the same like, just like answers every,
yeah, screenshots, like DM messages, like this kind of
stuff. And like, and I'm just like, I'm
tired. Like I see some of these comics
just constantly online and I'm like, guys, like I like, yeah,
it's it can't be healthy. No, no, there's no way.
(08:34):
It's. Healthy.
No, not at all. So.
But I want to go back a bit to story party, because that
obviously was kind of a phenomenon like I was I was
working in the industry for a while, yeah, when it kind of
blew up and I didn't know you guys at all, right?
But I knew the show, yes, because it.
Was so funny show in in Shanghai.
Yes, yes, with Andy. So like that was before, but I
don't think you were there at that time or?
(08:54):
No, but in general, what I'm saying is that I think the show
was bigger than both of you. Yeah, yeah.
Right, the show itself was was the show.
Definitely both of us, yeah. It was like people would come
back because it was like the both of us in the show.
And I think now, like, I don't know how well the show kind of
does now, but it was like, it was definitely a moment.
It was definitely something likeno one else was doing that at
(09:15):
that time. And like we were touring all
these. And now post COVID, like
everyone, I, I see people doing all these shows.
And I was like, you know, I feellike a bit of a veteran.
And I was like, yeah, like I didthis back in 2017, right.
Right. Yeah.
These places in the like the Baltics and whatever.
And it's, yeah, it was, it was an amazing experience.
What was? Yeah.
What was the concept? How did it come about?
And yeah. So basically like back, I think
(09:37):
it was probably 2014 or 2015, like Ruckman was living in San
Francisco and he had started it with Emily Van Dyke.
They were kind of doing like a similar kind of show in terms of
it was kind of taking The Moth, which I don't know if you know,
yes, yeah, yeah. Storytelling show, but then also
making it more fun because the Moth can be quite serious.
Yeah, I've seen, I've seen a live show in Melbourne and I'm
(10:00):
like, this is too sad. Yeah.
And it's. Like, it's all people like
storytelling, but like, it's alllike, depressing and like, yeah,
yeah. So they wanted to make it like
super. Like how I beat cancer, death
and the war. Yeah.
As a disabled person with like, yeah.
I can back and God is not real. I was.
Like how many boxes just tick boxes, like, you know, we're
just sobbing in the audience. Yes.
(10:21):
So it was like, wanted to make it really like a storytelling
show. And then I met Rachman in 2016,
I believe in Adelaide Fringe. We sort of spoke a little bit.
And then randomly he came up on my Bumble like when I was like 6
months later when I just moved to Berlin.
Yeah. And and so he, yeah, he and I
like not romantically. We just, I was like, oh, dude,
(10:42):
you're in Berlin. So I messaged him and I was
like, let's like, you know, hangout.
And at that point he was like doing a lot of stuff and like
vlogging and whatever. And then so we, we sort of just
came together and we started sort of touring end of 2016
together doing a lot of videos. And then we sort of came and
went from it because I at that point I was still hosting a lot
of like burlesque shows and stuff around Europe.
And then yeah, 2017 we just sortof like really kind of had that
(11:06):
nomadic, both of us had this nomadic spirit and we wanted to
basically all I wanted to do when I was young was just two of
the world and comedy and. Every young comedian's dream,
basically. Yeah, right.
And so I was just kind of like, I was like, what?
Oh, Yaris. Yeah, I know.
I'm just worried about the chords.
No, it's okay. And so, yeah.
And basically like 2017, we started touring.
(11:29):
We did start like kind of put story party together and and
then yeah, basically like started January 2018.
We were just basically doing shows all around the world, like
and so we sort of, I was only supposed to be on it for the
first couple of months and then we just sort of worked so well
as a team because I'd taken years, I've been self producing
since I was 19, right? And then he hadn't really
(11:52):
produced a show like he was verygood at like like he worked in
Silicon Valley. So he was very good at like meta
ads. And the tech side?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we just came together
and we were just such a great team.
And then it just became so fun. Like we were.
Yeah, just touring, like non-stop and testing whether
these shows good work and doing shows like, yeah, doing English
comedy shows in places that probably hadn't even heard of
(12:13):
comedy yet. And, you know, these scenes,
these local scenes that we'd go to were just so small.
Like even Japan, Like we when wewere playing there, like we did
a show in Nagoya, which was like, I just remember it was
like this tiny little bar run bylike this German guy who'd been
living in Japan for like, you know, 25 years or something.
And, you know, just. And like Japanese girls in the
(12:35):
front row just being just there,didn't speak English, but just
there because like, I think theywanted to see like, you know, us
in person or something. Yeah, so crazy.
And yeah. So it was just like an amazing
kind of like partnership. And then it just kept going.
And then obviously COVID, we were still touring and in
between the lockdowns and and then after that, I sort of had
built my own following online and was like, OK, let's just try
(12:57):
and go solo and and do that. And yeah, so it's set me up a
lot for everything. But you know this, touring and
travelling is like it's hard to let go.
Yeah, of course you. Know when you when you love it
so much. Tell me about some of the
obscure places or some of like yeah, the the.
Weird reactions, yeah, I think. Well, I was telling you, like
when we went to Cairo, like I, Yeah.
(13:19):
Hey, care is not that obscure. No, I mean.
It's one of the. Most.
Famous capitals in the world. Yeah, so obscure, no, I mean
more for comedy like that. Yes, yeah, you're right, yes.
And doing that, but like, yeah, I think there was a lot of
learning curves in that. We did Beirut in Lebanon and we
also did we were supposed to do Jordan, but they cancelled the
(13:41):
ministry cancelled our show likebefore we were supposed to do
it. And it's this is such a great
thing trying to do a podcast while no, but I'm sure like
she's gonna like we. Are both getting our ad please?
Flaring up with like the dog. And I feel like I'm doing a
show. I'm like, I've got to like,
maintain like what's happening in the room and like, yeah, but
most obscure plays. Or like reactions.
(14:03):
I suppose you were not expectingwhether it's like, because
obviously story party also explained to the audience what
the the concept. Of show so the concept of the
show was basically we would tellour dating stories and you know
this is in an age where like I think now dating apps are
probably dying, but right this is like really the height of
like Tinder, bumble, Hinge. So we would tell our dating
stories and then we would get the audience to either write
(14:24):
down a dating story quite succinctly and we would read
them out in the second-half of the show or then we would get
people to come up on stage and tell a story right.
So when I and then I started thepodcast off the back of that
where we would actually just play some of the the live
stories. In the show.
Oh, that's cool. So I did all of that 2019, which
was great, 'cause we like went everywhere and, and sometimes in
(14:45):
places where you would never assume someone would get up on
stage and tell a story. Yeah.
Like which countries? I think like like places in
particularly in Asia as well, like Singapore, you never really
kind of assumed that like peoplewould get up and tell a story,
particularly like local Singapore.
Yeah, yeah. Malaysia or just like kind of
places that you wouldn't expect?So there's any more
conservative? Yeah, like not so American or
(15:05):
like even in, in, in Europe as well, like kind of more like the
kind of Nordics or even Dutch people.
But then you would just get like, they would just get into
it and then they would get up onstage and tell these like wild
stories, which is a very American concept, of course, in
that way. But I don't know obscure I.
Want to go back to Cairo? What was that?
What was that experience like? That was like obviously my first
(15:27):
time to Egypt. And like we, I think we were
there for like two or three days.
Like it wasn't even that long. Like we just come from Sri Lanka
and then like landed in Cairo. And I think when I landed, I, I
was like, oh, I don't know, likemany Egyptian comedians, right.
And then I started looking up like, you know, the, the like
comedy and stuff. And then there's like kind of
(15:47):
laws came out about like debauchery laws where you can't
talk about sex public. And then I'd read stories about
people who had, you know, gone to jail and, like, people have
disappeared. And I was like, oh, no, like,
And we did a show at the IT was like the university.
I can't remember the name of it now is.
It. The American University, The
AOC, it. Might have been yeah.
I'll find it later for. You.
I think it might be. It wasn't in Tahrir Square like
(16:10):
it. Was in the main central.
Area. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It would be the AOC, the American University.
Yeah, yeah, they have. Their old campus is now like a
kind of a bit of a theater, right, that a lot of people can
rent out. And do stuff.
I don't think it was a theatre from memory, it felt.
Or was it Greek campus? Greek campus?
Yes, that's part of the AmericanUniversity.
So it was in like a kind of kindof, you know, university kind of
whole area like it. Wasn't.
(16:31):
Yeah. It's kind of actually like my
brother went to that university when it was still in that
campus. Oh, right.
And it was one of the most beautiful because the location
was so central. Yeah.
But it's also an old building. Yeah.
So it just has that kind of mystique to it.
Yeah, it was, I remember, just beautiful.
Like I loved Egypt and like, I really want to go back there.
But what was that? Was that action like?
Was the crowd mostly. No, a lot of Egyptians.
(16:52):
And like, it was crazy because, like, you know, I'd read all
this stuff online about how you can't talk about sex in public.
Yeah, you're like, we don't havea show.
I was. Like how am I going to get
around this? Because I think at that point I
had a, that was the, when I was telling the French story about
like the guy eating my asshole, like and all this sort of stuff.
And I was like, how like you know, and obviously we did two
nights. So I thought because like
originally I would have been like, if we did one night, we
(17:13):
could just get away with it and then fuck off the next day and
you know, try and avoid it. But because we did 2 sold out
shows like over across 2 nights and I was terrified because I
was like oh like maybe they'll be.
You would report you from the first one, yeah.
And so on stage, I was like, sexual little intercourse.
But then once we started gettingthe stories from like,
Egyptians, it was like, I was like, oh, these guys are filthy.
(17:35):
Yeah, the same in the same happened in Casablanca.
Was the show there? And I was like, I was so
worried. I was like, oh, like, you know,
like there's a very Muslim country, like, and like some of
the stories we heard in Casablanca as well as like,
these guys are disgusting. Like, and I knew that also from
Malaysia, like I sort of had. Well it's all like the the the
kind of the closed off societieswhen they have the most fucked
up shit. Exactly like whereas, you know,
(17:58):
like the the kind of the most boring stories we ever got were
like New Zealand and I will likewhere.
Everything is allowed. And you're like, this is not,
Yeah, yeah. Because there is, there is
obviously something exciting about something that's not
allowed, right? It's just human nature.
Well, I mean, I don't like, yeah, I think they're still
conservative like the British aswell, like northern England.
Like I sort of felt that in likethe northern England and like
(18:18):
New Zealand where they were justkind of a little bit more like
conservative in giving away stuff.
So. And but yeah, Egypt was like
crazy. I think I was there for like,
yeah, what, 3 days. And I just like I even my last
show addicted, I had this whole bit about buying tampons in
Egypt and like how like it wasn't possible and like I had
to go into this pharmacy like and I was dressed up in like a
full with my heels ready to go to the show.
(18:39):
Oh. Right.
Yeah. Full makeup and there's like old
Egyptian man behind the counter and I was like tampons like and
it was this whole story like brings me back like we go like
so far back into the store like and then he's like is.
He trying to show like trying tounderstand what you're trying to
get. I think eventually he got it.
I was like, you know, like tampons, but they didn't have
tampons because it's her like her like not Haram, but like
(19:00):
they just don't use tampons in different countries.
And so I was like, and he takes me out like the like so far back
into like the pharmacy, like down a couple of stairs, right,
And then right to the very far back of the pharmacy, like where
there's boxes everywhere and like opens his cupboard door
like under and. Then there's like light comes
out. I was like this is.
Yeah, yeah, exactly. And like I made this joke where
he was like, like blowing off the dust and like it was just,
(19:22):
it was just massive pads like like kind of, you know, if you
like nappies basically. And it's.
For old people. Yeah, And I was just like, oh,
wow. Like it's crazy.
So that I met an American girl at the show and she was like,
I've got a bunch of tampons likeand so I met her on a.
Street corner. I smuggled them into the
country. Yeah.
Like the next day I met her on astreet corner.
She's like opened her bag. She's like what do you want?
Like light, regular, super heavy.
(19:43):
So funny. And then had to like put them in
my bag secretly. I was like, Oh my God.
So yeah, Egypt was but it was just interesting like that.
And I remember one of the vividly, one of the stories I
got we got from from Egypt was someone said, I like my women
fully covered, but with a clip piercing fuck.
And. Was like how would you know?
(20:05):
Do you have one of those like BBP?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're.
Kind of going like. The metal detectors.
Yeah, right. And so like, I just remember
that just being I was like, oh, OK, yeah, we're fine.
We're gonna get arrested. Like, that's definitely a
different experience. Yeah, I can imagine.
And you now live in Europe. You're about to move or you did
just move between Berlin and London, right?
(20:26):
Yes, but you were originally from Australia.
I am. So let's go back to like, kind
of like a bit of a boring background story because it's
your first time here. We have a lot of, like,
recurring guests, like whenever they're coming back.
Yeah. So next time you're back, we'll
be talking about something more specific.
They're like, yeah, we know her back story exactly.
Family history. Like yeah.
Yeah, so let's go a little bit back.
Where did you grow up in Australia?
So I grew up just outside of Melbourne SE like like kind of
(20:49):
near a town called Geelong, so. Yeah, I've been to Geelong, it's
pretty cool, yeah. Yeah, I mean, that's why.
It's very like, kind of like a movie, like you know, when you
go to like a small town, you watch it like there's like a
Ferris wheel and one kind of main Rd.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 1 Westfield.
It felt very cute. It's.
Very cute. I mean, I grew up like.
I made a very sorry. When I was there, I there was
(21:10):
like one of those like touristy,kind of like a tram thing.
Not tram, the touristy like little train.
Yeah, yeah. And it was just by the Ferris
wheel and there was like an ice cream thing.
It was also just like. Old timey.
Old timey, But the train was full of Indian tourists.
Yeah. So I just passed by and I had to
just play like in my head and I'm like.
(21:32):
But then I set it to like, and my girlfriend at the time was
with me. Yeah, And I just played it in my
head, but I didn't know I was also playing it like out loud
and just like, you could not fucking do it.
But it's like the funniest thingto me.
It's just the people of Indian. Yeah, it's either Indian or
Chinese, honestly. Like they're like, they're the
biggest tourists in Australia. But yes, OK, so you grew up
outside Geelong? Yeah, outside of Geelong on the
(21:54):
like the Surf Coast, So Torquay,it's like basically where like
basically RIP Curl was started. It's a very surf kind of town.
So I grew up on a farm behind there.
So that was like where I grew up.
So I was like a farm girl through and through growing up.
And then, yeah, as soon as I waslike 19, I studied musical
theatre at Nida. So I went to Nida, which is like
the kind of best acting school in Australia.
It's like where Cate Blanchett and these kind of people went
(22:16):
nice and so very hard to get into.
So I studied there and then basically like 19, I started
doing my own kind of like cabaret performances.
So that's your first kind of like brush up with performance
in general? Performance in general.
I mean, I was doing dance and singing since I was a young kid
and I was very into musical theater.
So that's why I like wanted to study that.
(22:39):
But yeah, I'd been doing like new schools, like throughout
high school, like one or two a year, so.
You're always kind of like an artistic, like, yeah, just like.
Just I mean, I was just like that, like my brother is a super
nerd and like I'm just the complete opposite to my brother.
And so people always like they meet both of us.
They're like, how are you 2 related?
Right? It's very like black and white,
(23:00):
right? And him.
Is he actually black? Because that would.
Be really fun yeah, he is not like he's probably he's like the
whitest and white, but he yeah, he's like a doctor of
aeronautical engineering, like research that.
Is not even. Yeah, like.
Like, he literally wakes up and reads physics daily.
Like, that's my wow. And I wake up and go on TikTok,
you know? So there's like, yeah, there's
(23:21):
like very different people. Yeah.
So, yeah. So I kind of like, I just loved
performing. And that's always been who I was
as a kid. And I just never really felt
like there was anything else I was destined to do in life.
Like, you know, even in the lastfew years, I have these moments
of like, like. What could have been?
Yeah. Or like, oh, maybe I'll just
give it all up and go and get a job.
(23:44):
And then I was like, I don't know what job I would get.
Yeah, you know, like I actually like, I don't know what I'm
qualified for. Right, because even your study,
your field of study is still performance, right, so.
So I did musical theatre and then I sort of went travelling.
I did a few like I was doing a lot of like self produced
cabaret shows across like Melbourne and Sydney and, and
(24:04):
was organizing tours within Australia for me and my shows.
And then I went back and I, yeah.
And then that I think it was like 2021, I got my first ever
tour, international tour with Disney.
So I was doing, I was a Disney Princess.
Oh. Nice.
OK, We have one of the local comics here, Carol, who is about
to start in Disney. Oh, wow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's pretty cool.
(24:25):
Like doing do you know a character role?
She doesn't know yet. Actually, I think you kind of
rotate them or she's not very sure.
Yeah, yeah. So they're very, they're so
strict like so I got this one which was just a tour of
Indonesia. So I think Disney Indonesia is
not as. Disney and Indonesia.
So they're licensed. For.
Disney has their own licenses, so.
And honestly, I feel like this tour, had we have done it, yeah,
(24:47):
anywhere else, I don't think that it would have gone ahead.
Because I did once go for a Disney audition for like, Hong
Kong and this kind of stuff, like, And they literally like,
are this far away from your face.
They're like studying your face and like being like, no, like,
really? Am I a Disney Princess?
Yeah, yeah. That's like, was crushed like a
young girl's soul as well. Imagine that's like, yeah, you
(25:09):
grew up being like, I'm a Princess and you point at your
face at like, nose too long. Yeah.
Sorry, no, like legit like that's what they say.
They're like eyes not wide enough like this jaw not jaw.
And you're like, man, like you have to.
Be That is brutal. Yeah, it's like very Nazi ish,
let's put it that way. And, and so I went to, yeah, so
I did this tour in Indonesia andthat was like, I did shows in
(25:29):
Medan and Surabaya and had rehearsals in Jakarta.
And it was for a few weeks. And I just loved it.
I was like, it was the first time I went to Singapore.
It was 2010, I think it was. And I was just like, wow, like
this is this is the life I want to lead.
Yeah, I want the life. Of a performer touring the
world. Touring the world and just.
Adoring fans, all of that. Stuff.
I mean, the adoring fans at thatpoint were like, you know, small
(25:50):
Indonesian kids who were just gorgeous, by the way.
Like, it was so cute. But like one of the shows we did
was in like the, the big mall shows like in Singapore and
India, like they have so much money for these mall shows,
right? And I remember like we went into
this mall and it was like, like the backdrop every, it was
decked out. But they had VIP like, you know,
like next level, next level. And then like for the poor
(26:12):
people at the back. And like I saw this one kid like
run from like the far back to like the front of the stage
'cause they want to be close to like of course and like a
security guard just. Tackled them.
Tackled this kid and like, brought them back to like the
poor section. Yeah.
And it was just, Yeah, So but that was, yeah, that kind of
kick started for me. And then I, I went back to
university after that to study aBachelor of Film and TV
(26:33):
production and. What did you actually want to
do? Like, I know, like, obviously
you're saying like you got a taste of like the live
performance, but what did you dream ideally of, dude, Yeah.
Did you want to be an actor? Did you want to like?
I mean, as a kid, I just wanted to be in musical theatre.
Like that was it. I just wanted to say like even I
studied opera as well. So I was like anything classical
musical theatre. And then of course, classical
(26:54):
musical theatre kind of went away because everything was like
pop singing and which is not really my Forte.
And so, yeah, that was always mydream.
And then I went to, I went to nighter and they sort of they're
like these institutions, like these drama schools that just
bring you down. Like they pick you apart and you
actually come out with like a lot of mental issues and you
(27:14):
sort of go like, what am I like it's and they do this because
they want the weak to fall off and like, you know, the good
people to survive. But it's, it's trauma.
Like it's not or it's not nice. And so I think after that and
then I fell into cabaret and I was like, oh, I can get paid for
saying what I want to say and doing what I want to do.
And that sort of spoke to me. So then I think that that comedy
(27:35):
was always in the back of my mind.
I always wanted to like, I, you know, I grew up in Melbourne
with the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
Every year it was like watching this.
It was just so natural. And I think I always wanted to
do it, but I was always a bit scared.
And I was doing musical comedy before I sort of moved straight
into stand up and yeah. And so it's, I don't know.
(27:56):
And then I sort of finally got the the chance to do it, I felt
like. Yeah.
When was the the first time you did like stand up?
Stand up, stand up. Like, I mean, I always put a bit
of like musical. I'd always put a bit of musical
in my show at some point. But I think basically what the
first day I moved to Berlin. Wow, do you?
Know so you haven't done stand up at all in Australia.
I didn't do stand up, stand up. I did like I did a musical
(28:17):
comedy show that I toured in Australia and also went to like
Edinburgh with, but that was like kind of a musical parody
show. And yeah, stand up, stand up.
I and I'd watched it for so longthat, you know, going to
Adelaide, going to Melbourne, going to Edinburgh.
Yes, yes. And yeah, I landed in Berlin the
first day I moved to Berlin and I went and did a stand up set,
(28:38):
which I also had a song at the end of it.
But like the set just went so well and like, and you know,
like it was just one of these like great moments.
And I was like, OK, this is thisis where.
And then that's, you know, a fewweeks later I met up with
Rachman and then we just starteddoing like more and more like
because. Story Party is still like, it's
stand up, but it's storytelling.Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Which is my like, which has always been my, you know, like I
(29:00):
studied. That's kind of your comfort,
yeah. Yeah, like I studied screen
writing like when I did my bachelor's, like in film TV,
like I majored in screen writing.
So for me, like telling a story,and that's also cabaret as well.
In musical theatre, it's always like even through whatever
medium, it's storytelling. You need to invoke something.
And so for me, yeah, that was like it's comedy storytelling,
(29:21):
which is always that's my style and that's what I love.
I'm not like that joke per minute kind of person or
roasting or anything like that. I'm like this is I know who I am
and this is what my kind of Forte.
I mean, you built, you built an audience that way as well.
So people are turning up for foryour particular style.
Totally. And I think it also translates
probably a little bit better online as well because it's like
a full story. But I, I think I remember seeing
(29:44):
Joel Dommett at the Melbourne Comedy Festival probably about
10 years ago now and or bit more.
And he I watched his show and I think that show won comedy show
of the year or something that year.
But it was so good. It was literally just like this
story of like I think how him and his girlfriend got together
or how they broke up one of them.
But he just told this long story, but just kept going off
(30:05):
on like tangents, yeah, tangentsand telling these amazing jokes
and then coming back to the story.
And it was just weaved perfectly.
And I was like, oh, that's incredible.
Like I'm gonna do that. So that's always been my kind of
style in in comedy. But then obviously going to
Europe and having that, I think Europeans are more and the same
with the UK like and maybe a bitof Australia, but they're more
(30:27):
patient, yes, audiences and theyjust sit through a longer story
because I know there will be a payoff at the end where.
Yeah, I'm, I'm like, so not comfortable with that, either as
an audience or as a performer. Both.
Yeah. I'm like, I watch it.
I'm like, you know, I'm so wiredinto like I grew up watching
David Letterman and like Eddie Murphy.
Yeah. Which is like when you're
watching Eddie Murphy, that's your introduction to stand up.
(30:49):
Yes. And people are falling off their
chairs and it's just every few seconds.
And that's to me, like you cannot rewire that.
Like this is what stand up is exactly.
Obviously I can understand otherthings.
I'm like, yeah, that makes sensetoo.
But in my head, and even as a comic, I'm so impatient for the
laugh. It's like people who can sit in
silence, like make it like, you know, it's like 3 minutes and
(31:10):
then there'll be a payoff. I'm like, I would just be like,
fuck this. It's.
So hard. I get.
I get that, I respect. It as well, it's like, you know,
it's something that you're like,I can't really, you know, do
that. It's different.
It's yeah. And but sometimes I kind of go
like I'm on stage and I'm like, like, I know this bit.
Like I know this bit. The payoff is good.
And I like even I can feel like,oh, it's a bit quiet.
(31:30):
But then I also, I, you don't realize, like what kind of your
energy and your charisma that you bring to the stage, which is
something that as a comic, you don't realize until I like have
people after the show being like, Oh my God, like your
energy and like this. And that's also what draws
people in as well. So I've kind of just learned to
like just like roll with it in, in this kind of way.
(31:52):
But, and it's also interesting, like just playing with how you
write jokes. Like I think my last show
Addicted was very, it was like pretty much like Bang Bang bang
in the 1st 20 minutes of the show before it went into
storytelling. But then this last show was
being a little bit more kind of like fluid and stuff.
So it's like it changes as well,like with what you feel and how
you write and. One of my favorite stories about
(32:13):
this clash of styles is comedianAri Shaffir.
Yeah, yeah. Because he is.
He's an American comedian, and he is very much into that style
of American comedy, just like, you know, New York Comic, kind
of like bang, bang, bang. And he said like he would go to
the Edinburgh Fringe and he would just like hate the shows
there because it's that style oflike 7 minute stories with
(32:33):
payoff. And he was like and they're
like, but there is like an arc and there is like a something at
the end, there's a payoff and there's also like a callback and
whatever. And his thing is like, OK, I
will write a show that is with that like, you know,
overarching, like whatever, likea a through line and a beeline
and whatever. But I will do it the American
way when it's actually like punch, punch, punch as well.
(32:56):
It's not just actually funny. The other shows are also funny.
But it's like, it's like you don't have to sit through 7-8
minutes of silence. Yeah, true.
And he wrote Jew and it's, it's,it's on YouTube and it's a
great, great special. And he wrote it basically just
to spite the British comics and be like, no, you can also do
that and make a laugh for a minute.
(33:16):
And it's just one of my favoritestories.
I'm like, oh, that's pretty cool.
Well, then he also then started on Comedy Central.
He started the. Yeah, the storytelling show.
The storytelling show. Which then obviously got bought
out and he got fired from just got crazy.
Yeah, but no, just like the story of Jewel just and on its
own as like why he wrote it. And when you watch the show,
it's like it is that. Yeah, it's like there is there
(33:36):
is one theme. It's very clear theme, Yeah.
And there is a tangents in and out and stuff.
Yeah. But it's like, oh, but like, he
just littered it with, like, so many jokes, so many tags.
Yeah. And it's still like, it's like
that perfect combo kind of. Yeah.
And like, for me, like, I love that because I think, you know,
the history and art of storytelling has been around,
like, since humans began. Like that's how we informed
(33:58):
people of things or like, you know, morals or fairy tales.
Or Pharaohs as well, like you were.
I was literally today, this morning, listening to podcasts.
I was talking about, it was actually about humor and stuff.
Yeah. And it was talking about how the
Pharaohs, like they were making fun of their leaders, Like the,
the, the, you know, the ancient Egyptians.
Yeah, they're making fun of the leaders because they were,
they're switching the rat and the cat.
(34:19):
Basically, they're like making the God to be a rat instead of a
cat because the cat was worshipped.
So you're seeing, like, papyrus.Yeah.
And they're like, Oh yeah, they're clearly making fun of
the leaders even back. Then oh wow, there is like like
a roast of. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Roast. Yeah, yeah.
They're like afraid, but they'relike, you know, they just wanted
to like, you know, take the piss, basically.
But I think it's. So funny storytelling and
(34:40):
roasting and like all of this like is yeah, it's like, I mean
comedy that I think that's how we're able to kind of survive
when especially, you know, in the past or even history.
I mean even now, like, yeah, youknow, you use humor as a coping
mechanism. Like, and the people who come
from, you know, very war-torn countries or whatever.
Like I've always found they are the best audiences. 100%.
Like it just, you know, the shows I did in Lebanon, like in
(35:03):
Beirut, were like, they were just the best.
I was just in Cambodia. Yeah.
And it's like, you know, not particularly thriving.
Yeah. You know, but like the people
that the locals there, it's likenot just so appreciating of
like, foreign acts coming through, but they're like, as
you said, like, you know, life around them is not particularly
amazing. And it's like that outlet that,
you know, Yeah, way more than someone who grew up with This is
(35:28):
just another form of art that you can access any time.
Yeah. Yeah.
And it's also, I think on my travels, the biggest thing I
kind of discovered was that, andI don't know how to put this
without some of that, but countries that are probably
more, I'm gonna say like third world, like 'cause it's, you
know. Yeah, you could say less
developed, whatever. Less developed, like countries
(35:48):
were always the best audiences because I think what you value
in that situation is more like fun and like, you know,
especially like in a place like Lebanon OR these places that
having, you know, the constant threat of war or something like
that on them. They just have a different like,
mentality. It's just like, Oh yeah, like
this could be our last day. So that's.
Just I was going to say actually, you know what, having
(36:09):
come from that region, yeah, I will tell you what we are
thinking is that life is not that serious exactly.
And it's just, it doesn't really.
Yeah, you know, it's not as big as you think.
You know, it's just like, you'reright.
It can be all taken away from ustomorrow.
Exactly. And it's like, yeah, we just.
But The thing is, like for for the other developed countries,
(36:30):
that's also a fact, except that they don't realize it as much.
They don't really, there's a lotmore stress I find in like these
kind of like, you know, I grew up in Australia where it's like,
yeah, like people have this likething of like, oh, you, you're
so like larrikins and you're like, you're chilled out and
stuff like that. And I was like, to a degree,
yes. But I, and so the other, on the
flip side, I found like very wealthy countries were also
great audiences because they're fucking rich.
(36:51):
They don't care. Like they're like, Oh yeah, I
could. You can just sit back, relax.
It's like when you do a corporate gig for like ultra
rich people. Like we do that here and there's
a lot of ultra rich people here and you're 100% right.
Like you can do a gig for like rich lawyers who are just kind
of rich enough that you're like kind of Snooty.
But then I have done gigs for actual rich people and they're
(37:11):
so cool because they just don't give a fuck.
They don't give. A fuck because they just know
like they're so rich, like Switzerland when I do shows
there or even in like Norway or Sweden or whatever, like there's
just not that like they're like,yeah, we're rich.
We know who we are, that's fine.And the same like you know, with
say like Soho House, like if I do a show there like these, a
lot of them are, you know, depending on where which sort of
house you go to. But a lot of them are just like,
(37:32):
Oh yeah, like I've got rich parents.
They pay for my soccer house membership and you go there and
you just roast them and they love it.
They're just like, because no one has ever told them no, no
one has ever like given them like, you know, this kind of
experience. So it's on the flip side, you
can have that. Whereas I find this kind of
middle class kind of thing whereit's you're trying to prove or
you're trying to prove yourself in some kind of way like or
(37:54):
this, I just find they're like the most the ones that are like
a little bit more like impress me.
Yes, yeah, impress me. Like, you know, I spent my hard
earned $25 on this. So like, it impressed me, you
know, like. I have AI have a thing now.
A lot of people here are like wehave a local show house,
obviously, and I joined like notlong ago.
I I've, I've been working a lot there anyway, like bringing
(38:15):
shows and stuff like this, like producing, like outside shows,
whatever. So at some point it just made
sense that I'm there all the time.
I'm like, I'll just sign up, whatever.
So once I signed up and I was working there a lot, I actually
started realizing, especially during summer when everyone was
not here. Yeah, that most so House members
are not in like the you don't really see them there.
Yeah. And I wrote this joke about how
(38:36):
most House members, you see themoutside and, you know, they're
so House members because they will tell you, Yeah, which means
so House is just charging peoplefor a pyramid scheme of not even
using the thing. They're like, hey, you pay us
and you just get to tell people you're yeah, that's it, Look
what the. Fuck, it's 100%.
I used to be. I used to be a member as well,
like I, and then I just realizedlike I thought I would really
(38:58):
use it travelling and then I waslike there and then I opened.
You're paid to tell people, yeah.
But then I like, and then I started to grow like I started
to actually because I performed there a lot.
Like my friend runs the comedy shows in Berlin, so her house.
And so I'd go there a lot, whichI think is more fun when you're
just there, like hanging out. Yeah.
You have a friend who's a memberand you just Leech off there and
like a Netflix account, You're like, great, this is wonderful.
Yeah. And then I and then I was
(39:19):
actually a member and I was like, oh, this is shit.
Like I was. And then I was like, I don't
like these people. Like no, I think I don't know,
but I heard actually the Europe ones are better when it comes to
socializing. Like curating events and stuff
here is not that good. Like, you might hear this and
get pissed at me, but they really need to make more effort
to like, connect. Like make it, you know, like
make it easier for strangers to meet.
(39:40):
It's not a networking house. No, no, not at all.
That's the one. It's supposed to be for
creatives when it's like, oh we like minded people.
But creatives can afford a membership like for yes, yes,
but I mean, like you have to be a very established person to
have the money to pay for a social house.
But I yeah. And it's just like, it's not
about networking. It's literally and like everyone
just bring the same in Europe. They all bring their own
friends. They have their little clique
(40:02):
and there's nothing that really.And yeah, it's it's like they
have so much money for a budget to do stuff, but they end up
just throwing parties where people just get drunk and no one
actually talks to. Each other, yeah, yeah, push F&B
or whatever. Like the only event, like
recurring event where I would meet new people is actually run
club, which I absolutely love now.
Yeah, like I've been going everyweek and I, I like running
(40:23):
anyway. Yeah.
But in general it's like, oh, it's a really cool organic way.
But I'm like, why don't you do more, more of this kind of when
it's like it's organic for people.
Like I am not someone who does dating apps.
Literally never. Yeah.
Yeah. Like I downloaded it once during
COVID for like a couple of months, met someone.
Actually. It was really nice.
Yeah. But then after it didn't work
out, I just I'm like, I didn't even go back to it because I'm
like, I know how to talk to people.
(40:44):
It just put me in a normal organic and everybody I've dated
was like someone who's just like, you know, a normal get not
not that it's the other ways. I've no you know what I mean
Like but we organic. More organic, yeah, but I think
we're. Old school, whatever.
We're lucky in a situation wherewe are, we have a social job,
yes, like we and like the only time I've used dating apps in
the past is because I travel so much and I tour so much that I
(41:06):
find it difficult to like, you know, I'm never in a place long
enough or whatever. So then, but it is like now I
think it's such a flex, like I'mI don't my boyfriend in real
life. And now I feel like such a bitch
'cause I'm like, yeah, we met organic, organic, such a stuff.
Yeah, yeah. To be like, yeah, we didn't meet
on a dating app like you. No look, as someone who meets
people in real life, sometimes you can.
Also it might not work for a long time so I wish but I'm just
(41:31):
two bored and cynical now to start.
Totally. It's like when I tried it before
during COVID, I would just like,aside from the person I met,
like the other conversations I had, I would get bored so
quickly and just think stupid shit to entertain myself.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's like, oh, what do you
do? I'm like a dog groomer.
And then I just, I was just doing it as an improv fucking
class. So this is like it just become.
(41:52):
But to be fair, like run clubs now are the new dating apps like
this is what they're saying. They're saying like basically
like any. Not the ones I've gone with.
I mean, I honestly couldn't think of anything worse than
going like, you know, meeting someone through like a running
club. I'd be like but I guess I see
you at your worst. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
I think This is why no one no, no.
But it is genuinely a cool way, like, you know, to make new.
(42:12):
Friends to make new. Yeah, yeah, of course.
For sure, like fitness in any that kind of way is a good way
to meet people. But then gym itself is kind of
intimidating as well, Yeah. When it's like, you know, some
fuck I'm sure you've done. I've seen that like some bro
coming to fix your posture or whatever.
It's like, yeah. No, exactly.
And I think like I stopped doingkind of weight training, but now
I do Pilates. Sorry but like that's all just
women like so I never really. Meet Say you're a white woman
(42:35):
without saying I know. But you know the day because
like, you know, I, I was so bougie.
I was in Mumbai and I was like, everyone's like, oh, how could
you live in Mumbai? I was like, yeah, because it's
my life is exactly the same. I drink my matcha.
I do Pilates, like and do a comedy show, right?
That's my day. Like, there's nothing like I
could be in any place in the world.
And this would be like fine. One of my favorite jokes ever is
(42:58):
Bill Burr talking about, like, white women being the reason why
the whole world is fucked. Yeah.
And they're still complaining about everything.
Yeah. And he goes, what are you
complaining about? Like, it's just like, you don't
know what it's like to be me. It's like, no, I can imagine
it's slightly less awesome than my life.
Yeah, exactly. It's just like that line.
And it's so self aware, but it'salso true.
(43:20):
It's like, what do you complain?Like you show up to a place and
he's like, what happened, honey?Did he not chill your rose
enough? It's one of those, I think that
like, I think in India, like I saw all these girls, like Indian
girls doing the same thing. They're getting, you know,
they're matcha doing Pilates, like living exactly the same
life. And then I was like, why are we
calling it a white girl thing? Because I kept saying I'm like,
I'm being a white girl. Yeah, actually, like there's,
(43:41):
you know, there's people here inHong Kong.
I think it's the branding. Right.
It's the branding. And I was like, oh, but then I'm
like, do they, are they OK with being called a white girl, like
doing white girl things? Because it's like, it's quite
like, yeah, kind of racist or elitist.
I don't know, like it's just kind of weird.
And then. No, you can actually move to,
you know, Dubai, you can move toGhana, you can move Accra, you
(44:01):
can go, you live exactly the same lifestyle exactly if you're
in that expat bubble exactly andyou'll find that rich locals
doing exactly the same one. 100%like it's good marketing.
I think white girls have this great marketing.
I don't know how like how they how they.
Manage to do it between the two of us.
You are the white girl. You should tell me how did.
You guys, it's like, it's funny because I feel like I like I've
(44:21):
always done these white girl things that are now popular.
Yeah, like years later, like I've been drinking matcha for
like probably like 15 years, like I've been drinking.
I've been drinking it before it was.
Cool. And I take all these vitamins
which I've been taking for like 15 and now they're like popular.
When I went to LA recently, I went to Erawan, which is like
that social experiment supermarket where rich guys were
(44:43):
like, let's just see how much things like these rich people
will pay for, right, right, right.
You know, like they sell a strawberry, the Japanese
strawberry, for $20. Oh yeah, so we have that.
We have this here. Like, not, not the concept, but
like you can find like Dun Dun Donkey is like a crazy
supermarket, that place. Yes, so.
When you go there you can find like the cherries for like $700.
And stuff Yeah, like wild. And I just like this social
(45:04):
experiment of like how much Willand I was like this.
And but I literally went in there and I was like, Oh my God,
this is like crack. I was just like, I didn't want
to leave. My boyfriend is like, you OK.
And I was like, I fucking love this place.
Like I just like there's something about me like I think.
Is that how people feel when they go to church or something?
Like I just went into everyone and I was like, I'm home.
Yeah, yeah, it's wild. I don't know, But I was never
that white girl. I was always like, I mean, in
(45:24):
high school I was such a like a loser.
I was an emo kid. Like I was not part of like the
cool girl group maybe. A lot of a lot of us started
like the comics usually are the ones who are like, they're not
the popular. Kids, not at all.
So there was this like I think Iheard this saying recently that
said like you always like want to be who you weren't in high
school. And like I wasn't like a blonde.
(45:45):
I was born brunette and I remember always looking at these
like surfy girls with the blondehair and like this.
And I was like, like, you alwayshave that.
And I'm now I'm like, Oh my God,is that true?
Like have I just become not thatI they were quite bitchy.
I'm not that person, but like, you sort of want to emulate or
look like that person that you wouldn't just never, which is
probably why a lot of, you know,men or something like who had
quite nerdy in high school want to be like that cool guy.
(46:07):
And yeah, there's always that kind of, you know, I want to
look a bit different or change myself to be a better version of
myself. So yeah.
Do you go do, do you do any likehigh school reunions?
No. No, I actually I have my 20th
1:00 next year. Which are you going?
No, I don't know. Like I probably not my SO, my
sister-in-law, my brother's wifeis.
We went to high school together and I set them up so.
(46:28):
But she was like vice school captain.
She's like, she still has a lot to do with the school.
So I just send her along. I'm like, you go and tell me.
Like, you know who's in jail, Who's like, who's had five kids?
Like, yeah, yeah. Who's gotten really big and.
All. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Although like sometimes I do a couple of shows in my hometown
and I have recently and I had I think a couple of years ago, I
had a a couple of girls come to my show and, and we used to kind
(46:50):
of be friends. And like after the show they
came up to me and they're like great show.
And I was like, yeah, thanks. And they're like, yeah, it's
from high school. And I was like, oh, and they
were so. And like, yeah, they were
completely changed physically and I didn't even, I couldn't
even recognize them. And I was like, oh, OK, so I, I
don't know. I feel like at school I would, I
wouldn't even remember half the people.
Like yes, I think it's just like, yeah, like, I don't know
(47:10):
who you are, like kind of stuff.So I mean, I kind of want to go,
but then I also like, I'm like, I like, I, I see the people from
high school that I need to see and that's it.
I don't know. To to wrap this up, I want to go
back to the beginning of the episode about story party.
And I if you remember, sorry to put you on the spot.
If you remember the worst or thecraziest story someone
(47:31):
submitted. Oh, what's the one that So we
had like Canada was the best, like they had the best dating
stories ever. And I remember we went to we
went to, yeah, I think there's afew from from Canada, but one of
them was like this this gay guy that like he had never, he was
(47:55):
obviously gay, but then like in high school, he was like, oh, I
need to like, you know, go and be with a woman.
Sure, sure. So he was like going down on
this girl. Like it was in the dark.
It was, you know, a high school party or whatever.
And he was like, oh, that tastesa bit weird, but like, you know,
like, fine, whatever. And then he like got up and then
obviously she started a period. So he had over his mouth.
(48:15):
That's fine, That's fine. Flash.
Like there must be as there mustbe a nickname to that.
Yeah, Dolmio green, we call it in Australia.
Dolmio is like a pasta sauce. Of course it's an Australian.
Yeah, so they're like, did you get the Dolmio grin?
Like it's so great. Yeah.
So then he gets so this is fine.Like yeah, he's like, okay, like
(48:38):
whatever. Like, you know, I'm pretty sure
I'm 100% gay now. Like whatever.
Yeah. And then the next day, he's like
friend calls and he's like, hey,you like made out with that that
girl last night. And he was like, yeah, yeah.
And he's like, oh, you might like, did you have sex or
whatever? He's like, oh, no, like, you
know, we kind of just fooled around.
And then his friend's like, OK, because she's in hospital with
meningitis. So you need to, if you were like
(48:59):
with her, you need to go into hospital right now and take like
and see a doctor because so he went to the hospital and they're
like, yeah, you could get meningitis.
So they gave him this like, massive pill.
I think she survived from meningitis.
But yeah, he had to go in to. Explain.
Explain to that. Meningitis, like meningococcal
is like basically like that blood disorder that like
inflames your brain and you die within 48 years of getting it
(49:21):
with it. So he was just like, Oh my God.
And then so he had to go in and take this pill that like
prevents you from getting the meningitis so your brain doesn't
swell. Where did she get it like?
It's just a thing that happened.It's like, yeah, I remember like
we had a few. We knew about it at school, like
someone, some friends of our family.
She got it. She survived.
But it's like deaf now and like,it's very, it's very bad, right?
(49:42):
And so yeah, basically like. He digs a massive.
He's like, OK, I think she endedup like not dying, thank God,
but like was OK. But like, yeah, basically he was
just like he finished the story and he's like, yeah, I'm like,
he's like, I'm so loud, I'm gay.Like something like this.
He was like, so that it was my first experience with the woman
and it was just one of those things that like the story just
getting worse, Right, Right. Oh my God.
Yeah, and damn, I did not see that coming.
(50:03):
That's. Crazy.
But we had a lot of like storiesfrom Canada where there was like
a, a woman in Winnipeg who if people know where Winnipeg is,
it's not like the safest place. And like she, yeah, she like
it's Canadians are so nice. Like they just stay with on
these dates with these guys who end up being like, like
fraudsters or like criminals or like, yeah, like very, very bad.
(50:23):
So yeah, a lot of stories like that, but gosh, yeah, I can't
remember like 100%, but I remember that one that stood out
in my mind. A lot of lost vibrators.
Had a girl in Perth that had a lost vibrator and had to go into
hospital and do all that kind ofstuff.
So just like there's a lot of those kind of things, but I
can't remember like the the worst one, I have to go back
over my memories and. Well, we will take a little
(50:45):
break and then we'll go into thePatreon where we can probably
find a couple of the the worst ones.
And I also want to talk to you in the Patreon about the comedy
scene in India because we had a couple of conversations about it
and I find it fascinating, especially for you as a white
comedian who is starting to do in Hindi.
Yeah, but we are trying to. Yeah.
But also you wanna, you are thinking maybe you can be based
(51:05):
out of there for a while as well.
So we'll talk a bit about that. Thanks so much for joining us.
Yeah, thanks for having me. I wish I we can plug the show,
but this is now in the past. Not just that we don't need you
to come. We like the show is very busy.
Elena did great. You got multiple standing
ovations. People did backflips.
It was crazy. So you missed it.
(51:26):
You missed one hell of a show. Next time she's in town, buy
tickets earlier. All right, thanks everybody.
Thank you so much for tuning in.Join us on the
patreonpatreon.com/over Pod $5 amonth.
You could support all the schoolstuff and we're bringing in more
acts. There is you know what, it's
getting too long. You can check the the links in
the show description and we willsee you on the Patreon.
(51:48):
Other than that, see you guys next week.
Thank you.
So I reiterate here, the bill isdead.
The story of this great city is about the years before this
night. Hey everybody, it's a new
(00:23):
episode of Hong Kong. I'm here sitting by myself.
Still not no Co host. Yes to a guest Vivek final time,
final days of recovery. Hopefully he'll be back on in
the next couple of weeks, but until then I have someone much
better looking I'll speak to in a second before I bring her on.
(00:43):
We have had such a great momentum with the shows
recently. Right now, as you're listening
to this, I think we're in the week of of My Tree and Ben's
shows that are both in theaters.If you haven't caught these, I
don't know when you're listeningto this.
If it's before the 21st or 23rd,come to the shows.
It will be a big celebration of all things comedy in Hong Kong.
(01:06):
We have a camera crew filming both shows and we'll be like,
you know, thinking later of likecutting them up and shopping
them around and stuff. It's a whole other ball game to
edit. You know, I think there will be
like 3 or 4 cameras at each showand it's a whole thing.
But very excited to bring our guests on today.
Our guest is someone who I wanted to talk to for a long
time, last a couple of times. She was in Hong Kong.
(01:27):
We, we, we caught up, but we didn't get to record the
podcast. So someone is full of stories,
full of adventure. And it's also like someone who I
look up to as a comic when it comes to, like, how she does
things, you know, producing and touring and stuff like this.
So I'm just really excited to have her on.
Elena Gabriel, thank you so muchfor joining us.
Hi. Of course, thank you for having
(01:48):
me, you and Yara. Yes, so yeah, people have been
listening for the last few weeksso I didn't even tell you like I
have a Co host, usually Vivek who broke both his ankles.
Oh my God, how on the. Streets of Hong Kong, I mean.
A lot of people actually do. No, I think he became too rich.
That's why it's sometimes you like, you're carrying like
(02:08):
actual, well, like bags of money.
Oh. OK, yeah, yeah, Insta letters.
Because I feel like that's really my finger, both ankles.
No, it's just like, actually, you know what what happened is
like we have in the Middle East,we have this concept of like bad
eye. Yeah, I gave him the bad eye,
the evil eye. I gave him the because you can
get the mic closer. Sorry, I should have told.
You, the evil eye, how did you? He bought too many houses in
(02:31):
Hong Kong and at some point I'm like, you know what, fuck you, I
hope something bad happens to you.
And it did. So I'm like, yeah, no, it's
totally me. And that's.
Fine, that's fine. I mean, I was going to wear
heels today and then I was like just as I walked out the door, I
was like, oh, actually like wedge heels.
And then I was like, no, I'm actually going to break both,
both ankles, so I think. There is, there is definitely
this, this whole thing of like we have like those like
(02:53):
cobblestone streets here in central Hong Kong and so common
for people to like sleep on them, like especially girls on
high heels after like a night out.
And it's never not funny. Yeah.
Yeah, it's always going to be fun.
Funny. I was thinking that like today I
was like, it could be funny. But then I was like, no, I like,
I don't know if my health insurance is that gonna cover
that. No.
Also, as your like employer herefor this one day, you're not
(03:16):
allowed to do this until you do the.
Show. I mean, I probably still do the
show, to be fair. Like comics will do that.
I'll broken broken leg. Yeah, I'll go to the hospital
after. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah.
So we have you obviously doing the show tonight.
You know, by the time people listen to this, it's a couple of
weeks already. But you you have had.
Do you know how many countries you have been to during shows in
general? Yeah.
So shows wise, I've done shows in 67 countries.
(03:39):
Yeah, that is insane. I didn't even know there are 67
countries I know. Like 60.
I mean, I feel like I've probably reached the the amount
that I can go to as a white woman, right?
But I feel like that, you know, there's like a lot of jealous.
Like I watch all of these like YouTube clips of like white men
going to like you like all thesecountries.
And I was like, I wish I could go there, but I can't because
(03:59):
I'm not a man, you know, like, yeah, So 67, I haven't done
central like sort of Mexico and down in like South America,
which is next on the bucket listof places to go.
But then I'm also at that point now where I'm just a little
tired. So I'm like, do I have it in me
to do like more countries? But that that'll it'll always be
(04:20):
there. Like I, I definitely.
But yeah, at this point. Well, you found a bit of, I
suppose, like a bit of a solution to this whole like
women going by herself. Because when you're doing Story
Party, you're touring with somebody else.
Yes, exactly. So it was like it was like 2
people. Yeah, and it's like it's more
fun that way as well because you're you're touring with
someone else and like you're just you're both in in it for
like, I don't know, the you're like just on this like mission
(04:43):
almost like it felt like 20, 2018 where we did 350 shows in
65 countries in one year. So that was one year alone.
I did most of the touring and around.
Yeah. And it was like, oh, we're on
this mission to do 300 shows andjust go travel.
And then now post Covad when I went solo, it's like it's just
not as fun to do it solo. And also as a woman as well,
(05:05):
like, you know, you just have tobe that extra little bit more
careful like taking Ubers and not really walking around late
at night and. Especially with the with the
kind of material that you have as well, which can be considered
like raunchy, like kind of like out there.
Yeah. In in some countries, I imagine
that can send the wrong messagesor wrong signals to the
audience. Right.
And I've been lucky, like most of my audiences are always like
(05:26):
90% women and then gay men like,and most of the straight men are
brought by their girlfriends, so.
They're kept in check. Yeah, exactly.
So it's not, I've never really felt unsafe.
I think the most unsafe I would ever feel is probably like kind
of stalkerish kind of people. But for the most part, like, you
know, I think you were saying the other day, like I posted the
(05:46):
video online and I mean, most ofthe sex kind of jokes, it always
just gets reactions, right? Right.
Yeah, we posted on the other dayand yes.
And you're like, Oh my God, guys, like, calm down.
And I was like, that's just normal.
Yeah, so for contacts we to to to promote in the shows, we
posted one of her videos. She has so many.
And we posted one like a collaborative posting on
(06:07):
Instagram. Yeah.
And it was like a sex joke or whatever.
And then immediately everyone just like some guys in the
comments just being absolutely gross.
Yeah. And I had to respond from
backstage account. Goes like you guys the fucking
worst. Yeah, yeah.
It's like I I got like a, you know, and I get them quite
often. And I think because I've just
put up a few reels from India and stuff.
And then like, yeah, a lot of people, like, I mean, like I say
(06:29):
this to Indians, but Indians love a comment section.
Oh yeah. And it's just so crazy, like,
you know, but they drive the engagement.
So shout out to you guys for. Sure.
So what you're saying is like, please keep like, yeah, saying
whatever, it doesn't matter. Good.
Bad. It's just like, so I, I posted a
reel like I think probably, it was probably probably a couple
of months ago now, but it was like basically like my aunt
(06:50):
passed away and my boyfriend who's Indian, yeah, was like,
oh, I'm so sorry she expired. All right, hilarious.
Yeah, hilarious. Like.
But then it's like when they sayI shifted.
Yeah. Exactly.
And you're like, like to me as someone who like, I would like,
I've never, I know it's proper English, but I've never heard
anyone say that about someone who's passed away, right.
(07:10):
And so I just put out a reel andI think it's like 9 million
views now. Like like like thousands of
comments just being. Like offended that you're making
fun of the. World, they're like, white girl
doesn't even know her own language, right?
It's to expire from Latin. And I was like, yeah, I know
that, but we just don't say it to like people.
But that's a kind of good engagement, right?
It's not like it's saying you'renot funny, right?
(07:32):
They're not saying like, oh, women are, whatever.
Yeah. They're like saying, hey,
logically or grammatically, right?
Yeah. You want to encourage this kind
of engagement, right? And I think that's it.
It's like now. And that's why a lot of these
people who rage bait, like online, it just drives
engagement like the end of the day.
Like, comedian Sashi Pereira in in Melbourne is huge now, right?
Mostly from her her comments section.
(07:53):
Yeah. And it's just like, I mean,
she's chilled out now. But for years, she would engage
with every single one of them. Not just that, she'd post a
screenshot of every single interaction in her comments.
And I'm like, you cannot be mentally sane after this.
And then finally, she's like, chilled out.
But like, for a while I was like, Oh my God, how are you
doing this? It's a great way to get started.
(08:13):
Like I, I have a friend who's also a comic, quite new, like 2
years in and exactly the same like, just like answers every,
yeah, screenshots, like DM messages, like this kind of
stuff. And like, and I'm just like, I'm
tired. Like I see some of these comics
just constantly online and I'm like, guys, like I like, yeah,
it's it can't be healthy. No, no, there's no way.
(08:34):
It's. Healthy.
No, not at all. So.
But I want to go back a bit to story party, because that
obviously was kind of a phenomenon like I was I was
working in the industry for a while, yeah, when it kind of
blew up and I didn't know you guys at all, right?
But I knew the show, yes, because it.
Was so funny show in in Shanghai.
Yes, yes, with Andy. So like that was before, but I
don't think you were there at that time or?
(08:54):
No, but in general, what I'm saying is that I think the show
was bigger than both of you. Yeah, yeah.
Right, the show itself was was the show.
Definitely both of us, yeah. It was like people would come
back because it was like the both of us in the show.
And I think now, like, I don't know how well the show kind of
does now, but it was like, it was definitely a moment.
It was definitely something likeno one else was doing that at
(09:15):
that time. And like we were touring all
these. And now post COVID, like
everyone, I, I see people doing all these shows.
And I was like, you know, I feellike a bit of a veteran.
And I was like, yeah, like I didthis back in 2017, right.
Right. Yeah.
These places in the like the Baltics and whatever.
And it's, yeah, it was, it was an amazing experience.
What was? Yeah.
What was the concept? How did it come about?
And yeah. So basically like back, I think
(09:37):
it was probably 2014 or 2015, like Ruckman was living in San
Francisco and he had started it with Emily Van Dyke.
They were kind of doing like a similar kind of show in terms of
it was kind of taking The Moth, which I don't know if you know,
yes, yeah, yeah. Storytelling show, but then also
making it more fun because the Moth can be quite serious.
Yeah, I've seen, I've seen a live show in Melbourne and I'm
(10:00):
like, this is too sad. Yeah.
And it's. Like, it's all people like
storytelling, but like, it's alllike, depressing and like, yeah,
yeah. So they wanted to make it like
super. Like how I beat cancer, death
and the war. Yeah.
As a disabled person with like, yeah.
I can back and God is not real. I was.
Like how many boxes just tick boxes, like, you know, we're
just sobbing in the audience. Yes.
(10:21):
So it was like, wanted to make it really like a storytelling
show. And then I met Rachman in 2016,
I believe in Adelaide Fringe. We sort of spoke a little bit.
And then randomly he came up on my Bumble like when I was like 6
months later when I just moved to Berlin.
Yeah. And and so he, yeah, he and I
like not romantically. We just, I was like, oh, dude,
(10:42):
you're in Berlin. So I messaged him and I was
like, let's like, you know, hangout.
And at that point he was like doing a lot of stuff and like
vlogging and whatever. And then so we, we sort of just
came together and we started sort of touring end of 2016
together doing a lot of videos. And then we sort of came and
went from it because I at that point I was still hosting a lot
of like burlesque shows and stuff around Europe.
And then yeah, 2017 we just sortof like really kind of had that
(11:06):
nomadic, both of us had this nomadic spirit and we wanted to
basically all I wanted to do when I was young was just two of
the world and comedy and. Every young comedian's dream,
basically. Yeah, right.
And so I was just kind of like, I was like, what?
Oh, Yaris. Yeah, I know.
I'm just worried about the chords.
No, it's okay. And so, yeah.
And basically like 2017, we started touring.
(11:29):
We did start like kind of put story party together and and
then yeah, basically like started January 2018.
We were just basically doing shows all around the world, like
and so we sort of, I was only supposed to be on it for the
first couple of months and then we just sort of worked so well
as a team because I'd taken years, I've been self producing
since I was 19, right? And then he hadn't really
(11:52):
produced a show like he was verygood at like like he worked in
Silicon Valley. So he was very good at like meta
ads. And the tech side?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we just came together
and we were just such a great team.
And then it just became so fun. Like we were.
Yeah, just touring, like non-stop and testing whether
these shows good work and doing shows like, yeah, doing English
comedy shows in places that probably hadn't even heard of
(12:13):
comedy yet. And, you know, these scenes,
these local scenes that we'd go to were just so small.
Like even Japan, Like we when wewere playing there, like we did
a show in Nagoya, which was like, I just remember it was
like this tiny little bar run bylike this German guy who'd been
living in Japan for like, you know, 25 years or something.
And, you know, just. And like Japanese girls in the
(12:35):
front row just being just there,didn't speak English, but just
there because like, I think theywanted to see like, you know, us
in person or something. Yeah, so crazy.
And yeah. So it was just like an amazing
kind of like partnership. And then it just kept going.
And then obviously COVID, we were still touring and in
between the lockdowns and and then after that, I sort of had
built my own following online and was like, OK, let's just try
(12:57):
and go solo and and do that. And yeah, so it's set me up a
lot for everything. But you know this, touring and
travelling is like it's hard to let go.
Yeah, of course you. Know when you when you love it
so much. Tell me about some of the
obscure places or some of like yeah, the the.
Weird reactions, yeah, I think. Well, I was telling you, like
when we went to Cairo, like I, Yeah.
(13:19):
Hey, care is not that obscure. No, I mean.
It's one of the. Most.
Famous capitals in the world. Yeah, so obscure, no, I mean
more for comedy like that. Yes, yeah, you're right, yes.
And doing that, but like, yeah, I think there was a lot of
learning curves in that. We did Beirut in Lebanon and we
also did we were supposed to do Jordan, but they cancelled the
(13:41):
ministry cancelled our show likebefore we were supposed to do
it. And it's this is such a great
thing trying to do a podcast while no, but I'm sure like
she's gonna like we. Are both getting our ad please?
Flaring up with like the dog. And I feel like I'm doing a
show. I'm like, I've got to like,
maintain like what's happening in the room and like, yeah, but
most obscure plays. Or like reactions.
(14:03):
I suppose you were not expectingwhether it's like, because
obviously story party also explained to the audience what
the the concept. Of show so the concept of the
show was basically we would tellour dating stories and you know
this is in an age where like I think now dating apps are
probably dying, but right this is like really the height of
like Tinder, bumble, Hinge. So we would tell our dating
stories and then we would get the audience to either write
(14:24):
down a dating story quite succinctly and we would read
them out in the second-half of the show or then we would get
people to come up on stage and tell a story right.
So when I and then I started thepodcast off the back of that
where we would actually just play some of the the live
stories. In the show.
Oh, that's cool. So I did all of that 2019, which
was great, 'cause we like went everywhere and, and sometimes in
(14:45):
places where you would never assume someone would get up on
stage and tell a story. Yeah.
Like which countries? I think like like places in
particularly in Asia as well, like Singapore, you never really
kind of assumed that like peoplewould get up and tell a story,
particularly like local Singapore.
Yeah, yeah. Malaysia or just like kind of
places that you wouldn't expect?So there's any more
conservative? Yeah, like not so American or
(15:05):
like even in, in, in Europe as well, like kind of more like the
kind of Nordics or even Dutch people.
But then you would just get like, they would just get into
it and then they would get up onstage and tell these like wild
stories, which is a very American concept, of course, in
that way. But I don't know obscure I.
Want to go back to Cairo? What was that?
What was that experience like? That was like obviously my first
(15:27):
time to Egypt. And like we, I think we were
there for like two or three days.
Like it wasn't even that long. Like we just come from Sri Lanka
and then like landed in Cairo. And I think when I landed, I, I
was like, oh, I don't know, likemany Egyptian comedians, right.
And then I started looking up like, you know, the, the like
comedy and stuff. And then there's like kind of
(15:47):
laws came out about like debauchery laws where you can't
talk about sex public. And then I'd read stories about
people who had, you know, gone to jail and, like, people have
disappeared. And I was like, oh, no, like,
And we did a show at the IT was like the university.
I can't remember the name of it now is.
It. The American University, The
AOC, it. Might have been yeah.
I'll find it later for. You.
I think it might be. It wasn't in Tahrir Square like
(16:10):
it. Was in the main central.
Area. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It would be the AOC, the American University.
Yeah, yeah, they have. Their old campus is now like a
kind of a bit of a theater, right, that a lot of people can
rent out. And do stuff.
I don't think it was a theatre from memory, it felt.
Or was it Greek campus? Greek campus?
Yes, that's part of the AmericanUniversity.
So it was in like a kind of kindof, you know, university kind of
whole area like it. Wasn't.
(16:31):
Yeah. It's kind of actually like my
brother went to that university when it was still in that
campus. Oh, right.
And it was one of the most beautiful because the location
was so central. Yeah.
But it's also an old building. Yeah.
So it just has that kind of mystique to it.
Yeah, it was, I remember, just beautiful.
Like I loved Egypt and like, I really want to go back there.
But what was that? Was that action like?
Was the crowd mostly. No, a lot of Egyptians.
(16:52):
And like, it was crazy because, like, you know, I'd read all
this stuff online about how you can't talk about sex in public.
Yeah, you're like, we don't havea show.
I was. Like how am I going to get
around this? Because I think at that point I
had a, that was the, when I was telling the French story about
like the guy eating my asshole, like and all this sort of stuff.
And I was like, how like you know, and obviously we did two
nights. So I thought because like
originally I would have been like, if we did one night, we
(17:13):
could just get away with it and then fuck off the next day and
you know, try and avoid it. But because we did 2 sold out
shows like over across 2 nights and I was terrified because I
was like oh like maybe they'll be.
You would report you from the first one, yeah.
And so on stage, I was like, sexual little intercourse.
But then once we started gettingthe stories from like,
Egyptians, it was like, I was like, oh, these guys are filthy.
(17:35):
Yeah, the same in the same happened in Casablanca.
Was the show there? And I was like, I was so
worried. I was like, oh, like, you know,
like there's a very Muslim country, like, and like some of
the stories we heard in Casablanca as well as like,
these guys are disgusting. Like, and I knew that also from
Malaysia, like I sort of had. Well it's all like the the the
kind of the closed off societieswhen they have the most fucked
up shit. Exactly like whereas, you know,
(17:58):
like the the kind of the most boring stories we ever got were
like New Zealand and I will likewhere.
Everything is allowed. And you're like, this is not,
Yeah, yeah. Because there is, there is
obviously something exciting about something that's not
allowed, right? It's just human nature.
Well, I mean, I don't like, yeah, I think they're still
conservative like the British aswell, like northern England.
Like I sort of felt that in likethe northern England and like
(18:18):
New Zealand where they were justkind of a little bit more like
conservative in giving away stuff.
So. And but yeah, Egypt was like
crazy. I think I was there for like,
yeah, what, 3 days. And I just like I even my last
show addicted, I had this whole bit about buying tampons in
Egypt and like how like it wasn't possible and like I had
to go into this pharmacy like and I was dressed up in like a
full with my heels ready to go to the show.
(18:39):
Oh. Right.
Yeah. Full makeup and there's like old
Egyptian man behind the counter and I was like tampons like and
it was this whole story like brings me back like we go like
so far back into the store like and then he's like is.
He trying to show like trying tounderstand what you're trying to
get. I think eventually he got it.
I was like, you know, like tampons, but they didn't have
tampons because it's her like her like not Haram, but like
(19:00):
they just don't use tampons in different countries.
And so I was like, and he takes me out like the like so far back
into like the pharmacy, like down a couple of stairs, right,
And then right to the very far back of the pharmacy, like where
there's boxes everywhere and like opens his cupboard door
like under and. Then there's like light comes
out. I was like this is.
Yeah, yeah, exactly. And like I made this joke where
he was like, like blowing off the dust and like it was just,
(19:22):
it was just massive pads like like kind of, you know, if you
like nappies basically. And it's.
For old people. Yeah, And I was just like, oh,
wow. Like it's crazy.
So that I met an American girl at the show and she was like,
I've got a bunch of tampons likeand so I met her on a.
Street corner. I smuggled them into the
country. Yeah.
Like the next day I met her on astreet corner.
She's like opened her bag. She's like what do you want?
Like light, regular, super heavy.
(19:43):
So funny. And then had to like put them in
my bag secretly. I was like, Oh my God.
So yeah, Egypt was but it was just interesting like that.
And I remember one of the vividly, one of the stories I
got we got from from Egypt was someone said, I like my women
fully covered, but with a clip piercing fuck.
And. Was like how would you know?
(20:05):
Do you have one of those like BBP?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're.
Kind of going like. The metal detectors.
Yeah, right. And so like, I just remember
that just being I was like, oh, OK, yeah, we're fine.
We're gonna get arrested. Like, that's definitely a
different experience. Yeah, I can imagine.
And you now live in Europe. You're about to move or you did
just move between Berlin and London, right?
(20:26):
Yes, but you were originally from Australia.
I am. So let's go back to like, kind
of like a bit of a boring background story because it's
your first time here. We have a lot of, like,
recurring guests, like whenever they're coming back.
Yeah. So next time you're back, we'll
be talking about something more specific.
They're like, yeah, we know her back story exactly.
Family history. Like yeah.
Yeah, so let's go a little bit back.
Where did you grow up in Australia?
So I grew up just outside of Melbourne SE like like kind of
(20:49):
near a town called Geelong, so. Yeah, I've been to Geelong, it's
pretty cool, yeah. Yeah, I mean, that's why.
It's very like, kind of like a movie, like you know, when you
go to like a small town, you watch it like there's like a
Ferris wheel and one kind of main Rd.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 1 Westfield.
It felt very cute. It's.
Very cute. I mean, I grew up like.
I made a very sorry. When I was there, I there was
(21:10):
like one of those like touristy,kind of like a tram thing.
Not tram, the touristy like little train.
Yeah, yeah. And it was just by the Ferris
wheel and there was like an ice cream thing.
It was also just like. Old timey.
Old timey, But the train was full of Indian tourists.
Yeah. So I just passed by and I had to
just play like in my head and I'm like.
(21:32):
But then I set it to like, and my girlfriend at the time was
with me. Yeah, And I just played it in my
head, but I didn't know I was also playing it like out loud
and just like, you could not fucking do it.
But it's like the funniest thingto me.
It's just the people of Indian. Yeah, it's either Indian or
Chinese, honestly. Like they're like, they're the
biggest tourists in Australia. But yes, OK, so you grew up
outside Geelong? Yeah, outside of Geelong on the
(21:54):
like the Surf Coast, So Torquay,it's like basically where like
basically RIP Curl was started. It's a very surf kind of town.
So I grew up on a farm behind there.
So that was like where I grew up.
So I was like a farm girl through and through growing up.
And then, yeah, as soon as I waslike 19, I studied musical
theatre at Nida. So I went to Nida, which is like
the kind of best acting school in Australia.
It's like where Cate Blanchett and these kind of people went
(22:16):
nice and so very hard to get into.
So I studied there and then basically like 19, I started
doing my own kind of like cabaret performances.
So that's your first kind of like brush up with performance
in general? Performance in general.
I mean, I was doing dance and singing since I was a young kid
and I was very into musical theater.
So that's why I like wanted to study that.
(22:39):
But yeah, I'd been doing like new schools, like throughout
high school, like one or two a year, so.
You're always kind of like an artistic, like, yeah, just like.
Just I mean, I was just like that, like my brother is a super
nerd and like I'm just the complete opposite to my brother.
And so people always like they meet both of us.
They're like, how are you 2 related?
Right? It's very like black and white,
(23:00):
right? And him.
Is he actually black? Because that would.
Be really fun yeah, he is not like he's probably he's like the
whitest and white, but he yeah, he's like a doctor of
aeronautical engineering, like research that.
Is not even. Yeah, like.
Like, he literally wakes up and reads physics daily.
Like, that's my wow. And I wake up and go on TikTok,
you know? So there's like, yeah, there's
(23:21):
like very different people. Yeah.
So, yeah. So I kind of like, I just loved
performing. And that's always been who I was
as a kid. And I just never really felt
like there was anything else I was destined to do in life.
Like, you know, even in the lastfew years, I have these moments
of like, like. What could have been?
Yeah. Or like, oh, maybe I'll just
give it all up and go and get a job.
(23:44):
And then I was like, I don't know what job I would get.
Yeah, you know, like I actually like, I don't know what I'm
qualified for. Right, because even your study,
your field of study is still performance, right, so.
So I did musical theatre and then I sort of went travelling.
I did a few like I was doing a lot of like self produced
cabaret shows across like Melbourne and Sydney and, and
(24:04):
was organizing tours within Australia for me and my shows.
And then I went back and I, yeah.
And then that I think it was like 2021, I got my first ever
tour, international tour with Disney.
So I was doing, I was a Disney Princess.
Oh. Nice.
OK, We have one of the local comics here, Carol, who is about
to start in Disney. Oh, wow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's pretty cool.
(24:25):
Like doing do you know a character role?
She doesn't know yet. Actually, I think you kind of
rotate them or she's not very sure.
Yeah, yeah. So they're very, they're so
strict like so I got this one which was just a tour of
Indonesia. So I think Disney Indonesia is
not as. Disney and Indonesia.
So they're licensed. For.
Disney has their own licenses, so.
And honestly, I feel like this tour, had we have done it, yeah,
(24:47):
anywhere else, I don't think that it would have gone ahead.
Because I did once go for a Disney audition for like, Hong
Kong and this kind of stuff, like, And they literally like,
are this far away from your face.
They're like studying your face and like being like, no, like,
really? Am I a Disney Princess?
Yeah, yeah. That's like, was crushed like a
young girl's soul as well. Imagine that's like, yeah, you
(25:09):
grew up being like, I'm a Princess and you point at your
face at like, nose too long. Yeah.
Sorry, no, like legit like that's what they say.
They're like eyes not wide enough like this jaw not jaw.
And you're like, man, like you have to.
Be That is brutal. Yeah, it's like very Nazi ish,
let's put it that way. And, and so I went to, yeah, so
I did this tour in Indonesia andthat was like, I did shows in
(25:29):
Medan and Surabaya and had rehearsals in Jakarta.
And it was for a few weeks. And I just loved it.
I was like, it was the first time I went to Singapore.
It was 2010, I think it was. And I was just like, wow, like
this is this is the life I want to lead.
Yeah, I want the life. Of a performer touring the
world. Touring the world and just.
Adoring fans, all of that. Stuff.
I mean, the adoring fans at thatpoint were like, you know, small
(25:50):
Indonesian kids who were just gorgeous, by the way.
Like, it was so cute. But like one of the shows we did
was in like the, the big mall shows like in Singapore and
India, like they have so much money for these mall shows,
right? And I remember like we went into
this mall and it was like, like the backdrop every, it was
decked out. But they had VIP like, you know,
like next level, next level. And then like for the poor
(26:12):
people at the back. And like I saw this one kid like
run from like the far back to like the front of the stage
'cause they want to be close to like of course and like a
security guard just. Tackled them.
Tackled this kid and like, brought them back to like the
poor section. Yeah.
And it was just, Yeah, So but that was, yeah, that kind of
kick started for me. And then I, I went back to
university after that to study aBachelor of Film and TV
(26:33):
production and. What did you actually want to
do? Like, I know, like, obviously
you're saying like you got a taste of like the live
performance, but what did you dream ideally of, dude, Yeah.
Did you want to be an actor? Did you want to like?
I mean, as a kid, I just wanted to be in musical theatre.
Like that was it. I just wanted to say like even I
studied opera as well. So I was like anything classical
musical theatre. And then of course, classical
(26:54):
musical theatre kind of went away because everything was like
pop singing and which is not really my Forte.
And so, yeah, that was always mydream.
And then I went to, I went to nighter and they sort of they're
like these institutions, like these drama schools that just
bring you down. Like they pick you apart and you
actually come out with like a lot of mental issues and you
(27:14):
sort of go like, what am I like it's and they do this because
they want the weak to fall off and like, you know, the good
people to survive. But it's, it's trauma.
Like it's not or it's not nice. And so I think after that and
then I fell into cabaret and I was like, oh, I can get paid for
saying what I want to say and doing what I want to do.
And that sort of spoke to me. So then I think that that comedy
(27:35):
was always in the back of my mind.
I always wanted to like, I, you know, I grew up in Melbourne
with the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
Every year it was like watching this.
It was just so natural. And I think I always wanted to
do it, but I was always a bit scared.
And I was doing musical comedy before I sort of moved straight
into stand up and yeah. And so it's, I don't know.
(27:56):
And then I sort of finally got the the chance to do it, I felt
like. Yeah.
When was the the first time you did like stand up?
Stand up, stand up. Like, I mean, I always put a bit
of like musical. I'd always put a bit of musical
in my show at some point. But I think basically what the
first day I moved to Berlin. Wow, do you?
Know so you haven't done stand up at all in Australia.
I didn't do stand up, stand up. I did like I did a musical
(28:17):
comedy show that I toured in Australia and also went to like
Edinburgh with, but that was like kind of a musical parody
show. And yeah, stand up, stand up.
I and I'd watched it for so longthat, you know, going to
Adelaide, going to Melbourne, going to Edinburgh.
Yes, yes. And yeah, I landed in Berlin the
first day I moved to Berlin and I went and did a stand up set,
(28:38):
which I also had a song at the end of it.
But like the set just went so well and like, and you know,
like it was just one of these like great moments.
And I was like, OK, this is thisis where.
And then that's, you know, a fewweeks later I met up with
Rachman and then we just starteddoing like more and more like
because. Story Party is still like, it's
stand up, but it's storytelling.Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Which is my like, which has always been my, you know, like I
(29:00):
studied. That's kind of your comfort,
yeah. Yeah, like I studied screen
writing like when I did my bachelor's, like in film TV,
like I majored in screen writing.
So for me, like telling a story,and that's also cabaret as well.
In musical theatre, it's always like even through whatever
medium, it's storytelling. You need to invoke something.
And so for me, yeah, that was like it's comedy storytelling,
(29:21):
which is always that's my style and that's what I love.
I'm not like that joke per minute kind of person or
roasting or anything like that. I'm like this is I know who I am
and this is what my kind of Forte.
I mean, you built, you built an audience that way as well.
So people are turning up for foryour particular style.
Totally. And I think it also translates
probably a little bit better online as well because it's like
a full story. But I, I think I remember seeing
(29:44):
Joel Dommett at the Melbourne Comedy Festival probably about
10 years ago now and or bit more.
And he I watched his show and I think that show won comedy show
of the year or something that year.
But it was so good. It was literally just like this
story of like I think how him and his girlfriend got together
or how they broke up one of them.
But he just told this long story, but just kept going off
(30:05):
on like tangents, yeah, tangentsand telling these amazing jokes
and then coming back to the story.
And it was just weaved perfectly.
And I was like, oh, that's incredible.
Like I'm gonna do that. So that's always been my kind of
style in in comedy. But then obviously going to
Europe and having that, I think Europeans are more and the same
with the UK like and maybe a bitof Australia, but they're more
(30:27):
patient, yes, audiences and theyjust sit through a longer story
because I know there will be a payoff at the end where.
Yeah, I'm, I'm like, so not comfortable with that, either as
an audience or as a performer. Both.
Yeah. I'm like, I watch it.
I'm like, you know, I'm so wiredinto like I grew up watching
David Letterman and like Eddie Murphy.
Yeah. Which is like when you're
watching Eddie Murphy, that's your introduction to stand up.
(30:49):
Yes. And people are falling off their
chairs and it's just every few seconds.
And that's to me, like you cannot rewire that.
Like this is what stand up is exactly.
Obviously I can understand otherthings.
I'm like, yeah, that makes sensetoo.
But in my head, and even as a comic, I'm so impatient for the
laugh. It's like people who can sit in
silence, like make it like, you know, it's like 3 minutes and
(31:10):
then there'll be a payoff. I'm like, I would just be like,
fuck this. It's.
So hard. I get.
I get that, I respect. It as well, it's like, you know,
it's something that you're like,I can't really, you know, do
that. It's different.
It's yeah. And but sometimes I kind of go
like I'm on stage and I'm like, like, I know this bit.
Like I know this bit. The payoff is good.
And I like even I can feel like,oh, it's a bit quiet.
(31:30):
But then I also, I, you don't realize, like what kind of your
energy and your charisma that you bring to the stage, which is
something that as a comic, you don't realize until I like have
people after the show being like, Oh my God, like your
energy and like this. And that's also what draws
people in as well. So I've kind of just learned to
like just like roll with it in, in this kind of way.
(31:52):
But, and it's also interesting, like just playing with how you
write jokes. Like I think my last show
Addicted was very, it was like pretty much like Bang Bang bang
in the 1st 20 minutes of the show before it went into
storytelling. But then this last show was
being a little bit more kind of like fluid and stuff.
So it's like it changes as well,like with what you feel and how
you write and. One of my favorite stories about
(32:13):
this clash of styles is comedianAri Shaffir.
Yeah, yeah. Because he is.
He's an American comedian, and he is very much into that style
of American comedy, just like, you know, New York Comic, kind
of like bang, bang, bang. And he said like he would go to
the Edinburgh Fringe and he would just like hate the shows
there because it's that style oflike 7 minute stories with
(32:33):
payoff. And he was like and they're
like, but there is like an arc and there is like a something at
the end, there's a payoff and there's also like a callback and
whatever. And his thing is like, OK, I
will write a show that is with that like, you know,
overarching, like whatever, likea a through line and a beeline
and whatever. But I will do it the American
way when it's actually like punch, punch, punch as well.
(32:56):
It's not just actually funny. The other shows are also funny.
But it's like, it's like you don't have to sit through 7-8
minutes of silence. Yeah, true.
And he wrote Jew and it's, it's,it's on YouTube and it's a
great, great special. And he wrote it basically just
to spite the British comics and be like, no, you can also do
that and make a laugh for a minute.
(33:16):
And it's just one of my favoritestories.
I'm like, oh, that's pretty cool.
Well, then he also then started on Comedy Central.
He started the. Yeah, the storytelling show.
The storytelling show. Which then obviously got bought
out and he got fired from just got crazy.
Yeah, but no, just like the story of Jewel just and on its
own as like why he wrote it. And when you watch the show,
it's like it is that. Yeah, it's like there is there
(33:36):
is one theme. It's very clear theme, Yeah.
And there is a tangents in and out and stuff.
Yeah. But it's like, oh, but like, he
just littered it with, like, so many jokes, so many tags.
Yeah. And it's still like, it's like
that perfect combo kind of. Yeah.
And like, for me, like, I love that because I think, you know,
the history and art of storytelling has been around,
like, since humans began. Like that's how we informed
(33:58):
people of things or like, you know, morals or fairy tales.
Or Pharaohs as well, like you were.
I was literally today, this morning, listening to podcasts.
I was talking about, it was actually about humor and stuff.
Yeah. And it was talking about how the
Pharaohs, like they were making fun of their leaders, Like the,
the, the, you know, the ancient Egyptians.
Yeah, they're making fun of the leaders because they were,
they're switching the rat and the cat.
(34:19):
Basically, they're like making the God to be a rat instead of a
cat because the cat was worshipped.
So you're seeing, like, papyrus.Yeah.
And they're like, Oh yeah, they're clearly making fun of
the leaders even back. Then oh wow, there is like like
a roast of. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Roast. Yeah, yeah.
They're like afraid, but they'relike, you know, they just wanted
to like, you know, take the piss, basically.
But I think it's. So funny storytelling and
(34:40):
roasting and like all of this like is yeah, it's like, I mean
comedy that I think that's how we're able to kind of survive
when especially, you know, in the past or even history.
I mean even now, like, yeah, youknow, you use humor as a coping
mechanism. Like, and the people who come
from, you know, very war-torn countries or whatever.
Like I've always found they are the best audiences. 100%.
Like it just, you know, the shows I did in Lebanon, like in
(35:03):
Beirut, were like, they were just the best.
I was just in Cambodia. Yeah.
And it's like, you know, not particularly thriving.
Yeah. You know, but like the people
that the locals there, it's likenot just so appreciating of
like, foreign acts coming through, but they're like, as
you said, like, you know, life around them is not particularly
amazing. And it's like that outlet that,
you know, Yeah, way more than someone who grew up with This is
(35:28):
just another form of art that you can access any time.
Yeah. Yeah.
And it's also, I think on my travels, the biggest thing I
kind of discovered was that, andI don't know how to put this
without some of that, but countries that are probably
more, I'm gonna say like third world, like 'cause it's, you
know. Yeah, you could say less
developed, whatever. Less developed, like countries
(35:48):
were always the best audiences because I think what you value
in that situation is more like fun and like, you know,
especially like in a place like Lebanon OR these places that
having, you know, the constant threat of war or something like
that on them. They just have a different like,
mentality. It's just like, Oh yeah, like
this could be our last day. So that's.
Just I was going to say actually, you know what, having
(36:09):
come from that region, yeah, I will tell you what we are
thinking is that life is not that serious exactly.
And it's just, it doesn't really.
Yeah, you know, it's not as big as you think.
You know, it's just like, you'reright.
It can be all taken away from ustomorrow.
Exactly. And it's like, yeah, we just.
But The thing is, like for for the other developed countries,
(36:30):
that's also a fact, except that they don't realize it as much.
They don't really, there's a lotmore stress I find in like these
kind of like, you know, I grew up in Australia where it's like,
yeah, like people have this likething of like, oh, you, you're
so like larrikins and you're like, you're chilled out and
stuff like that. And I was like, to a degree,
yes. But I, and so the other, on the
flip side, I found like very wealthy countries were also
great audiences because they're fucking rich.
(36:51):
They don't care. Like they're like, Oh yeah, I
could. You can just sit back, relax.
It's like when you do a corporate gig for like ultra
rich people. Like we do that here and there's
a lot of ultra rich people here and you're 100% right.
Like you can do a gig for like rich lawyers who are just kind
of rich enough that you're like kind of Snooty.
But then I have done gigs for actual rich people and they're
(37:11):
so cool because they just don't give a fuck.
They don't give. A fuck because they just know
like they're so rich, like Switzerland when I do shows
there or even in like Norway or Sweden or whatever, like there's
just not that like they're like,yeah, we're rich.
We know who we are, that's fine.And the same like you know, with
say like Soho House, like if I do a show there like these, a
lot of them are, you know, depending on where which sort of
house you go to. But a lot of them are just like,
(37:32):
Oh yeah, like I've got rich parents.
They pay for my soccer house membership and you go there and
you just roast them and they love it.
They're just like, because no one has ever told them no, no
one has ever like given them like, you know, this kind of
experience. So it's on the flip side, you
can have that. Whereas I find this kind of
middle class kind of thing whereit's you're trying to prove or
you're trying to prove yourself in some kind of way like or
(37:54):
this, I just find they're like the most the ones that are like
a little bit more like impress me.
Yes, yeah, impress me. Like, you know, I spent my hard
earned $25 on this. So like, it impressed me, you
know, like. I have AI have a thing now.
A lot of people here are like wehave a local show house,
obviously, and I joined like notlong ago.
I I've, I've been working a lot there anyway, like bringing
(38:15):
shows and stuff like this, like producing, like outside shows,
whatever. So at some point it just made
sense that I'm there all the time.
I'm like, I'll just sign up, whatever.
So once I signed up and I was working there a lot, I actually
started realizing, especially during summer when everyone was
not here. Yeah, that most so House members
are not in like the you don't really see them there.
Yeah. And I wrote this joke about how
(38:36):
most House members, you see themoutside and, you know, they're
so House members because they will tell you, Yeah, which means
so House is just charging peoplefor a pyramid scheme of not even
using the thing. They're like, hey, you pay us
and you just get to tell people you're yeah, that's it, Look
what the. Fuck, it's 100%.
I used to be. I used to be a member as well,
like I, and then I just realizedlike I thought I would really
(38:58):
use it travelling and then I waslike there and then I opened.
You're paid to tell people, yeah.
But then I like, and then I started to grow like I started
to actually because I performed there a lot.
Like my friend runs the comedy shows in Berlin, so her house.
And so I'd go there a lot, whichI think is more fun when you're
just there, like hanging out. Yeah.
You have a friend who's a memberand you just Leech off there and
like a Netflix account, You're like, great, this is wonderful.
Yeah. And then I and then I was
(39:19):
actually a member and I was like, oh, this is shit.
Like I was. And then I was like, I don't
like these people. Like no, I think I don't know,
but I heard actually the Europe ones are better when it comes to
socializing. Like curating events and stuff
here is not that good. Like, you might hear this and
get pissed at me, but they really need to make more effort
to like, connect. Like make it, you know, like
make it easier for strangers to meet.
(39:40):
It's not a networking house. No, no, not at all.
That's the one. It's supposed to be for
creatives when it's like, oh we like minded people.
But creatives can afford a membership like for yes, yes,
but I mean, like you have to be a very established person to
have the money to pay for a social house.
But I yeah. And it's just like, it's not
about networking. It's literally and like everyone
just bring the same in Europe. They all bring their own
friends. They have their little clique
(40:02):
and there's nothing that really.And yeah, it's it's like they
have so much money for a budget to do stuff, but they end up
just throwing parties where people just get drunk and no one
actually talks to. Each other, yeah, yeah, push F&B
or whatever. Like the only event, like
recurring event where I would meet new people is actually run
club, which I absolutely love now.
Yeah, like I've been going everyweek and I, I like running
(40:23):
anyway. Yeah.
But in general it's like, oh, it's a really cool organic way.
But I'm like, why don't you do more, more of this kind of when
it's like it's organic for people.
Like I am not someone who does dating apps.
Literally never. Yeah.
Yeah. Like I downloaded it once during
COVID for like a couple of months, met someone.
Actually. It was really nice.
Yeah. But then after it didn't work
out, I just I'm like, I didn't even go back to it because I'm
like, I know how to talk to people.
(40:44):
It just put me in a normal organic and everybody I've dated
was like someone who's just like, you know, a normal get not
not that it's the other ways. I've no you know what I mean
Like but we organic. More organic, yeah, but I think
we're. Old school, whatever.
We're lucky in a situation wherewe are, we have a social job,
yes, like we and like the only time I've used dating apps in
the past is because I travel so much and I tour so much that I
(41:06):
find it difficult to like, you know, I'm never in a place long
enough or whatever. So then, but it is like now I
think it's such a flex, like I'mI don't my boyfriend in real
life. And now I feel like such a bitch
'cause I'm like, yeah, we met organic, organic, such a stuff.
Yeah, yeah. To be like, yeah, we didn't meet
on a dating app like you. No look, as someone who meets
people in real life, sometimes you can.
Also it might not work for a long time so I wish but I'm just
(41:31):
two bored and cynical now to start.
Totally. It's like when I tried it before
during COVID, I would just like,aside from the person I met,
like the other conversations I had, I would get bored so
quickly and just think stupid shit to entertain myself.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's like, oh, what do you
do? I'm like a dog groomer.
And then I just, I was just doing it as an improv fucking
class. So this is like it just become.
(41:52):
But to be fair, like run clubs now are the new dating apps like
this is what they're saying. They're saying like basically
like any. Not the ones I've gone with.
I mean, I honestly couldn't think of anything worse than
going like, you know, meeting someone through like a running
club. I'd be like but I guess I see
you at your worst. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
I think This is why no one no, no.
But it is genuinely a cool way, like, you know, to make new.
(42:12):
Friends to make new. Yeah, yeah, of course.
For sure, like fitness in any that kind of way is a good way
to meet people. But then gym itself is kind of
intimidating as well, Yeah. When it's like, you know, some
fuck I'm sure you've done. I've seen that like some bro
coming to fix your posture or whatever.
It's like, yeah. No, exactly.
And I think like I stopped doingkind of weight training, but now
I do Pilates. Sorry but like that's all just
women like so I never really. Meet Say you're a white woman
(42:35):
without saying I know. But you know the day because
like, you know, I, I was so bougie.
I was in Mumbai and I was like, everyone's like, oh, how could
you live in Mumbai? I was like, yeah, because it's
my life is exactly the same. I drink my matcha.
I do Pilates, like and do a comedy show, right?
That's my day. Like, there's nothing like I
could be in any place in the world.
And this would be like fine. One of my favorite jokes ever is
(42:58):
Bill Burr talking about, like, white women being the reason why
the whole world is fucked. Yeah.
And they're still complaining about everything.
Yeah. And he goes, what are you
complaining about? Like, it's just like, you don't
know what it's like to be me. It's like, no, I can imagine
it's slightly less awesome than my life.
Yeah, exactly. It's just like that line.
And it's so self aware, but it'salso true.
(43:20):
It's like, what do you complain?Like you show up to a place and
he's like, what happened, honey?Did he not chill your rose
enough? It's one of those, I think that
like, I think in India, like I saw all these girls, like Indian
girls doing the same thing. They're getting, you know,
they're matcha doing Pilates, like living exactly the same
life. And then I was like, why are we
calling it a white girl thing? Because I kept saying I'm like,
I'm being a white girl. Yeah, actually, like there's,
(43:41):
you know, there's people here inHong Kong.
I think it's the branding. Right.
It's the branding. And I was like, oh, but then I'm
like, do they, are they OK with being called a white girl, like
doing white girl things? Because it's like, it's quite
like, yeah, kind of racist or elitist.
I don't know, like it's just kind of weird.
And then. No, you can actually move to,
you know, Dubai, you can move toGhana, you can move Accra, you
(44:01):
can go, you live exactly the same lifestyle exactly if you're
in that expat bubble exactly andyou'll find that rich locals
doing exactly the same one. 100%like it's good marketing.
I think white girls have this great marketing.
I don't know how like how they how they.
Manage to do it between the two of us.
You are the white girl. You should tell me how did.
You guys, it's like, it's funny because I feel like I like I've
(44:21):
always done these white girl things that are now popular.
Yeah, like years later, like I've been drinking matcha for
like probably like 15 years, like I've been drinking.
I've been drinking it before it was.
Cool. And I take all these vitamins
which I've been taking for like 15 and now they're like popular.
When I went to LA recently, I went to Erawan, which is like
that social experiment supermarket where rich guys were
(44:43):
like, let's just see how much things like these rich people
will pay for, right, right, right.
You know, like they sell a strawberry, the Japanese
strawberry, for $20. Oh yeah, so we have that.
We have this here. Like, not, not the concept, but
like you can find like Dun Dun Donkey is like a crazy
supermarket, that place. Yes, so.
When you go there you can find like the cherries for like $700.
And stuff Yeah, like wild. And I just like this social
(45:04):
experiment of like how much Willand I was like this.
And but I literally went in there and I was like, Oh my God,
this is like crack. I was just like, I didn't want
to leave. My boyfriend is like, you OK.
And I was like, I fucking love this place.
Like I just like there's something about me like I think.
Is that how people feel when they go to church or something?
Like I just went into everyone and I was like, I'm home.
Yeah, yeah, it's wild. I don't know, But I was never
that white girl. I was always like, I mean, in
(45:24):
high school I was such a like a loser.
I was an emo kid. Like I was not part of like the
cool girl group maybe. A lot of a lot of us started
like the comics usually are the ones who are like, they're not
the popular. Kids, not at all.
So there was this like I think Iheard this saying recently that
said like you always like want to be who you weren't in high
school. And like I wasn't like a blonde.
(45:45):
I was born brunette and I remember always looking at these
like surfy girls with the blondehair and like this.
And I was like, like, you alwayshave that.
And I'm now I'm like, Oh my God,is that true?
Like have I just become not thatI they were quite bitchy.
I'm not that person, but like, you sort of want to emulate or
look like that person that you wouldn't just never, which is
probably why a lot of, you know,men or something like who had
quite nerdy in high school want to be like that cool guy.
(46:07):
And yeah, there's always that kind of, you know, I want to
look a bit different or change myself to be a better version of
myself. So yeah.
Do you go do, do you do any likehigh school reunions?
No. No, I actually I have my 20th
1:00 next year. Which are you going?
No, I don't know. Like I probably not my SO, my
sister-in-law, my brother's wifeis.
We went to high school together and I set them up so.
(46:28):
But she was like vice school captain.
She's like, she still has a lot to do with the school.
So I just send her along. I'm like, you go and tell me.
Like, you know who's in jail, Who's like, who's had five kids?
Like, yeah, yeah. Who's gotten really big and.
All. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Although like sometimes I do a couple of shows in my hometown
and I have recently and I had I think a couple of years ago, I
had a a couple of girls come to my show and, and we used to kind
(46:50):
of be friends. And like after the show they
came up to me and they're like great show.
And I was like, yeah, thanks. And they're like, yeah, it's
from high school. And I was like, oh, and they
were so. And like, yeah, they were
completely changed physically and I didn't even, I couldn't
even recognize them. And I was like, oh, OK, so I, I
don't know. I feel like at school I would, I
wouldn't even remember half the people.
Like yes, I think it's just like, yeah, like, I don't know
(47:10):
who you are, like kind of stuff.So I mean, I kind of want to go,
but then I also like, I'm like, I like, I, I see the people from
high school that I need to see and that's it.
I don't know. To to wrap this up, I want to go
back to the beginning of the episode about story party.
And I if you remember, sorry to put you on the spot.
If you remember the worst or thecraziest story someone
(47:31):
submitted. Oh, what's the one that So we
had like Canada was the best, like they had the best dating
stories ever. And I remember we went to we
went to, yeah, I think there's afew from from Canada, but one of
them was like this this gay guy that like he had never, he was
(47:55):
obviously gay, but then like in high school, he was like, oh, I
need to like, you know, go and be with a woman.
Sure, sure. So he was like going down on
this girl. Like it was in the dark.
It was, you know, a high school party or whatever.
And he was like, oh, that tastesa bit weird, but like, you know,
like, fine, whatever. And then he like got up and then
obviously she started a period. So he had over his mouth.
(48:15):
That's fine, That's fine. Flash.
Like there must be as there mustbe a nickname to that.
Yeah, Dolmio green, we call it in Australia.
Dolmio is like a pasta sauce. Of course it's an Australian.
Yeah, so they're like, did you get the Dolmio grin?
Like it's so great. Yeah.
So then he gets so this is fine.Like yeah, he's like, okay, like
(48:38):
whatever. Like, you know, I'm pretty sure
I'm 100% gay now. Like whatever.
Yeah. And then the next day, he's like
friend calls and he's like, hey,you like made out with that that
girl last night. And he was like, yeah, yeah.
And he's like, oh, you might like, did you have sex or
whatever? He's like, oh, no, like, you
know, we kind of just fooled around.
And then his friend's like, OK, because she's in hospital with
meningitis. So you need to, if you were like
(48:59):
with her, you need to go into hospital right now and take like
and see a doctor because so he went to the hospital and they're
like, yeah, you could get meningitis.
So they gave him this like, massive pill.
I think she survived from meningitis.
But yeah, he had to go in to. Explain.
Explain to that. Meningitis, like meningococcal
is like basically like that blood disorder that like
inflames your brain and you die within 48 years of getting it
(49:21):
with it. So he was just like, Oh my God.
And then so he had to go in and take this pill that like
prevents you from getting the meningitis so your brain doesn't
swell. Where did she get it like?
It's just a thing that happened.It's like, yeah, I remember like
we had a few. We knew about it at school, like
someone, some friends of our family.
She got it. She survived.
But it's like deaf now and like,it's very, it's very bad, right?
(49:42):
And so yeah, basically like. He digs a massive.
He's like, OK, I think she endedup like not dying, thank God,
but like was OK. But like, yeah, basically he was
just like he finished the story and he's like, yeah, I'm like,
he's like, I'm so loud, I'm gay.Like something like this.
He was like, so that it was my first experience with the woman
and it was just one of those things that like the story just
getting worse, Right, Right. Oh my God.
Yeah, and damn, I did not see that coming.
(50:03):
That's. Crazy.
But we had a lot of like storiesfrom Canada where there was like
a, a woman in Winnipeg who if people know where Winnipeg is,
it's not like the safest place. And like she, yeah, she like
it's Canadians are so nice. Like they just stay with on
these dates with these guys who end up being like, like
fraudsters or like criminals or like, yeah, like very, very bad.
(50:23):
So yeah, a lot of stories like that, but gosh, yeah, I can't
remember like 100%, but I remember that one that stood out
in my mind. A lot of lost vibrators.
Had a girl in Perth that had a lost vibrator and had to go into
hospital and do all that kind ofstuff.
So just like there's a lot of those kind of things, but I
can't remember like the the worst one, I have to go back
over my memories and. Well, we will take a little
(50:45):
break and then we'll go into thePatreon where we can probably
find a couple of the the worst ones.
And I also want to talk to you in the Patreon about the comedy
scene in India because we had a couple of conversations about it
and I find it fascinating, especially for you as a white
comedian who is starting to do in Hindi.
Yeah, but we are trying to. Yeah.
But also you wanna, you are thinking maybe you can be based
(51:05):
out of there for a while as well.
So we'll talk a bit about that. Thanks so much for joining us.
Yeah, thanks for having me. I wish I we can plug the show,
but this is now in the past. Not just that we don't need you
to come. We like the show is very busy.
Elena did great. You got multiple standing
ovations. People did backflips.
It was crazy. So you missed it.
(51:26):
You missed one hell of a show. Next time she's in town, buy
tickets earlier. All right, thanks everybody.
Thank you so much for tuning in.Join us on the
patreonpatreon.com/over Pod $5 amonth.
You could support all the schoolstuff and we're bringing in more
acts. There is you know what, it's
getting too long. You can check the the links in
the show description and we willsee you on the Patreon.
(51:48):
Other than that, see you guys next week.
Thank you.
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