COMEDY SEASONED RIGHT
Dave Hughes (Hughesy) is a well-seasoned veteran of stand-up comedy, a mainstay of Aussie TV and radio, and a comedian who knows how to serve up live laughs like he’s shouting drinks for mates at a bar. Hughesy talks with Rosie Wild about touring to the Red Centre with his new live show, Cooked.
What classic ingredients make up life's most ‘cooked’ moments?
I would say ... surprise, emotion, pain and laughter.
On a scale of underdone to totally roasted, how ‘cooked’ is this show?
Look, I think this show’s as close to fully roasted as I've ever done. I'm completely happy with the recipe, completely happy with the bake time, and, you know, I think it tastes really good.
How did you learn to turn self-deprecating honesty into comedy?
I learned very early. My first-ever stand-up gig went terribly. I was almost never going to do it again. But I went back to the same venue seven days later and talked about how bad I was a week ago, and I got laughs.
So, from very early on, I realised my failure was the actual success that I needed. Now every time something goes wrong in my life, it turns into material. I mean, I'm not wishing wrong things to come, but when they do, they're actually gold.
Family life makes up some of the material in your show. What are their thoughts on becoming comedy content?
Luckily, my wife accepts it. I was a well-established comedian when we met, so she knew what I did and how I operated when she signed up to it.
The kids had less choice in the matter. But you know what? The good thing about what I do is that they see me not taking life seriously and being able to laugh at myself. I think they're less stressed than they could be, because they see life is funny. Failing is funny. So just have a go.
You talk about a pretty bad injury in this show. When did you realise nearly dying would make great content?
I realised probably at the time it was happening. It was a live broadcast of a charity AFL match. I basically nearly died playing in a match that was raising money for men's health, so right away, the irony wasn’t lost on me.
What’s helped you master the game of comedy the most?
I would say remembering to forget my ego. My ego’s the thing that's caused all my suffering. I mean, I sound like I'm the Dalai Lama now, but it's true. My ego has caused all my suffering, and it's been ridiculous. The older I get, the less I worry, which is great. We're all dead before we know it. No one knows why we're here. No one actually knows where we are. The whole thing's bizarre and magical, so just relax, smile and enjoy the silly ride that is life.
What keeps you coming back to doing live shows?
Live shows aren't work. They’re actually joyful. Given the choice, if I had to do one thing, comedy-wise, for the rest of my life, and that was all I could do, I would choose stand-up comedy 10 times out of 10.
What do you hope people take with them from seeing Cooked?
I just hope people take away the fact that life is ridiculous. You actually make a choice between laughing and crying, and laughing is a much happier choice to make. So, come and see someone who decides to laugh at the silliness in his life. I’m loving doing this show, so I'm telling you, come along. You will not regret it.
Dave Hughes | Cooked
WHEN FRI 26 JUNE | 7PM
AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE
COST $45-54
INFO araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au
