Lovingly facilitated by Allan Sko
Daniel Connell could easily be described as the ideal Aussie comedian; affable, loveable and, of course, hilarious. His observational, dry, often unanticipated comedy has seen him take to stages all over Australia. Daniel has also performed in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Scotland.
Driven to further his career in comedy, Daniel moved to Melbourne in 2010 and quickly established himself in the local scene. In 2011, he performed in The Comedy Zone at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF), a line-up of up and comers hand picked by the festival.
Since then, Daniel has performed a brand new hour of stand-up at ten consecutive Melbourne International Comedy Festivals. He has also taken each show to every major Australian festival.
So, it’s high time we caught up with the Canberra ex-pat and see what’s making him tick in 2023. Over to you, Mr C…
What got you into comedy?
I always liked to make people laugh when I was younger. Then, aged 17, I saw Jimeoin at the Batemans Bay RSL and that pretty much made up my mind.
Although it took me another eight years to build up the courage to have a crack.
How would you describe your comedy to the layman?
Observational, set up/punchline. I like to put a twist, and/or take the piss out of everyday things and myself. I also enjoy going down darker paths, and catching people off guard.
How would you describe your style of comedy to a TV Exec looking to sign you to your own series?
As above, but with a bigger smile and a tray full of home cooked muffins.
Who are some of your favourite comedians?
Emo Parsonson, Tom Gibson, Chris Ryan, Luke Heggie.
What’s one of the funniest/weirdest things that’s happened in your career?
The weirdest would be when I performed at the Deniliquin RSL 40th anniversary and, while I was on stage, there was a projector screen behind me rotating through images of all the people who’d died in the previous year.
What’s one of the proudest moments?
I would say doing my first Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala in 2017. It was always something I was keen to do when I first started out.
Hecklers… A help or a hindrance? Any favourite “come backs” for the lippy segment of the great unwashed?
Usually it’s fine, so long as the heckler eventually shuts up and lets you get on with it. The best heckle I ever got was in Wee Jasper. We were performing on the back of a truck and a man was throwing cow shit at us.
Danish word ‘hygge’ encapsulates a general feeling of warmth and content. What would create this for you?
A cup of tea on the lounge after a gig.
What yer doing to relax these days?
Currently watching Better Call Saul, and it is a ripper of a series (late to the party, I know).
Anything else you’d like to add?
On March 25th, get a babysitter, or dogsitter, or both. Head in the City for a nice meal, then at 6:45pm walk over to The Street Theatre for a laugh (tickets via the venue).
