Melbourne Comedy Festival’s “Funny Finder” tool is throwing up some very questionable suggestions — so we’ve pulled together a list of actual trans and gender-diverse comedians to see instead.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival has launched an AI-powered search tool designed to help audiences navigate its sprawling program. But when one performer tried to use it to find trans comedians, the results were… unexpected.
Among them: Dave Hughes.
Which, to clarify, is not correct.
The Melbourne Comedy Festival’s AI “Funny Finder” suggests Dave Hughes in response to a search for trans comedians. Images: @zoehe.im via Instagram; Melbourne International Comedy FestivalThe moment, shared on Instagram by Melbourne-based comedian Zoe Heim, quickly landed somewhere between funny and frustrating. Not just because the AI made a mistake, but because of what the mistake points to.
What the AI is actually doing
According to the tool itself, its recommendations prioritise:
- Well-known, mainstream comedians
- Popular formats like stand-up and improv
- Featured or heavily marketed acts
- Shows with high visibility or audience traction
It also notes that it may overlook:
- Independent or underground performers
- Niche or experimental comedy
- Emerging or lesser-known acts
Which starts to explain the issue.
The Melbourne Comedy Festival’s AI outlines how its “Funny Finder” prioritises mainstream acts, popular genres, and heavily promoted shows. Images: @hugging_comedians via InstagramIf you’re searching for trans or gender-diverse comedians — many of whom sit outside the most heavily promoted tier of the festival — the tool simply isn’t built to surface them.
It’s not intentionally malicious, but it is limited
This isn’t just a story about a rogue AI. It’s a story about visibility.
The “Funny Finder” is designed to prioritise what’s already popular ie. bigger names, heavily marketed shows, and acts with strong audience traction. Which means if you’re searching for something more specific, you’re less likely to get a useful result.
And that’s where it becomes a problem.
Because for many audiences, tools like this aren’t only helpful, they’re how people decide what to see. If certain artists aren’t being surfaced, they’re effectively being left out of the discovery process altogether.
The shows are there. The tool just isn’t built to find them.
Which is how you end up asking for trans comedians… and get Dave Hughes.
No, Dave Hughes is not trans — but these comedians are
So, if the algorithm isn’t going to do it, we will.
Here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of trans and gender-diverse comedians performing at this year’s festival.
Scout Boxall — God’s Favourite
A Melbourne-based non-binary comedian and writer, Boxall blends sharp storytelling with surreal, offbeat humour. God’s Favourite plays with ego, identity and the quiet delusion required to believe you might actually be special.
Tricksy Collins — Assigned Magician at Birth
“Naarm’s favourite queer femme comedian puts on a magic show,”, Tricksy Collins delivers a high-camp mix of magic, comedy and gender play. The show leans into spectacle and silliness while poking at identity as performance.
Sam Nicoresti — Baby Doomer
A UK-based non-binary comedian known for their dry, existential style. Baby Doomer explores anxiety, online life and the strange task of building an identity in a collapsing world.
Courtney Maldo — Gender Drugs & Rock ‘N’ Roll
An Australian trans comedian and cabaret performer, Maldo brings high-energy chaos and sharp observational humour. The show dives into transition, nightlife and self-destruction, with plenty of bite underneath.
Chloe Black — Is a Lexicon Devil
A trans comedian and writer with a punk sensibility, Chloe Black mixes dark humour with cultural references and personal storytelling. Expect identity, subculture and a bit of chaos.
Sarah Keyworth — Roll To Me
A UK-based non-binary comedian and award-winning performer (Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo), Keyworth is known for warm, precise storytelling. Spend an hour with them as they joke and gently meander their way through an evening of playful crowd work.
Yoz Mensch — My Grandpa Doesn’t Follow Me On Instagram
A non-binary comedian and writer, Yoz Mensch’s work is playful and quietly incisive. The show explores family, heritage and generational disconnect through a very sharp lens.
Cassie Workman — You Are Here
An award-winning Australian trans comedian known for cerebral, philosophical comedy. You Are Here reflects on existence, identity and meaning in Workman’s signature thoughtful style.
Alexis Sakellaris — A Stan Is Born
A genderfluid musical comedian with a love of pop divas and pure camp, Alexis Sakellaris brings original songs, live keyboard and full stan energy to the stage. A Stan Is Born traces a coming-of-age from New York to rural Germany, where obsession with icons like Beyoncé and Mariah becomes both escape and identity. What unfolds is a queer, heartfelt hour about fandom, self-discovery and learning to turn that devotion inward.
Marnie Mills — HRT Girl Summer
A trans comedian stepping into herself later in life, Marnie Mills delivers a joyful, deeply personal origin story. HRT Girl Summer follows her transition at 42 — from quiet uncertainty to full, technicolour self-expression — navigating everything from makeup and fashion to hormones and dating. It’s warm, funny and full of firsts, capturing the messy, exhilarating process of becoming.
Where to actually look
If you’re trying to find specific voices — particularly those outside the mainstream — an AI algorithm might not be your best bet.
Instead, look to:
- Community-curated lists
- Artist recommendations
- Social media
- Independent coverage
And if we’ve missed someone (which we almost certainly have), get in touch. We’ll keep adding.
Because the shows are there, you just might have to look slightly beyond the “Funny Finder” to find them.
For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, and community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
