Tom Ballard takes pride in the fact that he can work a dick joke into almost any of the topics he covers in his stand-up show.
The comedian is returning to the Brisbane Comedy Festival this month with his new show “The World Keeps Happening”.
The new show covers a wider range of issues than his 2015 show “Taxis & Rainbows & Hatred” which featured material about homophobia and his candid experiences with “being a big ol’ gay in 2015,” Tom told QNews.
“This year I’ve widened the focus to look at the entire crazy world around us, and how everything’s in chaos, and no-one knows what the hell’s going on,” he said.
“Terrorism, racism, drugs, all of our politicians are millionaires, and the world’s probably going to explode at some point, and I think the most logical way to react is doing an hour of jokes about it.
“I have a great ability at being able to work in a dick joke into most serious issues.”
A keen follower of politics (and one-time Q&A host on the ABC panel show’s very special queer episode last year), Tom calls the upcoming marriage equality plebiscite “stupid and embarrassing”.
“The plebiscite is an absolute waste of money. We have politicians saying they’re not even going to listen to it, so it’s pointless,” he said.
“In the Prime Minister’s electorate of Wentworth the streets are paved with amyl, and sodomy is a past-time. 94% of Turnbull’s own electorate support [marriage equality].
“It will get passed and it will be the end of a very long and embarrassing chapter in Australian politics.”
Tom will once again be on the ground in Oxford Street for the 2016 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, to be broadcast on SBS on Sunday March 6.
“For the recording on Saturday night we’re literally in Taylor Square, surrounded by people yelling and going crazy, various versions of Beyonce blasting everywhere,” he said.
“It is extremely fun. I get to work with Magda Szubanski and other cool people and I’m really proud of the broadcasts we’ve done so far. Being part of it is an honour.
“We’ve got the mix of fun and serious stuff, telling the stories behind the floats and also having fun with it and trying to capture just how much fun Mardi Gras can be and also how important it is.”
See Tom’s new show at the Brisbane Comedy Festival from March 15 to March 20. Tickets are available from BrisComFest.com.
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