Culture
Comedy
My ’70s reading list was a cry for self-help
Remember Lobsang Rampa? I wish I didn’t.
- by Richard Glover
Latest
Opinion
AI
Can AI tell better jokes than a human? You be the judge
Humour is an intrinsically human trait. But I fear the time when Alexa and Siri have better punchlines than we do.
- by Antoinette Lattouf
Fatboy Slim reminded us how invigorating old school raves can be
Our favourite shows from the weekend include electro pioneer Fatboy Slim, comedian Michael Hing, the Australian Ballet’s Jewels and Guts Dance’s Sydney debut.
- by Daniel Herborn, Michael Ruffles and Chantal Nguyen
The office works. I don’t get the appeal of working from home
Humans are social people. We’re not built for isolation.
- by Richard Glover
The drug dealer turned stand-up comic who’s now high on laughter
Drug dealer turned comedian Andrew Hamilton tours his MICF Best Newcomer-nominated show to the Sydney Comedy Festival.
- by Daniel Herborn
Old-fashioned comic alter ego is a dazzlingly original creation
Our wrap of the week’s best live shows - from dance to classical music to comedy, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Ballet and Troy Hawke.
- by Peter McCallum, Chantal Nguyen and Daniel Herborn
Opinion
Barry Humphries
Barry Humphries is a reminder that we should laugh the phrase ‘read the room’ out of existence
Read the room? Read a book. The history of worthwhile art was made by dogged individuals who followed the promptings of their own talents.
- by David Free
The Hong Kong comedian whose Australian shows are selling out a month in advance
Chan Lok Tim takes on everything from his don’t-talk-too-much upbringing to an (accidentally) cannabis-fuelled work Zoom.
- by Elizabeth Flux
Frequent fryers: Why I refuse to join the air fryer club
Once an appliance has been around for 20 years, maybe 30, I may be willing to consider its purchase.
- by Richard Glover
Opinion
Barry Humphries
I owe Barry. I won a Barry. And I was on the board when we voted to rename the Barry
Allow me now to attempt the impossible by defending both Barry Humphries and the festival in 800 words or less without being cancelled myself.
- by Sammy J
‘We have not cancelled Barry Humphries’: Comedy festival rules out renaming award
Director Susan Provan has defended the festival’s decision not to pay an official tribute to the late comedian, but insists he has not been “snubbed”.
- by Karl Quinn