Rising comic’s leap into the big game
WHEN Rhys Nicholson got his break through Raw Comedy at age 19, he was not afraid to make his appreciation of penis a central theme of his act.
In an interview with the 17c起草社区 while in Brisbane for the Brisbane Comedy Festival, he said his act has evolved in the five years since his first one.
鈥淭here鈥檚 still plenty of filth in there,鈥� Nicholson said, musing on his new show, Eurgh.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to be a bit more arty this time.鈥�
The flyer for his show states: 鈥淟ook, I have no idea what I鈥檓 doing, but people seem to be liking it.鈥� However, when working out his shtick, Nicholson spoke with a different level of clarity.
鈥淲hen I first started, I made a pretty straight-forward decision to always be myself. I mean an amped up version of myself. I am definitely not a character,鈥� he said.
Receiving rave reviews as a 鈥渃onfessional comedian鈥�, Nicholson said that his jokes and stories were inspired from life experiences. In the past two years, he went through some big changes, such as shacking up with his partner and taking a huge career step.
The Sydney-based comedian鈥檚 latest tour marks a step into the unknown, as it is his first as a full-time comedian since quitting his job last year.
He admitted that while backing himself into the risky world of full-time professional comic, he was given a gentle nudge into his new life 鈥� by his old life.
鈥淚 had a bit of a crisis about it. It was exciting but it was also 鈥榳hat if this doesn鈥檛 work out?鈥欌�� he revealed.
While Nicholson鈥檚 comedy can be confronting, he had a dose of his own approach while toiling in his old job.
鈥淚 used to work in ticketing in the box office of (Sydney鈥檚) Enmore Theatre and I would sometimes be selling tickets for myself and it was at that point I thought I probably don鈥檛 want to do this any more,鈥� Nicholson said.
Regarding his latest show, critics have given him high fives but Nicholson was playful and teasing about what offers: 鈥淵ou will have to come and see the show. It has llamas, guard llamas and it鈥檚 even about instincts.鈥�
He later confessed that he still 鈥渕akes cock jokes鈥� to earn his living.
Nicholson was also adamant that Eurgh resisted a little life message at the end of the show, as he believed 鈥渕ost people just come in for a laugh鈥�.
At the same time, he said there was a conscious effort to move beyond 鈥渢elling dick jokes in rapid succession鈥�. That is not to say that he gets any less nervous delivering more developed jokes and stories in front of an audience and at the risk of hecklers.
But Nicholson promised his latst show was authentic.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 go up there and play some kind of character or anything like that,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he only thing that鈥檚 fake is the glasses.鈥�
INFO: Rhys Nicholson is currently touring Australia. Visit
聽There are a few seats left at his Brisbane show that finishes this weekend. Tickets available .
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