Hannah Gadsby to take permanent break from comedy
Ahead of what might be a final stint for one of Australia鈥檚 most beloved queer comics, Matthew Wade spoke with the inimitable Hannah Gadsby about why the country seems to be regressing when it comes to LGBTI equality.
Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby often eschews the idea of being a role model despite being a more than worthy candidate: she鈥檚 outspokenly gay, politically engaged, and unafraid to shine a light on issues affecting LGBTI people in the country.
Despite this, the label makes her feel uneasy.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a problematic term because if you鈥檙e a role model you can鈥檛 make mistakes which is a very human thing,鈥� she said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 danger in being a public figure, but of course visibility is important as well.鈥�
Gadsby is a three-time nominee for Best Comedy Performance at the Helpmann Awards and she also featured on fellow local comedian Josh Thomas鈥� hit television series Please Like Me.
Despite the precariousness that comes with being an open and visible figure in the community, the spotlight she helps to shine on hot button issues like marriage inequality in Australia shouldn鈥檛 be underestimated.
It鈥檚 an area Gadsby often cherry picks to speak about as a part of her stand-up show as she draws similarities between what鈥檚 taking place here and what previously transpired in her home state of Tasmania.
鈥淲hat I found interesting about the plebiscite was that I鈥檇 heard it all before in Tasmania in the nineties, and that鈥檚 when everyone was saying Tasmanians were being stupid and ignorant鈥� she said.
鈥淲hy haven鈥檛 you learned from us yet?
鈥淣ow we have the best human rights laws and I find Tasmania to be a far more inclusive place because we鈥檝e already had these discussions, and the same federal politicians were involved.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 just a few individuals that don鈥檛 want gay marriage, it鈥檚 the ones that say 鈥榣et鈥檚 stir the pot鈥� because there are votes in hatred.鈥�
For the show she鈥檚 slated to put on at this year鈥檚 Melbourne International Comedy Festival 鈥� Nanette 鈥� Gadsby didn鈥檛 have to look very far to source interesting material.
鈥淢y shows are always stuff I鈥檝e been thinking about the year prior, whatever鈥檚 going on in my little noggin,鈥� she said.
鈥淎nd I鈥檝e been thinking about the world, which is not great at the moment.
鈥淚鈥檝e got a fairly broad audience base so I feel like the position I鈥檝e found myself in is one where I鈥檝e been accessible and likeable in a public space, but I鈥檝e achieved that in an apologetic way. It鈥檚 time to say I鈥檓 not going to apologise.鈥�
Following her slew of Nanette shows, Gadsby plans to move back to Tasmania and take a potentially permanent break from comedy. As a parting gift, she intends to put on a show unlike anything she鈥檚 done before.
鈥淭his show will be my last 鈥� there鈥檚 no point looking at a comeback, because it鈥檚 not healthy,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think comedy is a healthy pursuit after a while.鈥�
For audiences heading along to see Gadsby in what may be her last hurrah in comedy, expect a bit of fury when it comes to the state of equality at the moment.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been an erosion of human rights, and as a queer person I鈥檝e seen a bit more homophobia creep back in,鈥� she said.
鈥淧eople are a bit more free to be derogative, and I think underpinning that is toxic masculinity 鈥� there are disempowered men who are angry now at anything that鈥檚 different and that includes LGBTI people.鈥�
When asked what sets her apart from her contemporaries in comedy, Gadsby鈥檚 answer was simple.
鈥淚 think I鈥檝e got something that most people don鈥檛 have 鈥� I鈥檓 just a bit of a nutbag I think,鈥� she said.
Hannah Gadsby will be performing her Nanette show up until April 23 at the Melbourne Town Hall. You can buy tickets at:
Hannah, we will miss you and hope you will re-consider later on. We have always loved your style of Comedy if only because you did not rely on foul language to get your laughs as so many second-rate comedians seem to do.