Matt Elliott (writer): Difference between revisions
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'''Matt Elliott''' (born 1970) was one of [[New Zealand]]'s pioneering [[stand-up comedian||stand-up comedians]] and he is an author and biographer, |
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'''Matt Elliott''' (born 1970) was one of [[New Zealand]]'s pioneering stand-up comedians. He comes from [[Auckland]] and was educated at [[St Peter's College, Auckland|St Peter's College]]. He began performing professionally as a teenager in 1989 and went on to be the first Kiwi comedian working on the Melbourne circuit in the early 90s. Elliott is the author of the only history of New Zealand comedy ''Kiwi Jokers: The Rise and Rise of New Zealand Comedy'' (HarperCollins, 1997). |
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==Background== |
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Elliott comes from [[Auckland]] and was educated at [[St Peter's College, Auckland|St Peter's College]] where he won the senior prize in English in 1987. <ref>''St Peter's Magazine 1987'', p. 51. </ref> |
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==Early daysn== |
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In November 2009 HarperCollins released his biography, Billy T: the life and times of Billy T James. The first biography of the great Kiwi entertainer, it topped the best-seller list. |
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Elliott began performing professionally as a stand-up comedian as a nervous teenager in 1989 at a late night cabaret at the Station Hotel, [[Auckland]] in a show called "Lewd and the Ludicrous".<ref>Matt Elliott, ''Kiwi Jokers: The Rise and Rise of New Zealand Comedy'', Harper Collins, Auckland, 1997, p. 106.</ref> In 1991 he was runner up in a comedy quest at Auckland's Abby's Hotel.<ref>Elliott, p. 111.</ref> Elliott the became part of a comedy collective called ''[[Laughter Mafia]]'' which performed weekly and successfully at the same venue which, with the involvement of other comedians, became the comedy venue of Auckland in 1991 and 1992.<ref>Elliott, pp.. 113-115.</ref> Elliott was also involved in monthly shows by comedians called "Comedyfest" at "Kitty O'Brien's Irish Pub" and other venues in 1992 and 1993.<ref>Elliott, p. 118-130.</ref>After his stint in Melbourne (see below), Elliott participated in the 1994 Auckland [[Watershed Comedy Festival]] festival.<ref>Elliott, p. 205.</ref> |
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==Melbourne== |
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Elliott is known for his large collection of comedy audio and has played selections from it on National Radio and with Graeme Hill on Radio Live. His knowledge of local comedy history has also been used in programmes such as 'New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers' and 'Rocked the Nation 2: Top 100 Pop Culture Stories'. |
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In early 1993, Elliott moved to [[Melbourne]] because opportunites to perform where limited in Auckland. Abby's had wound down and Kitty O,Brien's only offered five or ten minutes in a monthly show. Elliott was one of the first Kiwi comedians to work on the Melbourne circuit in the early 1990s. |
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Elliott appreciated the professionalism and competition of the comedy scene in Melbourne and the friendliness of the audiences. He said: "sometimes the advertising for shows said that I was from New Zealand so I would start by saying 'I've just got to get something out of the way - [[New Zealand accent|fush and chups]]'. That would get a great reaction, then I would get on with the rest of my act". Elliott was able to perform every night at pub shows or one-off monthly shows. As 1993 went on, his style became based more on one-liners than the longer material he had been doing in New Zealand - there was less for him to remember and also less for the audience to "wade through". Having achieved his professional goals, Elliott returned to Auckland in1994.<ref>Elliott, pp. 155-156.</ref> |
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==Career-== |
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| ⚫ | from the 1990s, Elliott has had sold out shows at Comedy and Fringe festivals, worked in television and film, written and directed satirical revues, devised and taught a comedy writing course which spawned the 'Ministry of Chocolate Fisheries' sketch comedy radio show on PlainsFM. He produced and presented a weekly radio show dedicated to promoting comedy - old and new - on Wellington Access Radio for two years and authored the satirical news blog 'mattelliottsbreaking news'. His last stand-up comedy appearance was in 2007. In November 2009 HarperCollins released his biography, Billy T: the life and times of Billy T James. The first biography of the great Kiwi entertainer, it topped the best-seller list. Elliott is known for his large collection of comedy audio and has played selections from it on National Radio and with Graeme Hill on Radio Live. His knowledge of local comedy history has also been used in programmes such as 'New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers' and 'Rocked the Nation 2: Top 100 Pop Culture Stories'. |
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==Bibliography== |
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* Matt Elliott, ''Kiwi Jokers: The Rise and Rise of New Zealand Comedy'', Harper Collins, Auckland, 1997. |
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* Matt Elliott, ''Billy T: the life and times of Billy T James'', Harper Collins, Auckland, 2009. |
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Revision as of 23:33, 5 July 2010
Matt Elliott (born 1970) was one of New Zealand's pioneering |stand-up comedians and he is an author and biographer,
Background
Elliott comes from Auckland and was educated at St Peter's College where he won the senior prize in English in 1987. [1]
Early daysn
Elliott began performing professionally as a stand-up comedian as a nervous teenager in 1989 at a late night cabaret at the Station Hotel, Auckland in a show called "Lewd and the Ludicrous".[2] In 1991 he was runner up in a comedy quest at Auckland's Abby's Hotel.[3] Elliott the became part of a comedy collective called Laughter Mafia which performed weekly and successfully at the same venue which, with the involvement of other comedians, became the comedy venue of Auckland in 1991 and 1992.[4] Elliott was also involved in monthly shows by comedians called "Comedyfest" at "Kitty O'Brien's Irish Pub" and other venues in 1992 and 1993.[5]After his stint in Melbourne (see below), Elliott participated in the 1994 Auckland Watershed Comedy Festival festival.[6]
Melbourne
In early 1993, Elliott moved to Melbourne because opportunites to perform where limited in Auckland. Abby's had wound down and Kitty O,Brien's only offered five or ten minutes in a monthly show. Elliott was one of the first Kiwi comedians to work on the Melbourne circuit in the early 1990s. Elliott appreciated the professionalism and competition of the comedy scene in Melbourne and the friendliness of the audiences. He said: "sometimes the advertising for shows said that I was from New Zealand so I would start by saying 'I've just got to get something out of the way - fush and chups'. That would get a great reaction, then I would get on with the rest of my act". Elliott was able to perform every night at pub shows or one-off monthly shows. As 1993 went on, his style became based more on one-liners than the longer material he had been doing in New Zealand - there was less for him to remember and also less for the audience to "wade through". Having achieved his professional goals, Elliott returned to Auckland in1994.[7]
Career-
from the 1990s, Elliott has had sold out shows at Comedy and Fringe festivals, worked in television and film, written and directed satirical revues, devised and taught a comedy writing course which spawned the 'Ministry of Chocolate Fisheries' sketch comedy radio show on PlainsFM. He produced and presented a weekly radio show dedicated to promoting comedy - old and new - on Wellington Access Radio for two years and authored the satirical news blog 'mattelliottsbreaking news'. His last stand-up comedy appearance was in 2007. In November 2009 HarperCollins released his biography, Billy T: the life and times of Billy T James. The first biography of the great Kiwi entertainer, it topped the best-seller list. Elliott is known for his large collection of comedy audio and has played selections from it on National Radio and with Graeme Hill on Radio Live. His knowledge of local comedy history has also been used in programmes such as 'New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers' and 'Rocked the Nation 2: Top 100 Pop Culture Stories'.
Bibliography
- Matt Elliott, Kiwi Jokers: The Rise and Rise of New Zealand Comedy, Harper Collins, Auckland, 1997.
- Matt Elliott, Billy T: the life and times of Billy T James, Harper Collins, Auckland, 2009.
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