Comedy Fest Q&A - Rhys Mathewson

Comedy Fest Q&A - Rhys Mathewson

1. Tell us the name of your show:
Hombre Lobo. Although I'm typing these answers up on my iPhone, so      it might have come out has Jumbo Kobi.

2. Which came first - the show name or the content?
Can anyone ever really tell? It's one of those "what came first, the garden centre or the cafe inside a garden centre?" type things

3. C'mon be honest...
Half the content - show title- other half of the content.

4. Any other working titles for the show?
No, but I have a whole bunch of titles for next year's show. Current front runners are "Tsar Bomba" "Nouveau Rhys" and "Woot Hang Clam"

5. How long - honestly - have you been working on this?
It started forming in my head around a year ago, but it didn't start getting worked on until the last 6 months.
Why do you keep asking for my "honest" answer? I feel like you as an interviewer, do not trust me. I feel like there are some trust issues here.

6. What's been the biggest challenge of pulling this show together?
Flying back from the UK. Boy, are my arms tired.

7. Who is your biggest comedy rival - and why?
Guy Williams. I don't really want to go into it, you should get Guy to tell you what happened. Suffice to say he knows what he did.

8. Who's your biggest comedy friend - and why?
TJ McDonald is my best comedy friend. We have a connection that no other comedian could understand.

9. Which show is your must see?
Nick Gibb - 4am Thoughts. I think Nick is the funniest joke writer in the country at the moment. Plus he's going to be my sidekick for one of the Wellington late shows, and this plug will make up for that.


10. Give us your definition of a great night out during the festival?
Having Tanukis, having a nap, doing my show, watching someone else's show, then drinking from the late show through til 5am. Then McDonalds. Far too much McDonalds. Then do it all again.
I am a Phoenix.

11. What goes through your mind, the minute before the curtain goes up?
Don't eff it up.

12. What about when you are on stage?
Trying to exist in the emotions of the jokes, being aware of how the audience is feeling and thinking, analysing the reaction to previous jokes by applying everything I've learnt from every other gig, using that analysis to correct the delivery of upcoming jokes. See, it's not so easy as talking about willies and balls.
Though there is a lot of that.

13. how easily distracted are you?
Very. I can tangent like a mutha.

14. Give us your comedy dream line up:
Jarred Christmas, Pete Holmes, John Mulaney, TJ Miller, Louis ck, Kyle kinane, Greg Fleet, Felicity Ward,  Nick Helm, Stewart Lee, Bill Cosby, Ellen DeGeneres, Carey Marx, Phil Nichol, Flight of the Conchords, then Daniel Kitson headlining til the sun comes up.

15. Just finally, where will you be in 5 years time?
Hopefully everywhere, but that's just my messiah complex talking.