Wil communicates

Comic all-rounder Wil Anderson remembers his last appearance in the Star Observer well; it was, after all, a most joyous time.

Incensed by government anti-gay policies, he and his equally straight Triple J radio co-host Adam Spencer decided to have a commitment ceremony on-air. It is an example, he says, of getting laughs from something that, in real life, drives him crazy.

Like when John Howard got re-elected, politically I was really disappointed by that, he says.

But comedically I kind of go, -˜Oh, well, that’s kind of good for me.’

I have this thing about gay marriage laws in my show, and so there was part of me that was like -˜that’s fantastic’ when civil unions were legalised in Canberra, and when it was overturned by the government I thought -˜that’s horrible’, but meantime the comedian in me was thinking, -˜Okay, that’s one more for the show.’

Wil Anderson returns to the Newtown gay heartland next week in his new show Wil Communication. But whether his audience is mostly gay or mostly not, his jokes are the same.

I do have a following in the gay community, he says. I can actually see it now, like I’ll do a show and there’ll be two guys holding hands in the front row. And yet I can play to a room full of miners in Kalgoorlie. Although those two areas don’t exclude each other.

Anderson is now more famous for his television work (on ABC’s The Glasshouse), his column in Sunday Magazine and, of course, his radio work as he is for his stand-up routines. But on stage he feels at home, he says.

The other things are what I do to promote my stand-up. And I always say if you think I’m funny on TV and in the magazine, then you’ll probably think I’m funny on stage.

He does have a warning, however.

I always say to people if you’re a massive John Howard fan or a massive Shannon Noll fan, you probably won’t enjoy my show. But I’d like to think you could be someone who votes Liberal and still come and laugh at the jokes.

Wil Anderson presents Wil Communication at @ Newtown, 52 Enmore Rd, Newtown, from Wednesday 26 July until Sunday 30 July. For bookings call 9550 3666 or visit the Ticketek website.