comedy

August 10, 2026, 2:44 pm

The comedian who laughed her way back to life

Chani Lisbon grew up in a strict Orthodox home, turned to alcohol at 15 and spent years in darkness. Now, approaching 19 years sober, the US-based comedian brought a message to Australia: there is hope, and it's okay to laugh again.

By Jessica Abelsohn

Mel Brooks arrives at the premiere of Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! Photo: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File

June 29, 2026, 11:21 am

A century of Mel Brooks

From a Brooklyn tenement to the peak of American comedy, Mel Brooks marks 100 years of laughs, chutzpah and an unstoppable Jewish sensibility.

By Jessica Abelsohn

April 7, 2026, 9:45 am

‘Our Hebrew Friend’ comes to Bondi

Melbourne comic David Rose is heading to Sydney with a show about identity and belonging, and the great-grandfather who might just have started it all.

By AJN STAFF

March 19, 2026, 2:46 pm

Jonny Pasvolsky bottles sunshine on stage

From McLeod’s Daughters to the comedy stage, Jonny Pasvolsky new show takes aim at the self-help industry, blending satire, stories and sharp humour into a clever comedy.

By AJN STAFF

March 6, 2026, 9:50 am

A defiant, funny and deeply Jewish novel

The Very Annoying Jew is a "stunning comic novel" that charges head-on into contemporary culture wars.

By Jessica Abelsohn

September 29, 2025, 2:28 pm

Chaos and comedy at Melbourne Fringe

‘It’s a mix of comedy, characters, puppets, and theatrical sleight-of-hand, all tied together with a sense of chaos and play’

By AJN STAFF

August 28, 2025, 10:02 am

How to be a self-loving Jew

Yohay Sponder is back on Australian shores, this time sharing how to be the best self-loving Jew you can possibly be. Jessica Abelsohn spoke to the Israeli comedian about his new show, how he got his start and why every Jew should own who they are.

By Jessica Abelsohn

August 13, 2025, 8:55 am

A tale of migration and identity

Sabra, which will feature at the Sydney Fringe Festival next month, presents a raw, poetic and unexpectedly humorous look at migration, identity and mother–daughter relationships.

By AJN STAFF

April 10, 2025, 8:42 am

Trusting in humour

Long before he was Olaf, Josh Gad was a Jewish boy growing up in Florida, trying to use humour to make his mother smile again. The entertainer has recently released a memoir, In Gad We Trust, sharing the stories that shaped who he is today.

By Jessica Abelsohn

Hannah Einbinder receives the HRC Visibility Award at the 2025 HRC Los Angeles Dinner. Photo: X

March 31, 2025, 12:53 pm

Elon Gold’s open letter to Hannah Einbinder

Elon Gold has written a scathing letter to actor Hannah Einbinder who used a recent award speech to condemn Israel’s ‘violence’ and call for the end of the war in Gaza.

By Jessica Abelsohn

March 14, 2025, 10:00 am

Social media star platforming Jewish comedy

Comedian Zach Margs is fostering connection by showcasing Judaism in a lighthearted and funny way, bringing joy and light to the world.

By Louisa Walters

March 13, 2025, 9:22 am

Melbourne International Comedy Festival returns

One of the best places to find your chuckles this March/April is at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which features a range of hilarious Jewish comedians.

By Sharyn Kolieb

Comedians Jeremy Moses and Emilie Biggar.

September 16, 2024, 9:54 am

A unique take on disability, multiculturalism and young grief

''I'm so excited to open up about my disability in new and creative ways. It's something I'm learning to embrace as a comedian and performer.'

By Sharyn Kolieb

August 1, 2024, 8:29 am

Pausing for Laughter

Is it Shabbat Shalom or good Shabbos? Chag sameach or good yom tov? Do you break the challah or slice it after hamotzi? Judaism is a tapestry of differences. And it’s these nuances that comedian Modi so beautifully, and hilariously, portrays. Ahead of his highly anticipated Australian shows, Modi shared his story with The AJN.

By Jessica Abelsohn

August 15, 2023, 7:16 am

Laughs but no clothes

The act, which lasted just under two minutes, elicited countless gasps and considerable applause from the panel of judges and the live audience.

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