Australian Story: Aug 24

Monday’s Australian Story features up-and-coming comedian, Corey White who won the Best Newcomer Award at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival for his unflinchingly funny account of growing up in a family house of horrors.

This episode is introduced by Tom Gleeson.

His performance wowed the crowds in Melbourne. As his prize, Corey is taking his autobiographical show to the world at the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Festival.

But, as Corey says: “The older I get, the more interested I become in the beginning, how it all started.”

So before he jets out he’s taking a quick road trip to the past.

Along with his sister, Rebecca, Corey revisits the landmarks of their childhood and they piece together their fragmented memories of visiting a mum in Boggo Road jail and of a violent dad who was “a jack of all trades criminal … the Leonardo da Vinci of shit blokes.”

“Mum would do drugs on a daily basis. Every day was scary and humiliating.”– Corey’s sister, Rebecca Gambrill

“We’d go in and out of foster care as Mum went in and out of jail. My dad was in and out of jail as well.”– Corey White, comedian

Together, Corey and Rebecca bring a dark family saga into the harsh light of day, to show how laughter has been their greatest remedy.

“Who would have thought a little kid from the slums of Cabbo ends up on the stage at Edinburgh, the world’s largest comedy festival, telling his story and getting laughs.”– Rebecca Gambrill, sister

“I think people want to laugh at the stuff people are too scared to talk about. If you can cast a light on that, that’s when the monkey brain loses itself to laughter.”– Corey White, comedian

“The great things about Corey’s act is it draws you in with the drama… you laugh the hardest when you’re sitting on the precipice emotionally.”– Tom Gleeson, comedian and writer

“It just shocked everybody with what an original voice it was. It was heartbreaking and hilarious all in the one action packed hour.”- Susan Provan, Melbourne International Comedy Festival

“He believed in himself, he had that hunger to pull himself out of that mess, he was pulling himself up with one hand and then the other hand doing a finger to all those people who pushed him down.” – Shayne Hunter, friend

8pm Monday on ABC.