Alex Williamson on avoiding working a 9-5 job, Fat Pizza and being in bed by 8pm

Global comedy sensation Alex Williamson is taking his latest stand up show ‘So Wrong, It’s Wrong’ across Australia for a 13-date national tour after performing at the Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, New Zealand Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival and Perth Comedy Festival.
Labelled ‘crude, yet hilarious’ and ‘unfiltered, politically incorrect and downright naughty’, So Wrong, It’s Wrong has been summed up by the phrase ‘drugs, pedos and terrorists’ from the blurb on the MICF website. In saying that, you probably won’t want to bring your highly religious grandma to this one!
We chat to Alex ahead of his final few shows.
You’re most well-known for your hilarious YouTube content, was the goal always to be touring stand up and do you prefer the live element over creating videos?
The goal was just to avoid having to work a 9-5 job – I really struggle without bong and playstation and they’re not really the types of things you can just bring along to work.
Comedians are the new rockstars these days, are there any other comedians that inspired you to pursue a career in comedy? What comedians do you enjoy?
Certainly watched a lot of sit-coms growing up, American and British, both equally influential. From Vicar of Dibley to Frasier, I guess I had a broad taste. As for Australia, I remember Fat Pizza blowing my mind as a 14 year old flicking through SBS searching for soft-core Euro porn.
You’ve performed quite a bit overseas – how well does your Australian brand of comedy translate to foreign audiences? Do you adapt your approach at all, or do you give them the full dose of Aussie that you’re renowned for?
They do love Aussies over in UK and States but it’s really hard to tell if they’re laughing at you or with you, but who cares, so long as they’re laughing. I have to adapt a few words so jokes don’t get lost in translation. For example one of my punch lines was Shannon Noll, but believe it or not, they don’t know who he is in UK. I was thinking he was like, Taylor Swift level fame. Perhaps not?
You’ve been described by renowned writer and critic Kate Copstick as “The Future of Comedy” – what do you think separates your comedy from other comedians?
I guess there’s not much that separates me in that most comics are giving an honest, free thinking representation of themselves on stage, it just takes a different form depending on approach. I guess television is still awfully censored these days, so perhaps I offer a respite from that for various edgy bastards out there.
You’re ruling the stand-up scene, previously worked in Radio in LA and been in a film alongside Jim Jefferies and Greg Fleet – what is next for you Alex?
I’m getting into the gaming side of the internet world now. Mostly because I’m obsessed with games like Rainbow 6 Siege & Fortnite, but also because it is the biggest online market out there so might as well be the seedy older guy who tries to stay cool with the kids. Works at the train station when I smoke near kids ( I think?)
Thanks for your time Shooter, just lastly, any advice to Australians that aspire to be as loose as you?
I go to bed at 8pm most nights so it’s not hard to outdo me in the loose department, but I dunno, eat a whole pile of wet cement and I’ll be somewhat impressed.
Catch Alex at The Capital in Bendigo on June 22 and at Westside Theatre in Shepparton on June 23.
Photo by Matt Hofmann.