If you want to be funny, eat a banana
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If you want to be funny, eat a banana

The opening line of Daniel Connell’s bio reads: Daniel Connell could easily be described as the ideal Aussie comedian; affable, loveable and hilarious.
He was unable to prove he didn’t write this in the time we spent conversing. He did however laugh as he tried to explain it was a ‘friend’ that indeed scribbled that down after a gig and it stuck. Unable to ascertain the plausibility of these remarks, Daniel was able to maintain his stance that if it were up to him, it would simply read: Laid back, observational humour.
This is pretty much what you will get from Daniel in his new show ‘Bit of Shush’.
Growing up in country NSW, Daniel beats to a pretty slow drum. He doesn’t raise his voice too often, claiming he doesn’t know how to yell – even with an angry anecdote thus creating an entertaining and harmonious show. Thankfully, he moved to Melbourne to pursue comedy and remain calm.
Early on in his career Daniel was given some sound advice – it is a long process, it may take ten years. He kept this in mind when he questioned if he had made the right decision to pursue comedy about two years in.
Moving forward a decade now, Daniel has continued to work tirelessly on his unique comedic stylings and is looking forward to his eighth straight set at this year’s Melbourne Comedy Festival. So be mindful if you see him on the train. To the untrained eye it may appear he is simply reading the newspaper to find the funny side of daily events, yet to the trained eye, he also has his ears open, eyes wandering and mouth agape observing everyday life.
So for those aspiring comedians out there, Daniel’s advice would be exactly the same. Not having your mouth agape. Understanding it may take a good ten years. Daniel still feels he has a lot of work to do and in saying this, did not once suggest his advice was gospel.
Heckling often comes up in discussion with comedians. It really only occurs in the movies and on TV. Daniel did have one gig early on in his career where he joked about putting his virginity up for auction on eBay and he was offered two dollars and eighty cents. One avid fan yelled ‘take it’. He did not ‘take it’.
Each year Daniel works on a new show. Writing new material for about half a year. After hitting the local comedy clubs, he travels around the country to test out his observations visiting anything from small comedy clubs to capital cities.
Capturing the audiences imagination is hard enough for an average sized person. Fortunately, for Daniel Connell, his height is what he believes is the key to bringing in the horde of comedy fans. He understands that leads to walking around with a sore neck for several days after his performance from looking directly up at him for an hour, but his ability to draw people in with a satisfying story is surely worth compressing a nerve root in your spine, causing neck pain and neurological problems, because of his height.
Whilst the fans minds oscillate in comedic anticipation, Daniel will be backstage eating a banana. This is the real key to being funny. He does this before every gig. Think about that as you wait for him to stroll on stage.
This years show will be appreciated by anybody who has been pestered about marriage, kids and what to do with life. Although he is calm, he is getting grumpier with age. So don’t bring that up.
Daniel understands that Netflix offering Ricky Gervais and Jerry Seinfeld their own specials was thoroughly deserved. If they wanted to slide some of their earnings his way, he’d happily take it. So long as it is more than two dollars and eighty cents.
For those unable to make the effort to see this comedian, you’ll most likely find him at the Nando’s on Bourke Street eating a chicken wrap. Alternatively, you’ll find him eating at home. After the show, he catches the train and heads straight to sleep. The rock and roll comedian lives on.
When & Where: Daniel Connell: Bit of Shush – Melbourne Town Hall – Backstage Room from March 29 – April 22 as part of the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Written by Sam Young

Image by Nicole Reed