Oh Hughesy, he’s just so relaxed! And at this point he can afford to be, he has worked hard to establish his brand. You know what you’re getting and those who rocked up at the Powerhouse Theatre got it, in that bogan drawl that has become so recognisable.
For an hour he ambled along from anecdotes about his children criticising him, Brazilian swimwear, his love of chips, hanging out with Lindsay Lohan and spousal fantasy murder/affairs. With such chilled delivery and momentum, the show changed subject matter and tone effortlessly. Occasionally old stories from previous specials showed up and felt natural to be there, like a friend remembering “that one time. . .”
A happily married father making a buck from comedy and even more bucks from comedy on TV, Hughesy is now comfortably mid-career and not so comfortably mid-life.
His manner so amusing and his voice so iconic it takes a while to realise that he is pretty much railing against the day-to-day frustrations and indignities of life. As any veteran comedian would note, “duh, that’s where the funny is?”
Hughesy sure finds the funny, the perfect blend of relatability, celebrity insider-ness and cheeky naughtiness without going too far. The stand-up comic fearlessly goes after late arrivals and asks questions searching for the humour in the moment.
It is true he avoids political rants, agendas or courts controversy but at the same time he offers his own opinions throughout and sees how far he can push it. He gets away with a lot, gets some things off his chest too and then repeatedly brings us all back together saying what a great crowd we are – almost like a mantra.
Hughesy didn’t shy away from the fact that right now it’s important to enjoy being able to come together and share a laugh. Something to savour in the days and weeks to come.
Only a few comedians can bring such a big diverse group of people like that together and make them laugh.
Thank you Hughesy.
