Yes, Bogan Gate is a real place in regional Australia, and yes, that's where comedian Mitchell Coombs is from.
Of course, you most likely already knew that. Mitchell's explosion on to the comedy scene can be traced back to a humble yet hilarious video tour of the tiny village. Years later and a bunch of rants, viral videos and podcasts under his belt, Mitchell Coombs hits the stage.
Mitchell made his solo stand-up debut last year in 'Laugh Outta Lockdown'.
Now, for one night only, Mitchell will bring his cynicism to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, before taking to the stage at Sydney Comedy Festival for four shows, all unfiltered and totally off the record.
Who knows what will slip out?
Here, we chat to the comedian about his upcoming show 'Can Ya Stand It?!'.
You’re from Bogan Gate – which is a real place for those playing at home. Tell us a bit about this place.
It’s like, tiny. We have a pub, a post office and a primary school. That’s it. I used to think ‘I need to move to the city ASAP, I wanna be in the hustle and bustle’ but now I miss the quiet life! Honestly, go find the ‘Bogan Gate Tour’ video I made when I was 18 and that’ll tell you everything you need to know about the place. That was the first video I ever made which blew up online, so that’s kinda how I got where I am now.
What’s the most important thing you learned from your time living in Bogan Gate?
I’m not religious but the whole ‘Love Thy Neighbour’ thing is real. The town is mostly made up of farmers from around the area, which is where I grew up. The sense of community and having one another’s back is a big thing I’ve taken with me. And also the tenacity it takes to be a farmer. There’s so much sh.t outside of your control – your entire year’s income can be ruined by one hail storm or the drought. Yet everyone back home is oddly calm about it. I think that’s where my ‘it is what it is’ approach to literally everything comes from.
What will you be bringing audiences in ‘Can Ya Stand It?!’
Well I’ve been careful not to recycle material that I’ve already used in any of my videos or podcasts, so for people who already know me, it’s all fresh stuff. Also, I’ve kinda designed it for people like me with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) so it’s not just me standing there talking and expecting people maintain focus. There’s little surprises along the way that keep it moving. I wanted it to be like one of those shows where people think “sh.t, it’s been an hour already?! It feels like 15 minutes!”
It’s your debut stand-up show but you’ve had a bit of live stand-up experience already. What are you most looking forward to about hitting the stage this time around?
I did a small run of this show – 'Can Ya Stand It?!' – back in December. In a way I’m grateful a lot of people who bought tickets couldn’t come (thanks Omicron) because it gave me a chance to iron out the creases, so if you see the show now, it’s way less rusty. Aside from a bunch of open mic nights, I really don’t have loads of experience, so I was sh.tting myself the first time. But in the end I LOVED doing the show, so I’m really keen to bring back this new and improved version!
You’ve been giving your all to the internet for a few years now. What’s been the most rewarding thing about creating content for the masses?
It’s funny, a lot of people focus on views and numbers on the internet, but that’s not what I find most fulfilling. To me, getting four million views is not as rewarding as getting a message from a single mum in Brisbane saying “Your podcast made me smile today!” Audio content is where I feel most at home, but aside from that, I really love to focus on the WHO – who is listening, who is connecting? And how does it make them feel? It’s nice to know I bring a teeny bit of joy to someone’s day.
You’ve done podcasts and been across TikTok and Instagram. Is there an avenue you’ve not yet explored as a comedian/performer that you’d like to in the near future?
I’ve done a few TV bits and pieces as a roving reporter for Channel 10 in the past, but I’d love to do more TV stuff too. I don’t really have a five-year plan or anything like that (if I did, doing these shows sure as sh.t wasn’t on it, and here we are!) so I like to just walk through any doors that open and give it 100 per cent. We’ll see!
Describe ‘Can Ya Stand It?!’ with a song lyric of your choice.
As a Katy Perry fan I’d be mad to go past these lyrics from 'Daisies':
“They said I'm going no where, tried to count me out. Took those sticks and stones, showed 'em I could build a house. They tell me that I'm crazy, but I'll never let 'em change me. Till they cover me in daisies, daisies, daisies.”. . . And with that, I can’t wait to be back in a room with a bunch of fellow misfits!
Mitchell Coombs plays Comic's Lounge (Melbourne International Comedy Festival) 2 April and Factory Terminal (Sydney Comedy Festival) 28 April-1 May.
