The Best Of The Billys

They’ve all been there, done that and got the (coveted) towel; and now they’re coming back for a celebrated evening highlighting the best talent New Zealand has offered to the rest of the world. It’s The Best Of The Billys.

Debuting during the 2009 programme, The Best Of The Billys brought together 13 recipients of the golden towel for a sell out show marking classic highlights and historical moments New Zealand comedy has produced.

Host Ben Hurley is not only the winner of the towel but also a coveted boot (the Fred Award), and not content with being a big name in the UK comedy scene, has gone on to become a familiar face through his appearances on TV3’s hit satirical-news show 7 Days.

Dai Henwood needs no introduction. But just in case, the tiny-but-mighty funny man was a breakthrough performer in Pulp Comedy, then going on to helm cult television series Insert Video Here and Roll The Dai/Roll The Dai Outback. Last year saw Henwood release his first stand up DVD/CD, Dai Another Day, which has recently gone gold, and is regarded by some as the “Clown Prince of NZ Comedy”.

Cori Gonzalez-Macuer’s unique style of comedy has seen him perform all over New Zealand, Europe and as far as the Middle East. Picking up 2006’s Billy T Award Cori went on to become a writer and presenter for one of C4’s successful show, Jono’s New Show, which earned him a 2008 Qantas Film and Television Award for “Best Entertainment Show”

Star of Off The Radar, Te Radar’s illustrious career in the local comedy scene has seen him not only pick up the celebrated golden towel, but a mainstay of classic television show Pulp Comedy for six seasons and a columnist for the NZ Herald – without any aversions to provoking comment or causing a little outrage.

Described as a “chauvinists’ nightmare and a thinking man’s wet dream”, Jan Maree went from stand-up comedian hoping to score free beer in 1994 to performing a wide range of live shows, which earned her the 2001 Billy T Award for “It’s In The Bag”. Combining true-life graphic to volatile social slaughter, Jan has been compared to Billy Conolly “if he had been born a Croatian woman.”

His wits are razor sharp from 4 years on the UK Pro Comedy circuit where he is now a regular headliner and host; Brendhan Lovegrove’s widespread appeal has seen him become a student favorite, managing to frighten and delight audiences with his manic presence and caustic, sometimes borderline misanthropic wit.

Last year’s triumphant return of Chris Brain (NZ), marked the light at the end of the tunnel and closure to the enduring time preceding the 2009 festival. Having picked up the 2009 Billy T Award, Brain is frequently cited as “the comedians’ comedian” and a favourite of angry men everywhere, casting his sharp eye over everything and taking no hostages with his barrage of comedic bullets.

Event listed by Bored_Housewife

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