Performer: Daniel Connell
Photograph by: Nicole Reed
Show: Mr Personality 1988
Venue: Gilded Balloon (Wee Room)
Promoter: Indie

Tell me about your Edinburgh show.

It’s an hour of my best stand-up with a story about something Elon Musk said weaved in. Joke topics include, public humiliation, friends with kids, spiders, my parents and shit gifts.

Tell me about your first gig.

It was in front of 300 drunk people at an Irish Pub in Canberra. It was a competition, I thought all entrants were first timers, but only I was a first timer. I don’t remember a great deal of what happened due to the nerves. I do remember getting a good laugh off my last joke and I was hooked.

Do you have any rituals before going on stage?

I like to eat a banana and make sure the mic is working.

During this Edinburgh run, do you plan to read reviews of your show?

Sure, I like to hear what people have to say good or bad.

How do you feel about reviewers generally?

I don’t mind reviewers, they contribute to ticket sales, I just hope in a positive way.

In April 2018, YouTube comedian, Markus Meechan (aka Count Dankula) was fined £800 for training his girlfriend’s pug dog to do a Nazi salute with its paw, in response to the phrase ‘Gas the Jews’. Do you believe Meechan committed a criminal offence, and why?  

This line of questioning just changed dramatically. I think the fans he may have lost and the online hate he would have got as a result of the video would be punishment enough. So, I don’t think it should be a criminal offence. I’m most worried about the pug in this story, how’s it doing?

Are there any subjects that are not suitable for comedy?

I think comedians should talk about whatever they want, but if they want to talk about touchy subjects then don’t get upset if it backfires.

Have you ever gone too far?

Only at an ‘all you can eat’ buffet.

Looking back over your time as a comedian, tell me about the best gig of your career.

The 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Gala, I was as nervous as I was at my first gig. 2000 odd people in a beautiful theatre, televised, a change room, catering! It had all the things you want as a comedian, something I won’t forget any time soon.