The Pun

Hey, I Know That Guy: Justin Hamilton

By Tim Norton ⋅ May 25, 2006 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

You may know his voice from triple j, or you’ve seen him on ‘The Glass house’, but Justin Hamilton is a hard-working comedian, and it’s clearly more than a job to this talented man from South Australia.

From his early days in a duo act called the ‘Bunta Boys’ in Adelaide’s close-knit comedy world, Justin Hamilton has learned the ups and downs of the trade, eventually honing his skills to the self-sustaining position of full-time comic. It’s a luxury that Hamilton finds weird within the Australian scene; every UK comic he speaks to is amazed that Aussie comedians have to hold down a second job to pay the rent. Ours is not a large industry, and Hamilton is very happy that he has managed to make it pay without the need to take on roles that would take his focus away from being paid to be funny.

Without a doubt, Hamilton’s passion for comedy comes from the people around him. He is quick to reference the influences, peers and colleagues that are so important to him, for both social and working relationships. Wil Anderson, Tom Gleeson and Lehmo are just a few of the fellow comics he lists as integral to the development of his skills, and it is this community that drives his continued involvement in comedy as a whole. Incredibly generous to others in the industry, from young writers to up-and-coming comedians, Hamilton is keen to respect and foster the need for shared support in a struggling craft.

With his roots firmly placed in Adelaide, Hamilton started off on an ambitious project, directing the inaugural Adelaide Comedy Festival. The festival was a success on many levels, but Hamilton is not sure about its direction after many setbacks, including one comic who slept through a 6:15pm set. Whilst he can’t say what will happen to the festival in the future, it is clear that he is happy to settle in Melbourne for a while, with a few trips home to see Mum.

Leaving triple j behind for the permanent stand-up role seems to have cheered Hamilton’s spirits to biblical proportions. He now has his sights set on bigger and better things, including a children’s book and a truly inspiring idea for the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival that, if it works, will be groundbreaking. If not, we just might see the back of Hamilton as he scuttles off back to Adelaide for the last time, and that would definitely be a shame for the rest of us.