Hamilton finds laughter is the perfect medicine

ANDREW Hamilton has always been able to see the funny side of most things.

Ironically, it took a four-month stretch in two of Sydney’s maximum-security prisons on remand for the comedian to decide to put his sense of humour to clever use.

In the dark days and months following his incarceration for the supply of psychedelic drugs, Hamilton found a lifeline in laughter.

Now he’s high on stand-up comedy with his solo show, Jokes About the Time I Went To Prison, currently touring New Zealand before a round of dates across regional Australia, including at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute on Friday 11 July.

A candid Hamilton pulls no punches in recounting his transformation from prison inmate to stand-up comedian.

“I was a drug dealer selling psychedelics for over a decade. I think it was 15 years,” he said.

“I got pinched and went to remand prison and was in there in maximum security for four months.

“While I was in there, I had quite a bit of time to think about how I would restart my life and if I could do something, what would I do?

“The only thing I could think of was stand-up comedy.

“I think it had always been sitting there, but it wasn’t until I had this hard moment to reflect on my mistakes and what I would do differently if I could start again, that it became clear.

“I asked myself that question and I only had one answer. So, if that was the answer, it makes things pretty simple.

“When I was locked up in prison and there were funny moments – which is a pretty strange place to have a laugh – it would make me forget where I was.

“It’s pretty powerful, if laughter can make you forget being in a massively secured prison.

“That gave me the drive to get out of jail and pursue it. To share a laugh with people and entertain people and to make them forget about their own dramas for a while.”

Hamilton – who spent seven months under house arrest and served a two-and-a-half year corrections order following his prison stint that required permission for him to leave New South Wales and to undertake a range of activities – jokingly inferred he was fortunate to have corrections officers who were fans of his comedy.

“They were pretty chilled. I did invite a few of them along to a show – I’m not sure if any of them ever took me up on it,” he said.

“But I know they did like my online videos at the very least.

“There’s certainly plenty of content from my time in jail in the show.

“I’m pretty fortunate. I had a pretty good time in prison, as funny as that sounds.

“Guys treated me pretty well and thought it was pretty funny that I was in there for psychedelics and magic mushrooms.

“I was kind of the laughing stock in the prison yard, among guys who were murderers and in there for kidnaping and robbery and stuff like that.

“It was like a guy in here for mushrooms isn’t really one of us.

“There’s a lot of jokes about my time behind bars and me trying to readjust to life after it.

“I do try and end the show with a sincere part about why comedy is so important to me and why having a laugh is so valuable to people.

“I also try to use comedy as a way to demonstrate to people that not everyone who ends up in prison is evil and that there is a possibility of rehabilitation and redemption.

“I think there are a lot of people, who if they had the right support networks and opportunities, it would be a different story for them.”

Hamilton’s show has been a huge hit and led to his nomination for Best Newcomer at the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Having built up a great rapport with regional audiences, he is excited to be back on the road and bound for Ballarat.

“It’s my favourite thing to do, being on the road and doing stand-up,” Hamilton said.

“I love going to places I’ve never been before. Having anyone turn up to the show is pretty cool.

“I did a national tour in August last year and did a bunch of places. I found a lot of people in regional Australia, who come to shows, seem to know who I am, so I feel very fortunate.

“A lot of comedians will only do the capital cities, but if people are going to come, I’ll go anywhere.

“Hopefully they will turn up and we will have a great Friday night in Ballarat.”

Visit events.humanitix.com/andrew-hamilton-bmi for tickets.