Tom Ballard wants to start a revolution

COMEDIAN, radio host, actor and TV show host, Tom Ballard has had a crack at it all, you can now add author to the list with the release of his book I, Millennial.

It is in his capacity as an author that he’ll be taking the stage with Abe Watson at next month’s Bendigo Writer’s Festival in a conversation called Rise and Revolt.

Ballard said his book is basically a big vent for him and his generation.

“It’s a big old winge from a young millennial,” he said. “I’m trying to explain to other young people how things got so bad for my generation.

“Why do young people find it almost impossible to buy a house and why does work suck and why are they saddled with student debt?

“Let’s not forget, why are there heaps of rich people with heaps of money and power, why is everything privatised and why is the planet on fire? But it’s also funny.”

So, what led Ballard down the path of adding author to his resume?

“A need for money! No, my manager very quickly, when the pandemic started to kick in, had a very good idea,” he said.

“He said ‘I think you are going to be locked inside for a while so let’s try and get you another job’.

“It just seemed to make sense. It’s a culmination of the kind of comedy I’ve been doing over the past couple of years.”

Ballard said he is looking forward to getting on stage at the Bendigo Writers Festival for his conversation with Watson.

“So obviously we will be kicking off the revolution and we’ll inspire everybody to riot in the street,” he said. “Na, I’m catching up with Abe Watson next week for a chat in preparation.

“But it will really be about laying out exactly, the guts of what the book is about and taking questions from the audience. Which is always fascinating, particularly if there are baby boomers there.

“I have a lot of jokes at Baby Boomers’ expense. That’s kind of the idea but hopefully by the end of the book people realise it’s not actually the baby boomer’s fault.”

All Ballard really wants is for people to come along and have fun with him making fun of the political landscape, that’s if he can be bothered anyway.

“Hopefully by the end of the book and chat we realise that we’re all getting screwed over by the political economic system of capitalism and we need to rise up and revolt,” he said.

“I guess anyway. Actually, sounds like a lot of work, so maybe I won’t worry about that, but it’ll be a fun chat anyway.”

You can catch Tom Ballard and his conversation Rise and Revolt at 1.30pm Sunday, 7 May at Trades Hall.

For more information on the festival visit bendigowritersfestival.com.au.