Perth-bred Joel Creasey is fast becoming one of Australia’s brightest comedians. Sophie Joske had a chat to everyone’s favourite acid tongued prince about his new show, ‘Rock God’.
How would you describe the show?
I would say to expect very awkward self deprecating stories about myself. I will basically make you feel a lot better as a human if you come to my show because you’ll leave thinking ‘Hey, at least I’m not Joel.’ I mean there’s a very sexy ending as you know, involving lycra so there’s that and also there’s plenty of stories about my mum, who people seem to care about more than me.
Where do you think your aspirations for being a rock god came from?
Well basically just trying to become a rock god, just constantly getting mistaken for other D-List celebrities hurts and I like to think I’m my own D-List celebrity. The title actually first came to me when an article called me a ‘comedy rock god’ and I was so flattered but I also found it quite funny because I’m really not, so I decided to title the show that. And if you saw my taste in music you’d see I’m the furthest thing from rock there possibly is.
What other celebrities do you get mistaken for?
I get mistaken for Wyatt Roy from the Liberal Party. It kills me. I think he’s my age- he’s like 23, liberal member for Queensland so that hurts. Or the lead singer of Sum 41. I don’t even think they’re making music any more. Or I just look like a really pretty Dakota Fanning. So all three, none of them are really particularly flattering. But you know, I’ll take it.
What do you think it takes to be a rock god?
I think it takes a lot of heavy eyeliner. As you know the story of the show is about that a rock god is not necessarily a rock star. So I think a Rock God is just someone who inspires you every day. And I tell some stories about those people in my shows. I talk a lot about my mum. I say some nasty stuff about my mum and the stuff she does when she’s drinking but at the end of the day she’s also one of the funniest people I know and so supportive so she’s totally one of my rock gods. I think a rock god is someone who just really knows who they are and is comfortable in their own skin.
Your show’s been getting rave reviews so far, how do you feel about bringing it to your hometown?
I’m stoked about the reviews. I can’t wait to bring it home to Perth, Perth’s my favourite! I haven’t been to Perth all year so I’ve missed it. And I’m playing at the Astor theatre, that beautiful huge theatre so that’ll be fun. And yeah I can’t wait. It’s always interesting seeing who comes to my shows in Perth because every thinks my show must be full of friends in Perth but I honestly do not get that many friends coming to my shows. Although it’s interesting to see the odd guy I went to school with might rock up.
Have you been happy with how the show’s been received so far?
Oh I’ve been super happy. Had great numbers and I’m about to take it overseas so I’m looking forward to doing that as well.
Where are you going overseas?
Well I’m going to do Just For Laughs, the Montreal Comedy Festival and that’s not the full show but then I’m taking the show to New York for New York Fringe Festival. So, performing ‘Rock God’ there and then after that I’m spending like a month in LA. That’ll be exciting.
Have you had any standout rock god experiences touring the show?
What has been a rock god experience… I was very excited Julia Morris came to my show one night, who is one of my rock gods. I didn’t know she was coming. She booked tickets so I was pretty excited to have her there that was very rock god. Also Chantelle and Steve from The Block came to my show. They’re friends of mine and I of course love them on the show. My boyfriend is from the States and since he obviously didn’t see The Block so when I got really excited about people called Chantelle and Steve coming to be show he thought it was such a strange concept. ‘Chantelle and Steve?’ ‘Oh they won a renovation show.’ It was a really weird moment.
We saw your DNA shoot in the office and everyone’s been wondering what your workout regime is?
I just have a gorgeous trainer. The best way to get in shape is to go through a really shitty breakup and hire a really hot trainer. And that’s kind of the combination so, yeah. My trainer Andy is totally one of my Rock Gods because you know it was a really crappy time for me and he was just like, you know, ‘Toughen up’. Literally! And I just started going to see him every day and I would pretty much go to him and just bitch and vent about everything and wouldn’t even realise that I’d been working out.
There’s a lot of motivating factors there.
Yeah, I know. The only thing that would get me out of bed in the morning was to go and look at my attractive trainer.
We’ve also heard some rumours that you might have a TV pilot coming up, can you shed some light on that?
Yes! I taped that yesterday, it’s all very secretive but I can say we filmed it yesterday and that it went very well and I got to spend the day with Ricki Lee so that was fun. Every gay man loves Ricki Lee! So I can confirm that she is a total, total babe! Total babe.
In the soundtrack of your life, what song would play during…
- Your first kiss?
I think it would be ‘Work It’ by Missy Elliott.
- Struttin’ down the street?
‘Don’t Cha’ by the Pussycat Dolls. Absolutely.
- In a breakup?
It was absolutely be ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen! One of my good friends Brendan McLean who’s an awesome musician and I were sort of going through crappy break ups at the same time and I remember we were sitting on my couch and I had my Bali copy of Frozen and it was terrible, terrible quality but we sat on my couch watching Frozen and I think we re-watched that ‘Let It Go’ scene like a million times! We were both in tears, it was tragic, eating KFC. It really just gets to you, a bit of Idina Menzel.
- Inspirational montage?
One of my workout songs is ‘Raining Diamonds’ by Ricki Lee. It’s very gay, let’s go with that.
- Fist pump moment?
That would be ‘Defying Gravity’ from wicked.
- Funeral?
I think it would be ‘I Touch Myself’ by The Divinyls. I do like just how completely inappropriate it is. I just think that would really freak out some family members.
You can catch ‘Rock God’ at the Astor Theatre on the 27th of June. Get tickets here.
Sophie Joske
Image: Ed Purnomo
