Australia's biggest comedy competition

RAW Comedy is Australia's biggest and most prestigious open mic comedy competition. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival has been producing it since 1996, and past RAW Comedy winners and finalists include Chris Lilley, Josh Thomas, Hannah Gadsby, Peter Helliar, Tom Ballard, Claire Hooper, Mike McLeish, Tim Minchin and Ronny Chieng. RAW Comedy runs nationally every year between January and April.

What is RAW Comedy?

  • RAW Comedy happens in every capital city in Australia and in some regional centres.
  • You enter your details and your preferred heat when registering online.
  • You perform a 5 minute spot of new, original comedy material at the heat.
  • Heats are compered by a professional comedian and are open to the public to attend.
  • The best acts from the heats progress to appropriate finals.
  • The best acts from the State Finals generally go onto the National Final.
  • The National Grand Final is held in the Melbourne Town Hall as a feature event of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and recorded for broadcast by ABC2.

Congratulations to all of the 2013 RAW Comedy finalists! In 3rd place was Andy Mathews, 2nd place Cameron Duggan and Demi Lardner took out the 2013 RAW Comedy title!

The ultimate RAW Comedy National Champion jets off to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the world's largest and most awesome annual comedy fun time to compete in So You Think You're Funny?