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Hero image for Funny Business - Funny As Interview

Funny Business - Funny As Interview

Funny As Interviews – 2019

In 1988 comedy group Funny Business managed the jump from stand-up to headlining their own hit TV show. This Funny As interview sees Dean Butler, Willy de Wit, Ian Harcourt and Peter Murphy covering many topics, including:

  • "Making it up" as they went along — "We really didn't know what we were doing"
  • How their routine involving an airbourne pet toaster once caused $3,500 worth of damage
  • Their first gig at Auckland's Windsor Castle turning into a bi-weekly run that lasted for two years 
  • TVNZ taking a "huge risk" in commissioning the first Funny Business TV series
  • Being "blown away" while performing at Canada's Just For Laughs comedy festival in 1990 
  • What the group's members are doing now, including Willy de Wit's recovery from a 2016 stroke 
This interview was recorded for 2019 TV series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy. All audiovisual content is copyright to Augusto, and may not be reproduced. Publication of Funny As extended interviews made possible with funding from the NZ Lotteries Grants Board.