Jesse Mulligan was studying law in Hamilton when his career in comedy kicked off at a stand-up comedy contest. The Project host talks in this Funny As interview about working in radio and television, plus other topics, including:
- How he "crashed and burned" at the 1995 University Comedy Competition, where Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie and Taika Waititi also performed
- Getting his break in radio on The Edge in Hamilton — "I learned the lesson that would help me throughout my career, which is that if you're funny, you'll be useful in most organisations"
- The difference between comedy audiences in Auckland and the capital — "Wellington was a more generous audience"
- Honing his comedy writing for Jono and Ben and 7 Days
This interview was recorded for 2019 TV series
Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy.
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