SAMMY J

 

 

Sammy J is an Australian comedian, writer, composer, and broadcaster. He's played in Edinburgh, Montreal and London; had a sitcom on Netflix; is one half of the man/puppet comedy duo "Sammy J & Randy"; creates weekly satirical sketches for ABC TV and currently hosts the breakfast show on ABC Radio Melbourne.

 

After dropping out of his law degree, Sammy J won the Best Newcomer award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. His albums have received three ARIA nominations for Best Comedy Release, and he gained a national following with his satirical series “Playground Politics”. His solo show, "Hero Complex", won Best Comedy at the Melbourne Fringe Festival and was nominated for a Helpmann Award in 2017. His weekly satirical show "Sammy J" has aired since 2018 with millions of views online and a 2019 AACTA nomination for best comedy program. The Sammy J Snack Pack podcast launched in 2021, featuring highlights from his ABC radio show.

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Collaborating with Heath McIvor, "Sammy J & Randy" received the Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show at the 2010 Melbourne Comedy Festival. Their acclaimed live shows have taken them from the Sydney Opera House to London’s West End, and in 2015 they were handpicked by Neil Patrick Harris to appear in his Montreal Gala. Their musical sitcom, “Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane”, premiered on ABC TV in 2015 before launching in the USA & Netflix UK, and was nominated for three AACTA awards.

 

As a composer, Sammy J has written countless comedy songs for stage and screen, and scored the incidental music for “Ricketts Lane” and “Sammy J’s Playground Politics”.

 

Away from the comedy world, Sammy J’s MC skills have seen him host award shows, interview politicians, and inject much-needed humour into corporate events. He regularly runs workshops in schools, and his debut middle-grade novel, "The Long Class Goodnight", was released in 2018.

 

Sammy J is a proud Ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Oxfam, and has travelled to South Africa and PNG to witness their work firsthand.

 

Sammy J's biggest project remains unfinished. In 2008, he started “The 50 Year Show”, a comedy spectacular that will run every five years until 2058. The show continues in Melbourne in 2023.

 

 

REVIEWS

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'An endlessly creative talent.' Time Out, London

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'Sammy J is one of Australia’s most talented comedians, with his intelligent humour, musicianship and impeccable timing.' In Daily 

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"A beautiful show from an endlessly creative talent" - Time Out, London

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"Whiplash smart and laugh out loud funny, he is already a Fringe legend" - The Herald, Edinburgh

 

“Gleefully raucous, meticulously crazy, charmingly revolting, achingly funny” - Beat Magazine, Melbourne