KEY POINTS:
Trying to make an audience laugh isn't for the faint-hearted. So what drives people to do it and what sort of future can they expect? We asked this year's four nominees for the Billy T Awards.
Mrs Peacock
(Jarrod Baker and Dave Smith)
Jarrod: "Most people know how good it feels to make just one person laugh - it turns out that making a whole lot of people laugh at once is even better. And once you've done it once, you want to do it again. I can see the ad campaign now: 'Where's that joke taking you?'
"I started out making people laugh without really meaning to. Of course, this was at high school and they were mostly laughing at me ...
"As for where I'd like it to take me - I'm hanging out for a solid-gold Hummer and my own private island. Failing that it would be good to at least not need a day job.
Dave: "I trained as an actor, but I enjoy the instant gratification of comedy. The audience lets you know when you suck and it's satisfying writing your own scripts. The world needs a laugh too - it's good to give back to society. Ha.
"When I was 12, I was listening to my uncle's Rodney Rude albums. The first time I did stand up proper was at Youth Drama School in 1994.
"Next year it's time for the comedian's big OE - Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I'm in a punk band too, so if the comedy doesn't work out ..."
* The Classic Studio, Queen St, Tues May 22 to Sat May 26, 9.45pm
Alex Hawley
"The attention. I don't want to lie, at least not straight away. I'm an attention whore so being onstage with a room full of people listening to my every word is pretty good for that.
"Standing in front of a packed theatre and knowing you're going to make them laugh with your next line is just an amazing feeling. There will always be good nights and bad, but the good nights are more good than the bad nights are bad ... and at last count there have been more good nights.
"I started going to Toastmasters at a previous job to try to overcome my ridiculous shyness at work. Pretty soon I found I was getting laughs almost every time I did a speech ... though not always intentionally.
"I want to be famous. I want to be harassed everywhere I go. I want to be a white, male Oprah. I want to have Tom Cruise jumping on couches.
"This isn't something we're supposed to be upfront about. I should go on about 'just doing it for the love of it' or seeing the smiles it puts on kids' faces, but that wouldn't be entirely honest. I'll know I've made it when there are a few hundred illegal clips of me up on YouTube. "
* The Classic Studio, 321 Queen St, Mon May 21 to Sat May 26, 6.45pm
Jamie Bowen
"I do comedy for the sheer fact that I can't find anything more enjoyable. Every time I get to go on stage is great, regardless of the outcome.
"Some people like to jump out of planes for a thrill but while I've never done it, I'd hazard a guess that the rush from free-falling towards your doom is the same one I get every time I nail a show - and it's far less likely I might die. Although, metaphorically, it is possible to die on stage.
"Most importantly, I get to have a laugh about my faults and our collective faults. Comedy provides us with a way to look at ourselves and others and say things you couldn't say in a normal environment. I mean, you couldn't be at a friend's cocktail party and talk about your biggest fears and insecurities with a complete stranger. Well, you could. Depends on how many cocktails you've had. Sometimes there's nothing more beautiful than two drunk people having a heartfelt cry.
"I think comedy is just something that I need to do for me. The fact other people like what I do is the icing and the cherry on top of my funny cake. I'd be a happy man if I can make it happen overseas as well as home."
* The Classic Studio 321 Queen St, Mon May 21 to Sat May 26, 8.15pm
Grant Lobban
"I was always involved in the drama club at school and uni. I was the cheeky kid at school who could often get away with things if I made the teachers laugh. I was always the one telling jokes at family get-togethers. 'Tell us a few yarns, Grant,' my uncle Ron would say. It was great to watch the grandparents laughing so hard they had tears running down their faces - it was an awesome feeling.
"I was inspired to do it when I first met Rhys Darby. I was in a very bad heavy-metal band at the time which was just me and two friends getting drunk and playing badly. Rhys suggested we write a song together and try it out at a blues bar open mic competition. It was a hit and we won. We went on to enjoy a successful three years as a duo doing more than 200 gigs together and two comedy festivals before we pursued solo careers.
"Where do I want comedy to take me? To make a good living. I'd like to get into a television skit show or series. I'd also like some serious roles. It would be a good change to have some serious lines that don't rely on a punchline at the end: 'I'm sorry to tell you Mrs Jones but your cat has passed away'."
* The Classic Studio, 321 Queen St, Sat May 5, 12, 19, 26, 11pm
