Prison really is a laughing matter for this stand-up comedian

Andrew Hamilton used stand-up comedy to rehabilitate himself after a stint in jail, and hopes to be able to do the same for others.
An Anglo-Australian man smiles affably at the camera. He has short dark hair, stubble, and wears a white t-shirt. He is standing in front of a light yellow backdrop. Andrew Hamilton.

While serving time in a NSW prison after being convicted of commercially supplying psychedelic drugs, Andrew Hamilton had an epiphany.

With plenty of time on his hands in jail and the opportunity to reflect on how he might start his life over again once he was released, Hamilton says, ‘Weirdly, the number one answer in my head was “do stand-up”. And so that was my number one promise to myself when I got out.’

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's former National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts