MEDIA RELEASE: 12 December 2016 For Immediate Release
Humorous Arts Trust
2016 Wellies Winners Announced
Humorous Arts Trust awards 2016’s best comics in Wellington
An awards ceremony on Sunday night officially confirmed who the funniest comics in Wellington City are. The Humorous
Arts Trust presented the Wellies Comedy Awards, at a gala awards night, showcasing the best and brightest of comedic
talent in the capital, with winners receiving a trophy made of a wellington gumboot.
The gala night is in its third year running but the gifting of the gumboot is an old tradition in the comedy community,
harking back at least a decade . Some of the past recipients have gone on to become household names such as Ben Hurley,
Steve Wrigley and Cori-Gonzales Mecuer.
The live comedy scene in Wellington is growing rapidly with a sought after standard of performance. Currently, local
comics are writing for TV shows in Auckland as well as opening for international performers. Wellington has provided the
first place winners for the National Raw Comedy Quest three years running. The Wellies awards celebrate all of this
regional excellence. They are peer voted by the local comedy community and acknowledge the best, brightest and funniest
talent operating in Wellington city.
The new generation of the Capital City’s best jokesters are:
Best Newcomer - Yohan De Rose
Nominees -Advait Kirkitar, Josh Davies, Ray O'Leary, Severin Gourley
Most Improved - Patch Lambert
Nominees - Ben MacGougan, Julz Burgisser, Ray O’Leary, Sera Devcich
Most Loved Offstager- Adam Wright
Nominees - Julz Burgisser, Sanjay Parbhu, Ray O'Leary, Vaughan King
Most Helpful Off-Stager - Vaughan King
Nominees -Brad Zimmerman, Hilaire Carmody, Joel Wood, Julz Burgisser
Best Show Concept - I Didn’t Write This (Brad Zimmerman & Ricky Threlfo)
Nominees - Blind Set (Capital Comedy), Fresh Bananas (VK’s Comedy Bar), Naked Girls Reading (HuGo Grrrl), Trump
(Alexander Sparrow)
Best Show - Dank (Joel Wood)
Nominees - Fresh Bananas (VK’s Comedy Bar), Mic Drop (Brad Zimmerman), The Medicine (Nik Bruce-Smith & Rob Harris), Trump (Alexander Sparrow)
Best Joke - Brad Zimmerman
Nominees - Ben MacGougan, Jerome Chandrahasen, Patch Lambert, Rob Harris
Best MC - Jerome Chandrahasen
Nominees - Adam Wright, Constance Craving, Neil Thornton, Nik Bruce-Smith
Breakout Performer - Alexander Sparrow
Nominees - Lucy Roche, Patch Lambert, Ray O’Leary, Sera Devcich
Best Comedian - Jerome Chandrahasen
Nominees - James Nokise, Li’i Alaimoana, Neil Thornton, Ray O’Leary