Type – Comedy Festival, Political Comedy
If you liked – Hannah Gadsby, Rhys Nicholson, Mark Humphries
In 2025 Tom Ballard decided he would like to take a break from comedy. He was going to wrap up his show, take care of himself, and prepare a show for 2026 at a relaxing pace. He then accidentally became a viral media scandal.
Be Funny Challenge (Impossible) revolves around how a photo from his previous set got him accused of antisemitism (ironically, as he calls out) by mainly right-wing media companies and figureheads. Utilising a punchy and rapid-fire delivery both verbally and a through brilliantly constructed PowerPoint presentation, we get down into the nitty gritty of what went wrong.
Ballard quickly set a playful tone, interacting with audience members, especially a mega fan with a standout laugh, and the Auslan interpreter who had to translate his own conversations with Ballard and finish a Nazi joke. We’re all in on his humour quickly, letting him establish an unserious and shocking atmosphere that leaves us in anticipation of what he’ll whip out next.
To be upfront, this wasn’t particularly my taste in comedy, but I’m also aware that a lot of the audience members around me had a great time, clapping and heckling whenever something tickled them.
My main gripe was that ironically despite Ballard calling out left-leaning Labour voters early on, I feel like this was a show for the hesitantly progressive. As a leftist, I’m well aware of the nuances of antisemitism, Zionism and the Free Palestine movement. I didn’t need it justified to me ten times over to make sure that he is indeed not antisemitic which I thought we had already established. It felt that despite discussing the need of understanding context to not vilify comedians and prove that he was progressive, he was adamantly making sure we walked away from the show not questioning his politics. It felt as though he didn’t trust us.
I am always glad to see creators and artists of any kind make their stance clear on the genocide, but due to the jarring delivery switch-up and a bit of both-sides-ing, it unfortunately left a strange aftertaste. Giving three stars, I am slightly fearful of ending up in his next PowerPoint presentation, but I can at least trust that it will be called-back to with appropriate flair.
See our other reviews from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in the link below
Tickets and Practical Info for Be Funny Challenge (Impossible) at MICF 🎟️
VENUE: Trades Hall – Common Room Bar, Carlton
SEASON: Plays until 19 April
DURATION: 60 mins
RATING: 15+
TICKETS: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/be-funny-challenge-impossible/
