Not afraid to speak her mind, Holly's comedy offers a unique perspective on her rollercoaster of life while giving the audience a chance to walk a mile in her shoes, one stiletto step at a time.
Hi Holly, thanks for taking the time to chat; we're super excited about seeing your new show, TransFat, at Fun Time Pony. This is your first time performing at the Canberra Comedy Festival; how does it feel to be stepping onto such a big stage?
I guess the first feeling that comes to mind is incredible. I have only been doing comedy for a bit over a year, so I am still very new to the scene, but I have put a hell of a lot of work into my comedy over that time, and I would like to think I have improved.
I set myself the goal to get a show at the Canberra Comedy Festival a year ago, and through doing countless sets here in Canberra, going to Sydney to perform and taking part in workshops to learn from some of the best in the business, it is really exciting to be able to bring my first festival show to my home town.
Your show is a collaboration with Chris Knight. How did the two of you come together and what can audiences expect from your dynamic?
I met Chris during SpringOut, Canberra's Pride Festival in 2023 when he was the headliner on the show I was doing. At the time, I had only done stand-up a handful of times. We chatted after the show, and he was really complimentary on my set and told me to look him up if I ever came to Sydney. So, Chris has been a huge help in getting my name into the minds of several room runners in Sydney, so getting to go up there and work different venues and queer events has been a thrill and learning experience.
Photo: Sydney Comedian Chris Knight
As for what people can expect, I don't want to give too much away, but between Chris and me, we give a broad and accurate perspective of everyday life as queer people from being a parent, in Chris' case, dating and commentary on toxic masculinity and heteronormative views throughout society. But all told in a funny way, of course. I like to take back power through my jokes against people – or groups — who have mistreated me since I came out and make commentary around TERFs or other such hate groups.
The show's title 'TransFat' is both cheeky and attention-grabbing. What's the story and idea behind the name?
The name of the show was a collaborative effort, but I give most of the credit to Chris. In the past, Chris' specials have had names that have been a little bit ambiguous, so he wanted to give a straight-to-the-point, what you see is what you get kind of name. So I am gender diverse, he's a bear, so together, we are TransFat.
Photo: Holly Hazlewood on stage!
As a trans comedian, do you feel comedy gives you a unique platform to explore and challenge perceptions of gender and identity?
Most definitely so. Comedy, along with art, has always had a huge ability to impact societal and political norms throughout the decades. Since I came out five years ago, through work and sometimes through comedy, I have been the first trans person some have heard from talking about what it's actually like to be transgender. I do not hear from the media or those who wish to demonise us.
Hopefully, you hear directly from me, not that I speak for all trans people. Of course, people can see we are not the enemy; we are not to be feared.
We are people just the same as everybody else, just trying to eke out a happy and fulfilling life and positively impact the world around us. And rather than preaching this, if I can make this truth go down easier for some people with a relatable punchline, then hopefully, they will walk away, not just from TransFat but all of my future gigs, entertained and educated.
Who are your biggest comedic influences, and how have they shaped your approach to stand-up?
There are comedians I admire and appreciate for what they do, their stagecraft or the types of material they present because often it is in the same ballpark as mine. However, there is nobody who has "shaped" my approach to stand-up. Female comedians such as Iliza Schlesinger and Taylor Tomlinson are people I enjoy seeing, but I am also a huge fan of Alok Vaid-Menon for their outlook on life and how they present queer material, which makes up the majority of my set at the moment.
Photo: Alok Vaid-Menon is an American writer, performance artist, and media personality. Vaid-Menon is gender non-conforming and transfeminine, and uses the singular they third person pronouns.
Oh yes, Alok Vaid-Menon is an amazing person. Readers should definitely check them out. So, stand-up can be an intimidating art form, especially for new voices. Have you faced any challenges?
When I tell people I do stand-up, they often say, "Oh, there's no way I could stand up there by myself; that's my worst nightmare." But for me, how I look at it, since I came out and became an incredibly visible trans person, I feel like I am on a stage every second of every day.
Every time I walk down the street or go to work, much less have a mic in my hand on stage. One of the biggest challenges I have faced in the last year writing all of the material for TransFat and other shows is trying to make queer experiences relatable to people who have never questioned their gender or sexuality and have never been excluded from parts of society because of it. The other hard part is understanding no joke is ever perfect the first time you do it, so there are times it will fall flat.
Comedy is so subjective as well; what can be hilarious to one person can make no sense to another, and they can be sitting next to each other in the same show and hear the same material presented the same way.
So, being okay with struggling or bombing is tough. I have bombed plenty of times before, and it will happen in the future, no doubt, but you have just got to go back and look at the joke objectively and break down what worked and what didn't and try to improve it.
Have you ever had an audience reaction that made you feel like your jokes were making a real impact?
Interestingly, I heard people almost make gasps or noises of shock when I outlined some of the mistreatment I have been subjected to since I came out. It's almost as if people have never heard of this, or maybe they have never heard it directly from a trans person. Perhaps they themselves have never experienced such things and can't wrap their heads around it. But this has resulted in me feeling sometimes pretty alone on stage despite being in a room full of people because it occurs to me that nobody in front of me can relate to what I am going through and have been through.
I have also had positive experiences where some people are hearing from trans people about their lives for the very first time, not just hearing the media narrative that is fed to them. Hopefully, through showing the humour and resilience I have had since I came out and thus losing family, friends and loved ones, people can get a new appreciation for what trans people often lose in order to gain happiness that is not possible to us in any other way.
After TransFat, what's next for you?
Hopefully, after a successful show at CCF, I would like to take TransFat around the country this year and next to the Sydney and Adelaide Fringe Festivals and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
I am also opening up my own monthly open mic night here in Canberra, so that will keep me busy. And I would like to link up with other queer comedians apart from Chris (Knight) to maybe collaborate with them for future shows.
Holly Hazlewood and Chris Knight : TransFat is showing at Fun Time Pony on 19 March 2005.
Unashamedly authentic, unapologetic, unmistakable and just unlike anybody you’ve met since…Sunday. Don't miss TransFat at this years Canberra Comedy Festival.
