With a reputation as a gifted comedian, Jackie has won praise as a corporate MC, actor, vocalist, musician, voice-over artist and writer. She is also considered the original and best Julia Gillard impersonator.

Her talent has taken her all over Australia and the world, with appearances at the Edinburgh and Hollywood Fringe Festivals, and comedy clubs in San Francisco, New York, London, Malaysia and Singapore. She has appeared in hit American TV shows like Superstore, think The Office but in a shop, and Better Things, a comedy-drama about a single mum with no filter. Fans with kids at home might also recognise Jackie’s voice as the wise and worldly Australian rat in the Emmy nominated Netflix children’s animated series Trash Truck.

Jackie has also appeared on ABC’s Thank God It’s Friday, The Today Show, Good News Week, Spicks and Specks, The Playlist and Australia Versus. She was a cast member and writer on the award-winning Australian television series Full Frontal in the ’90s, and has appeared in all three series of the Comedy Channel’s Stand up Australia.

Critics have raved about Jackie’s performances over the years, with the Los Angeles Times describing her as an Australian comedian who “fires off smart one-liners at a breakneck pace”. As for her musical abilities, a review by Time Out in New York said Jackie played the guitar as well as any rock star and had the best vocal chops they have ever heard from a comic.

As well as being a talented musician, Jackie Loeb also has the unique ability to make people laugh, and sometimes cry apparently, while still being lovable.

In the lead-up to Jackie’s SpringOUT show at The Street during Canberra pride, we asked her a few quickies!

Jackie Loeb. Photo by Laura Johansen

Meet Jackie Loeb, Jackie Loeb : Not your average comedian!

FUSE: You have performed standup all over the world, how do you adapt your material for different cultural audiences?

JACKIE: I have performed in countries where it was required that I sign a government contract stipulating that I would not make references to drugs or sex. So, my priority when adapting my material for an overseas audience is to make sure I don’t end up  in prison. The main thing has been eliminating Australian references from my act. Unfortunately, not all cultures are familiar with colloquialisms such as pash-off, bushpig and ciggie.

As both a comedian and musician, how do you integrate these two aspects of your performance?

I try to sprinkle music as much as I can throughout my comedy act. I love the challenge of expressing a comedy idea through song. I am the typical comedian that wants to be a rock star, so the guitar comes out at any given, or even not given, opportunity.

You’re the voice for a rat in the kid’s animation show Trash Truck, tell us a bit about that and what you bring to the character.

I was called in for another voice-over audition, and while I was waiting to record it in the booth, my agent asked me if I was interested in auditioning for a new Netflix series playing an Australian rat. I had five minutes to look over the script and, sure enough, that was the job I booked. I based the character on my best friend’s mother. Despite being a rat, the character was very polite, knowledgeable and domesticated. All the things I am not.

"Playing a rodent kept me employed for a year."

It was the most joyous experience working with a very talented team of writers and actors.

Having won the Mo Award for Best Live Comedy Act, what do you think sets your style apart from other comedians? I’d say the music differentiates me from other comedians. Also, I’m older. So many comics that I work with on the circuit are young, so my material and experiences are very different. In terms of my style, my comedy tends to be disjointed. I very rarely talk about one subject for more than a couple of minutes, and then I’m onto the next thing.

Can you share an unexpected moment from your career?

Very early in my career, I got a call out of the blue asking if I would be interested in joining the cast of Full Frontal. It took me by complete surprise. At the time, I was just your average twenty-something comic performing at open mics, broke and still living at home. It was one of the best phone calls of my life.

How has your experience as part of the LGBTIQ+ community influenced your comedy and performances?

The LGBTIQ+ community has its own unique and nuanced culture. It’s diverse and eclectic and eccentric and brash and unapologetic. For the first decade of my career I rarely talked about my sexual orientation as I was working the mainstream comedy clubs, and professionally I was still a bit of a closet-case and worried about alienating a predominantly straight crowd.

Once I got over myself and fully embraced who I was and stopped giving a shit, comedy became so much more fun for both me and the audience. I love talking about being gay and I am inspired by my community.

What is your favourite life quote?

A friend once relayed a famous quote to me…

“Comparison is the thief of joy”.

When I first started, I would be like, “Why am I bothering? I can’t compete with that. They have billion-dollar microphones in their fancy studios”. I had to stop comparing myself to others and believe in my work and abilities. 

What can the audience at The Street expect from your show during the SpringOUT Festival?

I know this sounds simplistic but... fun!!! I want everyone to have a joyful and memorable time. I can be silly, thought-provoking, inappropriate, offensive, sensitive, left of field, obvious and insightful. I love interacting with the audience. I love hearing laughter and I do my upmost to create a super fun environment where everyone feels like they’re part of a weird-assed family.

Jackie Loeb one-night-only!

Jackie takes the stage at The Street Theatre Friday 29 November @ 7:30pm. This special one-night-only performance is part of the Canberra SpringOUT Festival and promises to be a night of hilarity and musical fun!

See more Jackie at instagram.com/jackieloeb