E60 | Ben Hurley
Episode summary | Ben Hurley
Ben Hurley has been making kiwis laugh for over 20 years and is one of New Zealand’s best-known and most popular comedians.
A cricket tragic, he was Match Day Host for every Black Caps home ODI for seven years! Before becoming a member of the Alternative Commentary Collective. He hosts the Mad Monday podcast focusing on rugby league, and you’ll also find him on your TV screen on Seven Sharp.
Emerging from Wellington’s comedy scene alongside the likes of Flight of the Conchords and Taika Waititi, he rose to win all of the major New Zealand comedy awards before making the move to London where he honed his craft.
You will recognise him from 7Days – where he's been a head writer and core cast member since its creation in 2009 – and also from Pulp Comedy, The Project, the Comedy Gala and AotearoHA.
Show notes | Ben Hurley
1.34 Covid chat, similarities between Seamus and Ben: World Series Cricket and 90s rugby league trading cards, and a staple in the Holloway household from the late 90s through to present day
6.56 Seven years as the Match Day Host for NZ Cricket
10.53 White wines at the NRL Grand Final
13.38 A night out in Nelson with Laura McGoldrick, Martin Guptill, and Jesse Ryder
16.24 From small town Hawera to Victoria University: the making of Ben Hurley
24.11 Tracing the comedy journey: dying for the first time, riffing, and honing material over time
33.43 The Wellington comedy scene: Ben Hurley, some guys called Flight of the Conchords, and Taika Cohen!?
39.01 The importance of Pulp Comedy
41.36 Then and now: competition between New Zealand comedians and podcasts
45.07 Going to the UK and a Rose Matefao interlude
48.35 Back to New Zealand and the launch of 7 Days
56.26 Crossing over into mainstream TV: The Project and the dream job on Seven Sharp
1.01.20 Cricket chat: the Comedians XI, and commentating the World Test Championship with the ACC
1.07.34 Social media, TikTok comedy, and breaking through in 2021
1.09.35 Mad Monday: Hurley’s Heroes, Owen Delany Park, and OnlyFans
1.16.00 Eddie Murphy stand up, cancel culture, Jason Pine and last words from Steven, Seamus and Ben
