The 2008 NZ International Comedy Festival

The 2008 NZ International Comedy Festival is delighted to announce Ben Hurley, Justine Smith and The Outwits (Rikki Cosgrove, Andi Spargo & Jared Corbin) as this year’s nominees for THE FRED AWARD, which will be presented at LAST LAUGH this Sunday night.

The prestigious award is named after ex-pat comedian John Clarke. THE FRED AWARD heralds those that have a recognized career in NZ Comedy and are ready to unleash their comedic skill on the international scene. Recognising this potential THE FRED AWARD winner takes home a $3000 international travel grant to assist in delivering great kiwi comedy to the world stage.
 
THE FRED AWARD was established in 2006 in acknowledgment of the professional development of the NZ comedy industry, limiting nominees to those with a new Festival show and 8 years experience in the comedy industry.
 
Hosted by celebrity comic Jeremy Corbett, LAST LAUGH delivers three hours of incredible entertainment and a final hoorah to the 2008 Comedy Festival. The BILLY T AWARD, which is awarded to the most promising new comedic talent, will also be presented at the event.   The BILLY T AWARD has been a longstanding accolade and a prominent feature of the NZ International Comedy Festival, the winner will be granted a $5000 cash prize.  Billy T Nominees this year include Grant Lobban, Jim Brown, The Lonesome Buckwhips, Simon McKinney and Steve Wrigley.
 
Part closing ceremony, part grand finalé, LAST LAUGH is exactly what is says – it’s your last chance to celebrate with the comedians and get a laugh in before the Festival closes. Be wary though – seats are limited and will sell out fast, so get in early to avoid disappointment to avoid disappointment.
 
YOUR LAST CHANCE TO LAUGH IT UP BIG TIME