Joel Temperly is a Melbourne-based comedian climbing the ranks of Melbourne’s grass-roots comedy scene and making online audiences loose their minds over his witty and sometimes controversial comedic interpretations.

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Episode Summary

In Part 2 of this 2-part episode of The Lui Diaz Podcast, Lui continues his engaging and hilariously chaotic conversation with Melbourne-based comedian Joel Temperly. Recorded in January, 2025, this episode dives deeper into Joel’s journey as a comedian, from his early days in China to his current gigs and creative pursuits in Australia. The discussion bounces between Joel’s comedy career, personal anecdotes, and spontaneous tangents—complete with dry hot cross buns, random passerby interactions, and philosophical musings about life, comfort zones, and the pursuit of passion. At almost two hours, it’s Lui’s longest recording yet, packed with laughter, insight, and a touch of absurdity.

Highlights

* Funniest Moment: The hot cross bun debacle (00:32:58 - 00:37:38)Joel brings hot cross buns, only for them to crumble into dry, inedible dust as onlookers crack up 😂 Lui tries to eat one, spits it out, and the two then rant about how terrible they are, turning a failed snack into comedic gold. The absurdity peaks when Joel admits he wanted to bring Neenish tarts instead, sparking a hilarious exchange about his poor backup plan.

* Most Insightful Thing: Joel’s take on comedy as a craft worth sticking with (00:12:50 - 00:14:40)Joel reflects on a grim open mic in North Melbourne where he performed to a near-empty room but still found joy in it. He explains how this resilience—finding fun even in failure—reveals a deeper drive to pursue comedy, a trait Lui sees in others who persevere through tough times in their passions.

* Most Philosophical/Profound Thing: Choosing your "torture" and breaking the velvet prison (00:16:23 - 00:19:22)Joel quotes Seinfeld’s idea that “life is about choosing the torture that you love” and ties it to Joe Rogan’s concept of a “velvet prison”—a comfortable job that traps you. He and Louis explore how stepping out of comfort zones, despite the pain, creates space for creativity and growth, offering a profound lens on balancing practicality with passion.

You can follow Joel’s wild comedy journey and learn about up-coming shows on Instagram via - @joeltemperly - https://www.instagram.com/joeltemperly/