Episode 25 of This Week in Comedy lands with a studio glow-up, a stout in hand, and a guest who knows how to make chaos look classy. Hosts Lily Geddes and Morry Morgan are joined by comedic actor, writer and author Stephen Hall, best known for his many characters across Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell and for being personally chosen by John Cleese to play Basil Fawlty in the Australian stage adaptation of Fawlty Towers.

The episode moves through comedy news, festival updates, late-night TV farewells, AI poster debates, trivia, history and the kind of sideways banter that can only happen when the room is properly caffeinated, carbonated or both. Stephen brings sharp reflections on performance, parody, AI as a creative tool, and the strange grey zones facing artists, comedians and musicians today.

Then comes the beer: Pirate Life Stout, a Port Adelaide brew sampled in studio after Morry’s visit to Pirate Life in South Melbourne. With its dark, Vegemite-meets-soy-sauce notes, bigger bubbles and 5.6% kick, the stout gets a warm reception from the table. It also comes recommended as a match for Pirate Life’s roast, and the verdict is clear: this is exactly the kind of beer that would sit beautifully beside a hearty roast, red meat, or possibly even a white rabbit, depending on how far the conversation has drifted.

The episode also takes in Mike Myers, Matt Stone, Andy Lee, Graham Kennedy, Bill Hunter, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, before Lily tests the room with the horrifying fact that a real parasite can eat a fish’s tongue and then become the tongue. From there, the gang heads into “funny in the moment” stories involving physios, vets, cats, dogs, private health cards and the eternal dream of becoming a taxidermied stubby holder.

And if you'd like to see Stephen perform be sure to see him in For the Term of His Natural Lies on the 24 June 2026, part of the Glen Eira Storytelling Festival.

Links:

Pirate Life Stout: Click here

Hard Knock Knocks Comedy School: Click here

Radio Lab's 'Ripp'n the Rainbow a New One' podcast episode: Click here

Learn more about This Week in Comedy by visiting www.thisweekincomedy.com.au

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