Episode Four: Dan Ilic, comedian and activist
Dan Ilic is a comedian for good trouble. He is one of the most prolific comedy voices in Australian media — with a resume that spans tv, radio, digital and live performances in Australia, the US and beyond. As the creator and host of A Rational Fear, winner of Best Comedy Podcast in 2020, Dan and his cohort of merry mischief-makers rip apart the news and drill down into climate change in particular.
In this episode we talk about how humour can give us a gentle way into difficult topics; about the power of laughing at the things that scare us most, about his time working in America during the rise of Donald Trump and whether it’s possible to do political satire without fuelling political polarisation.
Dan’s resume is way too long to list, but his Australian tv shows include At Home Alone Together, Tonightly with Tom Ballard, as well as Hungry Beast. He helped create an eight-part comedy series Audible Original called Riot Act. You can find more Dan at www.ARationalFear.com and on social media: @DanIlic or @ARationalFear.
(Head’s up: explicit language in this episode.)
Show notes
Things we reference:
“Getting serious about funny: Psychologists see humor as a character strength,” The Conversation
How Self-Initiated Laughter Can Make You Feel Better, Psychology Today
State of Superstition (Iraqi TV)
Shabas (Israeli comedy sketch show set in a prison)
Videos Dan’s made that we mention:
Comedians he recommends:
Emily Johnston, HowToDelete1 on TikTok