Grace Tame appeared at a comedy festival in Melbourne on Sunday, joining as part of A Rational Fear’s live panel show.
The 2021 Australian of the Year appeared on a panel with other comedians, using the opportunity to make jokes about Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other politicians.
She joked Morrison was a “giant self-saucing comedy pudding”, and referencing his recent 60 Minutes interview, said he “grabs the ukulele all by himself”.
She also made jokes about the long-standing rumour that Morrison soiled himself at Engadine McDonalds after the 1997 NRL grand final, and that she lives “rent free” in Mark Latham’s head.
Comedian Dan Illic, host of the podcast A Rational Fear, pointed out that Tame was the master of the side-eye.
Independent candidate Zoe Daniel also appeared at the show as a guest.
After her appearance at the Melbourne Comedy Festival made headlines, with one publication referring to it as a “career move”, Tame took to Twitter to explain that she doesn’t have to justify every move she makes, noting it was just about having some fun.
“To be clear, this isn’t a “career move”. Advocacy is my first priority, always. It’s my life and purpose,” Tame wrote.
“I ummed and aahed over whether or not this was the right thing to do. Would it send a hopeful, empowering message to survivors? Or would it trivialise the cause?”
“I’m still trying to find my feet and reconcile a disturbed sense of identity under unrelenting public scrutiny, and I shouldn’t have to justify every move I make.
“It is possible to be a survivor of child sexual abuse, a public policy advocate, and also have a sense of humour. Just as it is possible to be a survivor of child sexual abuse and be a thriving academic. Nobody should be resigned to suffer all the time.
“There are risks in doing this, as there are with just about anything else in this mad life. Things have been especially tough lately. But I reckon we could use a laugh. Either way, the joke’s on me. And if I fail, I’ll pick myself up and move on. You never know, unless you try.”