Moosehead Awards Explained

The Moosehead Awards, formerly The Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Awards and commonly known as The Mooseheads, are awards given to performers at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, although it is not an official part of the festival.

Background

The award is named after Brian McCarthy, a young comedian, actor, and fringe comedy producer killed in a car accident in 1987[1] aged 23. He had previously studied drama at Rusden College, was one of the early practitioners of improv in Melbourne, and ran fringe comedy events at a pub in Collingwood to provide a platform for young comedians. He was a performer at the inaugural Melbourne Comedy Festival in 1987.[2]

The Brian McCarthy Memorial Trust was established in 1987 by friends of McCarthy, and is the source of the Moosehead grant, which is issued to Australian comedians wishing to premiere new works as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF).[2]

Description

The Trust aims to support working comedians, whose shows are "innovative, unusual, and often ill-advised".[2] The awards are known as the Mooseheads because Moosehead beer was McCarthy's favourite.[2]

Each year benefit performances (Moosehead Awards Benefit) are held in Melbourne[3] on the final night of MICF each year.[2] The lineup for the show is kept secret by tradition.[4] McCarthy's favourite song, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", is traditionally performed by the closing act of every Moosehead Award benefit show.

In the past (2006–2010?) the award also received sponsorship from The Comedy Channel.

The award is open to emerging working comedians who are Australian permanent residents and currently performing to small audiences. The selection committee changes each year, and comprises managers, producers, festival programming staff, and comedians.[5]

To the winner of a Moosehead, the Brian McCarthy Memorial Trust pays the MICF registration fee, the first of their venue rental, up to A$2,500 for creative support around the show, and up to A$2,000 towards accommodation costs if the recipient lives outside of Melbourne.[5]

Award recipients

The Mooseheads alumni include Judith Lucy, Lano & Woodley, Tom Ballard, Laura Davis, David Quirk, Kate McLennan, Hannah Gadsby,[2] Anthony Morgan, Dave O'Neil, Alan Brough, and Corinne Grant.[4]

Other past recipients include:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Awards . 2010-04-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091023210850/http://www.token.com.au/moosehead/ . 2009-10-23 .
  2. Web site: About The Mooseheads . Moosehead Awards . 12 September 2024.
  3. Web site: The 24th Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Awards Benefit. 2010-02-11. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100302203628/http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2010/season/shows/the-24th-brian-mccarthy-memorial-moosehead-awards-benefit/. 2010-03-02.
  4. Justin. Hamilton. Justin Hamilton (comedian) . Liza . Dezfouli . The 28th Brian Mccarthy Memorial Moosehead Awards Benefit . . 25 March 2014 . 12 September 2024.
  5. Web site: Apply – Moosehead Awards . Moosehead Awards – Funding funny since 1987 . 12 September 2024.
  6. Web site: Gill . Lauren . The 29th Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Awards Benefit . . 24 March 2015 . 12 September 2024.

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