It’s a slightly longer story than you might expect.

I started doing comedy when I was 16.

Which, looking back, was either a sign of enormous confidence or a complete lack of adult supervision.

I entered the Class Clowns competition with my schoolmate and, somehow, we won! *cue huge cheers

That led to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2003.

I did a show.

Then stopped.

For roughly twenty years.

Not exactly the career plan I’d drawn up.

THEN LIFE GOT IN THE WAY.

Comedy disappeared, so I got on with living my life.

Somehow I started working with groups of people, doing all sorts of random things (my first ‘real job’ was as a superhero…) but I ended up mainly as a workshop facilitator.

It led to 25 years working in leadership development and team dynamics, working with businesses, elite sporting organisations and military groups. I actually still do this work because I love it so much.

I was obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which meant I ALSO spent a ridiculous amount of time doing martial arts.

I actually started training in 1995 and eventually competed in everything from full-contact karate to MMA.

I still train martial arts when my touring schedule (and aging body) allows.

So, essentially, I spent several decades learning how to communicate, work with people, get punched in the face and stay calm when things got uncomfortable.

Turns out that combination is surprisingly useful.

THEN I WENT BACK TO COMEDY.

After nearly two decades away, I started performing again.

That first moment back onstage, something clicked.

The distant memory of the thing I did as a teenager suddenly now felt like the thing I was supposed to be doing all along.

So after a VERY short time doing open mics, I made the slightly (very) terrifying decision to leave my day job and pursue comedy properly.

Because apparently having a mortgage and responsibilities wasn't enough excitement.

THEN I BECAME A DAD.

I thought “how could I make a career change even harder?”

To be fair, I absolutely love being a dad, but I can’t fathom what being a dad would look like for me if I stayed in my old job.

Becoming a parent has a funny way of making you reconsider everything.

What matters.

What doesn't.

What you're prepared to risk.

What you're prepared to protect.

And how little sleep a human being can actually function on (I’m more coffee than human now).

It also gave me a completely new source of material.

So that’s a fun little bonus.

WHAT I TALK ABOUT

My comedy is personal and conversational.

It's about the ridiculous stuff that happens when you're trying to be a decent human being while simultaneously having absolutely no idea what you're doing.

I talk about getting older.

Being a bloke.

Relationships.

Fatherhood.

Work.

Mates.

Ambition.

Failure.

Embarrassment.

And all the strange little moments that make up an ordinary life.

I like comedy that makes people laugh first and think about it afterwards.

Not because I'm trying to teach anyone a lesson.

Mostly because I think the best stories do that naturally.

AND THE OTHER STUFF?

Comedy is the centre of what I do.

But I've never been particularly good at being just one thing.

I MC and host events.

I facilitate.

I work with organisations on leadership and team development.

I talk about sport.

I still train in martial arts.

I make videos.

And occasionally I say yes to things before thinking about what I've actually agreed to (I need to get better at thinking first).

It's all part of the same thing, really.

I like people.

I like stories.

I like making people laugh. And think.

And I like finding out what happens when you put those things together.

SO THAT'S ME.

I’m Jeremy Dooley.

Comedian.

Storyteller.

Presenter.

Dad.

Martial artist.

Former sensible employee.

Occasional idiot (more than occasional if you ask some people).

Still figuring it out.

But I love that, for a couple of hours, a room full of strangers can forget whatever else is going on and have a good laugh together, or connect together, or simply have an experience together. We need that.
I’m stoked that I get to make that happen.

That's pretty hard to beat.