About
Daring and unconventional, completely original and vastly absurd, Sam Simmons is a multi award winning cult figure within the Australian comedy scene. With one foot firmly planted into the soils of reality, and the other rooted deep into the psyche of being silly, Sam has collected awards, glowing reviews, and played to sell out houses around the world.
Sam has performed at the prestigious, invitation only Just For Laughs Comedy Festivals in Montreal, as well as Chicago, Toronto and at the Sydney Opera House. His UK breakthrough began with a 2011 nomination for Edinburgh’s Fosters Comedy Award (the comedy equivalent of an Oscar) for his solo show Meanwhile. In 2014, Simmons received his second nomination for Edinburgh’s top award for Death of a Sailsman, and in 2015 he was crowned winner of said prestigious award for his show Spaghetti for Breakfast.
Sam Simmons is now conquering the globe spending his time hovering between Australia, London and Los Angeles, introducing his weird and wonderful comedy to a world that is, more than ever, in need of some serious silliness.
Watch Sam Simmons: Stop Being Silly
Witness the 2015 Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner who brought you millionaire cats eating Viennetta, gypsy cuddles and nanna wanks, performing his ‘best of’ compilation; a ferocious, relentless hour of mind blending internal self-hatred, paranoia and silliness, this is Sam Simmons at the absolute top top of his game…strap in!
See Sam Simmons Live
You can find details on upcoming Sam Simmons shows here.
Bio
A true comic original, Adelaide-born, LA-based absurdist Sam Simmons has forged a dedicated following, won mostly by word of mouth. Described by The Guardian as someone “whose work over the last decade deserves all the laurels that come his way” it’s taken talent and hard graft to reach audiences far and wide. Sam told Time Out “’Most of the people who come in to my shows come in blind, you know. They don’t know who I am, just a recommendation. But it’s really cool because then they come back every year, and I continue to get big audiences. I’m kind of proud of that.”
As a kid, Sam’s ambition was to be a vet scientist. But the creativity was always there and comedy came naturally. He told The Weekend edition
“I was very good at writing stories and being the little fantasy guy. I had a wild imagination, I was very into fantasy and escaping reality. I was a weirdo little kid. I was a cellist and an Aussie Rules footballer – it was a weird mix!”
Realising his ambitions, Sam has happily worked in animal enrichment with elephants, seals, reptiles and small native mammals at Melbourne Zoo alongside his comedy career. And his multiple talents don’t end there. Joyous on the radio waves, Sam has made Australian youth radio network Triple J his own. 2008/09 saw him at the helm of the Weekend Breakfast Show as well as weekday Breakfast and Drive Shows and he is still now a regular contributor across the station.
In 2012 Sam assembled a wonderful cast of Australia’s pre-eminent absurdists for Problems (ABC1) a four part journey through the cream brick neverland that is the Australian suburbs. In 2013, Problems was broadcast and received with acclaim throughout the UK on TV channel Dave. 2013 also saw Simmons make his US television debut on comedy powerhouse Conan on TBS.
It’s Sam’s ability to stand out from the crowd and not conform in the world of comedy that is most striking. Surrealism that continually keeps an audience on side is a skill in itself. Sam tells LoudandQuiet.com “I understand people getting upset at bad absurdity…but I think that at the purest end of comedy and joy is being silly and stupid…T-shirt comedians are telling you how it is and it’s safe. It takes a lot more guts to like something that is on the edge.”