Entertainment
27 July, 2025
OK, wow, let’s have a laugh
AFTER a six-year break from stand-up, beloved comedian Luke McGregor is back on stage, bringing his new show ‘Okay, Wow’ to the Cairns Festival on August 31.
Performing at the Tanks Arts Centre, Mr McGregor will take audiences on a hilariously honest journey through major life changes, from living alone to suddenly becoming a husband, stepfather of two, a new dad and owner of three chickens and an axolotl.
“It’s been a while. A lot has changed,” Mr McGregor said.
“I’ve written jokes about all of it and practiced them daily in front of both the chickens and the axolotl. The animals have only gotten healthier and more joyful with each retelling, so now I’m ready to say it in front of humans. Humans like you.”
Best known for co-creating and starring in Rosehaven with Celia Pacquola, Mr McGregor has also appeared on ‘Thank God You’re Here’, ‘Guy Montgomery’s Spelling Bee’ and raced his way around the globe with his mum on ‘The Amazing Race Australia’.
Mr McGregor said the new show explored what it was like being ‘an anxious dad’, navigating the unpredictable chaos of family life.
“I was always a bit nervous moving through life, and now I’m looking after another human, which has been interesting,” he laughed.
The Tasmanian-born comedian said his decision to pursue comedy came from a curiosity to test if his humour extended beyond his friendship group.
A single gig was all it took.
“It went well enough that I got a taste for it… even the bad gigs were fun,” he said.
“I gave myself a year to see if I could do it for a living. I earned just enough to cover rent and live off tuna, rice and peas, and just kept going.”
Asked whether performing stand-up had become harder in recent years, Mr McGregor said his approach had always been about lifting people up, not punching down.
“If your jokes are putting a minority group down, then what’s the point of them?” he said.
With a recent Fringe World 2025 Weekly Comedy Award under his belt, Mr McGregor said he was proud of the new show and couldn’t wait to perform it for a Far North crowd.
“I hope people like it. I’ll do my best to try and make them laugh,” he said.
And while Cairns is yet to weigh in, Mr McGregor’s backyard audience, chickens and axolotl included, have been a supportive test crowd.
You can catch Luke McGregor’s Okay, Wow stand-up comedy at Tanks Arts Centre on Sunday, August 31, 2025.
Tickets available here
