What was it Nirvana said? Never mind, Ben Hurley has a new hour of stand up comedy taking a look back at the 1990’s, how it influenced us and how it made Ben Hurley. This show is for anyone who grew up in the 90’s, lived through the 90’s or has heard of the 90’s.

What was it Nirvana said? Never mind, Ben Hurley has a new hour of stand up comedy taking a look back at the 1990’s, how it influenced us and how it made Ben Hurley. This show is for anyone who grew up in the 90’s, lived through the 90’s or has heard of the 90’s. A veritable mine filed of hilarious gaffs and stuff ups from Bill Clinton to 4 Non Blondes, everything that’s cringe worthy, relived in all their comic glory.

2008 saw Ben return to New Zealand for a brief sojourn from the UK, where he’s been conquering the notoriously competitive comedy circuit, to perform his show “BOOM!” at the Comedy Festival. As it turns out it was well worth the long journey with a sell-out season and a well deserved nomination for, and subsequently winning, the Comedy Festival’s prestigious Fred Award for Comedic Excellence. It places Ben in a Parthenon of New Zealand Comedy with the two previous winners Brendhan Lovegrove and Dai Henwood, and is recognition of the commitment, drive and absolute hilarity that Ben possesses. It’s something he is, quite rightly, very proud of and we are all hoping that it will provide an impetus to ensure that Ben returns to these shores, at the very least on a regular basis.

The UK has given Ben an education in comedy that is among the best and most competitive in the world. The comedy circuit there is akin to an Ivy League education for comics where Australians, Canadians, South Africans, Americans, and every English speaking nation send their brightest and best to learn their trade with nothing less than some of the toughest audiences and critics in the world.

“… a very fine act.” – METRO, UK

Ben has conquered these crowds and reviewers alike to such an extent that he was invited to co-star in a radio series with a giant of UK comedy, Andy Parsons, and at the end of 2008 was asked to tour with Irish comedic megastar Ed Byrne. This was a gruelling three month tour of Briton and Ireland which has enhanced Ben’s reputation with audiences, winning him new fans and the brought about the probability of staging his own tour there later in 2009.

Thankfully local television seems to have taken notice of our latest comedy export success and Ben has had a number of meetings with executives and local TV producers to discuss potential projects during his most recent trip home. It would seem that we do have the potential to harness our own talent and give them the platform they need right here. Ben is certainly a worthy, credible and always hilarious recipient of such attention.