Master of his craft
New Zealand Listener|October 29, 2022
Comedian Chris Parker has juggled stand-up, online videos, movies, TV shows and even a foray into fun with felt. Now he’s added a book to his CV.
MICHAEL BOTUR
Master of his craft

Chris Parker has delivered hundreds of comedy sets to audiences but claims he has nothing to show for it. This is why, between gigs on a tour to 14 New Zealand cities this year, the 32-year-old wrote a collection of funny essays, Here For a Good Time: Organised thoughts from a disorganised mind.

In recent years, Parker, who describes himself in the book as an extroverted-gay-ballet-boy-grownupjunk-food-eating-skincare-buyingchildless-30-something-show-off”, seems to have been one of the country’s busiest comedians. He won top Kiwi comedy prize the Fred Award in 2018, Celebrity Treasure Island last year, and has popped up on screen in movies Nude Tuesday and The Breaker Upperers.

He’s also appeared in TV shows Wellington Paranormal, Jono and Ben, Funny Girls, 7 Days, Educators and Have You Been Paying Attention? Despite that schedule, he still manages to be world famous in New Zealand”, performing at venues such as the Titirangi RSA.

Parker, who has spent the past eight years building an audience, hasn't had to make heat-pump adverts yet. For the second half of this year, for example, he has been shooting a series for The Spinoff with fellow comedian Eli Matthewson, which he describes as an investigation into New Zealand’s relationship with pornography”.

The man who devoted his first lockdown to being creative with felt is, as usual, keeping busy.

There was plenty of hard work on the road to success, but Parker says he didn't want his book to be a memoir. In fact, it’s more about topics like Farrah Fawcett’s hair, being in your 30s and not having kids, dating app Grindr, and working as a shopping mall Santa Claus.

After graduating from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2011, Parker “floated around” Wellington and his hometown of Christchurch for two years before settling in Auckland.

Esta historia es de la edición October 29, 2022 de New Zealand Listener.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición October 29, 2022 de New Zealand Listener.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE NEW ZEALAND LISTENERVer todo
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024