January 15, 2015
Euthanasia campaigner and suspended doctor Philip Nitschke tries his hand at comedy
Jill Poulsen, The Courier Mail
Voluntary euthanasia campaigner and suspended doctor Philip Nitschke has announced his career is about to take a comedic turn.
Dr Nitschke will make his stand-up comedy debut in August at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
He has teamed up with British comedian Mel Moon to write and deliver the show they are calling Comedy with Purpose.
Moon and Dr Nitschke first met through the latter’s Exit International’s UK branch.
The comedian is terminally ill and turned to the man often referred to as Dr Death to look at all of her options.
Moon approached Dr Nitschke about working together on a show after she read at the end of his autobiography that he would like to try his hand at comedy. Dr Nitschke said although the content would push boundaries, it would not be “distasteful”.
“Like it or not, we all face an unknown future,” he said.
“Disease and illness can be around anyone’s corner … Dying laughing? Why not? It sure beats tears.”
Dr Nitschke said now was the perfect time to test his funny bone while he appealed his deregistration for the second time, this time in the NT Supreme Court.
He was suspended in July last year after admitting to supporting 45-year-old Perth man Nigel Brayley’s decision to take his own life, despite knowing he was not terminally ill.
Following the death, it was revealed police were investigating Mr Brayley’s involvement in his wife’s 2011 death.
“That will drag on right through the year so this is a happier way of dealing with what is a pretty unpleasant time with the deregistration,” Dr Nitschke said.
Dr Nitschke said he was feeling “daunted” by the prospect of comedy.
“I feel quite fortunate to have the chance to be given the offer of doing a stand-up show at Edinburgh, it’s quite an exciting prospect,” he said.
When asked if he would have been better off starting his comedy career at the local bowls club rather than the world-renowned fringe festival, he acknowledged it was a somewhat meteoric rise.
“Yes, it’s been a bit of a fast track, I’m starting at the top but I might be back doing that if it all fails,” he laughed.