Jon Doust
Encyclopedia
Jon Doust is a comedian, writer and professional speaker from Western Australia
.
Doust was born in Bridgetown
, he worked in farming, retailing and journalism before pursuing a career in comedy and writing.
Doust has co-authored with Ken Spillman
two children's books, Magpie Mischief (2002) and Magwheel Madness (2005) - both published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press
, as well as short stories published in anthologies and The West Australian
newspaper. He has also self-published two small books titled How to lose an election and Letters to the police and other species.
He has performed at a number of comedy venues and festivals, including the Amnesty International
Comedy Festival in Sydney
and the Palandri International Comedy Festival in Margaret River
. He has supported local and international comedy acts including Alexei Sayle
, Hale and Pace
, Richard Stubbs
, Rachel Berger
and illusionist Robert Gallop.
Doust was the driving force behind the formation of Laugh Resort Inc, an association of stand-up comedians, who continue to run Laugh Resort at the Brass Monkey in Perth, now one of the longest running comedy rooms in Australia
. It has been the breeding ground for a number of Australia's current crop of leading comedians, including Rove McManus
, Dave Hughes
and Dave Callen.
He has been a regular voice on local ABC radio stations, including at one stage a regular inhabitant of Sunday radio programmes of Peter Holland
among others.
He is regular guest on ABC Radio's
Ted Bull program.
Doust is a guest lecturer at the Curtin University Business School's Centre for Entrepreneurship and for many years ran a University of Western Australia
Extension Program course entitled How to Laugh Your Way out of a Paper bag, in collaboration with others including Steve Wells and Don Smith.
As well as comedy interests, Doust has studied and based much of his writing on the work of Carl Jung
and is an accredited Myers Briggs Practitioner.
In the 1993 Australian federal election, he unsuccessfully stood for the seat of Curtin
against incumbent Allan Rocher
making only 428 votes. His campaign slogan was "Put me last!". In the 1998 election he stood against sitting member Geoff Prosser
in the seat of Forrest
failing again.
Early in his career he was a writer for the Sunday Times as a reviewer of computer technology. He later was a columnist on the weekend edition of the West Australian
newspaper, with clearly autobiographical references in his work.
His novel Boy on a Wire has been published by Fremantle Press.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Doust was born in Bridgetown
Bridgetown, Western Australia
-Notable people:*Emily Barker, singer-songwriter*Jon Doust, author and comedian*Robyn McSweeney, politician*Tom O'Dwyer, cricketer*David Reid, politician*Deborah Robertson, novelist and poet-External links:* * * * * * * *...
, he worked in farming, retailing and journalism before pursuing a career in comedy and writing.
Doust has co-authored with Ken Spillman
Ken Spillman
Ken Spillman is a writer based in Perth, Western Australia. Best known as a prolific author of books for children and young adults, his work has spanned diverse genres including poetry, sports writing and literary criticism...
two children's books, Magpie Mischief (2002) and Magwheel Madness (2005) - both published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press
Fremantle Arts Centre Press
Fremantle Press is an independent publisher in Western Australia. Fremantle Press was established by the Fremantle Arts Centre in 1976...
, as well as short stories published in anthologies and The West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
newspaper. He has also self-published two small books titled How to lose an election and Letters to the police and other species.
He has performed at a number of comedy venues and festivals, including the Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
Comedy Festival in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and the Palandri International Comedy Festival in Margaret River
Margaret River, Western Australia
Margaret River is a town in the South West of Western Australia, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River, south of Perth, the state capital. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River....
. He has supported local and international comedy acts including Alexei Sayle
Alexei Sayle
Alexei David Sayle is a British stand-up comedian, actor and author. He was a central part of the alternative comedy circuit in the early 1980s. He was voted the 18th greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-ups in 2007...
, Hale and Pace
Hale and Pace
Hale and Pace are an English comedy duo who have starred in several TV sketch series.-Early career:Gareth Hale and Norman Pace met at Avery Hill teacher training college in Eltham South East London. They discovered much in common, particularly humour, and began playing clubs in a comedy band. One...
, Richard Stubbs
Richard Stubbs
Richard Stubbs is an Australian comedian who was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne.Stubbs started his career in radio in the early 1980s on 3XY as part of the XYZoo team. He appeared on Eon/MMM Fm with Tim Smith, Bridgette Duclos and Brad Mckenzie...
, Rachel Berger
Rachel Berger
Rachel Berger is an Australian comedian, actor, and writer. Berger was born in Israel to Polish Jewish parents and emigrated to Melbourne at the age of five....
and illusionist Robert Gallop.
Doust was the driving force behind the formation of Laugh Resort Inc, an association of stand-up comedians, who continue to run Laugh Resort at the Brass Monkey in Perth, now one of the longest running comedy rooms in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has been the breeding ground for a number of Australia's current crop of leading comedians, including Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, Dave Hughes
Dave Hughes
David William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
and Dave Callen.
He has been a regular voice on local ABC radio stations, including at one stage a regular inhabitant of Sunday radio programmes of Peter Holland
Peter Holland
Peter Holland is a senior lecturer in the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth, Western Australia He previously had a long and distinguished career as a broadcaster, interviewer and newsreader...
among others.
He is regular guest on ABC Radio's
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Ted Bull program.
Doust is a guest lecturer at the Curtin University Business School's Centre for Entrepreneurship and for many years ran a University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
Extension Program course entitled How to Laugh Your Way out of a Paper bag, in collaboration with others including Steve Wells and Don Smith.
As well as comedy interests, Doust has studied and based much of his writing on the work of Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
and is an accredited Myers Briggs Practitioner.
In the 1993 Australian federal election, he unsuccessfully stood for the seat of Curtin
Division of Curtin
The Division of Curtin is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1949 and is named for John Curtin, who was Prime Minister of Australia 1941-45. It is located in the wealthy beachside suburbs of Perth, including Claremont, Cottesloe, Mosman Park,...
against incumbent Allan Rocher
Allan Rocher
Allan Rocher , Australian politician, is a former Liberal Party of Australia Senator for Western Australia from 1978 to 1981 and member of the Australian House of Representatives Division of Curtin from 1981 to 1998. Up until 1996 he represented the Liberal Party of Australia.Rocher was born in...
making only 428 votes. His campaign slogan was "Put me last!". In the 1998 election he stood against sitting member Geoff Prosser
Geoff Prosser
Geoffrey Daniel Prosser , Australianpolitician, was a Liberal member of theAustralian House of Representatives from July 1987 until the 2007 election, representing the Division of Forrest, Western Australia....
in the seat of Forrest
Division of Forrest
The Division of Forrest is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1922 and is named for Sir John Forrest, the first Premier of Western Australia and a federal Cabinet minister. It is located in the south-western corner of the state, including the towns of...
failing again.
Early in his career he was a writer for the Sunday Times as a reviewer of computer technology. He later was a columnist on the weekend edition of the West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
newspaper, with clearly autobiographical references in his work.
His novel Boy on a Wire has been published by Fremantle Press.
External linkses
- http://boyonawire.blogspot.com/
- http://www.jondoust.iinet.net.au/
- Jon Doust at IMDB
- Bio from Curtin Business School
Works
- (1992) Letters to the police - and other species with George Gosh. Lesmurdie, W.A : Wordplay.
- (1993) Better than a poke in the eye : a few notes, tips and things to do to help you increase the laughage in your life Lesmurdie W.A. : Wordplay.
- (1993) "'How to - lose an election Lesmurdie, W.A : Wordplay.
- (2002) with Ken Spillman Magpie mischief (illustrations by Marion Duke). Fremantle, W.A. Fremantle Arts Centre Press. ISBN 1-86368-355-0
- (2005) with Ken Spillman Magwheel madness (illustrations by Marion Duke). Fremantle, W.A. Fremantle Arts Centre Press. ISBN 1-920731-76-8
- (2009) Boy on a Wire, Fremantle Press, ISBN 978-1-921361-45-6
Anthologies
- (1997) Great Australian Bites, ed. Dave Warner, Fremantle Arts Centre Press.
- (1997) Fathers in Writing, ed. Ross Fitzgerald and Ken Spillman, Tuart House.