Side hustles and humour: Craig Quartermaine’s many talents
Craig Quartermaine is many things.
He’s a stand-up comedian first and foremost – crediting this with giving him the confidence to do ‘everything else’ – he’s an ABC TV and radio presenter, a videographer and, most recently, program coordinator for the National Indigenous Culinary Institute.
He’s also a proud Nyoongar man and City of Logan resident who believes there’s nothing you can’t turn into great content.
A journalist for many years before turning his hand to stand-up – he first took the mic when he was 33 – Craig says he never considered it as scary as many people do: it’s just about confidence.
‘I’m not even the funny one in my family. I’m just the only one who has written down the things I think are funny and decided to talk about them,’ he says.
‘When I was working as a journalist, I would be interviewing people and would sometimes think “ ”I’m more interesting than you”. Larry David, the creator of Seinfeld, said once “If you think it but something stops you from saying it, it is probably hilarious, so write it down.” – and I really believe that.
‘I started to write down experiences, or things I saw, that would make a great bit. Then I’d put them together and one day I went and did 5 minutes at a stand-up comedy night.
‘The only thing that has changed is that there is very little that stops me from saying anything now!
‘I’ve also learned to cope better when things don’t go well on stage. It’s still a horrible feeling – but you can usually turn it around.’
The rest is history, and Craig regularly tours Australia, performing at major comedy festivals, corporate gigs, and appears on a range of primetime TV shows like Tonightly and The Project.
Having lived in Logan for 3 years, he says the city is ripe for comedy.
‘I don’t think there is anywhere else in Queensland that is this diverse, and the number of contacts I have been able to get while living here, working with different people and organisations, has really set me up for all the things I want to do,’ he says.
‘It’s also a city with a lot of humour; some very funny people are here.
As well as working as a videographer for local collective impact organisation Logan Together, Craig also works for the ABC. He’s presented late night talk shows as well as being one of the presenters of Movin’ to the Country.
‘That has been a really great experience,’ he says.
His work at the National Indigenous Culinary Institute is a passion project, too.
‘I have worked as a chef back in the day, and I have been aware of the fact that First Nations young people can be overlooked for top positions in top restaurants – so this is trying to ensure more young people get the right qualifications and opportunities,’ he says.
By Sharon Worboys
