When a human being is born into this world and decides “Hey, I reckon I wanna be a comedian”, other human beings are usually very impressed and think “Wow, that’s so cool!” and “What a fun life you will have”.
But those in the comedy world know the cold, hard truth. It. Can. Be. A. SLOG. It’s fueled by late nights, rejection, uncertainty, crippling anxiety and putting your entire self worth on the shoulders of three guys at an open mic who aren’t even listening. CAN YOU PLEASE LAUGH AT MY JOKE? I NEED THIS!
And yet, comedians wouldn’t have it any other way. Comedian, writer and actor Frankie McNair is a testament to this.
With their unique and grubby mix of stand-up, non sequitur sketch comedy and queer vibes, McNair is an absolute favourite in the scene, selling out shows across the country.
Since starting their career in 2017 at an open mic, they’ve made TV appearances on Channel 10’s Thank God You’re Here, ABC’s Question Everything, and Just For Laughs Sydney. As an actor, Frankie has appeared on SBS’s drama series Safe Home and ABC’s Aunty Donna’s Coffee Cafe.
@tgyhofficial Back to school gets a little more hectic than we imagined… 🤝😬 #TGYH @frankiemcnair_ @amylouiseruffle #backtoschool #TGYHau ♬ original sound – Thank God You're Here
This year Frankie wrote, co-produced and released their independent online series The Telling of The Untold Story of Tabitha Booth. Based on Frankie’s beloved comedy character, Tabitha Booth. The six-part mockumentary series on Grouse House follows larger-than-life, ex-Hollywood starlet Tabitha Booth as she attempts to revive her career with a ‘comeback’ show, as a jaded documentary crew covers every mishap and false start along the way.
At first glance, you might think this is just a silly show about a girl in a wig and a long fork — but it’s so much more than that. Obviously, it’s fucking hilarious, but the story has so much heart and shows the ups and downs in the life of a performer. It could break you if you let it — but you don’t, because you love it too much.
Frankie tells us that even though Tabitha is a fictional character, they’re truly inspired by her drive and demeanour.
“Tabitha believes in herself more than anyone else,” McNair said. “I’m taking a page from her book. No matter how ambitious, how many obstacles there are, or how hard it might be, I’m making this [series]. Because I have to, because I love it.”
So with only $5000 for production and a dream team, they got to work, and we’re happy they did. With only word-of-mouth marketing, the 70-minute series has become a cult hit. It’s already reached over 20k (!!) organic views after only one month since its release, that’s wildddd.
So, we sat down with Frankie to learn more about their show and how to make it in the comedy biz.
@frankiemcnair_ A tv antenna, a fork, and a dream 🍴
♬ Nocturne (Chopin) calm piano solo – もつ
Insider Trading: Frankie McNair
Hi Frankie! You are a multifaceted icon, but what is your triple threat that no one knows about?
Okay, wow, starting with a violent question. After a cute, quick spiral about not having any hobbies outside of work, I would say three things that I’m secretly good at are:
1. Watching TV. I’ve been training my whole life. I can watch an INCREDIBLE amount of TV. I’m talking stone cold sober, no phone, no snacks. Just me, the couch, and the glow of the screen. If I find a show I’m into, I will LOCK IN. A whole season in a day? It would be my honour. TV raised me, and now it’s my time to give back.
2. I studied interior design at night school for a couple of months when I was 19, and whenever a friend asks for advice on how to style a room, it’s an absolute gift. Give me clutter and I will organise it aesthetically on a shelf you didn’t know you had.
3. Vibing with babies. It’s a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I get to see bubs smile. Curse because I will make some of the most unhinged cooing noises you’ve ever heard in your life without realising it. Big fan of babies. Love their work.
Do comedians have such a thing as a ‘typical day’?
I think it depends on where you’re at. Days when I work my day job as a Captain Starlight at the children’s hospital, it’s pretty standard, but outside of those couple of shifts a month, I feel like my routine changes and adapts pretty drastically based on the projects I’ve got going on. It’s constantly evolving.
There can be a lot of travel and a lot of uncertainty when you’re waiting to hear if you’ve gotten work. I love working on one big project and getting into a good groove and feeling like I’ve created some consistency. That’s really nice. But I have to adjust again when that project or travel is up.
My “typical day” changes what it looks like and is seasonal. It’s like you’re constantly back on the job market. I’ve heard that keeping little moments of your day the same (like working out, going for a walk or journaling before bed) can help ground you no matter where you are… so maybe I should give that a go.
Yeah, but that can be hard! What would your dream day look like?
I wake up at 7am. I am not tired. I am energised, and my lower back only cracks a regular amount. My hair is not knotty, and my skin is already hydrated and glowing. I go to the gym (people applaud. I am a hero.)
I get a text on my phone (the screen is not cracked) from my manager letting me know that the CEO of A24 reached out and was really impressed with that pitch document I made in Canva (the one without the watermarks, I have pro.), and they wanna chat. My manager sends a follow-up text with a thumbs-up emoji. He is proud.
I head to a cozy space where I am paid handsomely to write and collaborate on creative comedy ideas with my friends. We have those pens that you can write on glass with. Because we are on a roll, we order lunch in, and as we do, I’m reminded that I can process dairy. I order a cream-based pasta dish, unafraid. We spend the rest of the day finishing our scripts and responding to several emails with the subject heading “Congratulations on your funding, we will give no notes on the project.”
At 3pm, I leave for a rehearsal for an upcoming film that requires me to swing dance with Pedro Pascal and Natasha Lyonne in the rain. It will win several awards. As night falls, I head home, swinging by the local grocer. I buy everything I need without comparing the ‘cents per kilo’ tags. I arrive home to my cat, who is affectionate and not deeply strange, screaming whenever I go near her biccie bowl. She is purring. My family and friends come over for dinner. No one has to bring their own chair. I have enough.
@frankiemcnair_ nearly time for my annual “I’m real into running” phase 🥲#run #fitness ♬ original sound – Frankie McNair
Wow, I mean yeah, that is the perfect day (and what I’m sure our parents think being a comedian is like). How long have you been in the comedy world?
I did standup for the first time at an open mic in 2017. I got thrown when someone laughed at a joke, and I just blanked on the rest of my set and froze on stage. I remember getting home and saying, “I’m glad I tried it, but I don’t think I’ll do that again.”
The following week, I tried again, and I’m so glad I did.
What’s your favourite part about what you do?
Collaborating with people! I love it. I love the impact everyone has on an idea, and you can see it snowball into something bigger and bigger than you ever could have imagined on your own. And collaborating has been such an incredible way to learn hands-on, and also meet and form really strong relationships with friends.
Now, who is Tabitha Booth?
Long story short, I taped a fork to a TV antenna and won Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2022.
I wanted to do another show, but how could I top a long fork skit? I got really in my head and was grappling with the idea and fear of “what if I peaked?” Was I finished just as I had gotten started? So I cut a spotlight wig, put on a $2 leotard, and made a show about a woman whose career dried up when she stepped away from her role as “long fork lady”. Hello, Tabitha Booth!
She’s chaotic, she’s captivating, and she’s ready for her close-up. She’s got the charm, glamour, and pill-fueled delusion of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Liz Taylor, and Lucille Ball rolled into one. She’s an unhinged yet undeniable star who has taken a tumble out of the spotlight.
As chaotic (and kind of awful) as Tabitha is, I really like her. Everything has gone wrong and continues to go wrong for Tabitha Booth, but she keeps going. She keeps going because she has to, because she loves performing. Tabitha embodies the spirit of never giving up on what brings you joy, no matter how many times or how incredibly you fail. And in an industry where you fail more than you succeed, that’s a meaningful gift to have. She’s got a really special place in my heart.
You have just released The Telling Of The Untold Story of Tabitha Booth, congratulations! Looks like it was a mammoth community effort. Can you tell us how you created the series?
I can’t believe we pulled it off! My friend Harris Stucky and I wrote it, and then I truly feel like the stars aligned when it came to finding the perfect team.
I didn’t want to wait for funding to make it. I’ve been there before, and sometimes you end up putting something on the shelf for years — while you try to work out how to get official funding and grants. So, this seemed like the perfect project without relying on those traditional channels. But it was huge, and without everyone’s generosity, it wouldn’t be what it is.
The cast, the crew, and the extras all donated their time, and most locations were donated or heavily discounted. The equipment was all gear that the crew already owned, so they donated that too. The bit of money that we did have was raised by doing a fundraising show (a whole other massive project on its own) and a GoFundMe.
We ended up with about $5000 for the production, which was over our goal (but looking back, I have no idea how we pulled it off.) I think having such an enthusiastic core team was the glue. This whole show was made from such a real and wholesome community-based place, where everyone donated their time and expertise. That enthusiasm and sense of community really shone through.
What’s your advice for people who want to start a project but don’t know where to start?
Find your team. Find other people who want to make it. And that will mean talking about it, being vulnerable, and putting it out into the world. Constantly. It’s so easy to sit on something when it’s just you because there aren’t really any stakes if you’re the only person who knows about it. But as soon as you have other people involved, it’s immediately bigger than just you. It lights a fire under you like nothing else. You’re working on this because you don’t want to let other people down or waste their time. You want to take it seriously because they are. You’re accountable now.
@frankiemcnair_ We made a series and it comes out tomorrow 🤡
♬ Club Penguin Pizza Parlor – Cozy Penguin
This concept started in 2023 because I had the idea, and I asked Harris if he wanted to write with me. When it was written, I asked my mate if they would like to produce, and then they knew someone else who could help. By talking about it and asking people for advice, if they wanted to be involved, or if they knew someone, the wheels start turning.
If you weren’t a comedian, what would you be doing?
I know it sounds super corny, but I really think I’d still have to be making stuff. I love writing, I love acting, I love performing and creating. And I tried it just as a hobby, and I was miserable. I love it. But if I didn’t have this all-consuming bone in my body, I genuinely think I would be a paramedic or pediatric nurse (which is wild to say, as I would burn out super quickly.)
@weird_neighbour Don’t be a greedy guts when calling emergency services Big thanks to @Frankie McNair ♬ original sound – Weird Neighbour
What has been your biggest learning curve so far?
Probably that things ebb and flow, and learning how to deal with that. One minute, you can be super busy and fully immersed in a project. Whether you get a big TV role or a high-paying job, it’s really exciting.
But the nature of this work is that it can be kinda seasonal. There will be periods of “not a lot going on” for whatever reason. And it doesn’t mean you’ve failed or the exciting big moment will never come back, it just means that right now it’s quiet and that’s okay. Even though it usually sends me into a bit of a panic.
How do you not take ‘needing a day job again so you can pay rent this month’ as a moral failing? I’m still learning, but I think just knowing that it’s normal and that if I keep chipping away at stuff, listen to my body, and live intentionally, a new season will come. Just enjoy where you are right now, or you’ll never enjoy any of it. I need to take my own advice.
@frankiemcnair_ Femme Fatale name reccomendations please! Who IS she? 👀❤️
♬ original sound – Frankie McNair
Who do you admire in your industry?
Oh, that’s such a tricky question! There are so many people! I mean, freelance creating can feel so insecure and rocky and vulnerable, so I think just pursuing it in the first place is admirable. And when people find a way to make things and pursue their passions in a way that works for them, in a way that makes them stay in love with it and energised by it — I love that.
But I have to shout out our director of The Telling Of The Untold Story Of Tabitha Booth, Brodie Rocca. The man can’t be stopped. He has such an infectious passion and love for making films that always puts everything in perspective for me. If I’m having a whinge about anything or feeling flat, just one conversation with him reminds me how cool it is that we get to do the things we love. Even if there’s no budget (and no guarantee it’ll win awards or get picked up). The alternative is doing nothing, and that’s so much worse! Talking to him is a real adrenaline shot to the heart. I love it.
@frankiemcnair_ Tabitha Booth finds out shes going to Auckland @QTheatre #sketch #🏳️🌈 #documentary 🎥filmed by Harris Stuckey ✂️edited by moi 🐬 ft @Flip n Flap ♬ original sound – Frankie McNair
You can watch The Telling Of The Untold Story Of Tabitha Booth on Grouse House’s YouTube channel here.
For a behind-the-scenes look at how they created this (on such a shoestring budget), you can also watch their BTS video ‘Actors On Actors On A Budget’, also on Grouse House.
Image credit: Becky Hall
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