Starts at 60 crowns Australia’s Funniest Boomer in an unforgettable night of comedy

On Thursday September 5, Starts at 60’s nationwide search for Australia’s Funniest Boomer reached an entertaining conclusion when the night’s finalists traded comedy blows in pursuit of the coveted title.

Over 60s gathered from across the country to showcase their comedy chops in front of a packed crowd at Brisbane’s Sit Down Comedy Club and it wasn’t long after the house lights began to dim before those in attendance were clutching their sides in laughter.

The evening began with Brisbane breakfast radio legend, renowned stand-up comedian and MC of the night Terry Hansen, who warmed up the crowd with his infectious humour. He then introduced the first contestant of the night, Andy Payne, who captivated the audience with his witty anecdotes about diving into the world of online dating later in life.

Queenie Gott took the stage next and had the audience in stitches with her witty take on the recent ‘Raygun’ Olympics controversy. Following her, a dynamic double act captivated the crowd as ventriloquist Glenn Pearce delivered a fast-paced routine with his puppet sidekick. The evening continued with Swetlana Jankowiak’s entertaining musical number about her recent romance with Barry the plumber.

As the night progressed, Sharon Start amazed the audience with a circus-themed act that highlighted the importance of balance later in life. Denzo Moore then charmed the crowd with his light-hearted observations on his family’s overreaction to his minor “fall.”

While all the contestants delivered stellar performances with their side-splitting sets, it was 77-year-old Raelyn Flatters who truly stole the show. Her relatable musings on ageing and humorous anecdotes about her grandchildren earned her the title of Australia’s Funniest Boomer, bringing the house down with her comedic brilliance.

Following her win, Raelyn revealed that she was “absolutely amazed” that she clinched the title especially given that this was “the first time” she had given a performance “without notes”.

When asked where she gets her ideas from that kept the audience in fits of laughter, Raelyn revealed that she draws “a lot of inspiration from the internet but I try to relate to the older community being 77 myself and being part of the seniors community, I try to put content together that relates to them”.

Performing a routine in front of an audience takes a lot of courage, but Raelyn showed no hesitation in taking the stage. Her motivation came from the desire to give it a go and get involved, regardless of her age.

“I just always enjoy participating and I’m just so enthused about activities to keep older people enjoying life and my main motivation was to show my three gorgeous grandchildren that no matter how old you are, you can still get out there, put yourself out there, have a bit of fun and laugh at yourself,” she said.