Jordan Shanks is hoping his motivational stand-up show Chin up, Stooge will provide plenty of laughs, but also some valuable life lessons, when he visits Ballarat this week.
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The satirist comedian, radio host and podcast creator began making home videos and posting them online in 2013, with a focus on socio-political issues such as housing affordability and penalty rates.
Under the name Friendlyjordies, Shanks has since produced over 250 videos for his YouTube channel and amassed 250,000 followers.
But for his one-hour stand up show, Shanks has put the politics to the side to instead cram in everything he has learnt from reading self-help books.
It has been these books, Shanks said, that has helped him gain the work ethic, knowledge and the audience he has today.
“I want to dispel the myth that all those who write about self-help are a bunch of snake oil salesmen and power hungry gurus,” he said.
“I’ve read 300 books, half of it was rubbish and another 30 per cent was just a poorer version of the good 20 per cent, but that 20 per cent is life changing stuff.
“It is the mindset of some of the most successful people on earth and leading psychologists, and not knowing this stuff is like not knowing to brush your teeth, you'd end up with two teeth at 20.”
Shanks described his stand up show as a hybrid of the Daily Show and American self-help author and entrepreneur Tony Robbins.
He said he always looked forward to the end of the show, because it was his chance to meet the audience members individually and hear what they were doing and thinking.
“So far I've received hundreds of messages from people saying after watching the show they started to apply some of the stuff I talked about and they have seen results within weeks,” Shanks said.
“(It’s) always good to hear people laughed their way to a more positive lifestyle.”
Friendlyjordies presents Chin up, Stooge at Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute on Tuesday, October 10, at 8pm. Bar opens at 6.30pm. For tickets visit stickytickets.com.au.