7 Australian comedians the world deserves (and they're all ladies)

Australia is more than a nation of dangerous animals, vast deserts and bigoted politicians. We also have a knack producing comedians with a mix of observational, sarcastic and plain dirty humour. Across this fair nation you can find yourself some wicked wits and sharp thinkers making a name for themselves on the comedy circuit.

To make it easy, we've hand picked a selection of some of this ludicrously large country's best laughter wizards. And yes, they're all ladies -- don't @ us.

1. Demi Lardner

Having won two of the world's most prestigious newcomer awards, Demi Lardner is like the best friend you wish you had. Self-described as a gateway to homosexuality for both genders, her sometime self-deprecating and angled honesty comes across as effortless but awkward. Delightfully inappropriate, Lardner will soothe your soul and make your cheeks hurt, from laughter, not from sickness.

2. Gen Fricker

Full disclosure, Ms Fricker is a friend of the author. With this in mind, we shall try to convey the facts with impartiality and minimal fan-girling.

While Fricker's day job is interviewing hollywood hearthrobs on national radio, her other pursuit is that of dark, insightful and expertly crafted stand-up with a side serving of musical gags for good measure. She effortlessly glides from tales of sealing herself with hot wax but on accident, to a song about kidnapping your crush and killing his girlfriend.

If you've ever felt like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again, Gen Fricker is the singing laugh-maker for you.

3. Hannah Gadsby

Obliterating her competition at the 2006 RAW comedy festival, Hannah Gadsby has a way of telling stories that are both dark, wry, and confronting -- all while making you laugh so hard a little bit of wee might come out. Using her Instagram game for good (if your definition of good is to compare yourself every day to Ruby Rose to a poignant fault), she is a shining light of bleak and hilarious truths. If meticulously-executed dad jokes and observational humour get you up in the morning, Gadsby will brighten your life.

4. Felicity Ward

Felicty Ward is a breath of fresh air in a society populated by dutch ovens. Her comedy is a beautiful balance of stories about mental health and gorgeous ridiculousness. A large chunk of her material is devoted to her own battles with her mental health and a healthy dose of poo jokes thrown in for good measure. She is honest about a lot of subjects that have become dangerous ground for some comedians, but Ward embraces that danger to craft really great stories that will have you holding you sides while you try to pick your jaw up off the floor.

5. Nakkiah Lui

Nakkiah Lui is a former law student and now playwright, actor and comedian who uses her beautiful brain box to start conversations about Australia's long and muddy history of racial stereotypes while advocating for the rights of Indigenous Australians.

Speaking with ABC 7.30, the Gamillaroi and Torres Strait Islander woman spelt it plainly, saying "I think humour is our most powerful tool when it comes to creating some type of social change." Lui is a writer on the hit sketch show Black Comedy which inverts social and racial tropes.

Black Comedy can be watched here in Australia, and here everywhere else, while Lui's work as a writer and performer can be found here.

6. Becky Lucas

Writer and comedian Becky Lucas is a timely reminder that nothing should be off limits when it comes to stand up. Having written for the internationally successful Please Like Me (which coincidentally features aforementioned powerhouse Hannah Gadsby) Lucas has an eerie style of presentation. She throws out phrases that cause a subconscious double take, unsure if you're allowed to laugh or not. The answer is always yes, because jokes about awful sexual misadventures are universal themes to be embraced.

7. Celia Pacquola

Celia Pacquola is funny (something you look for in a comedian) and the type of person who, after watching them perform you think, I want to be your best friend forever. She has toured the United Kingdom with uproarious success. Perhaps it's her take on enjoying the idea of eating peanut butter because you know that your ex-boyfriend was allergic to peanut butter and if he ate it he'd die? Well you can make up your mind for yourself, but let the record show that the woman is a dirty genius.

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