The end of an era: Judith Lucy calls it quits on stand-up comedy
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One of Australia's most beloved and well-known comedians, Judith Lucy, has announced that she is officially retiring from stand-up comedy for good.
In a candid and heartfelt essay that was published recently, the comedian expressed that she felt that it was time for her to quit doing live comedy.
‘My parents died when I was 32. I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for nearly 35 years. I think you can see where this is going,’ said the 54-year-old comedian in her essay.
Judith confessed to reporters that she has lived and breathed doing stand-up for over three decades, but recent events have made her rethink her life and how well-suited it is for her.
‘I’m done. I’m saying goodbye to something that has defined me more than anything else – stand-up comedy,’ she wrote.
Judith said she found writing stand-up shows a ‘cathartic’ experience and she recalled how it helped her deal with everything – from the death of her parents to relationship breakups.
However, she realised she wasn’t happy anymore.
She said she came to this realisation during the pandemic and noticed how the habits she’d relied on – such as drinking, smoking dope, or watching hours of TV – were all coping mechanisms she developed to deal with the anxiety of her job.
‘I came to view living like this as normal,’ she wrote.
‘No one has been holding a gun to my head. But it’s taken me nearly 35 years to realise that I can just…stop. I can try living differently.’
In a recent episode of her podcast, she expanded further on her reasons for quitting the stage.
‘I’ve been stuck in a loop. I’m finally done with the constant anxiety, the self-medicating and the grind of touring.’
‘I should just get over myself. But I’ve lurched from one show to the next, and I just don’t want to live like that anymore,’ she shared.
She added that even though she doesn’t know how she’ll live (because stand-up is her main source of income), she reassured her fans that she’ll ‘figure it out’.
‘Or I won’t. And you’ll see me doing stand-up on cruises at 82.’
She also promised that she’ll continue writing or performing in some capacity, but will ‘switch things up’ to lessen the stress of regular stand-up touring.
Her fans have flooded her social media channels with messages of support following her announcement.
‘Thank you for everything you have given us as an audience,’ wrote one fan. They, later on, added that they’re happy she’s doing this for herself.
‘Looking forward to what’s next for you, even if we only get the occasional postcard for a while,’ said another.
You can read Judith Lucy’s essay here.
Are you a fan of Judith’s work, members? How do you feel about her announcement? Share with us your thoughts – we’d love to hear them!
In a candid and heartfelt essay that was published recently, the comedian expressed that she felt that it was time for her to quit doing live comedy.
‘My parents died when I was 32. I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for nearly 35 years. I think you can see where this is going,’ said the 54-year-old comedian in her essay.
Judith confessed to reporters that she has lived and breathed doing stand-up for over three decades, but recent events have made her rethink her life and how well-suited it is for her.
‘I’m done. I’m saying goodbye to something that has defined me more than anything else – stand-up comedy,’ she wrote.
Judith Lucy’s 30-year stand-up career has come to an end. Credit: Monica Silvestre/Pexels
Judith said she found writing stand-up shows a ‘cathartic’ experience and she recalled how it helped her deal with everything – from the death of her parents to relationship breakups.
However, she realised she wasn’t happy anymore.
She said she came to this realisation during the pandemic and noticed how the habits she’d relied on – such as drinking, smoking dope, or watching hours of TV – were all coping mechanisms she developed to deal with the anxiety of her job.
‘I came to view living like this as normal,’ she wrote.
Judith’s heartfelt essay was published recently and explains why she decided to stop touring. Credit: Facebook
‘No one has been holding a gun to my head. But it’s taken me nearly 35 years to realise that I can just…stop. I can try living differently.’
In a recent episode of her podcast, she expanded further on her reasons for quitting the stage.
‘I’ve been stuck in a loop. I’m finally done with the constant anxiety, the self-medicating and the grind of touring.’
‘I should just get over myself. But I’ve lurched from one show to the next, and I just don’t want to live like that anymore,’ she shared.
She added that even though she doesn’t know how she’ll live (because stand-up is her main source of income), she reassured her fans that she’ll ‘figure it out’.
‘Or I won’t. And you’ll see me doing stand-up on cruises at 82.’
She also promised that she’ll continue writing or performing in some capacity, but will ‘switch things up’ to lessen the stress of regular stand-up touring.
Her fans have flooded her social media channels with messages of support following her announcement.
‘Thank you for everything you have given us as an audience,’ wrote one fan. They, later on, added that they’re happy she’s doing this for herself.
‘Looking forward to what’s next for you, even if we only get the occasional postcard for a while,’ said another.
You can read Judith Lucy’s essay here.
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