Describe yourself in ten words …
I’m slow, accident-prone, indecisive, short-sighted, vague but sharp.

What were you like as a child?
I was dopey. I was a watcher … kind of creepy as I say it out loud …

You were 28 when you first got into comedy. What were you doing before that?
I was a film projectionist. I worked in a bookshop, and on a farm. I was a renaissance woman.

Can you remember the first stand-up comedy gig you ever did?
I was in Wollongong and I had a big curry before the show – that’s the worst thing to do when you’re nervous. Pale with nervousness. Once I got my first laugh though, I was a monster.

What was the most challenging part of breaking into the industry?
Having faith in yourself that you’re good enough to ‘join’ an industry – there are a lot of great comics around. I’d never planned to ‘break in’ as such, it was more a question of, ‘can I do this?’.

You give your fans plenty of reasons to chuckle, but what makes you laugh the hardest?
My mum makes me laugh a lot. My dad, too, but he doesn’t realise why.

You’re bringing The Exhibitionist to the Brisbane Comedy Festival this month – what can local audiences expect from the show?
It’s a great show. It’s got art in it and there’s boobs. In all seriousness, it’s about how we portray ourselves through art.

What’s in the pipeline for the rest of the year?
I’m filming Josh Thomas’ television show, Please Like Me. I’m also writing a BBC4 Radio series to record later on the year. Once the festivals are over in Australia, I’ll go to Edinburgh. I’ll finish writing my book too.

You’ve performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, given art lectures around the world and nabbed a bunch of awards. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?
A late-night comedy show in Edinburgh where I used projection slides to talk about renaissance in front of drunk Scotsmen and they laughed. Huge achievement.

Which other talented Australian creatives do you have your eye on?
Josh Thomas – I adore working with him. He’s a great boy. Also, some visual artists such as Ben Quilty, who I admire and worked with on a documentary that’s coming out soon. There are so many great artists in Australia. Smorgasbord.

Describe the perfect life for a retired Hannah Gadsby …
Okay … A block of land with a river running through it. A caravan. A goat – a nanny goat, not a billy goat. Definitely a dog. A dog and a goat at the same time so they can have some unusual animal friendship. A garden. My girlfriend, and hopefully kids and grandkids one day.

What’s the last thing that made you smile?
That answer.

If you were granted life after death, what would you choose to come back as?
A singer or musician. Someone who’s really good at writing music. I get jealous of musicians who jam together. They seem to be having the greatest time with one another. I love listening, but I’d love to be a musician and jam too.

We’ve heard there were a few convicts in your lineage – what can you tell us about your ancestry?
Elizabeth Stock sticks in my mind. She arrived in Van Diemen’s Land and details were she was 5’4″ with a scar on her forehead. She was single but could read. She was sentenced because she stole some silverware. She was a housekeeper and her tasks were to cook, clean and prostitute.

Your recent show Hannah Wants A Wife explored the concept of marriage, and touched on gay rights. What’s one message you’d like to get across to those opposed to gay marriage?
To mind their own business.

What are your essentials for a well-spent weekend?
Camping, friends, alcohol, swimming – not all at the same time, that’s dangerous. And music.

How do you define ‘success’?
Probably a nanny goat.

What are your words of wisdom?
These are probably more words of panic: we’re all gonna die. 

FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … New York.
Relax …  Tasmania.
Indulge … Florence.
Shop … I live above a fruit and veg shop, and my brother owns the supermarket next door. I’m done.
Catch up … Depends where the people are.
Be inspired … All of the above.