Joe Dammond takes centre stage

What do you get when you pack out a theatre with a crowd hungry for laughs and throw one of Aotearoa’s funniest comedians on stage?

🔥 You get Joe Damond’s ‘Hope I Made You Proud’ — a powerhouse comedy show that’s been selling out venues across Aotearoa and Australia.

We caught the show at SkyCity Theatre over Easter, and here's our verdict…

Opening act Hoani Hotene warmed up the room with a quirky 10-minute set filled with dry wit and Māori humour — cheeky, clever, and the perfect appetiser.

Then Joe hit the stage to thunderous applause — and didn’t let up for the next hour.

He took us on a wild, heartfelt, and hilarious ride through his life as a Fijian-Māori, poking fun at our humble Kiwi ways, sharing tales of making it big in America with his brother, and dropping one killer punchline after another. Joe’s got that rare gift — weaving stories together with smart callbacks and layered punchlines, a technique mastered by the likes of Dave Chappelle and Eddie Murphy.

The crowd was in stitches for a full hour and a half. And when Joe finally took his bow, the entire theatre rose to its feet.

👏 A standing ovation. A show well worth the hype, and a comedian who’s just getting started.

If Hope I Made You Proud rolls through your town — don’t miss it.