22/09/2026
Last night, Madeleine (one of our wonderful office team members) invited Katrina and me, along with her friend Sharlene, to the Comedy Store to watch Adam Hills perform his one and only Australian stand-up show for the year.
Those familiar with Adam’s work will know that he has been one of Australia’s leading comedians for many years, with successful shows on both the ABC and BBC. Through his extraordinary gift for comedy, Adam has also helped raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with disability, breaking down barriers and bringing warmth, humour and humanity to subjects many people find difficult to discuss.
Last night’s event was a charity fundraiser supporting Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL), a sport in which Adam is both a player and a passionate advocate. His commitment to the sport and to people with disability has clearly become a very important part of his life. That passion, compassion and empathy were on full display as we watched a true master at work.
Sharlene is Deaf, and the venue arranged for Marni to interpret the show in Auslan. This meant we enjoyed not one, but three waves of laughter: the first when Adam delivered the joke, the second when it was interpreted in sign, and the third when those of us who could hear also caught the humour in Marni’s interpretation.
None of us could have anticipated that the beginning of Adam’s act would involve Sharlene becoming part of the first 15 minutes of the show. What followed was improvised, educational, engaging and absolutely hilarious; all delivered so naturally that you barely realised just how skilfully Adam was bringing everyone along with him.
Katrina and I are fortunate to be able to support a number of worthwhile causes, and we do not often speak publicly about what we contribute. However, we left last night feeling such warmth and emotion that we felt compelled to share the experience.
After the show, we had the opportunity to meet Adam and Marni. What we expected to be a brief introduction became a wonderful 30-minute conversation. Adam was incredibly generous, not only with his time, but also with himself. What you see is genuinely what you get.
We were proud to support the Adam’s fundraiser with a $2,000 donation, and we would like to encourage our suppliers, friends, family and team members to support PDRL in whatever way they can.
People often say that you should never meet your heroes. I do not really think of anyone as a “hero,” although there are many people I greatly respect. But if I did have a list of heroes, Adam Hills would certainly be on it, and after last night, I can confidently say I was not disappointed.
Thank you, Adam and Marni, for an unforgettable evening, and thank you to Madeleine and Sharlene for inviting us along.
- Ceri
If you’re able to support this cause, please use this link: asf.org.au/campaigns/physical-disability-rugby-league-australia-incorporated/-supporting-physical-disability-rugby-league-australia-2026-world-cup--player
Adam Hills Official Page
