Nurse of 40 years trades stethoscope for stand-up comedy
Wangaratta nurse Judi Walker came out of a comedy show and thought “I can do that”.
“I walked and decided the comedian only spoke for an hour and thougth I’ve got a lot to say and some stories to tell,” she said.
“Within a week I was searching for a venue and putting s show together.”
Having been a nurse for more than 40 years, she is not short of material and is bringing her show Giddy Up Nursee! to the Engine Room Bendigo on April 20.
“My first show was in a Tafe auditorum for 150 people and it sold out. Then I took it to Mooroopna where I trained and had more than 200 people in a wonderful crowd,” she said.
“I’ve always said I was happiest with a mic in hand. I’m sure that’s not everyone’s experience but I have always loved drama and public speaking.
She put her show’s popularity down to nurses having a quirky sense of humour.
“It’s that irreverent sense of humour and cheekiness,” she said.
“It’s not blatantly crude and there’s no foul language, which seems to be a standard for a lot of comedians.
“Everybody can relate to it because they have either been a nurse or been to a hospital.”
Walker said topics in her show range from bodily functions to nurse frustrations and changing technologies.
She studied to be a nurse after deciding against being a secretary or a teacher.
“Nursing wasn’t an ambition. I got to the end of year 12 and was going to be a secretary, a teacher or a nurse,” she said.
“I couldn’t type so secretary was out and a girlfriend of mine was going into nursing at Mooroopna, which was close to home.
“It’s been hugely rewarding. I love interacting with people and would go mad if I was in a shop or office waiting for people to come to me. I love the fact there is a great sense of achievement.”
Before stand-up comedy, Walker published two books of poetry with one titled Nursee Rhymes: Have You Seen My Uterus.
“Some of the poetry is woven into the show,” she said.
“But stand-up took a lot of courage. If I had of stopped to think what I was doing, I would have deemed it too risky.
“The only thing that would have stopped me was the fear of making fool of myself and I thought that wasn’t a good enough reason.
“I just decided to step out and have a go.”
Judi Walker’s Giddy Up Nursee is at the Engine Room in Bendigo on April 20.
Visit http://www.thecapital.com.au/Whats_On/Judi_Walker for more
