Ray O'Leary

Matthew "Ray" O'Leary is a New Zealand comedian , TV Personality and actor, known for his "deadpan" humour and large grey suit.[2][3][4]

Ray O'Leary
Born
Matthew O'Leary[1]

1985 or 1986 (age 37–38)
Whanganui, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealand
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington (MPhil)
Occupations
Comedy career
Medium
  • Television
  • stand-up
Years active2015–present
Genres
  • Observational
  • deadpan

Early life and education

O'Leary grew up in Whanganui, New Zealand, where he attended Cullinane College.[5][3] He has a bachelor's and master's degree in philosophy from Victoria University of Wellington.[6][7][8][1]

At university, O'Leary's friends gave him the nickname "Ray" because they thought he sounded like Ray Romano.[1]

Peter Singer's 1975 book Animal Liberation convinced O’Leary to become vegan.[9]

Career

Tired of working as a public servant, O'Leary began performing stand-up comedy in 2015 in Wellington.[7] By 2018, he was also writing for television shows.[7] He has written for 7 Days.

O'Leary has appeared on various panel shows, including Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Cheap Seats, Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee, 7 Days, and Patriot Brains.[2] Other television programs O'Leary has been in include Raised by Refugees, Golden Boy, and My Favourite Dead Person. Podcasts he has participated in include Waterdeep Mountain High and Socrates Walks Into A Bar.[2]

In 2018, O'Leary and Lucy Roche performed the show Young, Dumb and Full of Comedy.[10] O'Leary presented his comedy show Everything Funny All the Time Always in 2023 across New Zealand and then at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Sydney Comedy Festival.[4][2]

He appeared in the fourth series of Taskmaster NZ in 2023.

Influences on O'Leary include Scott Aukerman, Ellen DeGeneres, Stewart Lee, Norm Macdonald, Guy Montgomery, and Tig Notaro.[7] Fans of O'Leary have been known to dress up as him at his shows.[4][6]

O'Leary won Best Newcomer at the 2016 Wellington Comedy Awards, and was nominated for the Billy T Award in 2017, for his show A Pessimist's Guide to Optimism,[11] and in 2020, for his show Ray Against the Machine.[2][3]

As of 2023, O'Leary is repped by Jubilee Street Management.[12]

References
  1. Russell, Emma (16 May 2017). "Whanganui comedian nominee for Billy T award". Whanganui Chronicle.
  2. James, Shauni (19 January 2023). "Comedian Ray O'Leary bringing his deadpan and whip-smart humour to Rotorua". Rotorua Daily Post.
  3. Empson, Madelaine (27 April 2021). "Don't ask Ray O'Leary about his dogs". Regional News – Eyes on Wellington.
  4. Low, Lenny Ann (31 March 2023). "The new wave of Kiwi comics ready to tickle Australian audiences". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. "120-year-old tree falls on house of Whanganui comedian Ray O'Leary". NZ Herald. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  6. Hubbard, Catherine (17 February 2023). "Ray O'Leary's dark, observational comedy tickles the funny bone". Stuff.co.nz.
  7. Miller, Ayla (24 September 2018). "Twenty plus questions with comedian Ray O'Leary". On the Record.
  8. Wilson, Zaryd (14 June 2019). "Big read: Whanganui comedian Ray O'Leary on dark comedy, philosophy and making a living being funny". Whanganui Chronicle.
  9. "Comedian Corner: Ray O'Leary". Canta. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  10. Longshaw-Park, Rachel (11 May 2018). "REVIEW: Lucy Roche and Ray O'Leary: Young, Dumb and Full of Comedy (NZ International Comedy Festival)". Theatre Scenes.
  11. "Meet the 2017 Billy T Nominees". 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  12. "Ray O'Leary". Jubilee Street Management. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
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