Staying home: Comedian and Eurovision host Joel Creasey is turning to humour in isolation

Comedian Joel Creasey would have been in Rotterdam with his Eurovision co-host and friend Myf Warhurst, but instead they’ll be uniting corny music lovers for a pandemic-modified Eurovision 2020’s Big Night In on SBS this month.

“It’s the first time Eurovision hasn’t happened in 64 years; it even survived the Cold War, so it’s devastating to not be there right now,” says Creasey.

“But we’re excited that singer Montaigne will perform as she would have in the Netherlands,” he adds.

The popular comic also had to postpone his comedy tour, now slated for an October return.

“The ironic part about my show is that it was all about how shitty I thought 2019 was,” he says.

“Well, 2020 has outdone itself, and yes, I’m acquiring lots of new material in these crazy times a rewrite that’s for sure.”

Creasey has also taken on a new gig as part of GQ’s Instagram Live Series in which he’ll be interviewing others in lockdown, including Aussie musician Cody Simpson, Julie Bishop and model David Genat.

He also brings a touch of pub trivia to the iso-age hosting Coopers Live, Loud and Local with Warhurst – about as close as he’ll get to a stage in this social distancing time.

Creasey admits at spending more time at home hasn’t increased his productivity.

“I haven’t reorganised or cleaned anything around the house, I haven’t taken up a new course,” he says. “I, like others, found everything so joyless in the beginning and went into my shell. A friend of mine enrolled in an online course at Harvard and I’m like I can’t even imagine that.”

Favourite room

I love the kitchen because I love cooking, but I also love my bedroom, and I have been eating a lot of my meals in bed and watching TV. Sitting at the dinner table when the bed is upstairs and looks so comfy; I don’t think twice.

Latest DIY project

We are planning on building a veggie patch garden on our balcony but laziness has stopped that. We were busy renovating our apartment in the Docklands before the pandemic, but stopped that and moved to Abbotsford where we are renting at the moment.

Where do you relax at home?

I bought these gorgeous couches by Calibre – low grey couches and they face each other and we each have our own one, and I did a play in January and as a treat I bought myself a Hermes throw rug and that’s my relaxation spot, under the rug and on that couch.

What are you reading at the moment?

Just re-read Audition by Barbara Walters. I thought I’d go for a classic and it was a blast from the past and hilarious. I have been online and on my phone reading travel blogs and fantasising about holidays I can’t go on right now. It’s a bit of escapist entertainment right now.

Baking/making

I like to think of myself as an adventurous cook and I have recently been into making a roast and then turning the leftovers into a tart. It’s delicious. They are quaint and taste good.

What are you planning?

I have a tour, which is postponed to October, and I don’t know if I can be back on the road then. Jack and I planned a holiday to New Zealand – if the borders are open.

Latest home purchase

It would have to be the Oodie – it’s an oversized doona hoodie. It’s heaven and they’re like a doona with a big pocket in the front. I am actually wondering why I am not wearing it now!

App you’ve downloaded

Apart from COVIDSafe, this is embarrassing but I use Airport – I am sure it’s a gambling app but I haven’t paid for any tokens. It’s essentially you building an airport and I spend hours on it.

Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! on Saturday, May 16, 8.30pm on SBS.