User:Boneso/sandbox/Laurie

Meshel Laurie (born 29 May 1976) is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter living in Melbourne.

Early life and education
Laurie was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, her father was a taxi driver and her mother, a receptionist at the hospital.

Comedy
Laurie's first Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was Dairy Belles which she performed with Corinne Grant. In 1998 she was granted the Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Award to produce The Virgin Mary 2 - This Time It's Personal. Her success began to skyrocket when, in 2000, she debuted The Whore Whisperer: Confessions of a Madam at the Melbourne Fringe Festival - a show all about her experiences working as a receptionist in several Melbourne brothels. A sell-out in its first season, The Whore Whisperer went on to sell out seasons at the Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe and the Sydney Opera House.

Radio
In 2000, Laurie co-hosted Enough Rope on 3RRR with Josh Kinal. This was a weekly programme about comedy that included the comedy tracks, a look at the comedy industry and interviews with numerous guests including: Wil Anderson, Daniel Kitson, Simon Munnery, Rachel Berger. Regular segments featured Adam Richard and Toby Sullivan. The show was controversially cancelled at the end of 2002.

In 2003 Laurie regularly filled in for Kate Langbroek on the Nova FM breakfast show Hughesy, Kate & Dave alongside Dave Hughes and Dave O'Neil. She later moved to Brisbane to co-host the breakfast time slot as a foundation presenter when Nova 106.9 began broadcasting in 2005. Laurie co-hosted the show with Ashley Bradnam, David Lutteral and Kip Whightman. The show was the top rating breakfast radio show in Brisbane, but Laurie hated her time there; she did not get along with her co-hosts. Laurie was also travelling to Melbourne to appear on the television shows Spicks and Specs and Rove.

In 2005, Laurie joined Nova 106.9 in Brisbane as a founding breakfast presenter on Meshel, Ash, Kip and Luttsy - it became the highest rating breakfast show in Brisbane. Over the years Ash, Kip and Luttsy resigned with other presenters joining Laurie including Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold. Meshel, Tim and Marty remained in breakfast until August 2011 when the show was moved to Melbourne to broadcast live nationally on Drive on Nova FM.

In October 2013, Nova 100 announced that she would join Tommy Little to host Meshel & Tommy replacing Hughesy & Kate. The show started in December 2013.

In January 2014, Laurie was replaced by Kate Ritchie on drive joining Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold.

In October 2015, Meshel announced that she would be leaving Nova 100 at the end of the year to host Matt & Meshel on KIIS 101.1 with Matt Tilley. She also hosted the 3PM Pick-Up with Katie 'Monty' Dimond on the KIIS Network.

In October 2017 Australian Radio Network announced that Matt & Meshel would not be renewed in 2018.

Television
In 2004, Laurie hosted Stand Up!, a comedy show on ABC TV. She was also a regular on national variety show Rove Live. Laurie has also appeared on The Glass House, Spicks and Specks, Good News Week, ADbc, The Circle,Can of Worms, Studio 10, The Project and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.

In 2013, Laurie co-hosted This Week Live, alongside Dave Thornton, Tommy Little and Tom Gleeson.

In 2018 Laurie featured in the SBS documentary Go Back to Where You Came From looking at the South Sudan refugee crisis first hand.

Podcast
In April 2015 Laurie launched her first podcast, Meshel Laurie's Nitty Gritty Committee. The podcast presented interviews with a wide range of people with extraordinary stories to tell.

In March 2017 Laurie started the Australian True Crime podcast with crime writer Emily Webb. The podcast presents true crime from the perspective of police, victims and offenders.

Personal life
Laurie was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, and moved to Melbourne early in her career as a stand-up comic to take advantage of its strong comedy industry/community.

Laurie is a Buddhist.

In June 2009, Laurie announced via Twitter that she was pregnant with twins, due in the summer. On 23 November 2009, Laurie announced the birth of her twins – a boy, Louis, and a girl, Dali – born on 20 November 2009.

In 2010, Laurie launched a blog to help promote charity and the ways that people can give back to communities all around the world.

Her book, Buddhism for Breakups, was published in 2017 by Blank Inc.

In January 2019 Save the Children Australia appointed Laurie to the newly created role of Head of Community Building. The role was created to better engage with the public to get involved in advocacy and other programs.