IPSWICH-based comedian Chemark Rehder has spent the past decade balancing two very different worlds: working for the City Council by day and commanding comedy rooms across Queensland by night.
Originally from Albany, Papua New Guinea, Rehder has built a reputation as one of the region’s most charismatic emerging performers, earning himself the nickname The Fresh Prince of Comedy, a title that began as a joke among friends and has since become his unofficial stage name.
Rehder said the name fitted his style: confident, playful, and full of swagger.
“It’s funny, but it’s also got a lot of swag to it.
“My audience really relates to it. They enjoy it the most anyway.”
His sets blend silliness with self deprecation, but what truly sets him apart is his storytelling, rooted deeply in his culture, upbringing, and everyday life.
Juggling full-time work with late-night gigs hasn’t been easy.
“I’m probably still trying to find the balance,” he said.
“Sometimes I do a full day, then get back at midnight or one in the morning, and then I have to go to work the next day.”
Yet the pull of the stage remains irresistible.
“It’s a very addictive process … when you can make a group of strangers laugh and connect with your story.”
Ipswich, he said, had shaped him into a sharper performer. Known for being one of the toughest crowds in South East Queensland, the city demands quick punchlines and no wasted time.
“They don’t want long stories. They just want straight to the point,” Rehder said. “You have to get good really quickly.”
Growing up surrounded by natural storytellers; uncles, cousins, and friends, helped him develop the rhythm and instinct that now define his comedy.
“Papua New Guineans are just natural story-tellers,” he said.
“It felt natural when I started performing.”
Rehder’s next big step is a crowd work focused solo show this Sunday in Kenmore, where he’ll rely entirely on audience interaction.
“It’s risk and reward,” he said. “Whatever the audience gives me is what I’m going to have to do.”
Fans can follow his journey on Instagram at @dafreshprinceofcomedy.
