Alex Main is a comedian, comedy room runner and all-round good bloke, and in this belated episode 68 I’m glad to have Alex back in the chair to recap his recent adventures at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Alex is all about good vibes and a great storyteller. Join me and this man of travel, loyalty, and laughs, for a chat is packed with perspective, profound realisations, and some jaw-dropping anecdotes. This is a must-listen episode to get you motivated and grounded at the same time!

Highlights:

* The Legend of Elsie Rider: We kick off by revisiting the epic story of the Spanish woman who was in a coma for 10 years, woke up, and decided to ride a motorbike around the world, proving life’s reset button can be the most inspirational thing ever!

* Solo Travel and Naive Girls in Edinburgh: Alex recounts his recent adventures doing the NC500 in Scotland and shares a story of finding two 19-year-old girls sleeping in a park at 4 am after being locked out of their Airbnb. Hear how he had to call a locksmith for them and why he believes there’s “no reason for girls to be that naive these days”.

* The Reality-Shattering Breakup Overseas: I recount my major life change: moving to a new country (Europe) with my ex-partner and dog only to break up in the first week. This immediately led to a sobering reality—sleeping in a car outside a church during a snowstorm.

* The Podcast’s Great Discovery: People “Actually Like Each Other” I reflect on the biggest takeaway from hosting 100 episodes: despite the “polarisation” and “treachery everywhere” seen online , I’ve learned that in the real world, most people seek to get along and find common ground.

* The Riches are in the Niches (Or Not!): I discuss the challenges of running a broad show about “self-discovery and sort of conversation between two strangers”. I question the popular business mantra “riches are in the niches” and celebrate the work of simply telling great stories.

Thanks again for cathcing The Lui Diaz Podcast. If you like this episode, please share it and leave us a comment 😙

You can catch more of Alex on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alexemain/

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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/luidiazpodcast/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@theluidiazpodcast9195/featured

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Dan Brader is a local comedian, room runner and all around good-bloke. In this episode, I welcome Dan back so I can personally thank him for all the introductions he made during the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, shoot the sh*t and catch some more of Dan’s Loose Stories.

Highlights from Episode 99

We dive deep into the fascinating, the funny, and the frankly outrageous. Here are 5 key takeaways from Dan’s latest chat:

* The Exhausting Art of the “Always-On” Persona: Dan and I discuss the strange world of method actors (like Christian Bale ) and comedians who stay “in character” 24/7. They muse on whether this constant performance is a necessary ingredient for greatness or just... utterly draining and “needy” to be around.

* A Deep Dive into the Dark Comedy Scene: Dan spills the details on the dark comedy shows he’s been running. He perfectly breaks down the contrasting approaches of comics like Joel Temperly (the grumpy “science teacher” vibe ) and Matt O’Neill (the “cuddly teddy bear energy” delivering dark jokes ).

* The Death of Organic Dating: Say goodbye to meeting someone at a bar! The guys lament the state of modern romance, calling app-based dating “a lot of admin” and just “swiping,” not actual dating. It’s so much harder to meet people randomly when everything is on your phone!

* Dan Brader: Teenage Bridge Burner: Dan admits to a history of “rage quitting” jobs as a teenager and has to deal with a slight “tinge of guilt” when he drives past those old workplaces.

* The Social Fabric is Built on White Lies: Lui and Dan get philosophical, debating whether society would absolutely collapse if everyone told the complete truth all the time. They conclude that the functional “social fabric” relies on little, tiny, inoffensive lies to keep things from being a complete “mess!”

For the listeners who love Dan Brader’s famously chaotic yarns, this episode delivers two pure gold stories that had me gob-smacked and solidified the discussion on whether alcohol is a “net negative” in society.

The Backpackers’ Tampon Attack: Dan recounts a truly wild night in a Sydney backpackers’ hostel where he was hit with the “mad alcohol urgency to piss”. Unable to get into his room with his key card, he started to drunkenly urinate on the door of his own room! This quickly escalated as a German guy came out screaming at him , and the chaos climaxed when a girl emerged and threw a tampon at Dan as he tried to “drunkenly explain it”! An absolute must-hear lesson in why being too drunk in a hostel is always a bad idea!

The Mid-Air Squat: In a conversation about the darker, Dan shares a story about a woman he once dated who was found squatting in mid-air in the bedroom of his room, convinced she was using a toilet, but making contact with “no surface”! Thankfully, the bright lights hit her, she clicked back into reality before the “quarter-poo” fully emerged, and made a dash for the actual bathroom. A classic, cautionary tale that only a man like Dan could live through to tell.

Thanks again for cathcing The Lui Diaz Podcast. If you like this episode, please share it and leave us a comment 😙

You can catch more of Dan Brader on Instagram - @danbradercomedy - https://www.instagram.com/danbradercomedy/

Listen Now YouTube and Spotify

CONNECT with The Lui Diaz Podcast on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/luidiazpodcast/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@theluidiazpodcast9195/featured

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@luifdiaz?_t=8WYIX8jD5kY&_r=1

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/luidiazpodcast

Get ready to feel smart and hungry, folks! For our massive 97th episode of The Lui Diaz Podcast, where I sit down with the multi-talented comedian, fellow truth-seeker and Accountant? Haroon Hilmy! This chat is an absolute blast of history, hard-hitting facts, and laugh-out-loud commentary.

Haroon is not just a hilarious stand-up comic; he’s an A-grade Mockumentarian, having co-created the seriously cool new series ‘Deng, the Gym Junkie’ (which I loved). But what makes him the perfect guest is his treasure trove of bizarre and mind-blowing knowledge, seriously, the man drops enough “useless information” to fill a quiz-show. From the shocking secret life of fast-food fries to a deep dive into the very roots of civilisation, Haroon brings the noise and the knowledge!

Episode Highlights

* The World’s Debt to Accountants - Forget cave paintings, you won’t believe who actually invented writing. Haroon reveals how his accounting research shows that writing started as ancient IOU’s and debt-tracking. Who knew a spreadsheet could be so ‘Antique’?

* The Pyramid of TikToks - Say goodbye to calligraphy! Haroon and I dive into the decline of handwriting in the digital age, joking that future historians will uncover pyramids filled with nothing but archived TikToks.

* The Golden IOU’s and the Birth of Paper Money - Before cash, there was gold. Haroon breaks down the super-efficient moment in history when people started paying with IOU notes instead of actual gold, birthing the concept of paper currency.

* Extreme Capitalism: The Face Lawsuit - Prepare to be shocked! Did you know the iconic Colonel Sanders was sued by KFC for using his own face on a separate chicken business after he sold the company? It’s a surreal, mind-bending case study in losing the rights to your own likeness.

* City vs. Country: The Trust Test - Why do people behave differently in the city? The guys discuss the crucial difference between close-knit country towns and the anonymous big city, where people can “get away with behaviours” because they’re less-likely to face consequences.

Plus, you’ll hear all about the insider secrets behind why KFC’s fries are always soggy and the awesome origin story of Haroon’s series ‘Deng, the Gym Junkie’! Tune in, subscribe, and get ready for a hilarious chat.

You can catch Haroon on Instagram at - https://www.instagram.com/haroon1996/

And do yourself a favour and check out his new Mochumentary series ‘Deng, The Gym Junkie’ on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@KCProduction00

🫶 Thanks again for listening and watching! Let us know your thoughts on the episode and catch you in the next one.

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