Comedian Michelle Brasier shares her story of living with a fear of dying young from cancer on Australian Story. Brasier, who was told by a doctor that she had a 97% chance of getting cancer due to her family history, has chosen to laugh in the face of death with her acclaimed stage show, Average Bear. The show offers an intimate and comical insight into her life, leaving audiences laughing and tearful as she jokes about her brother’s ashes and the lasagnas received after her father’s death.
Brasier’s performance highlights the therapeutic nature of comedy, blurring the lines between laughter and tears. “Comedy is a good friend to grief,” she says. “Physiologically, laughing, crying, and singing are all really close, and so I’m always on the edge of one of them, and I like it.”
However, off-stage, Brasier grapples with the serious implications of her family history. As she contemplates her future, she discovers that genetic testing may not provide all the answers. Embracing uncertainty, she learns to live with the dichotomy of her healthy morning yoga routine and her evening whisky.
Australian Story: Comedian Michelle Brasier airs on ABC on Monday, 26 August 2024, at 8:00 pm and will be available on ABC iview.
