Comedy crusaders 'WE'RE LAUGHING FOR A CURE'

The joke's on you, cancer! Some of our funniest talent take on a serious cause

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Almost every New Zealander has been touched by cancer in some way and that's why a group of past and present comedians - including Weekly columnists Michèle A’Court and Jeremy Corbett - are using their laughs for a good cause, raising funds for the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research.

David Downs, 54

What are your fears about performing comedy for the first time in years?

That I will forget my routine, but hey, if Jeremy Corbett can remember his lines, then I should be able to!

Share a funny memory with one of your fellow performers.

Jon [Bridges], Jeremy and I did a show in Queenstown years ago, and we discovered the producer had skipped out with the takings. We had to go around town trying to find him and act all macho to get him to pay us.

How has cancer touched your life?

I had terminal cancer eight years ago and was saved by the same sort of treatment the Malaghan Institute is developing. I had to raise a crazy amount of money (estimated $1.7 million at one stage!), and my comedy friends were a big part of helping me. The institute is building medical infrastructure so Kiwi patients don't have to travel overseas or bankrupt themselves to access the very best treatments.

Michèle A'Court, 64

Share a funny memory with one of your fellow performers.