A prolific Ilic
Overview
Investigative Humourist, Dan Ilic, is a prolific comedy voice across TV, film, radio and stage. His live show and comedy podcast, A Rational Fear, won Best Comedy Podcast at the Australian Awards in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (he didn’t enter in 2024 as it got a bit silly).
Dan’s an Obama Foundation Leader (for his work in satire and climate change activism), a Bertha Foundation Fellow (ditto), TV Executive Producer/Showrunner (Tonightly, At Home Alone Together), a shitstirrer who raised hundreds of thousands to shame the Australian Government’s poor climate record in Time Square NYC and Glasgow, a narrative writer and producer (Riot Act), a part-time actor (Play Dirty, Good Cop Bad Cop), a corporate sweet-talker and an enthusiastic mentor and coach.
In 2023 Dan founded Not A Real Media Company Pty Ltd as a vehicle to make smart stupid things with comedians and good humans. Not A Real Media Company Pty Ltd is currently developing narrative comedy, animation and factual series for web, television and streaming.
Images of Dan for media are available here
You may know Dan from…
A RATIONAL FEAR
Host of the popular podcast and live comedy show A Rational Fear, Dan brings together industry leaders, journalists, comedians and politicians, to use comedy to explore big issues such as climate change, press freedom and the intersection of culture and the internet. Winner of the Australian Podcast Awards Best Comedy Podcast in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Follow A Rational Fear here
VIRAL BILLBOARDS
Dan raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through crowd-funding to shame the Australian Government's record on climate action in Times Square, New York City before the Glasgow climate talks in 2021. Check out his interview with Jake Tapper here
TV
Dan started his career on Australian TV shows including The Ronnie Johns Half Hour (TEN), Hungry Beast (ABC) The Feed (SBS) and Can of Worms (TEN). You’ll often find him on Talking Pictures 9:50am on Insiders (ABC)
A VOICE ABOUT TOWN
Dan has sold out shows at the Sydney Opera House, entertained with seasons on ABC Radio National, opened for Russell Crowe’s band and performed stand-up under rocket fire in Kandahar. As a journalist, Dan scooped the world to the news of Heath Ledger's death in 2008 and covered the US election for Fairfax Media in 2016. In 2024 he toured with Grace Tame on her show, Lightening the load.
NOT A REAL MEDIA COMPANY
In 2023 Dan founded Not A Real Media Company Pty Ltd as a vehicle to make smart stupid things, with a focus on creating work with comedians, and science communicators with a point of view. Not A Real Media Company Pty Ltd is currently developing narrative comedy, animation and factual series — for web, television and streaming.
MR SPEAKER
MC, speaker and man willing to sell-out for the right price, you may have seen Dan at your company do. Dan has spoken across the globe at events like SXSW USA, SXS Australia and Semi Permanent.
LEADERSHIP
Dan was recognised by the Obama Foundation in 2019 as an Obama Foundation Leader Asia Pacific for his work in satire and climate change activism, and was a 2020 and 2021 Bertha Foundation Fellow. Dan has worked alongside the community independent candidates, with the aim of speeding up Australia’s race to net zero.
MENTORING + COACHING
When comedians talk about how they got their start, Dan’s name often comes up. A champion for emerging talent, Dan also runs coaching workshops, most recently co-designing programs for the ABC Creator Program, FBI Radio’s Inside Jokes, and 2SER’s JokeTober.
THE OCCASIONAL REAL JOB
In 2015 Dan was appointed the senior satire producer of Al Jazeera’s youth publisher AJ+ (based in LA) and in 2016 he covered the US election while Executive Producer of Satire for Fusion/Gizmodo Media Group in the USA. He landed back in Australia as the Executive Producer and Showrunner of the daily satirical TV show Tonightly with Tom Ballard (ABC), then more recently, EP on the AACTA nominated At Home Alone Together (ABC), a coronavirus comedy lifestyle show.
ACTING
Dan recently performed in Good Cop Bad Cop (Stan/Roku) and Play Dirty (Amazon Prime). Or you might know him from various TV ads or as a rising starlet on Home and Away.
RIOT ACT
Dan co-wrote, performed in, and directed the narrative comedy series Riot Act for Audible which won a Webby Honouree in 2019, and went on to secure television development funding from Create NSW.
MUSICAL CONTROVERSY
Dan rose to national fame for his satirical comedy fringe show Beaconsfield: A Musical In A-Flat Minor. There’s plenty to Google on that one.
