Meet the Podcaster: Aunty Donna

For more than a decade, Aunty Donna has built a global, diehard fanbase with its unique brand of absurd comedy. From the hit Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun on Netflix to the acclaimed sitcom Aunty Donna’s Coffee Café on ABC, the group has become one of Australia’s most successful comedy exports.

We sat down with the team to talk about approaching 30 million total downloads, returning to Acast, and what fans can expect from the new Grouse House streaming platform launching in April.

Acast: Welcome home! You’ve brought The Aunty Donna Podcast back to Acast – and now the entire Grouse House Podcast Network is under the same roof. What made this the right move at this stage?

Aunty Donna: Our wonderful producer Tom has been doing a great job to build out a bevy of fantastic and hilarious shows as part of the Grouse House network. The Australian comedy scene has a rich and engaged fanbase not just locally that tune in every week to the GH network. We wanted to be a part of that. 

Acast: The Aunty Donna Podcast has been running for years and built a genuinely cult following. What do you think has kept listeners coming back episode after episode?

Aunty Donna: I think this is a cry for help from people. Nothing says I need help quite like subjecting yourself to this show every week. Strangely we saw yesterday it’s closing in on 30 MILLION listens. This is gravely concerning for society. 

Acast: For anyone who hasn’t yet heard the show, how would you describe The Aunty Donna Podcast to a Victorian-era chimney sweep – and where should they start?

Aunty Donna: Due to some brief reading I gathered historical context on who a Victorian-era chimney sweep would be. Statistically I would say you are an underage boy. I would suggest you and the other lads unionise, fight for better work conditions. Wear masks when working and look after yourselves. 

Acast: Your comedy has spanned live tours, books, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun on Netflix, and Aunty Donna’s Coffee Café on the ABC. What does podcasting allow you to do creatively that other formats don’t?

Aunty Donna: We started our show because we found our rehearsals to be much funnier than the shows we were putting on. When you are trying things you often go to very weird, hard to explain places. This show is for the true comedy nerds who love the journey on the way to finding something funny. Often you don’t find it, but w hen you do it’s pretty magical. 

Acast: With over 400,000 monthly downloads and a hugely engaged online community, you’ve built one of Australia’s most dedicated comedy audiences. What has been one of your favourite fan moments to date?

Aunty Donna: We’re lucky enough to have a few world tours under our belts now. We get to meet likeminded comedy fans all over the world. Often when we meet fans at our shows the first thing they want to talk about is the podcast. There’s nothing weirder than being in Manchester, Vancouver or Hong Kong and having someone connect with you over the tiniest little joke from episode 350, 20 minutes into a stupid riff. 

Acast: Comedy is obviously your bread and butter – but what are you all into outside of it? Any hobbies, guilty pleasures, or obsessions that might surprise people?

Aunty Donna: We love video games, huge movie and TV nerds, Broden loves every sport on the planet, quietly we are actually into our politics, obviously comedy specials and series, health and fitness as well!

Acast: You’ve just launched the Grouse House Podcast Network as a network championing alternative Australian comedy. What gap did you see in the market that made you want to build your own platform?

Aunty Donna: Grouse House’s existence is built entirely off what appears to be a landscape change in Australian media away from local comedy. Radio and TV are commissioning and platforming less local talent than before in our lifetime. It's a sad state of affairs because we make bloody great comedy. Our goal is to give the next Hamish & Andy, Kath and Kim or Sam Campbell the pathway to get some audience and build their own empires. 

Acast: You’re also launching your own streaming service in April. What can fans expect?

Aunty Donna: WEIRD AUSTRALIAN COMEDY.

Acast: For advertisers reading this: what makes the Aunty Donna audience such a strong community for brands to connect with?

Aunty Donna: We have a connection with our audience unlike many other places. Our audience have been with us for over a decade now. Our interests and passions are entwined into our work and make up the greater universe of our work. Whether it’s gaming, movies, sport, art, politics or other comedy it’s deeply woven through everything we do. We can speak to all these worlds and brands with sincerity and authenticity.

Acast: And finally, what’s one completely ridiculous podcast idea you’d still love to try one day?

Aunty Donna: We have done them all. Maybe a nice normal podcast. 

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Quick-fire round

• One word to describe The Aunty Donna Podcast? Unlistenable 

• Most chaotic episode you’ve ever recorded? Unanswerable

• Go-to snack during a writing session? Mount Franklin Sparkling flavoured water 

• The one app you genuinely couldn’t run Aunty Donna without? Slack

• The one subscription you’ll defend with your life? Grouse House lol

• Which Aunty Donna member would survive longest in the wilderness? Mark

• Worst podcast idea you’ve seriously considered? A 5 episode run of Grand Designs Batman. It was a bad idea and we did it just last week 

• What's your dream collab: Aldi Christmas pudding, $30 Pepperjack shiraz, or bertocchi ham? Oh it has to be the Aldi Xmas pudding. Or Polestar because they are the best car ever