Rodney Rude facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rodney Rude
Rude in 2020
Birth name	Rodney Malcolm Keft
Medium	Stand-up, music
Nationality	Australian
Years active	1961–2006, 2011–2016, 2024–present
Genres	Observational comedy
Subject(s)	Australian culture, current events, pop culture

Rodney Rude (born Rodney Malcolm Keft on January 29, 1943) is an Australian comedian and musician. He was born in Nowra, New South Wales, Australia.

Rodney Rude is famous for his stand-up comedy shows. He has been nominated for the ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release nine times. These nominations happened between 1987 and 2009. He also won two Mo Awards for his comedy. He officially stopped performing live shows on December 9, 2016.

Early Comedy Days

Rodney Rude started his career in the early 1960s. He performed with traveling tent shows. These shows were often at showgrounds. He would sing and play the guitar for the audience.

He liked to change the words of songs to make people laugh. This habit made him want to become a comedian. In the mid-1960s, he left Australia. He traveled and worked in the United States, Canada, and Europe. He used different stage names during this time. In 1981, he was asked to come back to Australia. He helped set up Sydney's Comedy Store. He then worked there as the main host, also known as a compere.

Rodney's Comedy Style

Rodney Rude's comedy is very energetic. He uses a strong and lively style when he performs. He often uses funny items on stage. These include a small ukulele for short songs. He also wears hats that are too small for his head. Sometimes he wears oversized clown shoes. He even uses metal tea strainers to pretend to be a fly. Some of his jokes came from his grandfather's old joke book.

Talking with his audience is a big part of his show. He is well-known for his 'limericks'. These are short, funny poems he tells near the end of each performance.

Awards and Recognition

Rodney Rude has received several awards for his comedy. These awards celebrate his talent and contribution to Australian entertainment.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are a big event in Australia. They celebrate the best in Australian music and comedy each year. Rodney Rude has been nominated for ten ARIA awards. Most of his nominations were for "Best Comedy Release." He was also nominated once for "Highest Selling Album."

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards were important awards for live entertainment in Australia. They were given out from 1975 to 2016. Rodney Rude won two Mo Awards during his career.