:: nazeem hussain ::

Nazeem Hussain is one of Australia’s most incisive and daring comedians. He is one of the two performers known as ‘Fear of a Brown Planet’, awarded the Melbourne International Comedy Festival ‘Best Newcomer Award’ in 2008.

Nazeem has performed stand up comedy in Fear of a Brown Planet to consistently sold out audiences across Australia with trademark confrontational style - tackling topics like race relations, the War on Terror and life being brown and Muslim in Australia. They took the show to Edinburgh Fringe this year and performed a sold out gig in London with two days notice.

Nazeem has performed at the Sydney Comedy Festival Gala, which was broadcast on the Comedy Channel and performed at the annual Falls and Southbound Festivals in summer 2010-2011.

As well as stand-up, Nazeem has written and performed for television. Nazeem co-created and starred on the cult-hit Salam Café on SBS TV's Salam Café, which was nominated for a Logie Award in 2009. He has also appeared on Network Ten's 7 PM Project, the ABC's Sleuth 101 and on leading news and politics panel show Q and A, alongside Malcolm Turnbull and Lindsay Tanner. He is a regular on the Comedy Channel's Balls of Steel Australia, performing a character he created (Calvin Khan – the Very Foreign Correspondent), where his episodes saw the highest ratings of the season. Nazeem also starred in the “Fear of a Brown Planet” live DVD, released by Madman Entertainment in August.

Nazeem is a regular feature on Nova 100, Triple J, ABC radio, 3AW, 2UE and others.

In 2009 he was among ten writers selected for an exclusive script-writing workshop hosted by UK indie film company Warp X (This is England, Donkey Punch), Screen Australia and Madman Entertainment.

Nazeem has also performed throughout the year, as part of Melbourne's Political Asylum and in Ednburgh, as part of Political Animal hosted by Andy Zaltzman.

Nazeem is currently the Treasurer and an Executive of the Islamic Council of Victoria – the peak representative body for Muslims living in Victoria. In September 2010, he received the 2010 Ambassador Award by the Governor and Premier of Victoria for showing an exemplary demonstration of leadership in the promotion of Victoria’s diversity.

In 2008, he was awarded the Young Australian Muslim of the Year Award at the Australian Muslim Achievement Awards.