Sometimes getting exactly what you want leaves you crippled with anxiety on the floor of a hotel shower.

At least, that’s what happened to Mel Buttle when she landed her first gig at Melbourne International Comedy Festival. A cripplingly shy child, Mel found solace in high school drama, regaling her classmates with impersonations of sheep shearers and her dad. She later earned her comedy stripes, yelling dirty jokes over boozed-up footy fans and finally found her voice in front of a ramshackle crowd at the Newmarket Hotel. It would be a while yet until she scored her dream gig, and even then, she couldn’t believe it.