Joe White, formal name Tilahun Hailu is one of the most exciting new comedians in Australia. Winner of Fringe World best comedy weekly awards alongside Tom Gleeson and Tim Ferguson, Ethiopian – Australian comedian Joe White is the only Ethiopian comedian to perform sold out solo shows at the biggest arts festival in the world, the Edinburg Fringe in Scotland.

A recipient of the West Australian Newspaper comedy choice award and one of six siblings born to Ethiopian parents Yezina and Mulu, Joe has always tried to find the upside in life and this has been his inspiration for pursuing comedy. He has experienced many hardships in life and this has taught him the value of laughter, now his passion is to make others laugh too.

With performances at the Sydney Opera House to 2,500 people as part of Just For Laughs and appearances on Australian national TV and radio Joe White is bound to be a star.  Joe White’s solo show ‘Ethiopian & Still Not Hungry’ sold thousands of tickets nationally and internationally winning him “Best Comedy Awards” and “Critics Choice” awards at Fringe World Perth. With millions of views online and thousands of fans globally, these days you can find him touring nationally, and internationally, working on TV shows, and radio or performing at corporate events, Joe White is an act not to be missed! 

Accomplishments & Accolades:

• Hunted fugitive 2024 on Channel 10 TV show
•  JFL Sydney Opera House 2023
• Laugh Factory in Hollywood
• The Hollywood Improv
• The West Australian Newspaper critics choice award at Perth Fringe World Festival 2021
• Weekly WINNER of Best comedy at Perth Fringe World Festival 2021
• Weekly WINNER of Best comedy at Perth Fringe World Festival 2020
• Weekly WINNER of Best comedy at Perth Fringe World Festival 2019
• Nominated for Best Comedy at Perth Fringe World Festival 2017
• Selected as one of the Top 6 Comedy shows to watch by Post City Toronto
• WINNER Perth Fringe Festival Gong Comedy 2016
• WINNER Mandurah Crabfest Comedy 2016
• WINNER Perth Next Gen Comedy 2016
• WA Funnyfaces 2016 Runner up

Joe White has many career highlights such as being selected to perform at the most prestigious comedy festival in the world,  Just For Laughs Sydney inside the iconic Sydney Opera House for  the Sooshi Mango and Friends gala. Other career highlight was being chosen to support International comedians such as Omid Djalili who appeared in the hit movie “The Mummy” alongside Brendan Fraser, Max Amini and Maz Jobrani. Max and Maz are brilliant stand-up comics from the USA. Maz has featured in many films including: The Interpreter, Dragonfly and Friday After Next (alongside Ice Cube & Mike Epps). 

In June 2016, Joe White became an ambassador for the Katina Woodruff Children’s Foundation. He is very proud to be one of the ambassadors for this great foundation as it is a cause very close to his heart.

The Katina Woodruff Children’s Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation that works with refugee children coming from countries all over the world including Afghanistan, Iran, China, India, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea and many more. The Foundation assists with recovery from traumatic immigration experiences to help these children and their families transition into the Australian way of life. The foundation was set up by Katina Woodruff-Roberts who is a child Anthropologist that has dedicated her whole life to finding new ways to help affected children.

Joe himself first immigrated to Australia 28 years ago as a refugee with his family and he understands the struggles of the transition. Unfortunately, Joe’s father Mulu fell victim to alcoholism and was abusive and at the age of six years old his father walked out on the family leaving Joe’s mum Yezina to raise him and his siblings. Sadly, they spent many nights homeless and on the streets in war torn Sudan until his mother managed to get them out of the country via a refugee humanitarian visa.

Arriving in Perth at the age of 11 as a refugee, Joe credits Australia for giving him and his family a second chance at life. To stay connected with Joe White and see him live, follow him on all his socials, click the hyperlink on the top right corner and visit his socials.

Joe would like to thank you from the bottom of his heart for all the support you have given him and continue to give. He believes nothing truly great is achieved alone. Follow him on social media and remember to live, love and laugh.