Steady Eddy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Christopher Widdows (1968-12-07)December 7, 1968 (age 56) |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, actor |
| Awards | Young Australian Achievers Award from theMelbourne International Comedy Festival) |
Christopher Widdows (born 7 December 1968) is an Australian stand-up comedian and actor primarily known by the stage name 'Steady Eddy.' Born withcerebral palsy,[1] his disability became a key part of his comedy, hence his performing moniker.
'Steady Eddy's' mainstream career began in 1992 with appearances on popular Australian TV programs likeNine Network'sThe Midday Show[2] andSeven Network'sTonight Live with Steve Vizard, becoming a frequent personality throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s. He was one of the first disabled performers to be featured prominently in Australian mainstream media.
'Steady' began performing stand-up in 1991, with his first Australian stand-up tour kicking off in 1993 with "Ready Steady Go!". The performance recording won theARIA Award for Best Comedy Release.[3] He followed up in 1994 with “Quantum Limp”, which won him the Young Australian Achievers Award at theMelbourne International Comedy Festival. Steady performed internationally throughout the nineties including at theJust For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, the Austrian Comedy Festival in Vienna, theEdinburgh Fringe Festival and the LA Comedy Store.
In 1999, he served asMaster of Ceremonies for the national tour by Australian bandMidnight Oil. As of 2016, he has been part of the musical-comedy duo The Jingo Brothers, with Steady Eddy and Jolly Jingo performing a mix of skits, stand-up, original songs and covers withAdelaide Fringe saying "critics compare them with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore".[4]
Across his career, he has appeared in numerous film and television productions, including a 1994 episode ofA Country Practice titled "There Was a Crooked Man".[5] That same year he made his big screen debut inBen Lewin's romantic-comedyPaperback Romance (also known asLucky Break in the US) withAnthony LaPaglia andRebecca Gibney.[6]
In 2004, Steady co-starred as Trevor in the Australian-made comedy,Under the Radar, alongsideNathan Phillips,Chloe Maxwell andClayton Watson.[7] He appeared as a character playing himself in the 2007ABC TV miniseriesBastard Boys.[8]
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Ready Steady Go! |
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| Born To Be Bent |
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TheARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres ofAustralian music.[9]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Ready Steady Go! | Best Comedy Release | Won |
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as theMo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Steady Eddy won four awards in that time.[10]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result (wins only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Steady Eddy | Comedy Performer of the Year | Won |
| New Wave Comedy Performer of the Year | Won | ||
| 1994 | Won | ||
| 1995 | Won |
