My Cousin Vlad: ‘Have you ever seen an ethnic comedian rapping over a Jimmy Barnes instrumental?’
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04.02.2025

My Cousin Vlad: ‘Have you ever seen an ethnic comedian rapping over a Jimmy Barnes instrumental?’

My Cousin Vlad
Words by Joshua Jennings

My Cousin Vlad (Sash Mishevski) is recovering from a family trip to the Gold Coast.

He’s been enslaved to the roostery circadian rhythms of his young son (a little person with the energy to race 100 metres in a pair of Crocs). He’s been publicly arguing with his wife on Caville Ave. He’s been Hydralyte dependent. He’s clashed with a neat-freak Uber driver. He’s shelled out for Seaworld tickets for his whole family — only to realise Seaworld is boring. 

The list goes on.

“I haven’t been there in a long time,” says Mishevski of the Gold Coast, “and it’s way cooler than it used to be. That being said, Seaworld sucks. I did notice that the Uber drivers in the GC have very tidy cars and take their driving very seriously. Warning: don’t bring kids in the car with damp swimming shorts on.”

Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

Mishevski has been podcasting about his family Gold Coast holiday on his highly popular podcast Dis Dat With My Cousin Vlad.

He’s also gearing up for his Life’s a Joke tour.

Life’s a Joke, which is said to be Mishevski’s “craziest, wildest, funniest and heaviest” set of stories to date, is, in the words of his bio, about “family, politics, Mrs Pty Ltd, culture, wogs, Aussies, and Vlad’s flaws”.

Mishevski says it’s also the evolution of his other hit tours, People Are Gonna Lose It, People Have Lost It, and Catastropha.

“It’s a brand new hour of comedy, music and screen show, covering culture, marriage, trends, old family insanity and how much my life is a joke, in many ways. It’s quite revealing….

“Have you ever seen an ethnic comedian with long hair, a custom suit, shredded, tanned, brand new sunnies, playing a guitar and rapping over a Jimmy Barnes instrumental about a social trend that is highly taboo and likely to get him in trouble? Then go to www.mycousinvlad.com and get the tickets – time to live!” 

@mycousinvlad

W⚽️G CARS 🏎️💨🚘 #cars #classic #fyp

♬ original sound – Mycousinvlad

Mishevski, a former real estate agent (who customers loved), performs in a stage costume that looks like it was owned by a former real estate agent. He matches a suit straight out of the wardrobe of the Underbelly costume department with cycling glasses. 

“I have the voice of an angel but a head only a mother could love, so the sunglasses have been an accidental part of my outfit since 2018 – it’s the cherry on top.”

Life as a comedian can be colourful for Mishevski. Sometimes, people yell out of cars at him. Sometimes, they stop to chat. Other times, they want a selfie.

“People have been extremely complimentary to me ever since I started comedy…The uncomfortable experiences would be bombing on stage trying new material (last night) and having some nasty assholes message you nasty things online. But that’s part of the job.”

Talking is a monumental part of the job too. Mishevski says he spends a huge fraction of his life talking. Each week, he freely talks for more than an hour on Dis Dat with My Cousin Vlad.

He has published close to 250 episodes of the highly popular podcast since 2020.

“I realised I can talk for hours, and I have a scattered approach where I begin a topic or story and then deviate into another rabbit hole and so forth, but ultimately bring it back to the initial first point. 

“It’s similar to a Family Guy episode where it juts off to another scene to explain a perspective. My wife says I have ADD, so she might be right. Works great for podcasting.”

@mycousinvlad

Realer State Agent #ep1 #fyp #foryou

♬ original sound – Mycousinvlad

Hamer Hall, where Misheveski is performing on the Melbourne leg of his tour, can hold up to 2500 people.

Mishevski is surprised (!) to learn this.

“Fuck! 2500!? People better laugh! Once the laughs start, it’s just like the podcast, I roll along and use that energy to go further, wider and higher! I can’t wait.”

Beyond touring Australia, Mishevski says he has a mini-series he’s ready to film (pilot written) and plans for more standup in US, UK, and Canada.

“I work from my phone and my studio, and am mostly with my kids, so when I travel, I get time to de-stress and enjoy some freedom again – but I mostly just run, edit comedy, and play tennis on tour. 

“As for rituals, prior to every set, I like to sit in silence and do the Wim Hof breathing method. 

“Many people walk in on the room to see me half naked on a dirty floor hyperventilating to some meditation music. 

“I need that before I get on, or I can’t lock in.” 

My Cousin Vlad’s Life’s a Joke Tour kicks off in April. My Cousin Vlad performs at Hamer Hall on Thursday April 17. Find tickets here.