The New Zealand Comedy Trust have announced the inaugural Topp Prize has been awarded to comedian Chris Parker.
Parker takes home $15,000 and two iconic milk bottle lolly artworks from Simon Lewis Wards – housed in a double hot pink crate to match Camp Mother’s pantsuit.
“We are honoured to have our legacy acknowledged alongside kiwi comedy legends Billy T James and Fred Dagg,” Dames Lynda and Jools Topp said in a statement. “As young performers we were not afraid to stand up for what we believed in and incorporated these issues into our live shows. Being out lesbians in the early 80’s singing country music through comedic characters the Gingham Sisters was probably one of the most diverse combinations of political comedy in the world, and to have an award honouring those qualities in 2022 means so much to us. A message we would like to give to the next generation of comedians is “Believe in yourself, believe in your message and believe you are funny as”.”
“This is a huge honour,” says Parker. “I’ve always truly idolised the Topp Twins and I spend an alarming amount of time watching them on YouTube. A performer like myself is a product of the work, advocacy and representation that they’ve put out into the world with such positivity and respect for Aotearoa. I’m so touched.”
The New Zealand Comedy Trust established the Topp Prize in 2022 as a non-competitive prize awarded annually to a practicing individual, duo or group with a strong, clear and unique voice. It can be bestowed to a person or group making Aotearoa laugh with an out-of-the-box approach, whether that comedy takes place on the stage, on the screen or in a completely unexpected comedy space altogether. They should embody the wildcard spirit of the Topp Twins, our original trailblazers who have been entertaining us all for 40 years!