But the Wagga residents pitted those talents against the country’s best Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander comedians in Melbourne on Saturday night in the Deadly Funny final.

Winners from the state finals competed against each other for a spot in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Mr Simpson was named the NSW finalist in February.

He went to Melbourne last Thursday with his mentor, comedian Kevin Kropinyeri, to spend time with producers and watch other comedians perform.

“Everybody knows Kevin so I met heaps of cool people,” he said.

“I didn’t realise how normal and nice everyone is.

“They are so happy to sit and have a chat.”

Comedians Andy Saunders and Judith Lucy hosted the event and Mr Simpson performed on Saturday night without any of the nerves he had when entering the state finals.

He performed second on the lineup and received genuine belly laughs from the audience of almost 500.

But the competition was too strong and Mr Simpson and the rest of the contestants lost to Nina Kirby.

“It was incredible,” he said.

“They are beautiful people and none of us took it as a rivalry.

“We worked together and made it heaps of fun … we were all laughing together in sound check.

“I was trying to pick who was going to win but you just couldn’t.”

Mr Simpson returned to Wagga without a title but with enough experience and connections to forge through with his plan to host a comedy night in Wagga once a month.

“That’s half the point of meeting these comics,” he said.

“It’s good for everybody.

“It gives them exposure and it’s great for Wagga to have them here.”

Mr Simpson will perform a 20 minute gig at Wagga’s upcoming Comedy Fest on June 19 at the Civic Theatre.

It is after that festival that he will secure a regular venue for his own monthly comedy event in Wagga.