Guy Montgomery

Montgomery was born in Wellington, New Zealand on 29{{nbsp}}September 1988. At a young age, Montgomery's family moved to Sydney and back to Wellington before settling in Christchurch. He has an older and younger sister. Montgomery studied at Victoria University of Wellington, from which he graduated with a bachelor of arts in theatre, film, and media. He briefly considered becoming a teacher or working in advertising.{{cite web |last1=Burrows |first1=Matt |title=Real Life: How a year in Canada turned Guy Montgomery into NZ's funniest comedian |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/real-life-how-a-year-in-canada-turned-guy-montgomery-into-nzs-funniest-comedian/NANE42VCJNHDTKL2TLYHERMNYI/ |publisher=New Zealand Herald |access-date=19 July 2024 |date=17 March 2024}}

To begin his career in comedy, Montgomery moved to Canada in 2010 {{emdash}} first Montreal, and then Toronto, which had more open mic nights. He explained in an interview, "Every comedian starts off shit. I wanted to make sure I wasn't shit in front of my friends."{{cite web |last1=Neal |first1=Ferg |title=Interview: Guy Montgomery |url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/news/article/7797/2018-04-11-interview-guy-montgomery/ |publisher=UMSU |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=11 April 2018}} Reflecting on the time in 2024, he said that "it was such an incredible year, and I do think it's probably made me". Montgomery returned to New Zealand in part to co-host U Late.{{cite web |last1=Tan |first1=Rosabel |title=Guy Montgomery on The Most Fun Thing He Can Do |url=https://pantograph-punch.com/posts/guy-montgomery-on-the-most-fun-thing-he-can-do |publisher=The Pantograph Punch |date=10 June 2014}} He later moved to New York City.{{cite web |title=Finding My LOL-mate |url=https://www.pantograph-punch.com/posts/finding-my-lolmate |publisher=The Pantograph Punch |access-date=28 August 2023 |date=26 April 2017}}

The Worst Idea of All Time was started in 2014 by Montgomery and Tim Batt.{{cite book |last1=Horan |first1=Paul |last2=Philip |first2=Matthews |title=Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy |date=2019 |publisher=Auckland University Press |location=Auckland |isbn=9781776710447}} The podcast follows them as they report upon the viewing experience of re-watching the same movie each week for a year.{{cite web|last1=Ropati|first1=Ashley|title=Not the worst idea Guy Montgomery's ever had|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/73094581/not-the-worst-idea-guy-montgomerys-ever-had|website=Stuff |date=22 October 2015 |accessdate=21 April 2017}} The first season was focused on the Adam Sandler movie Grown Ups 2;{{cite web |last1=Duralde |first1=Alonso |title='Worst Idea of All Time': Two Comics Watch Same Bad Adam Sandler Movie Every Week for a Year (Video) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/worst-idea-of-all-time-podcast-tim-batt-guy-montgomery-grown-ups-2/ |publisher=The Wrap |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=February 17, 2015}} the second on Sex and the City 2; the third season on We Are Your Friends; and the fourth on the first Sex and the City film.{{cite web |last1=Sills |first1=Ethan |title=New Zealand's biggest little podcasting empire |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/new-zealands-biggest-little-podcasting-empire/IEHAQGZGIZWLFYRWTHGEDDD7ZY/ |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |date=22 February 2017}}{{Cite web|title=Worst Idea Of All Time Podcast on Apple Podcasts|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/worst-idea-of-all-time-podcast/id824108207|access-date=2020-10-04|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-au}} After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the duo did an "emergency season" in which they watched the film Home Alone 3 every three days until their local New Zealand lockdown orders were lifted.{{cite tweet |author=The Worst Idea of All Time |user=TWIOATpod |number=1254564467884519430 |date=26 April 2020 |title=As the world experiences life at home, our minds are cast back to the year 1997 - when a young Chicago boy named Alex Pruitt also found himself Home Alone (3) #TWIOAT Emergency Season Launches for patrons tomorrow and everyone else the next day https://t.co/61EtltqSSo https://t.co/8fVMVmzfbO |language=en |access-date=14 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200504103437/https://twitter.com/TWIOATpod/status/1254564467884519430 |archive-date=4 May 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite tweet |author=The Worst Idea of All Time |user=TWIOATpod |number=1265262856255049732 |date=26 May 2020 |title=Episode 9 out right now on Patreon and soon on the free feed and THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN (together). Truly a beautiful thing to hear. https://t.co/H3lPMlJEa4 |language=en |access-date=14 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526192234/https://twitter.com/TWIOATpod/status/1265262856255049732 |archive-date=26 May 2020 |url-status=live}} The fifth season began in 2020, with Batt and Montgomery reviewing the French{{endash}}American Emmanuelle series of softcore pornography films.{{better source needed|reason=primary source|date=June 2023}} The sixth season features the Fast and Furious franchise.

They also record Friendzone, dedicated to answering fan mail.{{cite web |last1=Bricken |first1=Rob |title=Your New Favorite Podcast Is About Two New Zealanders Watching Porn |date=7 September 2020 |url=https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/worst-idea-of-all-time-podcast-interview |publisher=Mel Magazine |access-date=27 August 2023}}

Montgomery and Batt are also co-hosts of {{'}}Til Death Do Us Blart, a once-yearly, "eternal" Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 review podcast that will air every American Thanksgiving. After each of the five hosts dies, they will be replaced by a new host.

Montgomery's 2014 show Presents a Succinct and Concise Summary of How He Feels About Certain Things won the Billy T Award.

Montgomery and Rose Matafeo co-headlined a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2015, titled Rose Matafeo and Guy Montgomery Are Friends.

He performed Guy Montcomedy in 2015 in Auckland, and then in 2016 at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.{{cite web |last1=Cahill |first1=Mikey |title=Guy Montgomery in Guy Montcomedy ★★★½ |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/comedy-festival/comfest-reviews/guy-montgomery-in-guy-montcomedy-/news-story/61b5bf0613dc0ae7184852845e7f9377 |publisher=Herald Sun |date=8 April 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Stephenson |first1=Sam |title=Guy Montgomery - Guy Montcomedy |url=https://concreteplayground.com/auckland/event/guy-montgomery-guy-montcomedy |publisher=Concrete Playground |date=April 20, 2015}} This was followed by Guy Montgomery Christmas! at the 2016 NZICF.{{cite web |last1=Salter |first1=Caitlin |title=Wellington comic having a laugh |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/79062885/wellington-comic-having-a-laugh |publisher=Stuff |date=19 April 2016 |quote=Guy Montgomery: Guy Montgomery Christmas!, Apr 26 till 30.}}

At the 2017 NZ International Comedy Festival, Montgomery was nominated for the Fred Award for Let's All Get in a Room Together.{{cite web |title=2017 NZ International Comedy Festival |url=https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/tours-festivals/2017/2017-nz-international-comedy-festival |website=Eventfinda |access-date=26 August 2023}}

His show Guy Montgomery Doesn't Check His Phone For An Hour played at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2018, which explored his move to New York.{{cite web |title=Guy Montgomery Doesn't Check His Phone For An Hour (NZ) |url=https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/guy-montgomery-doesn-t-check-his-phone-for-an-hour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321043607/https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/guy-montgomery-doesn-t-check-his-phone-for-an-hour |archive-date=21 March 2018 |url-status=dead}} He and others from the MICF toured India for a month that year.{{cite web |last1=Ford |first1=Emily |title=Laugh out loud with Guy Montgomery |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/laugh-out-loud-guy-montgomery-702801.html |publisher=Deccan Herald |date=13 November 2018}} He presented I'm Friends With These People! in New York in early 2019, featuring Rachel Sennott, Pat Regan, Rachel Pegram, Cam Spence, and Joe Pera.{{cite web |title=I'm Friends With These People! with Guy Montgomery |url=https://donyc.com/events/2019/2/1/guy-montgomery-presents-i-m-friends-with-these-people-guy-montgomery-rachel-sennott-pat-regan-rachel-pegram-cam-spence |publisher=Do NYC |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=2019}}

In 2019, Montgomery presented his sixth solo show, I Was Part Of The Problem Before We Were Talking About It, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival;{{cite web |last1=Inniss |first1=Tom |title=Interview with Guy Montgomery |url=https://www.voicemag.uk/interview/5784/interview-with-guy-montgomery |publisher=Voice |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=20 July 2019}} he described it as "about personal growth and reconciling who I am today with all the iterations of myself I've been throughout the years".{{cite web |last1=O'Donoghue |first1=Natalie |title=EDINBURGH 2019: Guy Montgomery Q&A |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/EDINBURGH-2019-Guy-Montgomery-QA-20190711 |publisher=Broadway World |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=July 11, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Edinburgh Interview: Guy Montgomery on I Was Part Of The Problem Before We Were Talking About It at Assembly |url=https://theatreweekly.com/edinburgh-interview-guy-montgomery-on-i-was-part-of-the-problem-before-we-were-talking-about-it-at-assembly/ |publisher=Theatre Weekly |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=July 13, 2019}}

He presented Guy Montgomery By Name, Guy Montgomery By Nature at the NZICF in 2021, and later took the show around New Zealand.{{cite news |title=Coming Up - Theatre |url=https://static.ew.ghe.navigacloud.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/08014612/211007GH.pdf |work=The Gisborne Herald |date=October 7, 2021 |page=24}}

His show My Brain is Blowing Me Crazy premiered in 2023 and won the Fred Award at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. In May 2024, Montgomery went on tour with a new show, 50,000,000 Guy Fans Can't be Wrong.{{cite web |title=Guy Montgomery heads back on the road with new tour |url=https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/holiday-breakfast/audio/guy-montgomery-kiwi-comedian-on-his-upcoming-tour-50-000-000-guy-fans-cant-be-wrong/ |publisher=NewstalkZB |date=9 January 2024}}

Montgomery is also a member of the improv group Snort.

Montgomery's first appearance on TV was on the TVNZ{{nbsp}}U channel, where from 2011 he was a fill-in host on U{{nbsp}}Live and later hosted the "interactive" 2013 show U{{nbsp}}late alongside Tim Lambourne.{{cite web |last1=Ahmed |first1=Sim |title=TVNZ U turns two, adds interactive late night show |url=https://stoppress.co.nz/news/tvnz-u-turns-two-adds-interactive-late-night-show/ |publisher=Stop Press |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=26 March 2013}}{{cite web |last1=Cardy |first1=Tom |title=Better U Late than U never |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/9085903/Better-U-Late-than-U-never |publisher=Stuff |access-date=28 August 2023 |date=26 August 2013}}{{cite web |author1=APNZ |title=Financial problems behind axing of youth TV channel |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/financial-problems-behind-axing-youth-tv-channel |publisher=Otago Daily Times |date=30 July 2013}} He wanted the show, which aired on weeknights on TVNZ{{nbsp}}U, to "fill the void that's been left by Eating Media Lunch, Moon TV, [and] Back of the Y".{{cite journal |last1=Macdonald |first1=Bella |title=U Late |journal=Critic |date=April 8, 2013 |issue=6 |pages=18–19 |url=https://www.critic.co.nz/files/Critic-2013-6.pdf}} He and Lambourne had previously worked together at George FM on the show Monty and the Face.

From U{{nbsp}}late, where he first met his podcast partner Tim Batt,{{cite web |last1=Arthur |first1=Kenneth |title=The Worst Idea Of All Time: Watching Grown Ups 2 every week for a year |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-worst-idea-of-all-time-watching-grown-ups-2-every-1798276982 |publisher=AV Club |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=26 February 2015}} Montgomery moved into writing for several different comedy shows in New Zealand, such as Jono and Ben at 10.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} Montgomery was also a writer and presenter of Fail Army.{{cite news|last1=Greive|first1=Duncan|title=Fail Army: How Did a Proudly Stupid YouTube Ripoff Become a Smash Hit?|url=http://thespinoff.co.nz/features/19-06-2015/fail-army-how-did-a-proudly-stupid-youtube-ripoff-become-a-smash-hit-for-tv3/|accessdate=21 April 2017|publisher=The Spinoff |date=19 June 2015}} He appeared on Cadbury Dream Factory in 2014.

Montgomery co-wrote (with producer and director Ryan Heron{{cite web |title=Annual Report 2014-2015 |url=https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/sites/default/files/ANNUAL_REPORT_for_web_2015.pdf |publisher=New Zealand Film Commission |page=79}}) and starred in the short film Return, which won Best Screenplay at the 2015 Show Me Shorts film festival.{{cite web |title=Return |url=https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/films/return |publisher=New Zealand Film Commission |access-date=28 August 2023}} Return later screened at the 2015 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.{{cite web |title=Clermont-Ferrand 2015, la sélection internationale |url=http://www.formatcourt.com/2014/12/clermont-ferrand-2015-la-selection-internationale/ |publisher=Format Court |access-date=28 August 2023 |language=French |date=17 December 2014}}

In 2017, Montgomery and Tim Batt recorded a pilot episode of a The Worst Idea of All Time TV series for YouTube Red, in which they spent five days in a New York City sewer watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. The show was never ordered to series.

Montgomery appeared on the 2020 May the 4th fundraiser episode of The George Lucas Talk Show, titled The George Lucas Talk Show All Day Star Wars Movie Watch Along. He was also co-host of Survive the 80s.{{cite web |last1=Yates |first1=Siena |title=Surviving TVNZ's retro reality series, Survive the 80s |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/siena-yates-surviving-tvnzs-retro-reality-series-survive-the-80s/KAIPR4JIJP6STW6KVJIG47VOKU/ |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=27 August 2023 |date=2 June 2020}}

In 2021, Montgomery took part in series two of Taskmaster NZ{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300319416/taskmaster-nz-to-return-with-new-line-up-of-comedians|website=Stuff |accessdate=29 July 2021|title=Taskmaster NZ to return with new line up of comedians|date=29 May 2021 }} and he appeared on the panel show Patriot Brains.

Montgomery was a contestant on the 2022 series of the New Zealand reality television show Celebrity Treasure Island, and was the first player to be eliminated.{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/celebrity-treasure-island-ep-two-dame-susan-devoys-secret-feud-revealed/66XO5IHNOL66UBJPJTBGFWOISE/ |title=Celebrity Treasure Island ep two: Dame Susan Devoy's secret feud revealed |first=Lillie |last=Rohan |date=6 September 2022 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=7 September 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/celebrity-treasure-island-ep-3-lynette-forday-called-out-for-cheating/PUZCEAFEQRHQK3BULCLJ3HKBKU/ |title=Celebrity Treasure Island ep 3: Lynette Forday called out for 'cheating' |first=Lillie |last=Rohan |date=7 September 2022 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=8 September 2022}} His chosen charity had been Auckland City Mission. He has also appeared frequently on panel and game shows such as 7 Days, Best Bits, Have You Been Paying Attention?, and Thank God You're Here.

In 2023, Montgomery's television show Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee premiered in New Zealand.{{cite news |last1=Beckett |first1=Tyson |title=Comedian Guy Montgomery is making being a funny guy serious business |url=https://www.thepost.co.nz/culture/350253445/comedian-guy-montgomery-making-being-funny-guy-serious-business |work=The Post |date=27 April 2024}} An Australian version was aired by the ABC in August 2024.{{cite web |title=Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont Spelling Bee premieres this August on ABC |url=https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centre/publicity-media-room/guy-montgomery-s-guy-mont-spelling-bee-premieres-this-august/104109744 |publisher=ABC |access-date=18 July 2024 |date=17 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=Guy Montgomery has reached a new level |url=https://beat.com.au/guy-montgomery-has-reached-a-new-level// |publisher=Beat |access-date=19 July 2024 |date=22 April 2024}}

He is set to appear in the upcoming animated series Badjelly, based on the picture book Badjelly the Witch (1973).{{cite web |last1=Richardson |first1=Jay |title=James Acaster and Rose Matafeo join Spike Milligan's Badjelly cast |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/fyi/615/acaster-matafeo-in-badjelly-spike-milligan/ |website=British Comedy Guide |date=15 October 2024}}

In 2014, Montgomery won the Billy T Award for his show Presents a Succinct and Concise Summary of How He Feels About Certain Things.{{cite web |title=Interview – 2014 Billy T Nominees |url=http://keepingupwithnz.com/2014/03/19/meet-the-2014-billy-t-nominees/ |publisher=Keeping Up With NZ |access-date=25 August 2023 |date=19 March 2014}}

He won the Fred Award in 2023 for his show My Brain is Blowing Me Crazy.{{cite web |last1=Sills |first1=Ethan |title=Abby Howells and Guy Montgomery win top prizes at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/abby-howells-and-guy-montgomery-take-out-top-prizes-at-the-new-zealand-international-comedy-festival/2QYO6H5LYFH6BMGK3LWEFLQXMQ/ |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |date=28 May 2023}} The show also won "Best of the Fest" at the 2023 Sydney Comedy Festival.{{cite web |title=Sydney Comedy Festival 2023 Award Winners |url=https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/sydney-comedy-festival-2023-award-winners/ |publisher=Sydney Comedy Festival |access-date=22 August 2023}}

Montgomery's partner is actress Chelsie Preston Crayford.

{{reflist}}

{{Billy T Award}}

{{Fred Award}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Guy}}

Category:Living people

Category:New Zealand male comedians

Category:1988 births

Category:New Zealand podcasters

Category:Participants in New Zealand reality television series

Category:Contestants on New Zealand game shows

Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni

Category:Entertainers from Christchurch

Category:21st-century New Zealand comedians

Category:New Zealand stand-up comedians