Abby Howells won the Billy T Award at Last Laughs on Sunday night, which marked the end of the 2023 New Zealand International Comedy Festival.
The prize, which is named after Billy T James and comes with a yellow towel in his honour, has previously been won by Taika Waititi, Rose Matafeo, Jemaine Clement, Dai Henwood and Brynley Stent.
In her acceptance speech, Howells said she started doing stand-up in her early 20s, but quit for seven years after being sexually harassed by another comedian before returning in 2019.
It was overwhelming to win the prize after her experiences, she said.
"I think because I felt this was a dream that was lost, it is pretty exciting to have done it."
Her show, La Soupco, is based around a screenplay she wrote as an 11-year-old that also touched on her recent autism diagnosis.
Howells has a bachelor of arts (hons) in film and media studies and a PhD in theatre studies from the University of Otago.
She was a 20Twenties Young Alumni Award winner in 2020.
Her comedy show HarleQueen won the Director’s Award at the 2021 New Zealand International Comedy Festival.
She was "incredibly thrilled" just to be nominated for the Billy T Award, she said.
"I believe I cried when I got the phone call.
"I've been a fan of comedy since I was a little kid.
"I used to memorise Jerry Seinfeld routines and force my friends to act out scenes from Blackadder, so being recognised for my own comedy really means a lot."
The other big award of the night — the Fred Award for the best local comedian in the festival — went to Guy Montgomery, for his show My Brain is Blowing Me Crazy, which mixed discussions about maturity and becoming a stepfather with asides on the Bechdel test, drugs and favourite sentences and idioms.
Howells said that it meant a lot to win alongside Montgomery, who was one of her "biggest champions" upon her return to the industry.
"He’s helped me with this show.
"I would not be here and I would not be as confident if it wasn’t for him."
Other awards.— Director’s choice: Liv Parker; best debut: Anthony Crum and Bailey Poching.
— Ethan Stills
