Dave O'Neil


David O'Neil is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, bass guitarist, writer, television and radio presenter.

Early career

Dave was a Cub, Scout, Venturer and Rover. His father Kevin is still the Group Leader at the 1st/3rd Mitcham Scout Group.
After finishing high school, O'Neil completed a course in primary school teaching; however, he never taught. He became a field officer for the Red Cross, giving talks and training sessions, where he first enjoyed public speaking and the opportunity to tell jokes.
In the late 1980s, he was a member of Melbourne band Captain Cocoa, in which he played bass. His identical twin brother, Glenn, was the lead vocalist.
He resides in Melbourne.

Radio career

O'Neil ventured into radio in the early 1990s, appearing on the Osso Booko Show on Melbourne community station 3RRR from 1992 to 1997. He co-hosted the one-hour sketch comedy show on Sundays with Vic Plume and Alan Parkes. He also spent some time on the RRR Breakfast team with Kate Langbroek and regular phone-ins from Dave Hughes.
In 2001 he joined then-new radio station Nova 100 in Melbourne, on the top-rating Hughesy, Kate & Dave breakfast show. He later left in July 2006 for Nova's sister station, Vega 91.5 to co-host the breakfast show Dave and Denise with Shaun Micallef. In 2007, Ian "Dicko" Dickson and Chrissie Swan joined the show with Denise Scott with Shaun Micallef leaving the station.
In 2010, once Vega 91.5 became Classic Rock 91.5, Chrissie Swan departed the breakfast team. However, on 15 July 2010 Ian "Dicko" Dickson and O'Neil were axed from Classic Rock 91.5.

Other activities

At the Australian federal election in 2007, O'Neil stood as an independent candidate for the federal seat of Gellibrand in Melbourne's industrial and portside inner western suburbs including Williamstown, Newport, Spotswood, Footscray, Braybrook, Altona and parts of Altona Meadows and Laverton. He received 2.3% of the vote.
In 2017 Dave began a new podcast The Debrief with Dave O'Neil. Each episode he drives a comedian home from a gig and discusses comedy and their career. It's available through iTunes and other podcast apps. Guests on the show have included Colin Lane, Denise Scott, Tom Ballard, Dilruk Jayasinha, Fiona O'Loughlin, Joel Creasey and Cal Wilson.
Dave is currently working with Glenn Robbins on a podcast called Somehow Related. Dave invariably mentions his 53 appearances on Spicks and Specks, and recounts his overseas holidays whilst trying to tie together two seemingly unrelated topics. Glenn always delights the audience with a story or one of his favourite jokes.

Film/television appearances

Film

O'Neil has appeared on Under Melbourne Tonight, The Loft Live, Spicks and Specks, Sleuth 101, Adam Hills In Gordon Street Tonight, Tractor Monkeys, All Star Family Feud, Celebrity Name Game, The Project, Show Me the Movie!, Have You Been Paying Attention? and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.