Billy T' Billy: Abby Howells and Melanie Bracewell talk women in comedy, first gigs and …

Melanie Bracewell (left) and Abby Howells featured in the first episode of Billy T’ Billy Season 2. Photos / SuppliedIt has been an 18-month wait for Abby Howells and her fellow Billy T Award nominees to see if they will walk away with the prestigious yellow towel at this year’s New Zealand International Comedy Festival.But for Howells, she’s been happy to wait, as being nominated for the top comedy prize is one she never expected would happen for her.Speaking to 2018 Billy T winner Melanie Bracewell on the NZ Herald podcast, Billy T’ Billy, Howells said that while she has been a lifelong comedy fan, an incident early in her career pushed her out of the industry.“I did comedy in my early twenties and then I was harassed by another comedian,” Howells said.“I stopped doing it for like seven years and then came back in 2019. So I think for me it is quite meaningful to be nominated because I genuinely have a moment where I remember thinking, ‘I think this is a dream you gotta let go, Abby. I think this is not one that’s gonna happen for you.’ You wish you could tell yourself, like, you can do
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