In a thirty-year career, South African-born comic Joe Parker has won a reputation for being earthy, provocative and innovative. Despite his cheeky defiance of all things politically correct, Joe is one of few comics to have had an episode of Dali Tambo’s hit talk show People Of The South devoted to him. His style of delivery is direct and to the point – best described as adult and sometimes risqué, but never crude. Although ever-anal press critics may have difficulty with some of his material, the public adores him. A fine musician to boot, he isn’t shy to pull out his guitar and treat his audience to a few rib-tickling songs.

Since the start of his career in 1971, Joe has built up a large following among South African comedy fans. There is not a town in the country that has not enjoyed his unique talent, and his appearance at the Sun City Superbowl for Laugh Aid in 1986 stole the show. He has toured extensively since his first theatre venture in 1988, and has produced an impressive list of successful shows, including The Comedians '95 – a showcase of SA's top comedy talent, which toured the country in December/January 1995/1996 and played to packed houses. More success followed in December 1996, when he wrote and produced the innovative Not The Xmas Panto in conjunction with Gilda Blacher. It was the first adult pantomimes to be staged in this country and featured a host of South Africa's top comedy talent. More recently Joe produced two more adult pantos – Jack and His Big Stalk (2003) and Puss ‘n Boots (2004) – both sell-outs at Carnival City Casino. 

Joe’s reputation precedes him wherever he is booked, resulting in packed houses countrywide. Since 1996, when he became a driving force behind the explosive development of new South African comics, the variety bill of a Joe Parker Comedy Express has been exhilarating crowds at an ever-increasing number of South African venues. These include Comedy Warehouse (Cape Town), Grand West Casino (Goodwood), Anfield Arms (Parow), Bardellis (Cape Town), The Blues Room (Sandton), Cloud Nine (Umhlanga), Crowded House (Pietermaritzburg), The Backstage Theatre (Royal Hotel, Durban), The Boardwalk (Port Elizabeth), Carnival City (Brakpan), Caesar’s Gauteng (Kempton Park), Montecasino (Fourways), Boston Tea Party (Menlyn), Club Mystique (Vereeniging) and Fat Cubans (Pretoria), as well as numerous corporate gigs. Since 1999, the Comedy Express has been the consistent favourite of Thursday night crowds at action pub Hurricanes in Fourways Mall, a tradition that continued due to public demand following the venue’s name change, to Junxion Blue, in 2001.

Joe has travelled and worked in the United Kingdom on various occasions, gathering vast experience in his field. In April 1998, he was invited to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which resulted in offers of work in Australia and a return to the Festival in 1999. The Comedy Express has also produced two videos, with Joe hosting each, both of which receive continued support through local video stores. In March 2001, Joe opened the Comedy Warehouse in Cape Town, together with partner Derek Gordon. The consistently high standard of comedy at this venue saw it chosen as the setting for the SABC3 hit Comedy Showcase. Other television appearances include Barry Hilton’s stand-up show in 2001, followed by People Of The South in January 2002.

Joe Parker, more than anyone has advanced stand-up comedy in South Africa over the past six years creating opportunity and work for comics from ALL cultural groups. Evidence of this promotion of local talent would be his production of comedy videos Joe Parker’s Comedy Express (2000) and Joe Parker’s Comedy Express II –“The Rest of the Best” (2001) which were released through Nu-Metro.