Comedian Dave Hughes has confirmed accusations made by fellow comedian Melanie Bracewell that he urinated in a drinking glass backstage at comedy clubs. Hughes stated the act occurred a limited number of times and was done to avoid a potential onstage accident.
Bracewell initially made the claim on TikTok, alleging that Hughes urinated in her glass before one of his performances, and that this was not an isolated incident. Hughes, however, clarified to the Daily Mail that he had performed this act approximately four times in his life, exclusively before his solo shows when backstage facilities were unavailable. He emphasized that this was never done when other people were present.
Hughes mentioned that other comedians, including Peter Helliar, had previously joked about the behavior. He recounted an instance where he invited Bracewell onto his radio show to humorously discuss the matter, stating they all found it amusing at the time.
He expressed surprise that Bracewell appeared to take the matter more seriously. Hughes added that he did not wish to engage in a conflict with another comedian over something they had previously laughed about, noting that the incident had even negatively affected his reputation within the comedy community.
The exchange between Hughes and Bracewell also touched upon Hughes' recent political commentary. Bracewell shared a screenshot on her birthday showing a direct message from Hughes discussing his criticisms of the Australian Labor government, its economic policies, and corruption. Bracewell indicated she was not interested in engaging with the political message on her birthday.
This follows Bracewell's earlier social media jest about Hughes' views on politics and property, where she jokingly referred to his reported investment portfolio. Hughes has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor government, frequently posting commentary on topics such as tax reforms and the Australian economy. Hughes has stated that he receives significant public support for voicing his opinions.