The former Spicks and Specks host and current 3RRR radio presenter grew up in Burnie, Tasmania. The experience has largely shaped his world view.

"Burnie is one of those towns that everyone picks on in Tasmania for being a bit backward," Earl says. "Nothing against Burnie, the town, but I wanted to see more of the world.

"It's a place where football is king. If you play football, you get on very well with everyone and if you've seen what I look like, I'm not a football player type of guy. I'm 5' 7" and very small."

Earl draws on these experiences for his latest show, Square Peg, performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival earlier this year. Earl will be combining this and other material when he delivers a 'best of' performance at the Uni Pub on Friday, August 28.

Earl says being an outsider is integral to his craft.

"A lot of what comedy is, is reporting on the world. If you're too far into it you can't really see the minutia. I think a lot of comics are like outsiders. They feel like, 'I don't really belong here so I'm going to report back on what I'm seeing'.

"I've heard it described as being almost like an alien reporting back to earthlings on what they're doing. I think that's quite a nice way to look at it."

The 2015 Melbourne Comedy Festival also marked the first time Earl performed his children's show, My Family is Weirder Than Your Family. Earl drew on his experiences as a primary school librarian and recent parent.

Earl says he wanted to show kids that adults don't have all the answers.

"I just wanted the kids to come in, be silly and see some entertainment rather than them being battered over the head with morals. Adults get so much pure entertainment and I thought kids deserve it too."

The last couple of years have been a roller coaster ride for Earl. In 2013, he was drafted as the host for the refreshed version of the much-loved ABC music trivia show, Spicks and Specks.

The show was met with largely positive reviews. However, it didn't appeal to audiences as much as the ABC would have liked. The show was cancelled in late 2014 – coincidentally, on the same day Earl's son was born.

Earl looks back on Spicks and Specks as a largely positive experience. However, he admits it's refreshing to return to stand-up comedy.

"I think when people see you on TV, they're in their lounge room and so they feel like they know you even though what you're presenting on TV may not be 100 per cent of who you are," he says. "I'm a lot more honest on stage than I ever was on TV."

For all the ups and downs, Earl comes across as genuine and very grounded. He's learnt over the years not to take things too seriously.

"My wife used to work in palliative care, so for me to go home and say, 'My audience didn't laugh', in a big world sense seems so insignificant when she's dealing with death every day. I've got to really pull my head out and evaluate what it is that I'm doing. You might as well go and have fun. It's been a really good lesson."

Josh Earl

When: August 28, 8pm

Where: Uni Pub, Civic

Tickets: $18 + plus BF from http://comedyact.com.au/gigs or $22 at the door