Improviser, host of triple j Breakfast and self-described "most Italian woman in the world", Concetta Caristo is one of five hilarious comedians taking on the third season of Taskmaster Australia.
Alongside Peter Helliar, Mel Buttle, Aaron Chen, and Rhys Nicholson, Caristo will be set a series of ridiculous tasks, graded and scored by the Taskmaster himself, Tom Gleeson. Along for the ride is the trusty Taskmaser's Assistant, Tom Cashman, who guides the five comedians through the hilarious and often baffling challenges.
"I mean, it's just right up my alley," Caristo added.
The series is based on a wildly successful UK format of the same name and has spawned more than 10 international versions across the world. Watching Season 2 of New Zealand with her boyfriend -- fellow comedian Ben Kochan -- something resonated with her.
"I remember deep inside like, I love this shit! I love thinking fast and just figuring stuff out, not taking anything too seriously," she said. "My boyfriend turned to me and was like, 'You would be perfect for this show'. That was before Australia was even announced!
"It's just play, it's playful, it's a show all about how there's no one way to do something and I think I'm just unique in how I approach things so I think that's why I love a show like Taskmaster," she added.
Getting her start in comedy through improv, Caristo said she became familiar and comfortable with the unknown, leaning into spontaneity and trusting her instincts, all of which came in very handy when she arrived at the Taskmaster house.
Ahead of the show, Caristo also asked friends Danielle Walker and Nina Oyama for any advice after their stint in the first season.
"They gave great advice but it's also a bit like... you just do it, if that makes sense. I don't know if there's a true hack because that's the show. Be yourself, there's no other way," Caristo said.
"I also didn't want to watch too many seasons because I was worried I would get in my head and try and be a certain way. I can't tell if I regret that or not... I just wanted to go in dry and, honestly, I don't know if that was for better or worse," she said, laughing.
"I think that's part of it, feeling like you're going crazy, back-to-back-to-back, the exhaustion, the not knowing constantly... it's just part of it. There were times I thought I had a handle on it, and times I was like, 'I'm going coo-coo-loo-loo'."
After filming the tasks, all five comedians come together in studio records where they watch all their efforts and are graded (and degraded) by the Taskmaster.
"Being with all these veterans, my idols, who have all done a million years of TV and do it so well I was like, oh my god what am I even doing?"
During the studio records, the five comedians get to bond over their failures, their successes and occasionally battle for points and the Taskmaster's affection.
"I got maybe a bit competitive as it went on, but I honestly think I was there for the experience of having a good time and seeing what I came up with," Caristo said.
"I just wanted to throw myself into whatever I had and be playful, and that’s … maybe you’ll see to my detriment."
Watching back as a group, seeing how everyone fared in tasks, Caristo said it was a joy to hear the other comedians react, admitting they hated certain tasks or realised they did better than they initially thought. And then there are the occasional tasks they blacked out in their minds only to be reminded of them in front of a live audience.
"So many tasks I was like oh shit, what was this?! And then you’re watching it for the first time, feeling those emotions and also it’s like a full room of people also seeing it with you," she laughed.
Similarly, there are the tasks that still haunt her, including one she teased that featured attempting to row a boat. "I had a literal breakdown in the water, thought I wasn't being funny at all like, 'Turn the cameras off, I'm losing it!'... and then, of course, that makes it in and is hilarious.
"I literally couldn't get my head around rowing a boat," she added.
Calling her partner at the end of a day full of tasks, Caristo said he had the perfect advice to turn her perceived failures around. "He'd always remind me, that's awesome whether you sucked or not... that's the point! It's going to be so funny.
"He always helped to remind me when I was going crazy and failing like, yeah, that's the best part! There's no such thing as failing," she said. "I really needed that."
Taskmaster Australia Season Three premieres Tuesday, 24 September at 7.30pm on 10 and 10 Play.
