Alex Dyson, Tom Ballard, Dave Hughes pay tribute to Cal Wilson

The New Zealand-born comedian died on Wednesday, October 11, aged 53, from a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

She is survived by her husband Chris Woods, and son, Digby.

Wilson performed in Warrnambool on several occasions as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow in 2014 and 2016.

Ballard said it was "nigh on impossible" to articulate the enormous loss the comedy community felt.

"Describing someone as 'the nicest person ever' probably sounds cliched, but with Cal, it was the truth," Ballard said.

"She loved people, and life, and she loved making people laugh, and honestly it seemed like she was on some kind of life-long, inexhaustible mission to spread kindness and joy to everyone she performed for and everyone she met - always in her own unique, daggy, kitschy, delightful way.

"I am so deeply grateful that I got to know her, gig with her, and came to consider her a friend."

Ballard said Wilson made him laugh and was there during the tough times.

"I only wish I had more time to be as good a friend to her as she was to me," he said.

"I think the only truly solid thing I ever did for her was show her how to use Uber, which, to be fair, she did consider to be quite a big deal.

"It is probably also a cliche in a time like this to say something like 'tell people you love them while you can', but I guess it's a cliche for a reason.

"Cal was taken from us so quickly - and so brutally, terribly before her time - that none of us really got the chance to let her know what she meant to us.

"So yes, I highly recommend telling friends and family that you love them as often as you can, because you never know when it's going to be too late."

Another Warrnambool-born comedian, and owner of Melbourne venue Comedy Republic, Alex Dyson, paid tribute to Wilson.

"I can't overstate how nice Cal Wilson was. (The) only solace is how many people are nicer as a result of knowing her, myself included," he said.

Wilson's close friends and colleagues, including Warrnambool-born Dave Hughes, gathered at Comedy republic on Wednesday to pay tribute.

A sign outside the venue showed the humorous side of Wilson which read: "I'm a cat lady. I have a husband and son purely for camouflage."

Hughes said Wilson lit up every room she entered and was "so talented and generous".

At his show at the Portland Arts Centre on October 11, comedian Damian Callinan, who has performed in the south-west on several occasions, wore a headpiece to honour the "ridiculous hats" Wilson made during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Wilson moved to Australia in 2003 and featured on television shows Thank God You're Here, Hughesy, We Have A Problem, Have You Been Paying Attention? and the Would I Lie To You? Australia.

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