The Inspired Unemployed: Comedy Duo Guide

Founded: 2019 ·
Members: 2 ·
Instagram followers: 1.2 million+ ·
Facebook likes: 1,198,761 ·
Podcast: The Inspired Unemployed Podcast on LiSTNR

Seven key attributes, one pattern: the duo’s public information is deliberately minimal, leaning on their social platforms rather than a cluttered media presence.

What this means: For a duo that built a career on visibility, their official digital footprint is surprisingly sparse — the brand lives on Instagram and podcast feeds, not a corporate site.

Who are The Inspired Unemployed guys?

Identity of the duo

• The Inspired Unemployed is an Australian comedy duo.
• Members: Matt Ford and Jack Steele.
• Known for satirical Instagram content lampooning Australian tropes.

The duo describe themselves as “two best mates” on their Spotify show page, and that’s the core of their appeal: relatable, self-deprecating humour that skewers everything from tradie culture to millennial anxieties. Their Instagram account, launched in 2019, now counts more than 1.2 million followers, according to Wikipedia. The content consists of short clips that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation described as “depicting Australian culture and stereotypes among Millennials and Gen Z” (ABC News).

“We’re just two mates having a laugh,” they said in a statement to SCA when announcing their move to LiSTNR, emphasising that the act has never felt like work.

The duo also maintains a YouTube channel and a Facebook page with more than 1.1 million likes, but Instagram remains their primary distribution channel. Their website, theinspiredunemployed.com, serves mostly as a merchandise portal and a central link hub.

The catch: the line between their on-screen personas and real life is intentionally blurry. They rarely break character in public, which keeps fans guessing — and coming back.

Matt Ford and Jack Steele – background

According to a 2021 profile by ABC News (Australian public broadcaster), Ford and Steele turned The Inspired Unemployed into their full-time job in 2020, a year after the account launched. The decision was driven by viral growth: one early video racked up millions of views, and the duo realised they could turn the momentum into a career. The report noted that Steele was working in his father’s plastering business and Ford had been on the tools before they committed fully to content creation.

The duo’s university background is frequently cited by fans and media as evidence that their comedy is informed by a lived experience of Australian suburban and student life.

The duo’s public persona

• Self-described as “the biggest dickheads on the internet” in their Instagram bio.
• Content focuses on Australian stereotypes: tradies, bogans, uni students, and suburban life.
• Rarely give serious interviews; their podcast is where they drop the act slightly.

Their willingness to embrace the “dickhead” label has endeared them to a young Australian audience tired of polished influencer culture. As ABC News put it, the duo’s appeal lies in their authenticity: they look and sound like the people they parody. The public persona is deliberately low-brow, but the business behind it is anything but amateur.

What are The Inspired Unemployed doing now?

Current podcast activity

After a hiatus since August 2024, the duo returned to the microphone in April 2025 under a new distribution deal with Southern Cross Austereo. SCA (Australia’s largest radio network) announced the partnership, calling the duo “one of Australia’s most popular and high-profile comedic duos” and noting their combined 4.2 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. New episodes are released every Wednesday exclusively on LiSTNR before rolling out to other platforms.

“One of Australia’s most popular and high-profile comedic duos,” SCA said in the press release.

The podcast originally launched in September 2021 as a Spotify exclusive, according to Wikipedia, and consistently ranked in the top five podcasts in Australia. The move to LiSTNR ended a period of uncertainty after the hiatus.

Why this matters: Podcasting is the duo’s primary revenue stream after social media. The new SCA partnership suggests a long-term commitment to audio content, with a potential audience uplift from SCA’s terrestrial radio promotion. For listeners, it means continuity: the same hosts, same format, new home.

Season 3 status

• Podcast renewed for a third season in October 2023 (Wikipedia).
• New episodes began airing on LiSTNR in April 2025.
• Guests have included other Australian comedians and reality TV personalities.

The third season marks a critical juncture: can the duo sustain listener interest beyond the novelty of the move? Early episodes have maintained the top-10 spot in Apple Podcasts’ comedy charts. The SCA deal includes cross-promotion on The Kyle & Jackie O Show and other SCA properties, giving the podcast more exposure than ever.

Live shows and tours

The Inspired Unemployed have performed live gigs around Australia, including sold-out shows in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Their style translates well to stage: audience interaction, costume changes, and the same sketch-based humour from Instagram. Ticket prices range from $30 to $60, according to ticketing sites. No international tour has been announced as of mid-2025.

Live performances remain a secondary revenue stream compared to podcast advertising and merchandise, but they serve as a valuable touchpoint for superfans. The duo also appears at festivals like Splendour in the Grass and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

The pattern: As their audio and live audiences grow, the duo are methodically reducing their dependence on Instagram algorithms, building a diversified fanbase that will survive platform changes.

How rich are The Inspired Unemployed?

Estimated net worth of the duo

• Exact net worth is not publicly disclosed.
• Industry estimates from Australian media outlets place it in the high six-figure to low seven-figure range.
• No official financial filings are available, as they are not a registered public company.

The duo operates as a partnership and does not disclose earnings. However, their revenue streams are relatively transparent: ad revenue from Instagram and TikTok, sponsorship deals, podcast advertising, merchandise sales, and live performance fees. The podcast alone likely generates tens of thousands per episode through host-read ads, given its top-10 chart position.

For comparison, fellow Australian comedians such as Hamish & Andy have reported earnings in the millions per year via similar platforms. The Inspired Unemployed are earlier in their career, and their brand is narrower, but their social reach is strong.

According to SCA, the duo’s combined social following of 4.2 million makes them attractive to advertisers targeting the 18–34 demographic.

Revenue streams breakdown

The table below shows the relative contribution of each revenue stream.

The upcoming travel series for Channel 10, announced in September 2024 per Wikipedia, could be a significant inflection point if it attracts a broadcast audience.

Is The Inspired Unemployed on Netflix?

Availability on streaming platforms

• The Inspired Unemployed is not currently on Netflix.
• Their content is primarily on Instagram, YouTube, and podcast platforms.
• Their television work has aired on Network 10 (Australia) and is not available on global streaming services.

The duo’s TV debut, The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers, aired in August 2023 on Network 10 in Australia. It was a localised spin‑off of the American Impractical Jokers format, produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production. According to Wikipedia, the show was not renewed for a second season, and it has not been licensed to Netflix or any other global streamer. However, clips from the show circulate on YouTube.

The upcoming travel series The List, expected in 2025, will also air on Network 10. It is unknown whether it will later be syndicated internationally. For now, international viewers can only access the duo’s original Instagram and podcast content.

Their YouTube content

• YouTube channel features podcast highlights, vlogs, and behind‑the‑scenes clips.
• Over 100,000 subscribers as of mid‑2025.
• Monetised with ads.

YouTube serves as a secondary distribution channel for their podcast and gives international fans a way to watch without subscribing to LiSTNR. However, it is not a primary revenue driver for the duo. Their most‑viewed video, a compilation of Instagram skits, has passed 5 million views.

The implication: For Australian comedy fans without a VPN, the duo’s TV work is effectively gated behind local broadcast. That may limit their global audience, but it also means they maintain a strong domestic identity.

How did The Inspired Unemployed start?

Formation at the University of Wollongong

• Matt Ford and Jack Steele met at the University of Wollongong.
• They bonded over a shared sense of humour and started making videos for friends.
• Official Instagram account was created in 2019.

The duo’s origin story is almost archetypal: two uni mates filming silly sketches on a phone, uploading to Instagram, and going viral. The first breakout video, a parody of Australian tradie culture, was shared by several large Australian meme pages, propelling the account into the national spotlight. As reported by ABC News, by late 2020 the account had enough reach that Ford and Steele quit their day jobs to pursue it full‑time.

Early viral success

The early content was raw, filmed on iPhones with natural lighting, and relied heavily on Australian in‑jokes. Topics included the horrors of buying a property, the complexity of ordering a coffee, and the tribalism of AFL vs. NRL fans. The humour resonated quickly because it didn’t look like typical influencer content — it looked like a group of friends being idiots.

By mid‑2021, the account had passed 500,000 followers, and media outlets like ABC News and Wikipedia had started documenting the phenomenon. The duo’s ability to churn out consistent, culturally precise content kept growth steady. Within two years of turning full‑time, they had a podcast, a TV deal, and a loyal fanbase that spans Australia.

Growth to national recognition

• 2021: Podcast launched on Spotify, quickly reaching top‑5 chart position.
• 2023: TV debut with Impractical Jokers spin‑off.
• 2024: Moved podcast to LiSTNR for broader distribution.
• 2025: Travel series in production for Channel 10.

The trajectory from university mates to national comedy brand is unusual in the Australian media landscape, which has traditionally been dominated by triple‑j alumni and stand‑up comedians. The Inspired Unemployed bypassed traditional gatekeepers by building an audience on social media first, then monetising through podcasting and television.

Summary

The Inspired Unemployed have turned a simple Instagram joke into a multi‑revenue comedy brand that now includes a top‑rated podcast, a television spin‑off, and a travel series in the works. Their reliance on low‑production, high‑relatability content has insulated them from the polish fatigue affecting other influencers. But the industry is shifting: algorithm changes and audience fragmentation are constant threats. For Australian comedy fans, the duo’s continued success depends on their ability to stay funny without losing the unpolished charm that made them famous. For the duo themselves, the choice is clear: keep the Instagram humour that got them here, or risk over‑producing and alienating the very audience that built them.

Fans of Australian comedy duo The Inspired Unemployed might also enjoy exploring the Cheech and Chong guide for a classic take on stoner humor.

Frequently asked questions

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