From Golden Boy to Bali’s Comedy Pioneer: The Journey of Chris Giacobbe

Chris Giacobbe’s journey is far from the typical tale of a comedian chasing a dream to make people laugh.

Instead, his path to comedy is a tale of travel, self-discovery, and, unexpectedly, a bit of family rebellion.

And it all started with a Lamborghini.

Born in the northern Italian town of Bordighera, right on the border with France, Chris grew up in a family where wealth was no stranger.His father, a respected lawyer, had everything—money, success, and a Lamborghini by the time he was 30.

But everything came at a cost. When Chris was born, his father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and from that moment, illness became a constant shadow over their lives.

“I always saw my father very sick,” Chris reflects. “He had all the money in the world, but he couldn’t enjoy any of it,” Chris said.

“ So I started asking myself, what’s the point of all this? Why spend your life working for money if you’re not going to be able to live your life?”

This early experience had a profound impact on Chris, especially when it came to the concept of success. He was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, to become a lawyer and join the family business, but instead, he rebelled.

“I was raised to become the next big lawyer in the family, but I rejected it. I didn’t want to wait and work for 20 years to make money and then get sick,” he admits. “I just wanted to live now.”

So, at the first opportunity, he started traveling.

By the time he was 30, Chris had lived in the US, Iceland, Greece, Spain, and even Africa, trying out various odd jobs along the way—from sushi chef in Iceland to flight attendant in Italy.

“Screw it, I’m moving to Bali”

But despite his adventures, family expectations always loomed.

“My family would always pull me back,” he says. “They’d say, ‘Come on, you need to start working and become a millionaire like your brothers.’”

His brothers, both highly successful in real estate and fashion, were already walking the path of the corporate elite.

Chris, on the other hand, had begun to feel like the “black sheep” of the family, particularly when he tried, and failed, to step into the corporate world himself.

“I was in a job with a billion-dollar company, selling software to law firms in Italy,” he recalls.

“But then, after I quit my old job, went through a divorce, and was ready for a new chapter, they called me up and said: ‘Forget the job in Spain, you’re starting in Poland.’

A week later, they told me there was no job. They gave me one year’s salary and rent to leave.

And that’s when I thought, ‘Screw it. I’m moving to Bali.’”

A comedian was born

Bali had always been in the back of his mind, though not in any way he could explain.

“I had never been to Bali at that point. I’d never even read about it. I just had this feeling that one day, I would move here,” Chris says.

“I thought I’d stay a few weeks and if I liked it, I’d stay longer. That was six years ago.”

Those first two years in Bali, however, weren’t exactly about building a career.

“I did nothing,” he laughs. “I just partied, met a lot of girls, and drank a lot of alcohol. It was a good salary, so I was just enjoying life.”

But eventually, the idea of doing something more began to take shape.

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Chris, who had always been comfortable in front of crowds (thanks to his years of public speaking and Toastmasters involvement), began to wonder if Bali had a space for comedy.

At the time, there was no English-language comedy scene on the island.

“Someone said, ‘Why don’t you start an English comedy scene in Bali?’ And I thought, why not?” he says.

And just like that, Chris became the godfather of English stand-up comedy in Bali.

His shows in Canggu started packing in the crowds, and before long, the Indonesian media took notice.

“I started performing on Indonesian television,” Chris says.

“It was tough at first because three out of five judges didn’t even speak English, but I pushed through. I started tailoring my material to things Indonesians could relate to, and it worked.”

Island vigilante

That exposure on Stand Up Comedy Indonesia (SUCI), a hugely popular show in the country, was a game-changer.

“I was the first non-Indonesian to perform on the show, and my season was the first to accept English-speaking comedians,” he says.

“It wasn’t just comedy for laughs; it was also about helping people. I started getting messages from Indonesians who said, ‘I’m learning English through your comedy.’ That was one of the coolest things.”

Chris’s popularity in Bali grew quickly, but it wasn’t just his comedy that was gaining attention.

He became somewhat of a local vigilante here in the resort island, using his platform to call out bad behaviour by tourists.

“A lot of foreigners think because they’re white, they can get away with anything,” he says, referring to the unfortunate truth that many in Bali, particularly outside of tourist hubs, harbor an inferiority complex towards white people.

Chris began sharing videos and posts on social media about tourists behaving badly—drunken fights, disrespecting local customs, or not paying for meals.

His clips went viral, and soon people were sending him CCTV footage or asking for his help in finding people who’d stolen or caused trouble.

What makes Bali so magnetic

While his comedy is what initially drew people to him, Chris’s willingness to stand up for what’s right earned him a different kind of respect.

Now, with his own podcast and a growing social media following, Chris is using his platform for both laughs and causes he cares about.

“I’m not just here to sell tickets for my shows,” he says. “I want to do something good with this.”

For anyone thinking of moving to Bali, Chris’s story is a powerful reminder that the island is full of opportunities for reinvention.

Whether it’s comedy, business, or something entirely different, the freedom to explore your passions is just one of the things that makes Bali so magnetic.

As for Chris?

“I came for a few weeks, and here I am six years later,” he laughs. “Life’s crazy sometimes.”

And with that, his journey in the island is far from over.

For those interested in catching Chris’s live standup shows, check out the schedule on his Instagram page @chrisgiacobbecomedy