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"Obviously there is a fine line between clever satire and just outright racism, and I guess myself and other producers who bring people to Australia have been doing it for long enough to have the judgement to be able to know the difference." As the longest-serving director of the world's third biggest comedy festival, behind Edinburgh and Montreal, Provan still delights in steering the annual gagfest, which this year will feature 232 acts and more than 1000 performers.

But she has taken some heat during her 11 years at the helm.

Her stance on racism raised the ire of the Herald Sun's right-wing columnist Andrew Bolt when she deliberately crossed two American comics off the festival's invitation list in 2003 after they made derogatory jok...