It was in the late 1980s when he attended and studied drama at the Tasmanian State Institute of Technology while living with members of rock band The Fish John West Reject.

"Before I had even thought about being a stand-up comedian, I travelled around with them, opening for them and getting up in breaks in their sets and just telling a few jokes," Saleh told The Sunday Examiner.

"It was the first time I was regularly on stage trying to be funny.

"There are some great memories there, as they were some of the happiest years of my life.

"Every time I go to Tassie it is always a bit more special than other shows."

Since his days in Launceston, Saleh has gone on to become one of Australia's favourite funny men.

He will return to Launceston, performing at Country Club Tasmania on Friday, November 21, as part of a tour that will also take in shows in Burnie, Devonport and Hobart.

"I still have friends in Launceston so coming down for shows is the only chance that I really get to see them, but I do love the place, especially the Gorge."

The 50-year-old said stand-up kept him feeling young.

"The beauty of stand-up is that you don't really age, as you can stay silly and funny for a long time, and it is not like sport, where there is an age you have to stop.

"But it is impossible to do if you don't enjoy it.

"If you are not passionate about it or not excited about each show, you just can't keep doing it.

"I'm lucky that I really love it and still get a real thrill about it, but once I lose that passion, it would be hard to keep going, but the longer I do it the more excited I am about it."

Saleh's latest show is called Lost, not that he has a choice in it.

"I don't really call my shows anything, because they are not really about anything, unlike other comedians who 'theme' their shows.

"It changes every night and every year my manager asks me what I want to call it, and I'm always saying 'Just call it Akmal', but he says that won't sell tickets.

"He called it Lost because I am really bad with directions, so that was his call and I'm sorry about that.

"That is my style [to have non-themed shows] and you find a lot of people that do do it are more from the acting discipline who can work off a script, and I've never been able to do that well.

"Even if I go in with that intention, I often do forget what I'm supposed to do, because I'm easily distracted.

"I do have my bits that I know work well, but sometimes you can go out with that intention and something distracts you and you go a different way all together, and that way I can make it more believable."

Saleh said this was something for him that was "clear from the start" and even the more rehearsed stuff can come out looking spontaneous.

There are some subject matters he does like to touch on more than others.

"The older I get, the more I take notice and feel strongly about politics and government.

"In my opinion, our government is very extreme, and this is the type of thing that can divide people and not everyone agrees with you and people just want you to tell a joke.

"But whatever you say it's got to be funny, and at the moment I'm talking about [Tony] Abbott, and that's just too easy, as he's our George W. Bush."