 Elliott began performing professionally as a stand-up comedian as a "nervous teenager" in 1989 at a late night cabaret at the Station Hotel, Auckland in a show called "Lewd and the Ludicrous".In 1991 he was runner up in a comedy quest at Auckland's Abby's Hotel.Elliott then became part of a comedy collective called "Laughter Mafia" which performed weekly and successfully at the same venue which became the comedy venue of Auckland in 1991 and 1992.