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Handler as dirty and lippy as ever

Chelsea Handler is a woman who rarely thinks before she speaks. It is a trait that has landed the popular New Jersey-born comedian in hot water countless times throughout her career.

Social media has long been Handler's outlet to unleash her comedy, her most recent act of controversy manifesting on her Instagram with two nude posts - one showing her posing topless on a horse to make a mockery of Vladimir Putin's famous shirtless photo and the other, taken this month, ridiculing Kim Kardashian's infamous derriere magazine shoot.

Other (dishonourable) mentions include the shocking video of actor Jason Biggs urinating on Handler, who admitted she found it so funny at the time that she couldn't turn away.

Such brazen behaviour has seen the 39-year-old hit news headlines around the globe, at times even prompting online campaigns calling for her to apologise for her actions.

Given her headline-making antics, which have seen her compared to late comedian Joan Rivers, it was expected the lippy comedian would deliver the shock-inducing, foul-mouthed stand-up performance her followers are familiar with.

Returning to Australia for the first time since 2011 to promote her fifth book after which her live stand-up tour is named, Uganda Be Kidding Me, Handler - a New York Times-bestselling author - kicked off her show at Perth Concert Hall on Sunday night by explaining what spurred her latest written musings on life.

The book was inspired by her desire to travel and leave behind the daily grind of her popular talk show, Chelsea Lately, which wrapped on E! in August with Handler securing a deal with Netflix.

Handler planned a lavish holiday to Africa with friends who had agreed to let the comedian have free reign over their privacy in exchange for the all-expenses-paid trip.

What ensued was a book (which Handler refers to throughout her show) that mocks, disses and criticises anyone and everyone in her life; from her friends (namely her "ballsy lesbian" roommate Shelly) to her parents, siblings and assistants.

Those familiar with Handler's work would know she is renowned for her shock tactics and her no-holds-barred approach.

As a fan of her former talk show, it was no surprise Handler's expletive-laden show was unashamedly vulgar, most notably when describing her life in graphic detail, from her sexual encounters, undergoing laser hair removal on her lady parts (a rant that went on for about 20 minutes) and the embarrassing moment her bowel exploded in her swimsuit while in the Bahamas.

And while the fearlessly honest Handler shone in her ability to push the boundaries and shock a crowd into laughter, where she fell short was engaging with her audience.

But perhaps it isn't Handler's style to seek validation; she has been dubbed the queen of mean after all.

'Those familiar with Handler's work would know she is renowned for her shock tactics.'