This list is a bit of a joke. This sort of list always is. Rank the 50 best anything – novels, crisps – and people start fuming. “Why isn’t Middlemarch #1?” “How dare you snub Wotsits?”
Comedy is, as any fule kno, subjective. Stand-up is a broad church, taking in character comedy (the Pub Landlord) and musical parody (Bill Bailey). But we had to set limits somewhere, so ruled out troupes and groups (sorry, Pappy’s; farewell, Flight of the Conchords).
This is not a list of the funniest sitcom actors, scriptwriters or podcast hosts. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s play Fleabag was a hilarious piece of theatre, and a terrific 12 episodes of television, but it wasn’t a stand-up comedy gig.
We bent our own rules slightly to acknowledge recorded shows made in lockdown – that awful moment when a laptop became the closest thing to a comedy club. But otherwise, this list is based purely on shows four comedy junkies have seen (and loved) since the turn of the millennium on stages across the UK, in pubs and clubs, attics and basements, community centres and West End theatres. The UK has the world’s best live comedy circuit, and we wanted to celebrate it.
Lee is the internecine, meta-minded sourpuss of stand-up, never happier (if that’s the word) than when mercilessly ripping other comedians, audiences and, for that matter, The Telegraph to shreds. I fondly (if that’s also the word) remember an hour at the Edinburgh Fringe spent squirming quietly in my seat as, well aware that I was “in”, he tore into this august publication – along with people who’d come because they’d seen him on the telly (hates them) and his loyal fans (“cackling sycophants”).
As those jibes suggest, the 55-year-old Shropshire native is also brilliant: there’s a magnificence to his point-blank refusal to ingratiate himself, great subtlety in the comic stances he takes, spectacular imagination and variety in his material. He’ll probably despise us even more for not putting him in first place. MM
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com