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
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk