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So You Think You're Funny

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So You Think You're Funny

So you think you re funny episode 4 17 aug sabc 1 7pm


So You Think You're Funny? (SYTYF) is an annual stand-up comedy competition for new acts. The competition began in 1988 and has become the longest-running best comedy newcomer award in the UK. The finals are held every August at The Gilded Balloon during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Past winners include Dylan Moran, Lee Mack, Peter Kay and David O'Doherty.

Contents

So you think you re funny episode 2


History

So You Think You’re Funny was the idea of Karen Koren, Artistic Director of The Gilded Balloon, in order to discover new comic talent. During the years it has developed into the most influential competition of its kind in the UK, helping start the careers of many of the country’s leading comedians including Dylan Moran, Lee Mack, Graham Norton,David O’Doherty and Tommy Tiernan. Other competitors have included Ardal O'Hanlon, Johnny Vegas, Ed Byrne, Jason Byrne, Alex Zane, Reginald D Hunter, Craig Hill, Alan Carr, Rhod Gilbert, Andrew Lawrence and Russell Howard.

Sponsorship from Channel 4 began in 1993 and ran until 2004, since when Channel 5 and The Paramount Comedy Channel have been sponsors. Now sponsored by Foster’s, the first prize is £5000 and a place in the Best of British Show at the Montreal "Just For Laughs" Festival.

Past judges have included Steve Coogan, Owen O’Neill, Avid Merrion (Leigh Francis), Bob Mortimer and former So You Think You're Funny winners Dylan Moran and Rhona Cameron.

Comperes for the evening have included Eddie Izzard, Bill Bailey, Graham Norton and Jo Brand.

The competition spun a teenagers version entitled "Class Clowns", derived from an Australian format of the same name, which was staged at the Gilded Balloon for the first time in 2015. Judged by Jo Brand, Kevin Day and Karen Koren, the first Fringe winner was Joe Gardner.

Rules and eligibility

As of 2014, the rules and eligibility are as follows:

"1. The performer cannot have performed stand up REGULARLY either paid or unpaid before 1st June 2013. * 2. The performer should not have appeared in So You Think You’re Funny? before. 3. The performer’s material must be completely original. 4. The performer must have at least 8 minutes of original material. 5. The organisers reserve the right to select all entrants and decisions taken by the organisers and judges are final. 6. All entrants must be aged 18 and over.

  • This means you can have performed, either paid or unpaid before June 2013, but not regularly. So a handful of gigs well spaced out, once or twice, every couple of months is fine, but performing two times a week is too many. The exception to this is those who have performed as part of a recognised comedy course in this period."
  • Process of elimination

    The competition starts in the spring of each year with showcases in Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, York, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Inverness, Dublin, Brighton and Nottingham as well as ten comedy clubs in London. In 2013, there were over 500 applicants for only 55 places in the Edinburgh heats.

    Each showcase is not a direct competition, with judges instead selecting the best acts they have seen over the entire run to take part in one of seven heats at the Gilded Balloon at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. Winners of each of these heats go forward to the final.

    2015

    Results:

  • Luca Cupani (Winner)
  • Yuriko Kotani (runner up)
  • Ed Night (as Ed Day) (third)
  • Ben Pope
  • Yumna Mohamed
  • Neil O'Rourke
  • Matilda Wnek
  • Red Richardson
  • Stephen Lawson
  • AJ Roberts
  • 2014

    Results:

  • Aidan Strangeman (Winner)
  • Elliot Steel (2nd Place)
  • Joe Hart (3rd Place)
  • Mark Daniels
  • Jim Smith
  • Benji Waterstones
  • Christopher MacArthur-Boyd
  • Eshaan Akbar
  • Gary Meikle
  • MC: Zoe Lyons

    Comedy Guest Judge: Jason Manford

    Sponsor: Foster's

    2013

    Results:

  • Edward Hedges (Joint Winner)
  • Demi Lardner (Joint Winner)
  • Laura Mclenaghan (2nd Place)
  • Andrew McBurney
  • Nicky Wilkinson
  • Tom Taylor
  • Alasdair Beckett King
  • Russ Peers
  • Jenny Collier
  • MC: Zoe Lyons

    Comedy Guest Judge: Sarah Millican

    Sponsor: Foster's

    2012

    Results:

  • Aisling Bea (Winner)
  • Jonathon Pelham (2nd Place)
  • Murdo Haggs (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Wayne Mazadza (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Ingrid Dahle
  • Nick Dixon
  • Amir Khoshsokhan
  • Glenn Moore
  • Conor Neville
  • MC: Jason Cook

    Comedy Guest Judge: Ruby Wax

    Sponsor: Foster's

    2011

    Results:

  • Tommy Rowson (Winner)
  • Dayne Rathbone (2nd Place)
  • Lucy Beaumont (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Fern Brady (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Andy Clarke
  • Darren Connell
  • Stuart Hossack
  • Alex Kealy
  • Nicola Mantalios-Lovett
  • MC: Jarred Christmas

    Comedy Guest Judge: Lee Mack

    Sponsor: The Sims 3

    2010

    Results:

  • James Kirk (Winner)
  • Liam Williams (2nd Place)
  • Rob Beckett (3rd Place)
  • Laura Carr
  • Alex Clissold-Jones
  • Pete Dobbing
  • Romesh Ranganathan
  • Matt Richardson
  • Chris Turner
  • MC: Rufus Hound

    Comedy Guest Judge: Tim Minchin

    2009

    Results:

  • Ivo Graham (Winner)
  • Kevin Shevlin (2nd Place)
  • Naz Osmanoglu (3rd Place)
  • Richard Bowen
  • Robin Buckland
  • Jim Campbell
  • Kai Humphries
  • Mark Simmons
  • Winston Smith
  • MC: Lee Mack

    Comedy Guest Judge: Tim Vine

    2008

    Results:

  • Daniel Simonsen (Winner)
  • Seann Walsh (2nd Place)
  • Doc Brown
  • Gearoid Farrelly
  • John Gavin
  • Sara Pascoe
  • Richard Perry
  • Ahir Shah
  • Daniel Sloss
  • Josh Widdicombe
  • 2007

    Results:

  • Richard Sandling (Winner)
  • Ben Davis (2nd Place)
  • Joanne Lau (3rd Place)
  • Carl Hutchison
  • James Marsh
  • Gar Murran
  • Daniel Rigby
  • Jack Whitehall
  • Toby Whithouse
  • 2006

    Results:

  • Wes Packer (Winner)
  • Hannah Gadsby (2nd Place)
  • Ginger & Black (3rd Place)
  • Alan Bennett
  • Caroline Clifford
  • Marlon Davis
  • Raph Shirley
  • Holly Walsh
  • Andrew Watts
  • 2005

    Results:

  • Tom Allen (Winner)
  • Sarah Millican (2nd Place)
  • Joe Wilkinson (3rd Place)
  • Charlie Baker
  • Kevin Bridges
  • Robert Broderick
  • Emma Fryer
  • Stuart Goldsmith
  • Josh Thomas
  • MC: Bill Bailey

    2004

    Results:

  • Nick Sun (Winner)
  • Russell Kane (2nd Place)
  • Chris McCausland (3rd Place)
  • Lee Bannard
  • Rob Collins
  • Rose Heiney
  • Zoe Lyons
  • Jarlath Regan
  • Susan Taylor
  • 2003

    Results:

  • Tom Wrigglesworth (Winner)
  • Andrew Lawrence (2nd Place)
  • Stuart Hudson (3rd Place)
  • Anna Crilly
  • Michael Fabbri
  • Anne Keirle
  • Matt Kirshen
  • Rodney Marques
  • Ed Petrie
  • 2002

    Results:

  • Matthew Osborn (Winner)
  • Mark Watson (2nd Place)
  • Nina Conti (3rd Place)
  • Michael Anderson
  • Andy Bone
  • Greg Davies
  • Rhod Gilbert
  • Rufus Hound
  • Greg McHugh
  • Ryan Gleeson
  • 2001

    Results:

  • Miles Jupp (Winner)
  • Stefano Paolini (2nd Place)
  • Alan Carr (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Michael Downey (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Hils Barker
  • John Bishop
  • Seymour Mace
  • Inder Manocha
  • The Reverend Obadiah Steppenwolfe III
  • 2000

    Results:

  • Drew Rokos (Winner)
  • Des Clarke (runner-up)
  • Mark Dolan
  • Jason Manford
  • Francesca Martinez
  • Mat and McKinnon
  • Les Hommes Sans Noms
  • 1999

    Results:

  • David O'Doherty (Winner)
  • Juliet Cowan
  • Russell Howard
  • Josie Long
  • Richard Morris
  • Andy Zaltzman
  • 1998

    Results:

  • Rob Rouse (Winner)
  • Dan Antopolski
  • Kevin Hill
  • Reginald D Hunter
  • Nadine Lennard
  • Moz
  • Caroline Quinlan
  • Stuart Stanley
  • Alex Zane
  • 1997

    Results:

  • Peter Kay (Winner)
  • Nick Doody
  • Paul Foot
  • Jonathan Gunning
  • Stephen Morrison
  • TJ Murphy
  • Rod Woodward
  • 1996

    Results:

  • Tommy Tiernan (Winner)
  • Jason Byrne
  • Valentine Flyguy
  • John Henderson
  • David Keay
  • Patrick McDonnell
  • Lucy Porter
  • 1995

    Results:

  • Lee Mack (Winner)
  • 1994

    Results:

  • Martin Trenaman (Winner)
  • 1993

    Results:

  • Dylan Moran (Winner)
  • Steve Furst (Runner-up)
  • Michael Smiley
  • 1992

    Results:

  • Rhona Cameron (Winner)
  • 1991

    Results:

  • Alan Francis (Winner)
  • 1990

    Results:

  • Trio Brothers (Rab Christie & Greg Hemphill) (Winners)
  • 1989

    Results:

  • Phil Kay (Winner)
  • 1988

    Results:

  • Bruce Morton (Winner)
  • References

    So You Think You're Funny Wikipedia