So then: who’s funniest? In compiling this list of the 30 best English-speaking comedians at work today, I gave myself some parameters. This would be an overview of who is at the top of their game now, on stage or screen or even podcast. It is not a guide to the most influential living comedians. It is not a handing out of long-service medals. So: no Pythons, no Mighty Booshes, no French and Saunders, nor even – though he came close – any Gervaises. It’s a snapshot of now.
Am I objective, or am I just listing what has made me laugh most in the past year or so? As The Times’s comedy critic, I get to see loads of live comedy by comedians old and new, have the luxury of thinking about it and talking about it and writing about it. I am, I hope, an expert. I also know that in comedy more than any other art form, expertise means zilch if something doesn’t get you in the gut. Ever tried convincing someone that they have made a mistake in not finding something funny? It’s not a good conversation.
So, yes, this is my list of the men and women who have cheered me, thrilled me, moved me, inspired me and, yes, of course, surprised me into laughter. The list is still more male than female, still largely white, but things are changing fast.
It is a good time for comedy. And a show like Hannah Gadsby’s, though not the funniest in the world right now, may prove to be the most important in the world right now. It argues for a new language for the form, goes beyond comedy to do so, while expanding and excelling at the language we already have. Or, more succinctly: I loved it! It’s great! See it!
I marvelled at the skill, I thrilled to the boldness, most importantly I laughed till it hurt when I saw Lee’s latest show, Content Provider, at the start of its tour 18 months ago. Do his teasing stand-up routines about everything from Trump and Brexit (correct, he’s a fan of neither) to Game of Thrones and mobile phones (ditto) hold up today on the performance recorded for television in May? Amazingly, they do: pretty much every moment has some sort of delicious surprise. And if a show addressing “the individual in a digitised free-market society” sounds highfalutin, Lee unspools these two hours with a sense of fun underlying every gear he goes through: abrasive, ironic, confessional, interactive, absurd, clownish, arrogant, but above all playful.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012