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