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