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