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