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So You Think You're Funny

So You Think You're Funny? (SYTYF) is an annual stand-up comedy competition for new acts. The competition began in 1988 in the United Kingdom.

So You Think You're Funny?
So You Think You're Funny logo
Awarded forStand-up comedy competition
Date1988
CountryUnited Kingdom
Websitesoyouthinkyourefunny.co.uk

The finals are held every August at The Gilded Balloon during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Past winners include Aisling Bea, Dylan Moran, Lee Mack, Peter Kay and David O'Doherty.

History

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Bill Bailey in 2008

So You Think You're Funny was the idea of Karen Koren, Artistic Director of The Gilded Balloon, in order to discover new comic talent. During the years it has developed into the most influential competition of its kind in the UK, helping start the careers of many of the country's leading comedians including Dylan Moran, Lee Mack, Graham Norton, David O'Doherty and Tommy Tiernan. Other competitors have included Ardal O'Hanlon, Johnny Vegas, Ed Byrne, Jason Byrne, Alex Zane, Reginald D Hunter, Craig Hill, Alan Carr, Rhod Gilbert, Andrew Lawrence and Russell Howard.

Sponsorship from Channel 4 began in 1993 and ran until 2004, since when Channel 5 and The Paramount Comedy Channel have been sponsors. Now[when?] sponsored by Foster's, the first prize is £5,000 and a place in the Best of British Show at the Montreal "Just For Laughs" Festival.

Past judges have included Steve Coogan, Owen O'Neill, Avid Merrion (Leigh Francis), Bob Mortimer and former So You Think You're Funny winners Dylan Moran and Rhona Cameron.

Compères for the evening have included Eddie Izzard, Bill Bailey, Graham Norton and Jo Brand.[1]

The competition spun a teenagers’ version entitled Class Clowns, derived from an Australian format of the same name, which was staged at the Gilded Balloon for the first time in 2015. Judged by Jo Brand, Kevin Day and Karen Koren, the first Fringe winner was Joe Gardner.[2]

Rules and eligibility

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The rules and eligibility are as follows:

"1. The performer cannot have performed stand up REGULARLY either paid or unpaid before 1st June of the year prior to the competition. *

2. The performer should not have appeared in So You Think You're Funny? before.

3. The performer’s material must be completely original.

4. The performer must have at least 8 minutes of original material.

5. The organisers reserve the right to select all entrants and decisions taken by the organisers and judges are final.

6. All entrants must be aged 18 and over.

  • This means you can have performed, either paid or unpaid before June 2013, but not regularly. So a handful of gigs well spaced out, once or twice, every couple of months is fine, but performing two times a week is too many. The exception to this is those who have performed as part of a recognised comedy course in this period."[citation needed]

Process of elimination

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The competition starts in the spring of each year with showcases in Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, York, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Inverness, Dublin, Brighton and Nottingham as well as ten comedy clubs in London. In 2013, there were over 500 applicants for only 55 places in the Edinburgh heats.[citation needed]

Each showcase is not a direct competition, with judges instead selecting the best acts they have seen over the entire run to take part in one of seven heats at the Gilded Balloon at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. Winners of each of these heats go forward to the final.[citation needed]

Winners and finalists

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2023

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Results:[3]

  • Samira Banks (Winner)
  • Christopher Donovan (runner up)
  • Lizzie Norm (3rd)
    • Alex Lennox
    • Archit Goenka
    • Carwyn Blayney
    • Chantel Nash
    • Cormac Sinnott
    • Lauren Carroll
    • Sophie Gerrad

2022

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Results:

  • Joshua Bethania (Winner)
  • Mark Black (runner up)
  • Jack Skipper (shared second runner up)
  • Pravanya Pillai (shared second runner up)
    • Ben Pollard
    • Daniel Petrie
    • Justina Seselskaite
    • Prakash Jirjadhun
    • Rohan Sharma

2021

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Results:

  • Omar Badawy (Winner)
  • Rae Brogan (runner up)
  • Andy Watts (second runner up)
    • Phil Marzouk
    • Farhan Solo
    • Lottie Field
    • Kathleen Hughes
    • Nate Kitch
    • Caroline Maddison
    • Kathy Maniura

2019

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Results:

  • Finlay Christie (Winner)
  • Shane Daniel Byrne (runner up)
  • Charlie George (second runner up)
  • Claire Haus
  • Denis Len
  • Erika Ehler
  • Fady Kassab
  • Kate Bancroft
  • Kate McGann

MC Zoe Lyons Comedy Guest Judge: Jenny Eclair

2018

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Results:

  • Danny Garnell (Winner)
  • Liam Farrelly (runner up)
  • Bec Melrose (shared third)
  • Joe Hobbs (shared third)
    • Martin Durchov
    • Natalie Loh
    • Chelsea Birkby
    • Patrick Healy
    • Shane Clifford

MC Zoe Lyons Comedy Guest Judge: Rhod Gilbert

2017

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Results:[4]

MC: Aisling Bea

Comedy Guest Judge: David O'Doherty

2016

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Results:

  • Heidi Regan (Winner)
  • Ruth Hunter (runner up)
  • Danielle Walker (third)
    • Harriet Braine
    • Kelly Convey
    • Sophie Henderson
    • Jamie M
    • Stuart McPherson
    • Arielle Souma

MC Zoe Lyons Comedy Guest Judge: Alan Davies

2015

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Results:

  • Luca Cupani (Winner)
  • Yuriko Kotani (runner up)
  • Ed Night (as Ed Day) (third)
    • Ben Pope
    • Yumna Mohamed
    • Neil O'Rourke
    • Matilda Wnek
    • Red Richardson
    • Stephen Lawson (Aka Stephen Tries)
    • AJ Roberts

MC: Zoe Lyons Comedy Guest Judge: Mark Watson

2014

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Results:[5]

  • Aidan Strangeman (Winner)
  • Elliot Steel (2nd Place)
  • Joe Hart (3rd Place)
    • Mark Daniels
    • Jim Smith
    • Benji Waterstones
    • Eshaan Akbar
    • Gary Meikle

MC: Zoe Lyons[5]

Comedy Guest Judge: Jason Manford[6]

Sponsor: Foster's[5]

2013

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Results:[5]

  • Edward Hedges (Joint Winner)
  • Demi Lardner (Joint Winner)
  • Laura Mclenaghan (2nd Place)

MC: Zoe Lyons[5]

Comedy Guest Judge: Sarah Millican[7]

Sponsor: Foster's[5]

2012

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Results:[8]

  • Aisling Bea (Winner)
  • Jonathon Pelham (2nd Place)
  • Murdo Haggs (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Wayne Mazadza (Joint 3rd Place)

MC: Jason Cook [8]

Comedy Guest Judge: Ruby Wax[8]

Sponsor: Foster's[8]

2011

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Results:[5]

  • Tommy Rowson (Winner)
  • Dayne Rathbone (2nd Place)
  • Lucy Beaumont (Joint 3rd Place)
  • Fern Brady (Joint 3rd Place)
    • Andy Clarke
    • Darren Connell
    • Stuart Hossack
    • Alex Kealy
    • Nicola Mantalios-Lovett

MC: Jarred Christmas[5]

Comedy Guest Judge: Lee Mack[5]

Sponsor: The Sims 3[9]

2010

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Results:[5]

MC: Rufus Hound[5]

Comedy Guest Judge: Tim Minchin[5]

2009

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Results:[5]

MC: Lee Mack[5]

Comedy Guest Judge: Tim Vine[5]

2008

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Results:[5]

Comedy Guest Judge: Johnny Vegas

2007

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Results:[5][10]

2006

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Results:[5][11]

2005

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Results:[5]

MC: Bill Bailey[5]

2004

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Results:[5]

2003

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Results:[5]

2002

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Results:[5]

2001

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Results:[5]

2000

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Results:[5]

1999

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Results:[5]

1998

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Results:[5]

1997

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Results:[5]

1996

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Results:[5]

1995

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Results:[5]

1994

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Results:[5]

1993

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Results:[5]

1992

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Results:[5]

1991

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Results:[5]

1990

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Results:[5]

1989

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Results:[5]

1988

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Results:[5]

References

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  1. ^ "So You Think You're Funny?". Gilded Balloon. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  2. ^ "Gilded Balloon on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Samira Banks wins 'So You Think You're Funny?' 2023". British Comedy Guide. 24 August 2023.
  4. ^ "So You Think You're Funny Final". Chortle.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak "Finalists & Runners up". So You Think You're Funny?. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2017 – via Wayback Machine.Free access icon 
  6. ^ Comedy.co.uk
  7. ^ BBC
  8. ^ a b c d "Finalists & Runners up", So You Think You're Funny?. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  9. ^ "The Sims 3 Searches For New Stars Of Comedy With So You Think You Are Funny", EA News, 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  10. ^ "So You Think You're Funny? 2007 final". Chortle - The UK comedy guide. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  11. ^ "So You Think You're Funny (2006)". Chortle - the UK comedy guide. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Awards | Jason Manford", jasonmanford.com. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  13. ^ "Give us a giggle then". 23 August 1997.
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