Tommy Rowson is Funny!
2011 So You Think You’re Funny? winner announced…
Welshman Tommy Rowson beat off stiff competition Thursday evening from a further eight strong up-and-coming comic talents to be crowned the winner of Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s best stand-up comedy competition ‘So You Think You’re Funny? 2011’, which this year is powered by The Sims 3.
Rowson, the only finalist based in London (and who is actually Welsh), was followed in second place by Dayne Rathbone (Australia) and joint third place was awarded to Lucy Beaumont (Hull) and Fern Brady (Sheffield). Each act had just eight minutes to prove just how funny they were. After tense and extremely tough minutes of deliberation from the country’s most experienced judges including Gilded Balloon’s legendary Artistic Director, Karen Koren and celebrity judge Lee Mack, a previous winner in 1995, a stand out winner emerged.
New Zealand funny man Jarred Christmas compered the final alongside a roaring audience. This year’s winner has not only won the coveted title but has also a cash prize and a trip to perform at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival.
Now in its 24th year and a Gilded Balloon institution, past ‘So You Think You’re Funny?’ winners have included Lee Mack, Peter Kay, David O’Doherty, Rhona Cameron, Tommy Tiernan, Miles Jupp, Rob Rouse, Dylan Moran and 2010 winner James Kirk, to name but a few.
This year the search for the best comedy newcomer took competition organisers from the Gilded Balloon to Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, Brighton and London. The shortlist, listed below, all pulled out their very best stand-up skills in a bid to impress.
Lucy Beaumont (Hull)
Fern Brady (Sheffield)
Andy Clark (Tyne & Wear)
Darren Connell (Glasgow)
Stuart Hossack (Southampton)
Alex Kealy (Selbourne)
Nicola Mantalios-Lovett (South Tyneside)
Dayne Rathbone (Australia)
Tommy Rowson (London)
Best-selling gaming franchise The Sims 3, which allows players to play with life in a virtual world, is the title sponsor of ‘So You Think You’re Funny?’ and the supporting partner of The Gilded Balloon for 2011.