Tweet
By ALISTAIR MUNRO
Published on Tuesday 21 August 2012 00:01 in the Scotsman
IT’S NO joke. Canadian comedian Stewart Francis has been hailed the king of the one-liner at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Famous for his deadpan performances on British television shows such as Mock The Week, Francis has topped a poll for telling the Fringe’s funniest joke.
And his witty wisecrack? “You know who really gives kids a bad name? Posh and Becks.”
The winning gag was poking fun at the couple’s children – Brooklyn Joseph, Romeo James, Cruz David, and Harper Seven.
A panel of ten critics sifted through 7,200 jokes from 3,600 minutes of material to shortlist 30 puns.
They were then put to a public vote with 3,000 comedy fans choosing their favourite.
Francis got 21 per cent of the votes for his one-liner and walked away with a trophy from TV channel Dave and a £1,000 cash prize. The 53-year-old Toronto-born funnyman, who only took up comedy at the age of 30, appears on the list twice, as does London comedian Tim Vine.
The winning Posh and Becks joke features in the comedian’s current show, Return of the Lumberjacks, at The Assembly Rooms. Francis, whose parents are British and who has a Scottish wife, was his usual jocular self when named the winner.
He said: “1969 West Mall Soccer Association’s Most Valuable Player, and now this. Thank you, Dave.”
Francis took up comedy when his girlfriend entered him for amateur open mic competition.
He has since written for the likes of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in the US and supported Ricky Gervais before his own solo tours.
Steve North, general manager of Dave, said: “Stewart Francis is a very worthy winner and with his droll quip has proved himself to be King of the one-liners.
Alastair
Published on Tuesday 21 August 2012 00:01 in the Scotsman
IT’S NO joke. Canadian comedian Stewart Francis has been hailed the king of the one-liner at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Famous for his deadpan performances on British television shows such as Mock The Week, Francis has topped a poll for telling the Fringe’s funniest joke.
And his witty wisecrack? “You know who really gives kids a bad name? Posh and Becks.”
The winning gag was poking fun at the couple’s children – Brooklyn Joseph, Romeo James, Cruz David, and Harper Seven.
A panel of ten critics sifted through 7,200 jokes from 3,600 minutes of material to shortlist 30 puns.
They were then put to a public vote with 3,000 comedy fans choosing their favourite.
Francis got 21 per cent of the votes for his one-liner and walked away with a trophy from TV channel Dave and a £1,000 cash prize. The 53-year-old Toronto-born funnyman, who only took up comedy at the age of 30, appears on the list twice, as does London comedian Tim Vine.
The winning Posh and Becks joke features in the comedian’s current show, Return of the Lumberjacks, at The Assembly Rooms. Francis, whose parents are British and who has a Scottish wife, was his usual jocular self when named the winner.
He said: “1969 West Mall Soccer Association’s Most Valuable Player, and now this. Thank you, Dave.”
Francis took up comedy when his girlfriend entered him for amateur open mic competition.
He has since written for the likes of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in the US and supported Ricky Gervais before his own solo tours.
Steve North, general manager of Dave, said: “Stewart Francis is a very worthy winner and with his droll quip has proved himself to be King of the one-liners.
Alastair