So You Think You Are Funny
The Gilded Balloon’s legendary newcomer competition So You Think You’re Funny? supports hundreds of comedians in the first year of their careers and celebrates 35 years this August.
Article Source: Gilded Balloon
Last Updated: 7 July 2022 13:34
So You Think You’re Funny? is where future comedy starts…
The Gilded Balloon’s legendary newcomer competition So You Think You’re Funny? supports hundreds of comedians in the first year of their careers – this August celebrates its 35th year at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
“So You Think You’re Funny? meant that someone – apart from my mother – thought I was okay. The prize money also meant I could go on holiday to San Francisco and lose my virginity, which was handy… and looking back also funny. Or at least he seemed to think so.” Tom Allen
It's the highlight of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, revered, loved and coveted by comedians, celebrities and fans from all over the world. The Gilded Balloon’s acclaimed newcomer competition So You Think You’re Funny? nurtures hundreds of emerging comics in the first year of their careers. This must-see annual event is one of the most prestigious competitions in the comedy calendar – and 2022’s is bigger than ever as it celebrates its 35th year this August.
The Gilded Balloon’s Artistic Director Karen Koren says: “I started So You Think You’re Funny? to find more Scottish comedians to work with in Scotland in an all-year round venue. A lot of them couldn’t live and work here for a long time. In the 80s and into the 90s they had to go to London. As it happened, I managed to find comedians from everywhere.”
By the 1990s the competition had evolved exponentially, becoming one of the most popular of the many around at that time – winners often achieving TV status. As the prize money has grown, so has the competition. This year is a bumper year with over 650 applications.
The rules are the performer can’t have worked for up to 12 months professionally or unprofessionally and must not be signed with a comedy agent or management company or not have performed more than 15 stand-up spots (including open spots and virtual performances to live audiences).
The Showcases take place regionally all over the UK, each performer is given seven minutes in which to win over the judges and the audience. Judges select the best acts they’ve seen at all the showcases to take part in one of seven heats at the Gilded Balloon Teviot during August. The winner of the heat goes through to the Grand Final on the last Thursday of the Fringe. Attended by members of the public, talent scouts, agents and celebrities, it’s a hugely popular night of two-and-a-half hours of top comedy that sells out in hours.
Backing last year’s winners is the Gilded Balloon’s 2022 mixed-bill which sees Andy Watts, Rae Brogan and winner Omar Badawy take to the stage. Also debuting this year is the 2019 competition winner Finlay Christie.
Previous contestants and winners from So You Think You’re Funny? include Aisling Bea, Peter Kay, Lee Mack, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Tom Allen, Sarah Millican, Kevin Bridges, Maisie Adam, Sara Pascoe and many more.
Supporting women all the way, Karen says: “I've always wanted to push women, and I’ve done as much as I can. I started this way back because there were so few females in the 80s doing stand-up comedy. Women working in a man's world is hard anyway, and women can be much funnier than men!”
Comedian, actress and writer Lucy Porter says: “I was only 21 when I got into the final of So You Think You’re Funny? and it was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. Even though I didn’t win, I got to meet Eddie Izzard and make full use of the free bar at the after-show party so I felt like a winner anyway.”
In 2021, the Grand Final was hosted by Mark Watson – who was himself a finalist in 2002 – in front of a sold-out live audience at Gilded Balloon’s iconic Teviot building.
Amazing comperes over the years include Jo Brand, Chris Evans, Eddie Izzard, Arthur Smith, Bill Bailey, Julian Clary, Graham Norton, Aisling Bea, Zoe Lyons and others.
Celebrity Judges have been numerous: Jenny Eclair, Leigh Francis (as Avid Merrion), Rhod Gilbert, David O’Doherty, Alan Davies, Mark Watson, Jason Manford, Sarah Millican, Ruby Wax, Lee Mack, Tim Minchin, Tim Vine, Emma Freud, Julian Clary, Jo Brand and many more.
“I’m very proud of the competition so far and look forward to see it carrying on over the next 35 years,” beams Karen.
Heats and Grand Final: Contestants will be selected from the online Regional Showcases and invited to the Heats held at the Gilded Balloon during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 14th, 15th & 16th August 2022 at 22:15
A finalist is chosen at the end of each heat by a panel of judges. The judges will also choose wild card finalists that will join the heat winners in the grand final.
The So You Think You’re Funny? Grand Final will be held on 25th August 2022 in the Debating Hall at Gilded Balloon’s Teviot building at 7:30pm. Winners from each heat and wild card finalists will perform up to seven minutes of original material
Grab tickets to see where future comedy starts.
Tickets for all shows are available from https://gildedballoon.co.uk
Image: Andy Watts, Rae Brogan and Omar Badawy - sytyf-2021
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