The funniest joke at this year’s comedy festival, as determined by a vote of 2,000 individuals, was delivered by Mark Simmons, an experienced performer at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The winning joke by Simmons during the August event goes like this: “I had plans to circumnavigate the globe in the tiniest ship but I got cold feet.”
Expressing his delight at the win, Simmons mentioned that it has been a decade since his initial appearance at the festival.
The Funniest Joke Of The Fringe award, which applauds “the craft of joke writing” and the ability to bring laughter, saw leading comedy critics and comedians from the UK serving as judges.
The panel attended numerous shows during the Fringe, seeking out jokes that tickled their funny bone and submitted their top 10 picks anonymously to avoid any favoritism towards well-known comedians.
A public vote involving 2,000 participants was conducted, resulting in a shortlist of 15 jokes, with Simmons’ winning entry, drawn from his show at Liquid Room Annexe under PHB’s Free Fringe, securing 40% of the votes.
Simmons’ victory arrives ten years after his solo debut at the Fringe following encouragement from a friend to participate in an open mic night.
Over the years, his jokes have earned him 9th, 6th, and 2nd place in the joke competition at the Fringe – with this year seeing a second joke from him on the shortlist alongside his winning quip.
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Reflecting on his win, Simmons remarked, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be crowned U&Dave’s Funniest Joke Of The Fringe. It’s a much-needed morale boost as I’ve just been dismissed from my job grading exam papers – quite perplexing since I always gave my all.”
He is currently showcasing his show, More Jokes, at Liquid Rooms Annexe until August 24, while simultaneously embarking on a 200-date tour.
Previous recipients of the award include Lorna Rose-Treen, Masai Graham, Ken Cheng, Olaf Falafel, Tim Vine, Rob Auton, Stewart Francis, Zoe Lyons, and Nick Helm.
