The comic whose wisecrack was selected as the most amusing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has revealed it is not the finest piece in his performance and not his favored type of joke.
Mark Simmons clinched this year’s prize with his quip which goes: “I had plans to circumnavigate the world in the tiniest ship, but I lost my nerve.”
Serving as a Mock The Week panelist, Simmons shared with Sky News: “I don’t consider it my top joke in the set, but I do believe it is probably the most effectively written one so that it can be appreciated by everyone.”
“Me personally, I fancy gags where you lead the audience down a particular path and then deliver a surprising twist that triggers hearty laughter.
“In contrast, some of my jokes involve clever wordplay that garners a small chuckle along the way, but it’s beneficial to offer a mix of styles in a show.”
It proved to be a remarkable year for him, as another of his jokes made it onto the top 10 shortlist, nominated by a panel including prominent comedy critics and comedians, who attended numerous shows, before being voted on by 2,000 individuals.
The joke reads: “I’m a huge fan of the Olympics. My buddy and I devised a fresh type of relay baton: well, he came up with the concept, but I executed it.”
Simmons, who marked his tenth appearance at the festival in the Scottish capital, mentioned, “In Edinburgh, there’s an abundance of comedy centered on weighty subjects presently, which is marvelous. Nonetheless, I reckon sometimes folks just want to unwind, escape their concerns, and relish an hour of truly silly jokes. This is where I step in. There are few shows like mine solely packed with one-liners.”
The comic, recognized as the UK Comics’ Comic of 2022, conveyed that he never dwells on the victory just achieved, deeming it “merely a pleasant bit of fun at the festival.”
Regarding his creative procedure, he explained it is motivated by the necessity to present a distinct show every year.
He remarked: “I churn out numerous jokes annually as I must conceive a fresh hour. So, I scout for wordplay, then I sit down and shape the jokes, and I attend a new material night where I test out everything, discovering promptly if it resonates or not.
“Occasionally, it takes three years for a joke to click, but when it does, it’s sensational.”
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So, how does he handle a joke falling flat and the room engulfed in the comedian’s nemesis, silence?
“If it transpires, it may just be that everyone in the room is in a gloomy disposition or something of the sort. Hence, I now find it somewhat amusing when I’m on stage, delivering a joke that has always elicited laughter, but suddenly there’s silence. Only those who’ve experienced it can relate to that. It no longer troubles me much.”
