Indie Light

Everyone loves to laugh. I’ve always enjoyed comedy, not just for its capacity to make people happy, but also for its ability to poke and prod at the social fabric, and tackle topics which otherwise might be seen as taboo. You see, we live in a world of contradictions and absurdities, where tragedy and comedy exist as dualities, that live within us all. There’s a quote by American playwright and novelist, Thornton Wilder, which always resonated with me, which sums this up, he said “The comic spirit is given to us in order that we may analyze, weigh, and clarify things in us which nettle us, or which we are outgrowing, or trying to reshape.” I think that quote succinctly sums up the substance of humour, how it’s not just an escape, it’s a vital part of the human condition, it’s alive and present in all things, and is as much a result of our personal darkness, as the answer to it.

Comedy as you may have gathered is incredibly important to me, and it’s on the topic of comedy that I’ve created this article, to aggregate and discuss, as well as spotlight and support my favourite comedians. Please enjoy the following Top 10 list, and please consider sharing and commenting with your favourite comedians as well.

1. Frankie Boyle

Would I be a true Scotsman if I didn’t include Frankie Boyle on this list…Yes. Because that’s not how nationalities work. Okay poor excuse for comedy over. Frankie Boyle is genuinely my favourite comedian of all time. His is literally the only autobiography that has made me laugh out loud. Seriously, they are all funny, but his first autobiography ‘My Shit Life So Far’ is hysterical. He was also my favourite panellist on Mock the Week, and while I kept watching after he left the show I definitely missed his presence. Also I still think about his sketch show Tramadol Nights, which is just a phenomenally dark and hilarious series that did not get the love it deserved. Overall he’s just an incredibly witty and acerbic comedian, who blends the dark and the surreal in equal measure. If you’re interested you can click here and here to see some of his routines. 

2. Greg Davies

Greg Davies is a phenomenal comedian, and when updating and reviewing this list I felt he deserved to be even higher, because I still regularly watch his stand up routines when I’ve had a bad day as his ebullient and chaotic performances never fail to brighten up my day. His comedy is obviously very personal, including numerous anecdotes about himself and his family, but he just has such a dynamism and authenticity that makes his material just land better. If you’re interested you can click here and here to see some of his routines.

3. David Mitchell

David Mitchell is noted for his acerbic wit, social commentary and for his trenchant rants. You may have seen him on Bruiser, The Mitchell and Webb Situation and also That Mitchell and Webb Look, where he and his long term comedy partner Robert Webb write and perform a variety of sketch comedy. You might also be familiar with him from the movie Magicians as well as TV Shows Peep Show and Back. I also strongly suggest you check out his series on YouTube, David Mitchell’s Soapbox. He is noted for his rants, and you can check out two fun ones by clicking here and here. 

4. Ivo Graham

Ivo harnesses his awkwardness to produce light, clever and self-effacing comedy. He was absolutely phenomenal on Taskmaster and was one of the highlights of season 15. He has made appearances on a variety of shows such as Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, Live from the BBC, Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central and QI just to name a few. You can check out a few of his funny clips by clicking here and here. 

5. Daniel Sloss

Daniel Sloss blends his energetic delivery style, with an introspective outlook, that isn’t afraid to get dark or emotional. His Netflix specials are deeply profound, memorable and complexly funny. He credit’s Frankie Boyle for his early success, but with such raw talent, he was destined to become a vibrant part of the comedy scene. Speaking of which, check out some of his funny moments by clicking here and here.

6. Romesh Ranganathan

Romesh is noted for his dry, deadpan style, and is incredibly funny, with a keen sense of observation. He is also practically ubiquitous in the modern television landscape, including most recently as the host of The Weakest Link. You can check out some of his funny moments by clicking here and here.

7. Phil Wang

Phil Wang is another Taskmaster contestant who was an absolute gem throughout the full season he was featured. He blends silliness and cleverness and even manages to incorporate his engineering degree into his comedy. He’s just such a genuine person, and that shines through in his material. I strongly urge you to check out his podcast ‘BudPod’ which he hosts alongside fellow comedian Pierre Novellie. Don’t miss some funny bits from Phil by clicking here and here. 

8. Glenn Moore

Glenn Moore is an enthusiastic and engaging comedian who is adept at one liners and quick fire jokes. He’s superb and easily deserving of more attention. I think he first came to my attention back in 2017 when he appeared on an episode of Mock the Week. He just really impressed me with this appearance, as well as his subsequent appearances on the show, and I’ve tried to follow him as a comedian ever since. You can see some of his funny moments by clicking here and here.

9. Jimmy Carr

Jimmy Carr is an absolute legend, you may be familiar with him as the host of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, but he’s a highly adept stand up comedian, with a dozen 10/10 live performances available either on DVD or Netflix. Seriously, I don’t think he’s had a stand up special that I didn’t enjoy immensely. He is noted for his quick fire delivery, dark comedy and sarcastic style. You can check out some of his recent funny moments by clicking here and here. 

10. Nish Kumar

Nish Kumar is an intelligent and insightful comedian, known for his satirical and political takes, as well as his self-deprecating approach to comedy. If you are interested in politics at all I strongly suggest you check out his podcast ‘Pod Save the UK’ which he hosts alongside journalist Coco Khan. Go ahead and click here and here to see some clips of Nish being funny.

So those were my Top 10 male comedians working in the industry today, and as I said above, feel free to comment with your favourites, as I’m always eager to expand my comedic horizons.