Edinburgh Comedy Awards

The Edinburgh Comedy Awards, formerly Perrier Comedy Awards, is an award that will be awarded annually for the best appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The prize was first awarded in 1981 and is now one of the most prestigious comedy prices in the UK.

History

The prize was first founded in 1981 by the French mineral water brand Perrier to promote comedy coming talents. Perrier remained until 2005, the sponsor of the prize, which was called the Perrier Comedy Award at this time. Since the award was first instituted in the following years by the bank Intelligent Finance, it was renamed in if.comeddies and 2007 in if.comedy awards 2006. After Intelligent Finance had gotten as a sponsor, the sponsor AbsoluteRadio.co.uk 2009, 2010 Foster's was stock. Since then, the award bears the name of Foster 's Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

Award winners

The winner in the category Best Comedy Show gets 10,000 pounds and occurs at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Toronto and Chicago. The winners in the categories Best Newcomer and Panel Price will each receive 5,000 pounds. As can be awarded Best Newcomer, who presents his first show in full length (at least 50 minutes) at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The price of Best Newcomer award, the jury since 1992, the Panel Price has been awarded since 2006.

Prize winners were, among others, the actor Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, singer Barb Jungr and the comedian Steve Coogan, Lee Evans, Dylan Moran and Tim Minchin ( Best Newcomer ).

Criticism

The award came for the first time in 1995 in the criticism, as Perrier was bought by Nestlé and Nestlé was accused of the aggressive marketing of infant formula in developing countries. There have been calls for a boycott of the awards, including from former Perrier Comedy Award winners.

2002 critical voices were loud again, because for the second year in a row, no female comedians were nominated for the awards. In 2009 it was criticized that all nominees white, male and English origin were. Although the price each year is awarded in Edinburgh, it never has won a Scotsman. Between 1993 and 2009, no Scottish comedians were nominated.