Balloon debate: who is the world’s greatest comic?

2025-01-21

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2024 on Saturday 19 October at Church House, Westminster. ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION his year’s Balloon Debate will see top comedians competing with each other to convince you why their choice of ‘best comic genius ever’ is right. Could it be the iconoclastic honesty of Lenny Bruce or the surreal word play of Les Dawson? Do you like your stand-up from Billy Connolly or Bill Burr, Dave Allen or Dave Chappelle? Maybe it’s a writer and performer like Ronnie Barker, Victoria Wood or Larr...

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2024 on Saturday 19 October at Church House, Westminster.

ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION

his year’s Balloon Debate will see top comedians competing with each other to convince you why their choice of ‘best comic genius ever’ is right. Could it be the iconoclastic honesty of Lenny Bruce or the surreal word play of Les Dawson? Do you like your stand-up from Billy Connolly or Bill Burr, Dave Allen or Dave Chappelle? Maybe it’s a writer and performer like Ronnie Barker, Victoria Wood or Larry David? Do you like your comedy in pairs, from Laurel & Hardy to French & Saunders – or even teams, like Monty Python? Or should the gong go to people rarely seen on screen, like Galton & Simpson or John Sullivan? With so many potential worthy winners, there will be much to muse upon – and laugh about.

The participants will argue for their choice in a light-hearted debate with deeply held passion. They each have five minutes to put their case and they can choose any person living or dead – it may be a comic writer, a stand-up comedian, a politician, or someone they know in their local pub.

Audience participation is encouraged and you will be invited to agree, disagree, challenge and dispute the cases put forward.

The audience then votes to chuck half the contenders out of the virtual balloon before the remaining candidates make a final plea for your vote. Get your Saturday night off to an hilarious start as we our panelists kid about to find the GOAT.

SPEAKERS
Paul Cox
comedian, writer and broadcaster

Nick Dixon
comedian; presenter, GB News; host, The Current Thing

Simon Evans
comedian; regular host, Headliners; presenter, BBC Radio 4's Simon Evans Goes to Market

Dominic Frisby
writer; comedian; author, Bitcoin: the future of money?

Ethan Green
researcher, Ideas Matter; scriptwriter, Stilicho's Last Rite: Eulogy To Rome; videographer, Pharos Foundation

Cressida Wetton
comedian; panellist, Headliners, GB News

HOST
Andy Shaw
co-founder and organiser, Comedy Unleashed

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