The funniest standup I’ve ever seen
The first time my mind was blown by a live standup was Boothby Graffoe in Edinburgh in 2003. He had absolute control of a very rowdy crowd without pandering to them at all, and was so delightfully silly that it actually turned them into a pleasant bunch of people.
The funniest TV show I’ve ever seen
I’m Alan Partridge will never, ever be beaten. Some of the finest writing in any genre of entertainment. For a while, my entire personality was based on Alan Partridge quotes. My family were worried, but it’s probably the funniest I’ve ever been.
The funniest heckle I’ve ever had
When I was a larger man, I went onstage wearing a stripy T-shirt and someone shouted: “Horizontal stripes are a fat man no-no!” Harsh but fair.
The funniest film show I’ve ever seen
Probably a documentary called American Movie. It’s about an amateur film-maker in the States who is making a horror film. Everyone in it is utterly bizarre, and my favourite is Uncle Bill, a man who has $300,000 in his bank account but lives in a terrible broken-down trailer. He agrees to fund the film as long as he can have a part, and the moment when they have to film his part is one of the funniest things I have ever seen.
The funniest word
I’ve always been a fan of very mundane, blunt sounding words, like “back” or “hair”. Maybe that is my subconscious’s way of making it okay that I now have back hair.
The funniest item of clothing I’ve ever owned
I used to have a leather trenchcoat and huge boots with flames on. I still think I looked awesome but I’ve been reliably informed I did not, and that it was laughable. I’m happy to laugh along with everyone for now, but one day I will start wearing them again.
The funniest dream I’ve ever had
The details are hazy but I know it involved a trampoline, the full cast of ’Allo ’Allo and a mouse that could talk.
Ed Gamble is at Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Sat; The Red Bull, Cambridge, Tue; The Counting House, Edinburgh, 3 to 29 Aug
