The funniest standup I’ve ever seen
Sean Lock at the Edinburgh fringe in 2002. Pure funny bones – instinctual. Every bit he did was a surprise. The best bit was him killing a budgie with a spoon. He was perfect that day; a solid hour laughing, mostly not knowing why.
The funniest sketch I’ve ever seen
Bill Murray as Hercules who kept throwing his back out and would lie flat and it would fix itself. Those old sketches had no jokes and certainly no endings. They would squeeze the idea for ages. All through school, my friends and I thought Bill Murray was Canadian and were so proud. Turns out he ain’t.
The funniest hairstyle I’ve ever had
Probably the mullet/perm I had when I went to the Soviet Union on a school trip. I’m pretty sure that got the ball rolling.
The funniest TV show I’ve ever seen
The Day Today. Chris Morris changed some neurones in my mush.
The funniest person I know
My wife’s totally inappropriate sense of humour. Especially in a crisis. Scientifically exact in her bad timing.
The funniest film I’ve ever seen
When I was 15 at a huge party with drunk, awful teenagers everywhere, I found the TV den in the basement of the house, empty but playing Monty Python And The Holy Grail. I watched it three times. The first time I just stared at it. The second time I laughed like I’d never laughed in my life. The third time I wept. I felt such joy knowing that out there somewhere in the world were lots of people the same as me.
The funniest number
I have to say they are all funny in their own way, as long as they’re not cruel or pick on the weak. Six.
The funniest book I’ve ever read
Hands down The Brothers Karamazov. Beginning to end I laughed like a spoon.
The funniest joke I’ve ever heard
“It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it” – Steven Wright.
Tony Law is at Soho Theatre, W1, Thu & Rainy Hall, Edinburgh, 4 to 28 Aug
