The funniest fringe gag? This must be a joke… The cheesy joke about a zoo keeper is voted best of Edinburgh Festival 2023
The Edinburgh Fringe found itself at the center of a “woke” argument today over the one-liner voted the festival’s top joke.
Comedian Lorna Rose Treen’s award-winning joke is, “I started dating a zoo keeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah.”
The pun was taken from her show Skin Pigeon, which is currently playing at the Edinburgh Festival, and secured Treen first place in Dave’s much-anticipated Funniest Joke of the Fringe award.
The prestigious award was presented to the London-based comedian after a panel of British comedy critics shortlisted jokes from this year’s Fringe shows and then submitted them anonymously to a public vote of 2,000 people.
But not everyone was happy with the first woman to win the award since 2008.
One Twitter user raged, “The funniest joke… Of acts not banned by the Woke Brigade would be a better title.”
Comedian Lorna Rose Treen’s award-winning joke is, “I started dating a zoo keeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah.”
The pun was taken from her show Skin Pigeon, which is currently playing at the Edinburgh Festival, and secured Treen first place in Dave’s much-anticipated Funniest Joke of the Fringe award
Not everyone was impressed when the joke was voted best at the comedy festival
Another social media user mistook the joke for “bilge” and claimed the comedy was “banned.”
Commenting on the success of her “stupid” zookeeper joke, Treen said, “I’m over the moon that I won Dave’s best side joke!” You’re kidding! I can’t wait to tell my mom!
“It’s already a wonderful pleasure to be able to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and it’s also a beautiful thing.” A huge thank you for giving my silly joke that title!’
Treen was hot on his heels in second place, Liz Guterbock’s gentle mockery of overly apologetic Brits: “The most British thing I’ve ever heard?” A lady who said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t apologize.”
And third was Amos Gill’s recent joke about the economy: “Last year I had a great joke about inflation.” But it’s hardly worth it now.”
The prestigious award was presented to the London-based comedian after a panel of British comedy critics shortlisted jokes from this year’s Fringe shows and then submitted them anonymously to a public vote of 2,000 people
In ninth place crept in William Stone’s succinct one-liner: “Nationwide must have looked pretty silly when they opened their first store.”
But beating them all up was actress and author Treen’s cheetah joke, told during her first “nonsensical escapist character show,” Skin Pigeon, which received rave reviews and sold out at least 28 shows during the Fringe.
Skin Pigeon runs at The Attic in the Pleasance Courtyard through Sunday, August 27th.
The Fringe’s last ten “best jokes”.
2022: Masai Graham – I tried to steal spaghetti from the store but the guard saw me and I couldn’t get any pasta.
2019: Olaf Falafel – “I keep yelling ‘broccoli’ and ‘cauliflower’ – I think I might have florets.”
2018 – Alan Rowe – Working at the job center has to be a tense job knowing that if you get fired you have to come back the next day.
2017: Ken Cheng – I’m not a fan of the new pound coin, but then again I hate all change.
2016: Masai Graham – My father suggested I apply for a donor card, he is a man after my own heart
2015: Darren Walsh – I just deleted all German names from my phone. It’s Hans free.
2014: Tim Vine – I decided to sell my vacuum cleaner…well, it just collected dust.
2013: Rob Auton – I heard a rumor that Cadbury was releasing an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese wispa.
2012: Stewart Francis – You know who really gives kids a bad name? Posh and Becks.
2011: Nick Helm – I needed an 8 character password so I chose Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.