AmusedMoose Laugh Off
Amused Moose Comedy Awards 2012 supported by 2entertain
Amused Moose Laugh Off 2012
Finalists (who won through at 5 and 12 May's AmusedMoose LaughOff semifinal in London) are:
Funmbi, Toby Brown, Dane Baptiste and Richard Todd, with one more semifinal to go ......
Over 730 'undiscovered' comedians from around the UK and Ireland entered, and after numerous qualifying rounds, heats and quarterfinals across the UK and Ireland, the 18 talented and determined semifinalists are:
Aisling Bea, Barry Ferns, Clint Edwards, Dogshit Johnson (Scotland winner), Eleanor Lawless, Foil Arms & Hog (Ireland winners), James Loveridge, Liz Richardson, Lucy Beaumont, Matthew Giffen, Mike Shephard, Ruth E Cockburn (joint North of England winner), Tom Toal and Will Seaward (joint North of England winner)
The semifinals are on 5, 12 and 19 May at London's AmusedMooseSoho - for show details go to www.amusedmoose.com/shows.
Audience members vote, and there is also an illustrious panel drawn from the comedy industry who ratify the audience vote.
The final is on the afternoon of 19 August, during the Edinburgh Fringe, at the Bongo Club. Tickets on www.edfringe.com in June
For background information, including entry criteria, click here
Entries for 2013 open on 1 January 2013, so email Comedy@AmusedMoose.com asking to be added to the AMLO2013 e-mailing list.
The other strand within AMUSED MOOSE COMEDY AWARDS is
AMUSED MOOSE LAUGHTER AWARDS 2012
.... won in 2011 by Tony Law's show "Go Mr Tony Go!"
The objective of AMUSED MOOSE LAUGHTER AWARDS is to discover performers on the verge of breakthrough who could be said to be almost "DVD ready" (so don't yet have a deal or support from any dvd company), and are in a show that is listed in the comedy section of the Edinburgh Fringe programme/website for a full run (at least 20 days).
£5000 is amongst the prizes, alongside a commercial standard promotional dvd, a shiny Moose trophy, and showcase opportunities.
*** FULL DETAILS AND HOW TO ENTER WILL BE POSTED HERE BY 1 JUNE
The best way to keep yourself in the loop, is to check that your contact details are up-to-date in our database
(click on Contact/subscribe to go to our address book page)
.... be sure that you've ticked either 'Open Spot' or 'Professional StandUp' box
(only tick Professional if you are making your main living from comedy),
then ensure that you confirm changes etc when asked to either there or by email, so that your record goes live again.
*** ENTRIES OPEN IN JUNE, so plan to film a preview of your show in June or July
(uploading it, password protected, is straightforward but slow - the entry from explains how to do that)
*** ENTRIES CLOSE ON 5 AUGUST and you are strongly recommended NOT to wait until you get to the Fringe to film your show and
submit your entry - last year some strong contenders missed the deadline because they underestimated the time it would take to do in Edinburgh.
Below is information about previous years:
AmusedMoose Laugh Off 2011
2011 winner PAT CAHILL (£1500 prize)
2011 runners-up PEARSE JAMES and LARA A KING
& AmusedMoose Laughter Awards 2011
2011 winning show TONY LAW: GO MR TONY GO! (£5000 prize)
2011 runners-up LUKE WRIGHT'S CYNICAL BALLADS
and MILO McCABE: GET BROWN!
AmusedMoose Laughter Awards Top Ten Shows in addition to the winner and runners-up:
Jeff Leach: A Leach On Society
Beta Males: The Train Job
McNeil & Pamphilon: Which One Are You?
DeAnne Smith: The Best DeAnne Smith DeAnne Smith Can Be
Paul McCaffrey: Saying Something Stupid
Jessica Fostekew: Luxury Tramp
David Morgan: Triple Threat
In 2012 there will for the second year be two strands of AMUSED MOOSE COMEDY AWARDS in association with 2entertain
BELOW is 'archive' information
The objective of AMUSED MOOSE LAUGH OFF is to discover new comedians with potential star quality, and help a large number of entrants who can perform a 10 minute set to take their first step up the ladder to fame and fortune.
The qualifying rounds, heats, quarterfinals and semifinals for 2011 have already taken place,
with almost 500 comedians from across the UK and Ireland auditioning to get into a heat.
The final is at the Edinburgh Fringe on the afternoon of 21 August at the Bongo Club - finalists will be
Ed Caruana, Lara A King, Pat Cahill, Paul Duncan McGarrity, Sam Gore (N of England/Wales),
Pearse James (Scotland winner but from Cork), Ger Devine (Ireland joint-winner) and Jim Elliott (Ireland joint-winner but from USA).
AmusedMoose LaughOff 2011 semifinalists: Lauren Shearing, Sarah Callaghan, Will Howells, Guy Manners, Matthew Giffen, Daniel Smith, Ellie Taylor, James Gill, Alex Marion, McNeil & Pamphilon, Max Dowler, Horse & Louis, Nico Yearwood, Kate Lucas, Kishore Nayar, Lindsay Sharman, Carl Jones and Tommy Rowson.
£1500 is amongst the prizes, alongside a commercial standard promotional dvd, a photographic portfolio, and a shiny Moose trophy.
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For information about entering AmusedMoose LaughOff 2012
- email Comedy@AmusedMoose.com requesting details (available from January)
To keep yourself in the loop check that your contact details are up-to-date in our database
(click here to go to our Contact/subscribe page)
then ensure that you confirm changes etc when asked to, so that your record is live.
Amused Moose Laugh Off 2010
Winner: ROB BECKETT who as a direct result of winning is debuting 'Rob Beckett's Big Mouth' solo show, for 28 performances at the Adelaide Town Hall, as part of Australia's Adelaide Fringe Festival from mid-February to mid-March 2011.
Runners-up: ROMESH RANGANATHAN and LIAM WILLIAMS
plus Finalists: LEON SCOTT, RICH HEAP, MARK RESTUCCIA and RORY O'HANLON featured in the Grand Final that took place on the afternoon of Sunday 22 August at the Bongo Club in Edinburgh, during the Fringe.
"Prestigious talent search" Ents24
"Potential television presenters ... potential comedy stars" Chortle
"Fine and often quirky" FringeReport
Hosted by Stephen K Amos at the Bongo Club.
Semi-finalists:
KEIRAN BOYD, MARK CORNELL, ROMESH RANGANATHAN, STEVIE GRAY, DARREN WALSH,
FRASER MILLWARD, LEON SCOTT, LIAM WILLIAMS, RICH HEAP, CATHERINE SEMARK, JESSICA FOSTEKEW,
MATT RICHARDSON, ROB BECKETT, JAY FOREMAN, MARK RESTUCCIA, ROBERT COMMISKEY,
TOM HAYWARD, DAVE FLOREZ, GARETH MORINAN, KISHORE NAYAR and RORY O'HANLON
IF YOU WOULD LIKE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN NEXT YEAR'S AmusedMoose LaughOff ...
- go to the CONTACTS PAGE OF THIS WEBSITE and SUBSCRIBE to the mailing list - and
- IMPORTANTLY, be sure to TICK the Performer category called
'Open Spot / AmusedMoose LaughOff competition information'
- Also enter your mobile number, and
your address or whereabouts you live, and
tick other categories which are relevant to you to
(please don't tick Stand-Up as a category, as this is for professional comedians
and we don't send them emails which are relevant to you).
- BE SURE TO COMPLETE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION, BY CLICKING BOXES &/OR
ON LINKS IN EMAILS, SO CONFIRM DETAILS, SO YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILLGO LIVE.
That's great - we look forward to inviting you to a qualifying round in next Spring.
You may want to also read about how things have happened in previous years, below, to get some background though details will vary.
The objective of the competition is to discover the comedy stars of tomorrow, and help a large number of entrants take their first step up the ladder to fame and fortune
In August 2009 NAZ OSMANOGLU won AmusedMooseLaughOff final, supported by 4DVD,
on the afternoon of 23 August 2009 at the Bongo Club in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Fringe, with
PAUL McCAFFREY and RYAN McDONNELL close behind.
All three received shiny Moose trophies, presented by the new Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Fringe, and all finalists received a showreel filmed by BrownEyedBoy Productions and digital photograph portfolio, plus they all have access to 4DVD for potential dvd deals. Naz has since signed with Avalon, Paul has signed with Glorious Talent and Ryan has signed with Comic Voice.
The entire audience at the Final, which included many comedy industry people all voted, plus there was a small panel of industry people (including producers from Montreal and Adelaide comedy festivals, The Scotsman comedy critic, Time Out's comedy editor, Jimmy Carr's manager, and 4DVD's A&R executive) who confirmed the audience vote.
The other finalists who all shone, were:
Danny Ward, Jim Campbell, Jo Selby, Luke Benson and Mark Simmons who are all reckoned to be "emerging talent" and moving up in the comedy world.
AmusedMoose Laugh Off 2008 was won by Mike Wozniak, with Katherine Ryan and Seann Walsh as runners up. Importantly being showcased in a high-profile event attended by large numbers of comedy talentscouts from around the world as well across the UK can bring management deals etc, and indeed as a result of winning, Mike appeared by invitation at the Adelaide comedy festival, as Rhod Gilbert was too in 2003.
Mike was nominated three days later for the IFcomedy newcomer award, which went to Sarah Millican who won AmusedMoose LaughOff in 2005. Katherine recently won Funny Women 2008, and Seann was also runner-up in So You Think You're Funny 2008, and early in 2009 won Leicester Mercury new comedian Award and Chortle new comedian of the year.
In 2008 IFcomedy (which was previously the Perrier awards) decided to support grassroots comedy and chose our search for future stars as the means of doing that, doubtless partly because we have been so successful in finding and showcasing so many new comedians who have become big names, including Jimmy Carr, Alex Zane, Simon Amstell, all of Klang!, Nina Conti, Mark Watson, Rhod Gilbert and so on. if.comeddies arranged to film the Final and all finalists were presented with DVD showreels, and some of the if.comeddies panel were amongst the judges too
Results of the fantastic Final of AmusedMoose Laugh Off 2007 - in association with 2entertain, and supported by if.comedy - at the Bongo Club in Edinburgh on Sat 25 August, compered by the excellent Stephen K Amos, and with Moose trophies presented by Jon Morgan, the Director of the Edinburgh Fringe, are:
Winner: Jack Whitehall. Joint runners-up: Gareth Richards and Andrew Watts
All the finalists will be presented with a showreel of their performance in the Final,
which was filmed by IF.comedy due to their commitment to support grassroots comedy.
Winners and runners-up in 2005, 2006 and 2007 have signed with Ricky Gervais', Eddie Izzard's and Jimmy Carr's managements, and been regularly on television and radio too - next year it could be your turn.
The qualifying rounds of AmusedMoose LaughOff 2007 (previously AmusedMooseComedy Awards) in association with 2Enrtertain, took place in London for the London heats. Also there was a heat in Dublin, Scotland, Sheffield, Manchester and Bath, though we find that people are generally keen to come to London to 'try-out' and have a weekend in the capital.
2006: The Final will be during the Edinburgh Fringe in August and semifinals at AmusedMoose Soho in the summer. This year's winner Arnab Chanda has been signed by Eddie Izzard's manager (and seems likely to be showcased at Montreal's Just For Laughs comedy festival in July), the runners-up Ginger & Black by Ricky Gervais' manager, and the previous years winner Sarah Millican was signed by Jimmy Carr's management. Many now have lucrative DVD options, and have been in radio and television pilots some of which have been commissioned, etc etc. Also there are splendid trophies, plus a publicist and interim management on offer, to guide the winner's career for the first important month or so if appropriate, and to get your name into the press, which is always helpful in raising your profile in the industry, and consolidates the exposure of being in the semifinals and final.
AmusedMoose LaughOff 2006
Entries for the regional heats of AmusedMoose Laugh Off 06 which were held in Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Dublin and Cardiff between 8 and 17 May, followed an invitation to newish comedians who wished to enter (closing dates were three weeks earlier). Full details of heats appear on our What's On page at the time
London qualifying auditions and heats:
Shiny new stand-ups and 'wannabees' enter via qualifying rounds in London in the spring.
If you are based in London or the South, and you are quite new or we haven't seen you perform before, the route in is via the qualifying rounds which involves doing a very short set in a show situation so encourage friends to come along to support you, but which is in effect an audition.
You should arrive ready to complete a registration form and perform a very short set (your "comedy calling card") during the show. If more contenders show up than we can include, priority will be given on that occasion to people who have travelled a long way or who have arranged for friends to come along who arrive at least 15 minutes before showtime to support them, and anyone who registered previously.
Experienced stars-in-the-making can ask to go straight into the London heats, but that will depend on how recently they have been seen performing by those doing the selecting!
London heats will include newish but more experienced comedians who we have seen on stage recently, plus those who have won through from the qualifying rounds.
Quarter-finals in 2006 were at AmusedMooseCamden on Fridays in May. This varies from year to year.
The Semifinals (which include regional winners) are at AmusedMooseSoho on Saturdays in June/July, followed by the Final in the last week of the Edinburgh Fringe in August. There was a preview showcase at Harrow Arts Centre onSat 8 July 2006, and a possibility of being in AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets showcases during Edinburgh, and other comedy festivals. The Final and showcases are very well attended by bookers, managers, producers, casting directors and other talentscouts.
The Final takes place in August in Edinburgh at a major venue during the Fringe and is a high profile event attended by many agents/managers, promoters, producers and talentscouts for the major comedy festivals from around the world.
Most finalists and some semi-finalists are likely to be showcased in AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets throughout the Fringe in Edinburgh in August. That show will have a rotating roster of this years crop of thrusting fledgling comedians that AmusedMooseComedy has been nurturing - a showcase that is the ultimate talentspotters dream.
2006's winner Arnab Chanda has been signed by Eddie Izzard's management and it looks like he may be showcasing at the worldfamous Just For Laughs festival in Montreal in July, and runners-up Ginger & Black have already been on radio numerous times, are featured in a upcoming radio series, and have been signed by Ricky Gervais' management.
Previous finalists/winners included Alex Zane, Jimmy Carr, Simon Amstell, Rhod Gilbert, Rob Deering, Nina Conti, Mark Watson, all of Klang, Anna Crilley, Ruth Bratt and so many more.
Participants in the AmusedMoose LaughOff will form the vast majority of performers in AmusedMooseComedy Hot Starlets during the Edinburgh Fringe and probably in showcases in London. In October 2005 'AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets 2000-2005' took place at Bloomsbury Theatre, which included Alex Zane, Simon Amstell and Rob Deering.
2005's overall winner Sarah Millican qualified at the Leeds heat, and went on to be signed up by Jimmy Carr's manager, and already has a television pilot in the bag, as well as a DVD deal with 2entertain who are associated with AmusedMoose LaughOff.
Previous winners include Rob Deering, Nina Conti and Klang's Marek Larwood, with runners-up including Rhod Gilbert, Mark Watson, Gary Delaney and James Branch who went on to win the Leicester Mercury Award this year as had Rhod previously.
Finalists in the first year included Jimmy Carr, Alex Zane and Karen Taylor.
'The Best of AmusedMooseComedy Hot Starlets 2002-2006' show including Alex Zane, Simon Amstell and Rob Deering, was invited to London's Bloomsbury Theatre in October 2006, to showcase their talents to talent-hungry producers, casting directors, and agents/managers, as well as journalists and reviewers, and friends and family. This show is likely to take place again from time to time to showcase the new talent coming through as well as some of their now famous predecessors
AMUSED MOOSE COMEDY AWARD 2005
This year we are holding auditions in January, February, and then one to catch late-developers in May 2005, with heats fortnightly on Mondays from February, at AmusedMooseCamden.
The plan is to hold quarter-finals in London on Fridays in May and June, and semi-finals in London on Fridays in July, maybe at AmusedMooseCamden.
The final is likely to again take place around the middle of August, in Edinburgh at a major venue during the Fringe, with hosts including Mark Watson, Matt Blaize with the final hosted by Stewart Lee.
To enter, please e-mail amcawards05@yahoo.co.uk
To enter, comedians need to be gigging - at least a dozen, ideally 20+ gigs already, and be getting rebooked into most of those, as this is not a competition for novices
Entries from outside London and the SouthEast - let us know and we'll try to find a way to avoid you having to travel to London too often!
Most finalists are likely to also be showcased in AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets throughout the Fringe. The show will have a rotating roster of this years crop of thrusting fledgling comedians that AmusedMooseComedy has been nurturing - a showcase that is the ultimate talentspotters dream. ....
STAR SEARCH 2004
This year's AmusedMooseComedy's Star Search final will, for the first time, be in Edinburgh during the Fringe, in one of everyone's favourite rooms, the Cabaret Bar in the Pleasance Courtyard - and the compere for the show is one of AmusedMooseComedy's favourite comedians, Stephen K Amos. (Details of previous rounds and about late entries are below).
Star Search final is being held on Tues 17 August at 10.45pm. Tickets will be bookable from around 10 June on www.edfringe.com ....There will be a panel of judges from the comedy world (managers, bookers, reviewers, and comedians too), AND the audience all vote too! How very exciting.
To enter, please e-mail to apply for a place in London qualifying rounds which run from January to the end of May. Entries from outside London and the SouthEast - let us know and we'll try to find a way to avoid you having to travel to London too often! (To enter, comedians need to be gigging - at least a dozen, ideally 20++ gigs already, and be getting rebooked into most of those, as this is not a competition for novices)
2004 QUALIFYING HEATS: from January to May and
2004 QUARTERFINALS: 24, 25, 30 May and 1, 6, 7 June.
At AmusedMooseCamden, upstairs at The Enterprise (opposite Chalk Farm tube)
2004 SEMI-FINALS: 2, 9, 16, 23 July at AmusedMooseSoho, Moonlighting, 17 Greek Street, W1
2004 FINAL: 17 Aug at The Pleasance (Cabaret Bar, Pleasance Courtyard), Edinburgh: 10.45.
(Most finalists are likely to also be showcased in AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets at Pleasance Dome at 9.45pm throughout the Fringe. ....
The show has a rotating roster of this years crop of thrusting fledgling comedians that AmusedMooseComedy has been nurturing - a showcase that is the ultimate talentspotters dream. ....
So come again and again as it's planned that no two nights will have the same bill!)
See our "What's On" page for further details about how to book tickets for any of the shows in London; a couple of weeks before shows more information is posted there about the contestants in the heats, quarterfinals, semifinals and final. ...
More details about the final and AmusedMooseComedy's other Edinburgh Fringe shows can be found on the Fringe page of this website.
