Ha Ha Comedy's Scottish Comedian of the Year

The Scottish Comedian of the Year contest is with us once more. This annual competition is open to everyone from Joe Open Spot to Billy Connolly; the only criteria is that you must come from, or base yourself in, Scotland. Winners have been chosen from audience votes at heats across the country, and finalists will perform in front of a panel of judges at the grand final at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow on 28 September. It is rapidly becoming one of the key dates in the year of Scottish Comedy. Last year's final has even been nominated for Best Traditional Event in the Scottish Event Awards.

The success of the competition is certainly a major coup for promoter Ha Ha Comedy, but let’s hope that no publicity is bad publicity. Last year’s final, whilst being hailed by Chortle as a "genuinely prestigious affair... with a genuine sense of occasion", had it’s ‘genuineness’ questioned by many members of the comedy community. The event even prompted the management company behind The Stand to release a press statement reiterating their condemnation of comedy contests in general and of SCOTY in particular, claiming that “it would be wrong to allow this masquerade to dupe those not in the know into thinking this contest had some universal acclaim or acknowledgement”.

What does give Ha Ha Comedy the right to style this event, which is ostensibly a PR and money-making exercise for the company, ‘Scottish Comedian of the Year’? There have certainly been some big names involved with the contest – Fringe regular and critically acclaimed Janey Godley, Stu Who, a veteran and well-loved Scottish comic with a myriad of TV and radio credits under his belt, and Des Clarke, one time presenter of SM:TV Live. These contestants would certainly make the contest worthy of its name. The thing is, these aren’t contestants. These are the judges and comperes. Acts who have passed the stage in their careers where they need to enter competitions in an attempt to gain credibility or respect.

Previous SCOTY winners Mark Nelson (2006) and Sean Grant (2007) may be hardly a blip on the radar in comparison to Scottish comedy’s real 'big names', but they have undeniably been offered amazing performance and development opportunities as part of their prize. First prize this year includes £1,000 in cash, flights to and performances in Australia, and the winner’s own show at the Glasgow Comedy Festival. This fortunately does attract some major talent to the contest, many keen merely for the chance to perform at the Old Fruitmarket. With some indisputable and hard-earned talent in old pros such as Keir McAllister, Scott Agnew and Teddy on the bill for this year’s final (alongside more obscure and questionable acts), there’s no denying it will be a night to remember. May the best act win.

But if they don’t, keep an eye out for those who didn’t. Those who may not be willing to sacrifice their originality to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Those with, in all probability, a solid future in Scottish comedy.