It’s pasta joke... Fringe’s top gag

A PUN about pasta has been named the funniest joke of the Edinburgh Fringe as the award returned after the pandemic.

Comedian Masai Graham was voted the winner with his gag: ‘ I tried to steal spaghetti from the shop, but the female guard saw me and I couldn’t get pasta.’

The Dave’s Funniest Joke of the Fringe award, voted for by the public, was back for the first time since 2019.

It is the second time the West Bromwich-born comedian has triumphed after winning in 2016 with his joke: ‘My dad suggested I register for a donor card – he’s a man after my own heart.’ Graham said: ‘It’s great to see the Edinburgh Fringe back up and running again, it’s my spiritual home. I was so delighted to find out I’d won for a second time – I thought, “This is getting pasta joke”.’

Critics attended hundreds of shows at the Fringe festival to compile a shortlist, which was voted on by 2,000 members of the public. None of them was told the names of the comedians in the running for the accolade.

Previous winners of the award, now in its 13th year, include Tim Vine, Ken Cheng, Olaf Falafel, Rob Auton, Stewart Francis, Zoe Lyons and Nick Helm.