Edinburgh Comedy award winner Sam Nicoresti: ‘Actually, this whole show is a monumental failure!’

The comic was determined to make a blockbuster standup show that didn’t address trans issues. Then she changed her mind – and scooped comedy’s biggest prizeThere’s efficiency, then there’s the process that led to Sam Nicoresti winning the most prestigious award in live comedy. “A year ago my girlfriend asked me to marry her,” says Nicoresti on accepting the £10,000 prize last weekend. “[When] we were talking about how to pay for the wedding, I joked and said, ‘It’s easy, I’ll just win the Edinburgh comedy award’.” Can it be true? Is Nicoresti not only the first transgender winner of the so-called Oscars of comedy, but the first ever to manifest victory by force of strategic will?“It’s amazing what you can do,” she grins, three days after her triumph, “if you set your mind to something.” And that’s what Nicoresti has done in the last 12 months, turning around a niche career in alt-comedy, pointing it towards stardom, and pressing her pedal to the metal. Her winning show Baby Doomer was palpably the set of a comic zeroing in on a mass audience – notwithstanding the hot-potato status of her subject, life as a trans woman, nor her background in leftfield humour with a collective called Weirdos. Nicoresti’s previous biggest hit was a satirical multimedia show with the memorable title Cancel Anti Wokeflake Snow Culture. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

‘Perfect’ 90s horror movie is coming to Amazon Prime Video very soon

Metro

Comments

Similar News

Is Edinburgh's Fringe still fringe, or has it — gasp — gone mainstream?

First trans comedian to win Edinburgh comedy award

Sam Nicoresti’s Baby Doomer wins best comedy show award at Edinburgh fringe 2025

Edinburgh Fringe Round Up – Week Three

AC/DC live in Edinburgh was raucous rock ’n’ roll to rival Oasis

The art of the city: a walking tour of Edinburgh’s best landscape sculptures

Jokers in the pack: eclectic shortlist revealed for Edinburgh comedy awards 2025

Irvine Welsh: Edinburgh Festival is great but I’m more excited about Hibs

The Edinburgh fringe has almost 4,000 shows – what does it take for a standup to stand out?

Prime movers, Scottish masculinity and hip-hop in a Hong Kong cafe: dance at Edinburgh fringe 2025

Babyfleareindeerbag review – build your own Edinburgh fringe smash hit

A Season of Unease at the Edinburgh Festival

Wintry chills and an alter ego in Edinburgh, plus surreal toys in London – the week in art

ScotRail rolls with it in busiest 2025 week as Oasis fans flock to Edinburgh

Rosie O’Donnell and Eating the Rich: 7 Buzzy Shows at Edinburgh Fringe

Edinburgh’s couple acts: the fringe duos starring together – and even getting married on stage

Edinburgh Fringe Round Up – Week Two

Windblown — the story of a 200-year-old palm tree becomes an Edinburgh Fringe standout

Creeps, legends, witches and wonders: Edinburgh fringe 2025 – in pictures

Edinburgh Fringe 2025: from deeply silly to deadly serious

Culture

‘Perfect’ 90s horror movie is coming to Amazon Prime Video very soon

SNL cast member announces they’ve been axed from the show after ‘gut punch of a call’

Emma Heming Willis: Bruce Willis is in ‘great health’ but ‘brain is failing him’

TV viewers will be horrified as Christmas TV channel launches 111 days early

Orlando Bloom makes Legolas revelation ahead of next Lord Of The Rings film

Orlando Bloom: I would hate to see anyone else as Legolas in Lord Of The Rings

Record-breaking drama that had viewers ‘turning off after 5 minutes’ renewed for second series

The headteacher who saved my school died last month – tonight he stars on The Chase

Lily Collins sparks backlash after post fails to pay tribute to late Emily in Paris director

Want to be a world record holder?&#160;These are still available

Nazi-looted painting 'spotted in property listing'

Banksy's piranhas police box put in protective storage ahead of museum display

Ex-Sky presenter diagnosed with stage-four prostate cancer says men should 'demand' a test

Contents of Princess Diana's 1990s time capsule revealed

KPop Demon Hunters becomes Netflix’s most-watched film of all time

Much-loved presenter gets gold Blue Peter badge 31 years after her final episode

So long, London boys – Taylor Swift is engaged to the all-American Travis Kelce, and it makes so much sense

Dermot Murnaghan calls for improved prostate cancer screenings as he details stage four diagnosis

Caught Stealing review – Thin material for Austin Butler and an all-star cast

Bimini says Celebrity SAS was ‘a challenge I needed’

Top gigs in London this weekend: Idris Elba, Addison Rae and Rudimental

The Repair Shop viewers left tearful as couple discover secret message from late son

Juniper Blood at the Donmar Warehouse review: a poor retread of Mike Bartlett's better work

Suede at the Southbank Centre review: they came, they saw, they dazzled

Diana’s 90s time capsule contained Kylie CD and pocket television

Netflix series that saw man poop in a bag is making a nightmarish return

Strictly pro who left fans gutted missing 2025 series admits he’s ‘relieved’

Paul Gallagher, older brother of Liam and Noel, appears in court charged with rape

Angela Scanlon says ‘creepy’ guest asked her inappropriate question seconds before live interview

EastEnders star returns to BBC series 22 years after official exit

‘I am devastated and furious’: 12 actors controversially recast in films

SNL’s Devon Walker calls show ‘sometimes toxic as hell’ as he announces exit

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are ‘crazy about each other’ – NFL star’s father

Billie Eilish launches signature Uno deck with Mattel

Blind date takes shocking filthy turn minutes in: ‘Is he being creepy?’

David Mitchell says the term ‘mansplaining’ is unfair

‘I found my daughter’s body after she was murdered – I couldn’t let her killer get away with it’

This ‘unreleasable’ new horror film is a kitsch bloodbath for the sickos

With Love, Meghan season 2 review – Watching this is like being gaslit by a multimillionaire

Lightyear should have been a dire warning to Disney – and no, Snoop Dogg, not because of its gay kiss

Meghan Markle reacts to awkward Suits moment on her new Netflix show

Woody Allen responds after Ukraine slams director for appearing at Russian film festival: ‘Disgrace and insult’

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engaged – live: Meghan, William and Kate, and Trump lead reactions to engagement news

King & Conqueror review – Battle of Hastings drama is almost unwatchably dark

The Roses review – Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are relentlessly entertaining

I’m a film critic at Venice 2025 – I can’t wait for these 10 movies

Trump, a vocal Taylor Swift critic, reacts to her engagement with Travis Kelce

Kpop Demon Hunters becomes Netflix's most viewed film ever

'I immediately freaked out' - Taylor Swift's engagement sends fans into frenzy

Former Weeki Wachee Mermaids return to the springs as seniors

‘Alien: Earth’ Season 1, Episode 4 Recap: In Sheep’s Clothing

This Couple Predicted Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship 5 Years Ago

The Repair Shop viewers left ‘in tears’ after heartbreaking episode

Channel 4 viewers ‘driven bonkers’ over biased social experiment show

Some young people ditching dating apps and opting for old-fashioned alternatives

Jenny Slate shares a memory she'd like to relive

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship Timeline and Big Moments

Want to be a world record holder? These are still available