A second Perrier Award?

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on August 30th, 2005

The New York Times is the only American paper that cares a whit about Edinburgh, for better or for worse. They’ve reported on “this year’s Perrier Award, sometimes called the Oscar of the comedy world.” (Not by us!)

There were no Americans on this year’s short list, but their presence is increasingly felt at the Perrier Awards: Rich Hall (“Sniglets,” “Not Necessarily the News”) won in 2000 and the downtown hipster comedian Demetri Martin did in 2003. With more American comics straying from standup into character sketch territory – as Ms. Solon herself had – there is growing concern over what the Perrier Award means.

“I think in 2006 we will introduce another Perrier,” said Nica Burns, the director and producer of the Perrier Award. “Some people want an international award, to separate the British from others, and others still want a pure standup award, with no slides or sketch comedy. It’s my job now to canvass opinion as to what it should be”

We’re confused by the phrase, “…there is growing concern over what the Perrier Award means.” Hmmm… is someone questioning the relevance of the award? Is standup eclipsing sketch comedy? Is sketch comedy eclipsing standup? (If it were, why then would they even consider a second award for standup?) And, we know this is the NYT, but what exactly is a “downtown hipster?”