New York stand-up Demetri Martin has won this year's coveted Perrier
award for Comedy with his show "If I..." beating the odds on favourite,
Australian Adam Hills who finds himself labelled "Runner Up" for the third year
running.
On his first visit to the UK, Martin arrived in Edinburgh a complete unknown
but, thanks to his uniquely geeky style, will return home the proud owner of one
of comedy's most prestigious titles.
He joins Rich Hall (as Otis Lee Cranshaw in 2000) as the only other person on
the very short list of Americans to win the Perrier in it's 23 year history.
While Adam Hills sat pondering why the Perrier judges don't like him he was
joined in the runner-up's pit by American Reginald D Hunter, New Zealand
double-act "Flight of The Conchords", and Brit Howard Read who were all sent on
their way without so much as an over-priced bottle of carbonated tap water to
ease the pain.
The best newcomer award stayed at home this year, going to the spoof eighties
pop-icon alter-ego of Waen Shepherd's "Gary Le Strange: Polaroid
Suitcase".
