Cracker Comedy Festival Awards

If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, than surely a golden cock commands the hardest of currency in the big city of Sydney?

Ask arch Brit wit Mark Watson.   As winner of the ‘Best in Fest' Golden Chicken award at the inaugural Time Out Cracker Comedy Awards on May 8, he walked away with two cocks in hand and the applause of a packed-to-the-rafters Enmore Theatre Yalumba Bar ringing in his ears.

Judged by a stellar panel of laugh laureates from Time Out, the Daily Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald, Nova 969, Guinness and Cracker Festival director Jorge Menidis and hosted by the Billy Crystal Meth of awards nights, cunning Dublin linguist Andrew Stanley, Sydney comedy's night of nights was as funny as the festival it followed.

Other big winners included hilarious lesbian comic DeAnne Smith from Canada who took home a Cock (presumably her first) as Best Newcomer, while duo Amelia Jane Hunter and Hannah Gadsby scored the Director's Special Award for their show Meat The Musical.

Perennial favourite Ross Noble nabbed the Time Out Reader's Choice award while Best Local Comedian went to Sydney-based wonderboy Lawrence Leung, who beamed in his acceptance speech from a cell in Iraq where he was being held hostage by masked Kate Ritchie fanatics.

Watson - also the recipient of Best International Comedian - had not prepared two acceptances speeches, but his second off-the-cuff ramble left all assembled in no doubt that he was a worthy winner.

To see edited highlights of delightfully shambolic awards ceremony, and interviews with the winners, choose your favourite media player below

More comedy clubs, comedians and comedy festivals in Sydney? Sign up to our weekly newsletter