Time Out Sydney Comedy Awards 2009

Sydney's comedians turned out in force for the second annual Time Out Sydney Comedy Festival Awards, held at The Argyle in The Rocks on Monday 11 May.

Local stand-up Dave Bloustien warmed up the 600-strong crowd comprised of the Sydney comedy fraternity and Time Out readers who voted in the awards. He then handed over to awards host Julian Morrow of The Chaser who thanked his personal sponsors. "My appearance here tonight is courtesy of the Italian Police," said Morrow, referring to his recent arrest in Rome following a Chaser-related stunt. "We’re yet to hear whether they’re charging us, by contrast with our Italian lawyers who are definitely charging us."

"In tough times, people need to laugh, which I think explains why Kevin Rudd made Wayne Swan treasurer," continued Morrow. "So it’s no surprise that this has been a great year for comedy in Sydney. The Comedy Store re-opened in the Entertainment Centre, the Laugh Garage opened new premises right in the CBD, and this year’s Sydney Comedy Festival has been bigger and better than ever, attracting international and homegrown headline names such as Steve Coogan, Dylan Moran, Tim Minchin, Mark Watson, Adam Hills, Brendan Burns, Reggie Watts… the list goes on."

There were live performances on the night from People's Choice Award winner Al Pitcher who presented the Best of the Al Pitcher Picture Show, and from US beatboxing improviser Reggie Watts who rounded out the show with a song he'd composed especially for Time Out. "This song has been rejected by Time Out New York so I thought it would be perfect for Time Out Sydney," he joked.

The big winners of the night were:

Best newcomer
THE PAJAMA MEN

Best local
JULIA MORRIS

Best international
JEREMY HOTZ

The Jury Prize
THE PARADOXICAL ADVENTURES OF LAWRENCE LEUNG AND ANDREW McCLELLAND

People's Choice Award
THE AL PITCHER PICTURE SHOW

Best of the Fest Award
THE PAJAMA MEN

The event was sponsored by Coopers, Yalumba wine and Green Fairy Absinth and was attended by a Who's Who of the Sydney comedy scene including JULIA MORRIS, LAWRENCE LEUNG, ANDREW McCLELLAND, JACKIE LOEB, CHRIS RADBURN, AMELIA JANE HUNTER, FELICITY WARD, MICHAEL BROWN of the Comedy Store, DARREN SANDERS of the Laugh Garage, KATHRYN BENDALL of the Roxbury Hotel – and JORGE MENIDIS, director of Sydney Comedy Festival. International comedians DEANNE SMITH (last year's Best Newcomer), REGINALD D HUNTER and STEVE HUGHES were also there.

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