Festival diary: Big names of comedy do it for laughs - and for Karen

IT was an even more starry weekend than usual at the Gilded Balloon as famous friends popped in to say their thank-yous to artistic director Karen Koren - celebrating 25 years on the Fringe.

Johnny Vegas, Jo Brand, Dylan Moran, Phil Jupitus, Tim Minchin, David O'Doherty, Tommy Tiernan and Stephen K Amos were among those on the bill for three gala nights of comedy, with proceeds going to the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre.

On Sunday night Ms Koren kicked back with a champagne reception for friends and family - the Loft Bar on the roof of the venue was filled with silver balloons and streamers, with old mate Phil Jupitus manning the DJ station.

Other names popping by to celebrate included Sean Hughes, Adam Hills, Arthur Smith, Tim Keys and Fred Macaulay.

It's been a record-breaking year for the Gilded Balloon - with three Scotsman Fringe First Awards, an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination for the breakthrough comedy sensation The Boy With Tape on his Face and a Malcolm Hardee Award for comic originality for Robert White's show Outrageously Peculiar Organ.

And of course Ms Koren herself was awarded the Jack Tinker Spirit of the Fringe Award - to celebrate her achievements over the last 25 years. But those who know and love Ms Koren will be pleased to hear that despite all these accolades she has not lost the ability to heckle.

On Sunday night, at the last of the concerts, Australian comic Tim Minchin made the cardinal comic error of announcing (to a Scottish audience) how happy and delighted he was to have moved to England. There was an awkward pause - before Ms Koren, doing her best Braveheart impression, roared back "SCOTLAND".

Long live the King

A flurry of Twitter activity was triggered by the Book Festival when it was announced at the last minute that the headliner at its final "Unbound" event last night would be prolific songwriter and Festival favourite King Creosote.

The Scottish singer and founder of the Fence Collective label appeared at the Charlotte Square Spiegelent alongside Doug Johnstone, Alan Bissett, Ryan van Winkle, David Flood, Cameron Steel, Burnt Island and Adrian Crowley at an event which doubled as the launch of an audio book of an anthology of new Scottish writing.

The early bird . . .

With most comics there is a respectful pause at the end of the Fringe before they start discussing next year's show.

Not New Yorker Lewis Schaffer - who issued a press release yesterday to announce next year's show, to be called Lewis Schaffer is Lewis Schaffer.

According to his publicist, he is apparently "promising 100 per cent more Lewis Schaffer than before". Good grief. We are not sure we will be able to cope.

Act to sink without trace

Medium Joe Power, after being heckled and jeered at the Assembly's opening gala. Power made the mistake of picking on PR guru Mark Borkowski - no need to contact the spirits to find out more about him - a quick browse on Wikipedia would have done it.

Hottest ticket

Roadkill, Cora Bissett's play on sex trafficking, won more awards than any other show, but had a maximum audience of just 15 every day.

Surprise appearance

Biffy Clyro, before just 200 fans in the Bulmers bar.

Best buzz

American comic and singer Bo Burnham, was awarded the Foster's Panel Prize for throwing himself into the whole experience of the Fringe when he could have just stayed at home in his bedroom and had a career in the internet.

Worst no-show

Frank Skinner, who left Assembly in the lurch after pulling out of its flagship talk show at the 11th hour. It was said that the Assembly talk show struggled to find guests.

Worst censorship

Edinburgh City Council's feeble attempts to prevent Jim Jefferies promoting his "Alcoholocaust" show on its taxis. The council apparently thought the made-up word might offend alcoholics. It didn't seem to occur to the city fathers that Jewish people might also have cause to take offence.

Most tickets sold

Comedian John Bishop proving the power of appearing on television - and a big-money poster advertising campaign.

Biggest festival feud

Comedian Pete Jonas was so incensed by Julia Chamberlin's review of his show on the comedy website Chortle that he launched a bitter attack on his own website. Chamberlin had accused Jonas of being an attention seeker - he responded with a full on character assassination. Pot, Kettle, Black anyone?

Oldest sex symbol

Michael Topping may be 67 years old but it doesn't stop him writing fruity and explicit ditties about what he would like to do to David Miliband. Topping promised his show would 'lift the flaps of geriatric sex'.

Most unstarry famous person

Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh was in town to direct Paul Foot's show at the Underbelly. Fielding happily posed for photos with all the hordes of Boosh fans who approached him.